I Want Normal

"Good afternoon and this is Channel 2 news. It's been two weeks since we learned about the missing of Brandon Keys, the son of the C.E.O of the Keys. We are hereby pleading with you, anyone who has seen him or heard anything which can help us find him, kindly call the number below, it's free. The Keys are…"

I click pause and roll over to the other side of my bed while yawning. Some days, this is how I always start my day. Wake up, re-watch the news regarding Brandon missing, and see how the reporters gush over him. And then after that, I go ahead and start my day.

Simple!

I used to do that after my father had taken the news of Brandon's missing news to the media, and even if the news stopped I am still doing the same. I guess it is stuck with me.

Seeing his cute smiley face, as the news anchor announce makes me wake up in the morning and not give up.

I check my phone and the time for me to finally get off the bed and prepare for work has arrived, I am no longer that person who used to stay in bed when Brandon was here and only wait for the tutors to come and teach me or sometimes teach me with Brandon.

Now, I am a boss and many people are depending on my seriousness. If I was a joker, my dad would have never given me the company. In the beginning, it was hard, but I had to learn and learn fast because my father was losing it.

If I had let Brandon's missing bring all of us down, then we would be doomed. I didn't let Brandon's disappearance make me sad and pathetic, I became better. Yes, my parents are still struggling but at least they have one another and I also found a purpose.

I went into the kitchen and I find Mrs. Kaden stirring what looked like porridge.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kaden. How did you sleep?" I ask her and head to pour myself some coffee.

"It's all good. What about you madam C.E.O?" Mrs. Kaden asked with a big smile.

"Come on, ma'am was way much better. Stop with the C.E.O thing," I said to her.

I sipped my coffee and looked at her as she turn to stir the porridge, she didn't say anything and that make me know there is something wrong.

"Everything okay?" I ask and move to where she is.

"It's my son."

"Again?" I ask her and she nods.

Her son has been giving her a hard time, "Ask him to come to see me in my office today." I tell her.

"He said there is no way he can work for you, apparently there is a rule saying he should be jobless rather than working for the same people her mother works for," Mrs. Kaden says and I feel bad for her.

"He is something, tell him to go stay with his sister then," I tell her.

"He said he won't leave me alone. I swear the kid is planning on killing me. And the way I am too young if I die who will take care of you doll?" Mrs. Kaden said and touch my face.

"Okay, first you are not going to die, and second, seriously I am a big girl now," I say to her and stand up straight.

Mrs. Kaden smiles at me and puts off the stove.

"Hey, whose porridge is this?" I ask wondering, in our house only Brandon loved porridge.

"Oh, your mother asked me to prepare some. Belinda is coming over today."

"I see, is it sweet?" I ask and Mrs. Kaden starts coming to me with the spoon she was using to stir porridge with. I start going backward, "what are you doing?" I ask her.

"I want you to taste it, child," she tells me with a serious face. As if she was going to give me poison and I turn and run towards the stairs while screaming, "no, no."

I arrive at my bedroom and I am sure Mrs. Kaden is laughing her ass off, I hate porridge. I guess Belinda still loves porridge. Before Brandon went missing, they used to annoy me as soon as they started talking about porridge.

I put the cup on top of the table next to my bed and walk to my wardrobe to look for something to wear but decide not to and I send Mrs. Kaden a text asking her to come and help me.

She replies immediately that she is coming up, I have to cheer her up and this is a perfect way. When I and Brandon were young, she used to pick outfits for us. She loved it, and even now I am sure even if I ask her to pick one for me every day, she won't mind.

I enter my bathroom, take my shower trying not to think anything and after I am done, I go to my bedroom and find Mrs. Kaden has picked an outfit for me, looking at it I laugh and shout out, calling Mrs. Kaden.

"What? It's perfect." Mrs. Kaden says as soon as she comes into my room and finds me wearing the dress, she had picked for me.

"No. It's too short. Please pick me another one," I say to her and she smiles and goes to my wardrobe. Told you, she loves dressing me up.

"This one? Oh, and your dad asks me to tell you, to scream louder." Mrs. Kaden says and gives me a dress she has picked.

"Oh, he is awake?"

"Yes."

"How is he?" I ask Mrs. Kaden and look at myself in the mirror.

"He is fine, I think."

"Okay, thanks, Mrs. Kaden."

Mrs. Kaden leaves me to dress up, and as I finish and go downstairs to take breakfast.

"Brendaaaaaaa," Belinda screams my name.

"Belinda, hi," I say to her and look at my parents surprised, no one told me Belinda was joining us for breakfast. I thought she was coming later to meet my mother for her therapy session.

I take my sit and say hi to my parents. We wait for Mrs. Kaden to come so we can start eating together. I pray in my head, for Belinda not to bring anything related to Brandon.

When I said, I want normal today. I meant it.