Chapter 16

It was then I noticed what the noise was all about. There in the middle of the compound was a big blue truck with several things in the boot , parked near Mark Tony's house, and in the truck was Mike Tony, shooing away the kids gently so he could alight from the driver's seat. There was a man sitting beside him. A man as tall as him. They were both looking cheerful and pleased to see the kids.

Mike Tony! Mike Tony was back. Immediately it registered in my brain, I ran towards him and jumped into his arms. He picked me up and rolled me in the air. Other kids begged to be moved that way, amidst happy laughters and rejoicing. I was heavy, but he moved me like I was as light as a feather. I hugged his neck and rested my head on his chest, completely forgetting my mother's errand.

The other man began to release the items in the truck. Other neighbors whose parents were around came out of their rooms to sneak a peek at Mike Tony. They hugged him and some shook his hands. He was indeed a small celebrity. It was so touching to know how much his absence had been felt. I had already lost all hope of ever seeing him again. In the big blue truck, there were a lot of food items, new bags and shoes, a lot of kitchen utensils, edible things and also two golden award cups. Apparently, he had won all these things from emerging the best dancer in his team.

He looked so cheerful as he entered the truck again, with me on his thighs, and drove to the back of his apartment and parked his truck there. It was 7:30pm in the evening.

When he parked, he began to distribute some items to the kids and their mothers or fathers. He gave me a big bowl, two flasks and a big hair brush. Then he gave me a bottle of cooking oil to give to my mom, even though we didn't need it. I knew he knew that because he gave two to each one of the other neighbors instead of one.

"Go give your mom this. Is she around?" He asked, putting me on my feet on the green grass. That was when I remembered that she was still waiting for me to get someone to help her up

"Mike, mommy fell on the floor. In her room. Please come and help her up" i pleaded with my puppy eyes. He stared at me in disbelief, then he held my hand and followed me to our apartment.

"Mommy is pregnant, so she can't see well, and that makes her fall sometimes" I said as we entered the house. The distribution of gifts still went on outside by Mike's friend.

"She's pregnant?"

"Yes" i replied and he sighed. I didn't know why he sighed, but I think he understood how it felt to be pregnant and lonely. Mom was grateful to see me back , and with someone to help her. Mike Tony carefully pulled her up, avoiding her stomach because it looked delicate. And after she got up, all of a sudden, she embraced Mike Tony.

"You're welcome back, Mike. We all missed you" she said and even kissed his cheek. It was a normal gesture but I read it to mean mom liked Mike Tony even though I knew she was just being nice. Mike merely smiled, without looking surprised. He asked about her husband, and she said he was away on a trip. "How's your husband?" That was how he put it, and it annoyed me. He held mom's hand and the three of us came outside to watch him and the other man distribute many goodies to everyone. It was fun. Mike Tony had a lovely heart.

That night was fun because all the kids were out, with Mike Tony telling us wonderful stories. He told us about his dancing team, how he won in the dance challenge that came up two weeks before, and got two awards. He told us that he had an impromptu meeting, and then an holiday after, and that was why he left abruptly. He introduced his friend to us. His name was Malcolm but since it sounded like Mark, we called him Mark the second. He laughed as we kids called him his new name in unison. He was so much fun to be with like Mike was. Mike told us that he was also a dancer, but he(Mike) danced better than he did. They even showed us some dance steps. Every kid was happy, even their parents joined us in the merriment and night discussion.

That night, I was free and happy because I didn't have to think about some cult, Anita's slaughter and Joe's disappearance. I didn't have to think about Cameron or mom's troubles, or my big body and the hairs on it. Mark's presence brought happiness into my soul, and I swore that night, to try matchmaking him with mom, one more time. It'd have been the best family ever. A loving Mike for a dad, a sweet, decent woman for a mom and me, plus my baby sister in another city, enjoying life even if we are not as wealthy as Cameron was. It'd have been a perfect one, or so I thought. I wished I could live with Mike forever. It was my dream.

It was almost 9pm when mom called me back into the house. I didn't answer her. Other kids were still outside, playing and having fun. Mike and his friend were outside too. What was she calling me for? I hit my fist on the wall and screwed my face because I wish I didn't have to be mom's nanny. I loved mom so much and was happy I could help her run some little errands around the house and help her boil water to 'calm her raging tummy' in the middle of the night but I was tired. I just wanted to be free and happy. I just wanted to have someone put me on their thighs and sing to my eardrums, protect me and make me smile always. Mom needed someone like that too but we both didn't have one.

I had Mike but we could not be together for long, as mom and I would be leaving the estate soon, after the divorce. I was already feeling nostalgic. I would miss this life at Kangaroo Estate. There were very many bad days, but still there were good days. Mike and the kids made me have good days.

"Ariana" mom called me again. I was upset. Mike noticed me even among the crowd of kids and came up to me, while he asked Malcolm to continue entertaining them.

"Mom needs your attention, darling" he said. I looked away. If I answered mom, then that'd be a good night. I didn't want to enter my cold, dull room, at least not yet.

"C'mon get up. She needs some help, let's go help her" he said and I brightened up. It was all I needed to hear. As long as he was present with me, I was ready to run any errands for mom. "Thank you!" my eyes yelled. I let him hold my hands as we walked towards our exquisite apartment. When we got to the living room, he sat on one of the chairs and asked me to go in to answer mom. "I'll wait here for you. Hurry" he said smiling. I hesitated. "Go,my little child" He said. I had to smile and obey him. He was my little obsession.

It turned out that Mom was in my room, and she had ransacked everywhere. Immediately I walked into the room, I knew that something was wrong. She was sitting on my bed, with many objects on her thighs. Mom was only putting on a top and a piece of boxers..she looked so young and beautiful..and her big stomach popped out of the blue body-hugging top. Her thighs were bigger too. It shocked me how she turned into a fat potato in a matter of months. She was not usually that big. I wondered if pregnant women should wear tight clothings. Mom had lightmake-up on too, surprisingly. She had her blond hair pushed back in a ponytail and her lips shimmered in the reflection of the moonlight. There was a pair of white sneakers before her too. She looked so strange and youthful. Different from the mom I used to know.

"Sit here" she said, and I obeyed, sitting beside her on my medium-sized, gorgeous bed. "Yes Mommy" I replied, hoping she'd notice I'm in a hurry to go back outside, but she didn't look like she was in a hurry. I was tempted to tell her that Mike was seated in our living room, waiting for me, but I resisted the temptation. Mom might get mad at me. She gets easily irritated these days. Her mood changes so quickly that it might start to scare you.

"Ariana, do you love me?" She asked. It was a strange and fearful question. Was mom planning to kill herself? No I don't think so. She's all dressed up, looking good and happy, so I do not think so.

"Yes mom. You know I do" i replied, touching her shoulder. "Why do you ask? If anything is wrong, you can tell me" I said, with my eyes full of concern. Was I losing mom? She looked happy but her eyes were unpredictable at that moment. She kissed my forehead and continued. Her kiss was so warm and soothing.

"Darling, I want you to be obedient to what I tell you. You're my only daughter, my only child in fact, for now. I'm responsible to you, so I would not want you to take bad decisions in life, or fall into traps, because you're just an innocent, sweet child. I do not want anyone to take advantage of this" she sighed, held my hands and continued.

"Whenever you need anything, I want you to tell me about it" she said calmly, looking into my eyes and I could swear that she'd cry, any moment from then. Her eyes spoke of regrets, concern and fear. They were so evident in her two hazel eyes. I held and rubbed her hands. "Sure mom" i smiled, maybe she'd smile too. So she was not dying. I heaved a sigh of relief.

"I want you to tell me even if it appears I can't do much to help. I am your mother and I'll always want to help you" she said calmly and soothingly. I was already forgetting about Mike then, because I was bonding with my sweet, caring mom.

"I know that, mom" I replied, wearing a small smile. "You're a kind mother" I added, and a smile appeared on her lips, but it was a painful smile. It was genuine but painful.

"I want you to know that whatever I ask you to do is for your own good. I'd not want any harm to come to you. I love you so much, you're all I've got in this world", and the moment she said that, I wanted to hug her because her voice started to sound hurt.

"It's okay mom. I promise to obey you"

Then she sneezed two times, sniffed in some tears and then fetched some items which had fallen off her thighs. I think she was being careful not to smear her makeup. Or maybe she thought if she broke down, she wouldn't be able to pass much information.

She showed me items she fetched from her thighs and without questioning me, went on: "I want to say something about these items" . You wonder what those items were? They were Cameron's trinkets and gold chains--the ones I stole, so I could sell in case Cameron threw us out, so we'd not starve, or in case mom divorced Cameron and her job wasn't sustaining, or she could not go to work because she has to rest. The expensive stolen objects I kept in the soil under the tile, in my room, precisely under my wardrobe. It was meant for our future sustainability. I stole them on one of the days mom had me pack Cameron's ironed clothing's to his room. He was not there, so I dropped his clothes on the bed, and stole the objects from his drawer and boxes.

"These..", she continued, "are Cameron's chains and trinkets. This also is his bangle. You don't have to say anything, darling. I know you took them and hid them..I'm sorry for going through your things but I needed to see what you do, when you stay alone in this room. I saw a diary..." She said and brought out one of my two diaries. I gently snatched it from her and hung my head in shame.

"I didn't read it, Ariana" she said and I raised my head.

"Really?" I asked, relieved. I didn't want anyone to read that book. Even me don't go back reading it after writing in it. In a way and strangely, the content therein was meant to be documented, not read.

"I want us to have a mother and daughter talk. I won't go reading your diary behind your back. I would rather you talk to me, and I talk to you. We are always around each other" she said and stared into my eyes. It was intense. I felt a strong connection just by looking at her eyeballs. This woman was indeed my mother.

"I don't want you to steal for us. In fact, stealing from Cameron is the worst thing to do, even though I know you have the best intentions.

Ariana, I don't want your little mind worrying about adult things" she said and tears started to roll down her face. "You don't have to worry about how we'll survive. We will. Cameron is not God, and I'm not a lazy woman. I'll work. Don't worry at all please" she said and embraced me, her body shaking with sobs. I just patted her back and listened to her.

"Please return these things back to his drawer before he returns, okay?"

I nodded. It was the best I could do. She stopped crying after a while and cheered up. "Now go and return them. I'll wait for you. We still have many things to talk about" she smiled at me. I got up and went away with those expensive jewelries. On my way to Cameron and mom's room, I went up to Mike.

"Is everything fine?" He asked. He was still waiting in the living room.

"Yes Mike. I'll talk to you tomorrow please" I said. For now, mom needs me. I thought. He nodded. He was so understanding.

"Call me if you need any help, okay?" He said and got up. "Your mom has my number, and you can come to my place anytime"

"Sure" i said and hugged his feet. He hugged me back, like a father hugs a daughter he loved.

"Goodnight, my little child." he said smiling all the way out of the house. "I'll be the first to say good morning tomorrow" he said. I blushed. Then I shut the door tightly

after him. I felt good. It felt good to be able to control life, even as a kid. I was too smart to be seven. It felt good to be loved by him, even if he was not my biological father.

I returned those items and went back to mom who spread her arms waiting for me. I went into them for a warm hug. It felt good. I hadn't been happier in months.

"That's good, darling. Promise me you won't steal anything again?"

"I promise" I said. She smiled and kissed my cheek. "That's my girl"

I wanted to ask her why she was all dressed up when she said, "I am having a day out tomorrow with a friend in town. So I am checking out some cool outfits I got online. That's why I'm dressed like this. I'll be out from morning till evening.

You'll stay with the Hawkins, okay? Not anywhere else, please?"

"Sure mom.. the Hawkins" i replied. "Mom, where are you going to?" I asked ecstatically. "Can you take me along too?" I whined

"No baby, you know you have to go to school. Besides, it's an adult's hangout. I'm hanging out with a friend. We wanna spend some time together. I'll introduce him to you soon" she said blushing. Her face was full of joy just like it was, whenever a particular man called her, ever since Cameron left home. He was someone she was seeing. I wondered what he'd be like. My soon-to-be new father.

"Okay".

That night, she cuddled me to sleep in my medium sized gorgeous bed, and kissed my cheek several times. One of the statements she muttered while we slept was, "When you grow up, you'll understand some many things you do not understand now. And I hope you'll forgive me"

I wondered what she meant by "I hope you'll forgive me". But I was at peace with my mind after returning the stolen jewelries.

The night was rough because mom woke up two times in the midnight complaining of back aches. I helped her massage her back with my little hands, even though she didn't want me to stay awake because of her.