Chapter 36: Mother-daughter bond

Once I stepped inside from our gate, my girly heart started getting hyper again. My god, did everything that happened really happened? I placed my hand on my chest and felt my cheeks starting to hurt. Ah, I'm smiling too much. But who can blame me?

Trying to calm myself lest our maid think that I've gone crazy, I walked briskly to our house. As I entered and passed the living room, I saw my mother sitting on one of the sofas reading a magazine.

"Mama, I'm home." I greeted.

She stopped reading the magazine to look at me. She smiled. "It's good you're back. Come here." then asked, "Where's your friend? I should give her my thanks."

I walked closer to her "He already left. Ma, can I borrow your phone? I want to thank him for sending me back."

"He? A boy? Is my daughter having her first suitor?" she teased.

Thankfully my papa was not there. My mama was like this, she's the opposite of my papa. Where my papa was strict and kept on saying that boys are no good. Books before boys etc. My mama was the encouraging type. She's always too curious about how my love life was faring and would always tell me that if I like someone, I should just tell her so that she can check him out. I mean, not check him out literally, but check on him, like knowing his background, finding out if he's a good boy or not.

"Ma… he's not a suitor, we're just friends…" I answered as I blushed.

"Then why are you blushing? I can tell that my daughter has just found her first crush. Come on, tell mama, I won't tell your papa, I promise."

"Ma!" I exclaimed a bit exaggeratedly.

My mother started laughing, as she continued teasing, "If you do not tell, I'm not going to lend my phone to you. You can just say thank you to your friend tomorrow."

Hearing her laughter and seeing her acting like a teenage girl herself, I was reminded of how much she and papa changed in my original timeline. I suddenly felt my nose turn sour and tears prickled my eyes. Why was I being too emotional?

My mother noticing my silence stopped and looked at me. Seeing me in tears, she asked worriedly, "Why are you crying? Mama's just fooling around."

I shook my head and gave her a smile. In the past, it was also like this, but I was too young then to realize that she just wanted to know more of what's going on in my life. It's not that I wanted to hide things from her, but I just felt too embarrassed to share. Not to say I have a lot to share since my love life was sorely lacking even then. But the simple things like telling her about my crush and things like that that some mother and daughter bond over especially with all the soap operas I watched.

When the time came that I wanted to share about me and Steve, she was not as lively nor as excited as when I was younger. I believe that it has been the effect of her living in depression for some time.

I yearned for that bond which I did not enjoy much of, so this time, I decided not to be too embarrassed and just share what I feel too. I mean, as long as she doesn't tell papa.

"It's nothing, Ma. I'm just being sentimental. I love you." I suddenly said as I hugged her.

If my mother thought I was being strange, she did not mind it. She just chuckled and hugged me back. "I love you too. So, is this you hugging me because you think you're going to marry soon?"

I laughed as I pulled back away from her, "Ma, it's just a one-sided crush on my end. Nothing like that."

"Ahah! So, you really like that boy. Now you have to tell me, who is he? Do I know? Was it that Steven boy you mentioned last time?"

I shook my head while noting that she even kept in mind Steven's name who I just mentioned casually. I wanted to say that Steven is seeing Lara but decided not to. What? Who knows if we still end up together in the future? It's not good to give my mother that impression about him.

"No… not him. The boy earlier was Anthony Ren. But he was just being nice."

"Impossible, my daughter is the prettiest girl in the planet how could anyone not like you? Anthony Ren… that name sounds familiar."

"Ah, he's the son of Arthur Ren. Hehe…" I said, while thinking, 'Ma, your daughter just rode in a car with a boy alone and you're even encouraging her.' I wanted to shake my head, but then again, it just shows how much she trusted me. Besides, I did use the phone of said man to call her, maybe that's why.

"Oh! The Ren family. Not a bad choice. But don't feel intimidated, even if their family is high up there, we're not too shabby either. If your mother-in-law tries to bully you in the future, you can always come back here, we can adopt your husband instead." She said as if just because I like Anthony meant that we would get married in the future definitely.

"Ma! We just met last week. It's nothing like that yet." I said as I laughed. I know we're just talking nonsense.

My mother also laughed, then she began to ask me how everything came to be.

So, I explained what happened in detail, except for the part that I pretended that my phone was lowbat. She would be angry if she knew that's what I did. I also told her about my new friends, Lara, Steven, and Andy.

Since she spends a lot of time watching teenage variety shows and the likes, she knew of Andy Peng and apparently, she even secretly crushes on him. I just came to know that detail that night.

Wanting to tease her, I also told her about how Andy Peng invited me to his party.

My mother started saying that Andy Peng must like me too.

I was like, 'Ma, okay, I think you're the one who wants to live the teenage love triangle dream I want to live. Really.' Of course, I did not say that. I just laughed.

My Papa called and said he would be back late, so we had dinner just the two of us.

My tale continued and she listened.

It was enjoyable and heartwarming, having this bond. It's like having a best friend who I can tell everything to. I always wanted to have one, but I should have known from the start. There's no one in this world who would love listening to my stories as much as my mother did.

In the end, when we finished our bonding session, it was already 9:30 in the evening. I requested for my mother's phone and this time she gave me a knowing look before handing it to me.

I felt a little embarrassed but at least I have her blessings. Like how cool can your mom be? Anyway, I sent Anthony's number to my number.

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TBC