Evening Ma had made my favorite chicken, with thin sliced coconuts floating over the fat. Then she had send me to the store downstairs to get us a whole family pack of Black currant, her favorite ice-cream.
I don't like the store-owner, we owe him money and he seems to think of us a some ungrateful lowly people. Often, he makes us wait for long, even when there are no customers he takes his own time giving us the groceries and that do reminding us of the approaching date to pay him money or a grunt followed by his lament of how much money we owe him.
But yesterday, I didn't mind standing there cos Ma was happy, she had that secret smile on her face through out the evening and I just was happy thinking of her happy face.
Pa left ma, when I was ten, it was on Chikku's birthday after the party they both had a fight, he didn't come for her birthday party and when he came he was drunk.
That night Ma told Pa to leave the house....since then she's seldom she would let a smile to brush her face..
Everyday after my school, I go pick Chikku from her play school and then I get her home. Ma leaves the key at the neighbours. But today Ma is at home, Chikku rushes to hug her.
Ma takes Chikku in her arms, but her eyes are still red, she has been crying. I want to see that secret, sweet smile back on my Ma's face.
She is on the sofa, she is holding Chikku, she is crying. The phone's ringing, I go pick up the call, it my grandma, she tells me in her secret- plotting-voice to get dressed as she will be coming to pick us up.
I tell Ma, that grandma is coming, we are going to Pa's house, I am happy but Ma is still crying and now Chikku is crying too...
I go to Ma, I am standing there looking at her. Ma looks at me, Your Pa, and she cries out loud...
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