When I came back home, I found my mother and William taking over something. William had taken a day off from work as my mother had a doctor’s appointment and I had an important case to handle.
“Nara?’ my mother looked surprised to see me entering the living room. “How come you are back so early?” She glanced at Jayden in my arms. “And he was supposed to come back with the bus, right?”
I closed my eyes and released a frustrated sigh, dropping Jayden to the ground. Instantly, he ran to his uncle William, wrapping his arms around William’s legs. William caressed his head softly.
Jayden knew that his uncle was often the buffer between me and his mischief, the one person who could sometimes save him from my anger. That’s why he has gone to him and it is not the first time he has done that.
As much as William hates Ansell and Jayden reminds him of him, William still loves Jayden. My family looks at Jayden as my son only. They don’t relate him to Ansell.
They are showering him with as much love as possible, even though his presence is a constant reminder of a past they would rather forget.
“Is everything alright, Nara?” William asked me softly. “What happened? You are looking so flustered”
I cast my gaze downward, and tears threatened to well up in my eyes. For years, I had kept my emotions under control, becoming almost cold -hearted, shutting off anyone who might try to tamper with my feelings. I had locked all the doors to my heart, refusing to allow the world to even knock on them but today his presence has shaken me from within.
“I saw Ansell today” I confessed with a heavy sigh.
“What!” Both William and my mother exclaimed simultaneously, their surprise evident in their voices.
“Who is Mr. Hero, Mommy?” Jayden’s innocent voice cut through the conversation, his curious tiny eyes locked onto me as he was looking forward to the answer.
How could I forget that this boy catches every word and than ask questions.
“Time out, Jayden” I said in a very strict tone, which I use at him only when I am actually angry. Today, he had pushed my patience to its limits.
First he put up a fight, than disrespected Mrs. Wilson and then ran away on the busy street.
“No money, please. Jayden is sorry” he pouted, his tiny eyes shinning with small tears.
Most of the day time his puppy face melts me but not today. I am not letting it happen!
He is going out of control and he is not understanding things with love.
“Just go!” I shouted.
When he was sure that I was not going to listen to him he walked to the wall with his head hanging low. William and my mother watched him with sympathetic eyes, clearly not wanting him to face this punishment, but neither of them intervened.
“Calm down, Nara” mom placed her hand over my shoulder.
I exhaled deeply, but the relentlessness that had taken hold of me since encountering Ansell refused to subside. I am feeling so restless as his presence reminded me of everything he has done to me.
“What happened? Why are you so angry today?” She further asked.
“Mom, today again he got into a fight. He injured another boy, and the mother of that child was furious. Instead of apologizing to her, he disrespected her. The principal has given me a final warning, saying that if he repeats this behaviour, she will suspend or worst terminate him, “I explained, the pent-up frustration spilling out as I spoke.
A heavy silence hung in the room as my words settled in.
“Calm down, Nara. He is a kid. He will understand with time” my mother said.
Our eyes were drawn to the Jayden who was standing facing the wall. His head still hung low. It was quite clear that he was guilty of his deeds but he never accept his mistakes and apologize to anyone else than me. In his young mind, he often believed that whatever he did was justified.
“Mom, I am scared. He is becoming like Ansell”
I made sure that my voice was low when I took the name of Ansell so that he couldn’t hear it. I was certain he might be pretending to be lost in his own world, but in reality, he was listening to our conversation, and he would likely have questions for me later.
“He is only five years old, and he has already engaging in so many fights. I don’t want him to turn out like Ansell, mom. I really don’t ” I continued, my voice quivering at this point.
. It feels like I am failing as a mother. I am failing to give him proper lessons and teach him good habits.
“And what about Ansell? Where did you see him?” William asked.
I knew he was waiting for me to tell him about Ansell. He was concerned about us.
“When I was trying to talk to him, he suddenly ran into the road and eagerly got hit by a car” I began, my voice shaky as the memory of the incidents remained vivid and continued to terrify me. “and that car belonged to Ansell ”
My mother gasped, and my brother seemed to freeze in place.
“I… I am sure that he had realised that he is his…”
A sob escaped my throat no matter how much I tried to keep it in control and I couldn’t even complete my word.
“Brother I don’t want him to come back to my life. It was really hard for me to move on and I cannot share my son with anyone. He is mine only. I am sure he would try to take him away from me, and I won’t be able to live without him. You know I have survived only for him and if he took him away I don’t know what would happen to me” I said everything in one breath.
My fear was now surfacing. He is my only hope and source of living. I can’t live without my son. I don’t consider Ansell as his father. I am his mother, I have given him birt, I went through all the pain, so I have energy right over him and this is it.
“Nothing would happen” William caressed my head. “I will not let him touch you again. I will drop him to school and bring back. You don’t need to worry about him, okay?” He gently cupped my cheek.
“Brother I am not getting why he is here? We left him without any charges thinking that he might change but I don’t think this is the case. I could still see the same madness in his eyes when he stared back at me. You know he is possessive about his belongings. I am really scared for Jayden. He won’t let him go so easily ” I hiccuped.
“Don’t be so scared Nara. You are strong. You are the strongest among all of us. You can’t break like this. I will make sure that this time he is not able to touch you and Jayden ” William assured me.
I know as a brother he is going to do everything to protect but I am also well aware about the power of Ansell. He always gets what he wants and he never lets go of his possessions then how could he just let go of his son?
“Money, please”
We heard a soft voice of Jayden which grabbed our attention.
“Jayden is really sorry. Jayden promised not to repeat it. Jayden is hungry mommy”
I am sure he must be starving because of the fight he couldn’t even have his lunch.
My mother squeezed my shoulder and despite my anger, I couldn’t resist the urge to rush to him, scoop him up in my arms, and hold him tightly. Jayden wrapped his arms around me, returning the hug, and I showered kisses all over his head. He learned back, and I prepared his face with more kisses.
“Jayden loves you, Mommy. Can’t see you crying” he whispered, his tiny fingers wiping away a single tear that had escaped my eye without my knowing.
In that moment, I felt an overwhelming surge of love and determination. I would do whatever it took to protect my son, no matter the challenges that lay ahead.
“I love you too” I whispered, planting a long kiss on his forehead before composing myself.
I didn’t want to let my emotions get the better of me in front of him.
“Come, let’s have something” my mother said from behind.
I turned around to find that she has brought food on the table. Jayden’s eyes shone looking at his favourite dish. I walked to the table and made him sit on my lap.
With a spoon of food, I offered him the first bite, and his face lit up with a radiant smile as he savored the flavours. Then, he took another spoonful and offered it to me. I gladly accepted, opening my mouth to receive the food with a smile on my lips.
As we continued to eat together, the tension that was there earlier slowly dissipated, replaced by a sense of warmth and security.
William told Jayden the stories of superhero to make him laugh and the giggles of my boy filled the hall as we ate together.
I could still feel the impending storm in my life but I am also about one thing that with Jayden I could fight and win over anyone and anything.