Chapter 2

I arrived home after a long walk with my mind filled with thoughts that have led me into not even greeting my neighbours . My home wasn't a big house nor less a normal house , it was an L shaped house, 4 rooms inside which are enough for my mother and I , painted in cream white with a red door, all windows where framed , with a garden at the backyard and a colossal apple tree , with flowers blooming by the front and a greener grass that seemed too artificial to be real as it wouldn't lose it's greenness even in dry seasons and a very welcoming pavement from the gate to the door painted in red and blue .

My mother keeps her garden cultivated at all times nowonder people are so jealous of our garden. Of course there comes a season whereby things turn unfavourable but she is very patient . She would usually say .....

"Khloe ." , a familiar distant voice interrupts.

" Mmmmh ? ",puzzled .

"What is wrong ?, Why you standing by the gate?, Did you forget something?." My mom asks with her hands on her waist and her brow tilted upward.

"NO! , Nothing's wrong mom , just realised how lucky I am that I got a place as wonderful as the one we got to call home." , I say with calmness in my voice .

" Alright then , go get changed and come help me , clear all the tree leaves and then after that you and I could have a cup of tea with some apple pie...Your favourite and catch up on how you've spend your day at school." She smiles .

"Oh! You mean if by any chance I had seen Mr Abbott... " I roll my eyes .

"Khloe , I am still your mother . Know your place dear ." She walks away from the door to the backyard.

"Whatever!!." I thought out LOUDLY.

" God knows I wouldn't miss an apple pie for anything, I better hurry." I run inside the house heading towards my room .

My room is always messy , on the contrary I always leave my books everywhere on chairs , dressing table , bed ....any place you can think of , eventually I'm one blibliophile type of girl , I would rather spend my times indoors reading novels , poems , typewriters thoughts . Than actually go out partying , on dates, or any kind of outings. I just love my solitude.

Its just weird that sometimes I feel like there is somehow a universe out there that just brings us together with books , its just amazing getting to see what's in another person's heart and thoughts .

Putting what you imagine in words always seems hard but the amazing and unfathomable feeling of being lost in a world where you can picture yourself in the ancient times, mystical times ....Beautiful .

The feeling is priceless. I got out of my uniform and got into my brownish camping pants and a vest then walked to the backyard and started helping out. The sun was too hot , I bet if it really lived . I would bet someone might have offended it . I went back inside to prepare some orange juices with ice blocks to cool us.

By evening mom an I were already done with clearing the leaves outside, and enjoying a cup of tea with some apple pie . My mom always had this funny , beautiful way of expressing herself . Everything about her at times made her surreal , like her smile , her scent , her touch . She's like an angel sent from heaven to Earth just to take care of me .

I know she's trying her best in making sure that she leaves her addiction to alcohol , sometimes I just wish I knew what triggers her to act the way she does.

"You seem distant today , what's wrong ?."Catherine asks with concern in her voice .

"I'm just thinking...",I look away and bite my lower lip.

She brushes my hair and looks me the in the eye .

"You know you can share anything with me right , I was once a teenager as well . I know u might be thinking Catherine knows nothing about what I'm facing , things have changed they ain't like back in her times .But dear I do know that teenagehood is tough . Especially since you preparing yourself for college . Don't feel under pressure about most things . I know you think I'll be disappointed if you don't make it but actually . I'll be more than proud . I want you to work hard for yourself and not for me .

"Woah.... mom , what's with the independence talk . I truly understand what you mean but it's not that at all."

"Then what is it dear.?"she insists.

"It's really nothing really ....The pie was delicious ." I say trying to make her change the topic.

"Thank you ...its a recipe I learned in my childhood , back when life was still lush." She smiles and looks at the empty chair by the table as though remembering her childhood years or seeing someone actually with us by the table at that moment.

Mom got me through her childhood memories of how she and her siblings used to steal their neighbour's Apple's and then get home and baked apple pies , in which they would eat right at that instant, so that there would be no proof that somehow they had eaten anything , for they lived with their Aunt Thelma , who didn't allow them to eat anything unless if they were instructed so.

That somehow reminded me of my last summer holiday when I had visited Aunt Thelma and she just hasn't changed a bit , she's still mean and very strict like my mom still remembers her. Summer holidays at her house are like jail traumatic experiences that will make you just hate holidays. The hours you spent cleaning her mansion , are like unbearable because she is simply punishing us for the unknown . People usually like saying people who are never satisfied in life are people who actually don't know what life is really about . She's just simply a witch .

Who makes children clean when their servants. She is so heartless , she doesn't mind at all not giving us food the entire day for not cleaning her house. I guess only my Aunt Thelma does that . Mom continued to get me through her childhood memories but one thing I know is she would never get as close as to her memories with my father.

Either way the night wasn't getting any younger . I had another day tomorrow , though I simply enjoyed my evening. That I even started to forget how lame my day was at school , I wished it would last much longer though it couldn't I was too sleepy.... tomorrow I have the same routine as always .It's school but luckily its Friday , my eyes felt heavy and I kissed mom goodnight and went to my bedroom.

Threw myself on my bed ...

"Khloe, you forgot to take a bath ."Mom proclaims .

"I'll bath In the morning . I'm too tired to even stand up from my bed ...ahhh." I weep .

"Alright then ... Goodnight sweetheart ."

"Goodnight Mom."