Katalina
“Gawd, it’s so good.” Emilia groaned as she stuffed her mouth with the toffees I brought back from last night. It’s one of her favorite desserts, so before leaving the hotel, I had Huracio order some from the restaurant.
“Did you bring the file?” I asked, trying to steal a piece. She swatted my hand away, snatched the box off the restaurant table and glared at me.
We were at one of the ‘okay’ restaurants in school. It was midday and we just finished lunch after a series of lectures. Instead of ordering dessert from the restaurant, I brought out the toffee, but wasn’t allowed to eat from it. Had I known, I would have ordered them separately.
“That’s too much for one person, Emilia. I bought it for us, not just you.” I pouted while rubbing my tingling hand.
She just rolled her eyes and kept eating. She grabbed her handbag from the chair next to her and brought out a file. “I made a copy just like you suggested.” She said between mouthfuls. She then handed me the file.
I flipped through it before tucking it in my handbag.
“What if she doesn’t show up?” Emilia asked. “She might go check that place.”
“She usually appears around this time. I will hang around the restroom area. She should come find me once she gets there and finds nothing in that car, right?”
Yesterday, while I was having lunch with Huracio, Emilia went to check if the car Mum spoke about was really at the mall. Not only was it there, it was a good spot. Nobody would know to search that car for anything. The car was right there in plain sight. It has gathered dusts and can be easily overlooked.
“Have you really thought about this?”
“What?”
“What will happen after she gets the file? She wouldn’t let you stay with Huracio.”
“She can’t make me leave. Not after what happened last night.” My eyes suddenly turned dreamy as memories of his gentlemanliness and his proclamation of love came back. I instantly felt like crying again. That was how overwhelmed I was. It still feels like a dream and I don’t want to wake up.
“Once she gets the file, Huracio will know that you gave it to her. After what happened yesterday, wouldn’t he be hurt? Wouldn’t he feel betrayed by you? Kata, I don’t think you should give this file to your Mum. Let’s just go home.”
“…”
Well, that made sense. Initially, I didn’t want to give the file to Mum. But after visiting Grandma, I have more questions. The only person who can answer them is Mum. That is why I changed my mind. I know that Huracio will find out that I gave the file to Mum, but I also know that he wouldn’t kill me. He would punish me and I dread the kind of punishment he would melt out, but I am determined to speak to Mum. I need answers only she can give. So, whatever punishment Huracio would give me, I will just see it as the price to pay for the chance to get answers. That is why I didn’t drop the file where Mum asked me to drop it.
But then, Emilia’s words made sense. Now that I know exactly how he feels about me, the thought of hurting him makes my soul heavy. What if he stops loving me for it? These answers I seek, are they really worth it?
I didn’t have the answers.
There was simply no time because just as I started contemplating, my phone rang. It was an unknown number, but the text I received was enough to tell me who it was.
“She is here.” I whispered, suddenly feeling dreadful.
“Where?” Emilia turned around frantically.
“She sent me a message.” I passed the phone to her.
“We can just leave. I have a bad feeling about this. Didn’t you say she was maniac the last time she came here? Now that you didn’t do what she wanted, wouldn’t she be more mad?”
“You go to the car park, Emmy. Let me go see her. She is my Mum. She can’t hurt me.”
I took a deep breath, stood up and picked up my handbag.
“No. Let me follow you. I can help if things gets messy.”
“You are not supposed to know anything, Emmy. Don’t forget that.”
Her shoulders dropped and the worry in her eyes got deeper. I wish there was a way to reassure her, but there wasn’t. What I have seen these past few weeks since she started haunting me in school, and the things Grandma said about Mum and Dad showed that I don’t know my Mum at all.
“Don’t worry. I will be fine. It’s just Mum.”
With my heart in my mouth, I resolutely turned around and walked out of the restaurant. As I got closer to the restroom area, each step I took got heavier. I tried to organize my words because I knew she would be in a hurry, but I suddenly couldn’t remember how to process them. My brain was stuck.
When I got to the restroom, it was a little crowded. The spot we usually use is down the corridor and students hardly walk that far. I headed that way, but when I got there, the cubicle was empty. On the closed toilet bowl was a piece of paper that said “Drop it and leave.”
Unbelievable.
I felt a jolt of anger, closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
There was no way I was dropping it without seeing her. Since she dropped this note, then she must be around here somewhere. I left the cubicle and made my way back to the crowded part of the restroom. I tried to check every face around, but none looked like my Mum.
I was stumped.
Grriii, grrri…
My phone rang, making me jump. It was Emilia.
“What’s up?”
She asked in a solemn voice. “If you need help, just say something stupid and I’ll come over immediately.”
“She isn’t here.” I grumbled.
“She isn’t?”
“She left a note for me in the cubicle. She wanted me to drop the file there.”
“Then, drop it. Honestly, it’s better if you don’t meet her. I have a bad feeling. I swear!”
“But, I…”
“Katalina,…”
My heart dropped into my stomach, and chills erupted from every pore of my skin.
“M-mum, Mum?” I gasped as I got covered in cold sweat.
“Do you have the file?”
“Y-yes. But,…”
“Why didn’t you do as I instructed?” She asked in a cold voice. A very cold voice. One I have never heard her use.
“I…,” confused and perplexed, I couldn’t come up with a single word.
How did she end up with Emilia”s phone within seconds?
“Meet me at lecture room 104 in 2 minutes or I will make you regret it.”
“Mum, I…”
She ended the call.
What did she mean by that threat? Will she hurt Emmy?
I wanted to doubt it, but that voice sounded dreadfully dangerous.
Like a cheetah, I ran with everything I had in me. I don’t know if I covered the distance within two minutes, but when I got to that lecture room, I found Emmy seated on a bench looking as pale as a ghost. Her left cheek bore the marks of a heavy handed slap. Four vivid, red finger imprints.
In her usually oversized joggers and hoodie, Mum was standing guard behind her just like those annoying Huracio’s bodyguards.
“Emmy! Mum, have you gone insane? Why did you slap her?” Shocked to see Emilia already hurt, I couldn’t help but snap.
“Where is it?”
“Where is what?” I blurted out. I suddenly had the impulse to refuse her.
“The file, Katalina. I know you have it.”
“She has a gun, Kata. Just give her the file.” Emilia suddenly said with a shaky voice.
“Gun?”
Just then, Mum’s hand rose from behind Emilia. She was really holding a gun. A black gun!
I instantly stopped and took several steps back.
“What are you doing with a gun, Mum?” This is crazy. What is wrong with you? That’s Emmy, my best friend. Why are you pointing a gun at her head?”
Suddenly consumed with worry, fear, and confusion, I started ranting.