Three Empty Words – Episode 2

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We were all quiet and waiting in anticipation as we heard the car pull over. I looked in mum’s direction and I noticed she was trying so hard to act normal but

because I knew her so well, I knew she wasn’t herself. From the way she tapped her shoe I could tell so many things, I moved to where she was and held her hand. She looked down at me and smiled. When the door opened it’s like life had come to a standstill, and when Scott walked in; there was an air about him that I just couldn’t comprehend.

He smiled, his smile melting my insides and I knew why mum had hooked up with him in the first place, he was way too good looking for his age. At forty he looked like he had not aged a day.

‘Francie.’ He said dryly

She smiled

‘Hey Scott.’ She said moving to where he stood and they embraced After a while they let go of each other and he smiled again at her ‘And I guess these are my girls.’ He said looking from Xeno to me Xeno smiled, something she rarely did.

I was just there not knowing how to behave, I know I was excited about meeting him but after seeing him I just didn’t know how I was supposed to behave. ‘You must be Xenia.’ He said looking at me ‘Yes Sir.’ I responded

‘Ouch.’ He answered touching his chest where his heart is supposedly is ‘That hurt, am I too old to be called Sir?’ he asked rubbing my cheek ‘No.’ I responded shyly

‘And this beauty must be Xenosah.’ He said She went to where he was and embraced him ‘Uhm, and she is a hugger too.’

Mum laughed lightly

She invited him to the living room after he declined having breakfast with us.

‘I thought you would come with your wife.’ Mum said trying to make small talk ‘Zaria is a very busy person, with the kids away she is using this time to do whatever she can.’

I noticed how emotionless he talked about his wife but who was I to make assumptions and conclusions on the first meeting? Maybe that is just how he was anyway.

‘You didn’t get married?’ he asked eyeing mum as he searched for a wedding band on her ring finger

I saw how she shifted in her seat uncomfortably

‘I had two girls to raise on my own, I couldn’t tie myself to someone. It would have probably been a baggage to the other person, so I opted to concentrate my energies on raising my girls’

‘They are grown now, don’t you think it’s high time you think of going out there? Besides you are still young, and beautiful.’ ‘Exactly what I have been telling her.’ Xeno added

I felt out of place, I was not a people person and I just didn’t find it humorous how he was talking about mum tying her life to someone. Like he just saw her after twenty years and already he thinks she has to be married.

‘You seem rather quiet.’ He accused

‘She is always like that.’ Xeno quickly responded

If I didn’t know any better I would think she was trying to impress him, but I wouldn’t blame her. After all she accused me of stealing mum’s love from her, maybe with dad around she would have all the love she feels she never did from a parent.

I just smiled seeing i didn’t have to say anything since dear sister had responded on my behalf.

‘Francie, I wish we had more time to catch up. But I need to be on my way.’ He said now on his feet

‘Oh okay.’ Mum responded

‘So have you decided which one between the girls I am going with?’ he asked So you see Xeno and I had not grown up close but she was my twin, my elder sister and the only family I had apart from mum; so I loved her in my own way even though I didn’t always show it.

‘You will be going with Xeno.’ Mum said her voice almost breaking

I looked at her sadly, I know she had her fears, it was only right that dad got one of us but she had raised us on her own and trust issues on whether we would be taken care of were quite normal.

‘I am sure we will get along just fine.’ He said kissing Xeno’s forehead

The house help brought her bags out which were taken to the car, she said bye to mum and didn’t even bother to say anything to me.

When they left I couldn’t help but feel my heart break, my sister was not going to be staying with us anymore and this would mean more distance between the two of us.

‘I need to meet some clients in town.’ Mum said

It was only then I realized that I had been staring at the empty road for a while. ‘Oh, what time will you be back?’

‘I am not sure, but don’t wait up for me in case I delay.’ She said walking towards the vehicle

When she was gone and went to my room and just sat on the bed with the weight of the world on my shoulders, my heart was in a lot of different places and I didn’t even know why.

I decided to log into my Facebook account and was shocked to see Xeno already posting photos of her and dad, she was getting a lot of feedback from people too telling her how happy they were for her to be moving in with dad.

I logged off when I couldn’t take it anymore, one of the reasons I hated social media because people portrayed a life that they were actually not even living. It’s like everyone wants to portray this perfect lifestyle which in actual sense is far from what they are really living.

I sighed and picked up my books, I was going to invest my energies into making something out of myself. I would make my mother proud to be called her child and maybe just maybe Xeno would love me too. ..