The door opens to present my always glamorous mom in her simple but corporate vintage dress walking in holding Riley in her hands and her handbag in the other hand, as her face brightens with a glamorous smile.
A supermom she really is, her task of motherhood with no reliable partner to render due support must not be easy with that of work, but she has to take care of her children all alone, since my father had vanished from the face of the earth or so I think.
My state of curiosity leveled with that of surprise, when my pregnant mom had come to pick me up, an unusual occurrence as of then, looking horridly disturbed and extremely heartbroken, back from school on that fateful day to the news that my father is nowhere to be found. Like seriously? A whole grown-up man, Dad I meant.
That is unbelievable! But then, a call was put through to his place of work and all we got is he hasn’t been to the office since the exact time he was said to have left for work, none of his friends and acquaintances can tell of his whereabouts, even his best friend with busy schedule helped in the search but all proved futile. Until the thrilling secrecy of the cessation of his existence was unearthed.
My dad was murdered! His body was found without his five-carat Alexandrite pendant deserted on a less trodden route, and his truck gone. Bad people had killed my dad and made me sour.
Investigations stated he had been a target to some crime boss because of some precious valuables he’d possessed and won’t sell or released to them.
In sincerity, I would not know how much it shattered my mom but obviously, such a predicament would have made any pregnant lady expecting her baby sooner to perceived fate, a grieving package as it would be so hard on her.
And on my part, I sure knew the tenth month of the tenth year of my life I had lost the Ryker my Dad trained and brought up. How cruel life has been to take away not just the bigger version of me, but my best tutor ever.
As the memories stay refreshed. he had loved me, scolded me, walk me to my classroom, I always look forward to his return as he would come to pick me up on his shoulder and to that old truck, home we go again.
The best friend I had lost and cannot find a replacement ever since then. Not even my adorable warm-hearted loving Mom could be that lovable and dependable, perhaps my siblings had rooted for the division of the love she had in her but it doesn’t seem so with my dad.
Completely refined, at a tender age I felt the venom of animosity replacing blood in my veins, giving me hard feelings that I became cynical and took umbrage at the slightest provocation. This, I did to mask my feelings. I only learned to box the virulence of my antipathy and decided not to venture into illegal outbreaks of violence as it saddens my mom the more, and she has to go the extra mile to rescue me by any means necessary, no matter how incapable she felt. The last time I was detained, I spent a whole two months under exquisite harrowing torture but it did nothing other than make me fiercer to anyone who wishes to be victimized by my outbursts. But before then I was already expelled from two schools, voluntarily, I gave up on the third attempt and dropped out of school during my tenth year in the new school, since the study is never the same as it used to be, I had begun to flunk most subjects then, and humans can only help one stay adrift, on trouble; and now more unanticipated complicated dilemma unfolding.
“Oh no! Ryker tell me all is well.” She hurried towards me, sits on the couch right beside me, and prompted me to return her gaze.
“I’m okay mom” I responded with a sigh.
“Yes, you are. It’s obvious isn’t it.” She riposted sarcastically.
I threw my head onto the headrest as I look into the ceiling hoping for all to end.
Telling her the truth about Jude is not the problem though, the only one whom she thinks is Ryker’s true friend, and even if she learned of what did eventuate, never, will she be calm about it. And that of course will incur additional problems I will have to deal with.
“Wait, what happened to your hand?
When did this happen?
Is everything okay?
With whom were you troubled again?
Ryker, tell me something. Did you get into trouble again?” Her inquisitiveness is becoming annoying.
“Mom tell me, am I a pain in your butt?” Bringing her questions session to a pause.
“Pain?” Her voice loses inflection but still threaded with confusion, She was astounded.
“Uhm… Nevermind, I uh– um” finding it hard to articulate the right words, I felt bad knowing I gave her the look on her face.
“I’m sorry I said that, forget I asked such question.” I impatiently stood up and headed for the room, which was mine and Ryan’s. Lucky Riley, got a room to himself, though he’s used to checking in to Mom’s room. My room had become a spare room consequently when I was ferociously agile on the streets and was married to troubles those times I barely come home, so whenever any of members of the extended family came visiting they were checked into my room as my few belongings were already stacked in Ryan’s scanty room.
And when I did revert home after lots of squabbles I gave up the rants to sleep anywhere I had forgotten my thoughts.
Before I adapted to living with my brother and a few other people in harmony, over time.
I pulled out the chair from under the desk and sat down, bent sideways to open the last row of the chest of drawers to fetch out the favorite framed and glazed photograph of my dad and I, I had kept it for myself though more were safely preserved in the photo-album, and a few more were also frame and hanged or placed somewhere in the sitting room, decoratively.
It was taken on my seventh birthday when we were out on the beach full of happiness in abundance and celebration galore since Ryan and I shared same the month and a consecutive birthdate.
Meticulously, I placed the picture on the desk’s surface, graciously supporting the frame with my hands,
“I wish you were here,” I said aloud, looking straight into his eyes in the picture, “I need a plan, Oh God! I wish you were here.” I muttered the rest. Reminiscing consequently as those poignant memories of happiness of the old times all came alive once more, feeling of helplessness and hopelessness flood over me.
*****
I felt a cold palm rest my on my shoulder which sent chills down my scapula, as my head tilt up to meet my mom’s compassionate countenance stood by me, on her left palm now sits the ice pack that had briefly modified the temperature in her right palm. Water builds up in my eyes, blurring my vision while I blink severally in a bid to hold it back. ‘No, I’m too big to cry.’
“I don’t know what gave you that thought exactly, my boy, but you’re never a pain in my ass” Mom said with a sad smile, and I nodded.
“Just don’t get into trouble anymore is all I ask of you, and that’s because I cared so much about you. Okay?” She patted me on the head.
“Alright Mom,” I said, my mind still preoccupied with the thoughts of my dad.
“Will you tell me now, what you know about the cause of my father’s death?” I asked with much intent.
“Not yet. Ryker…” She replied in a peaceful way, as she always did anytime I asked that she tell me what she knew about the death of my father, who and where are those that had killed him.
“So when Mom?” I asked desperately, as I always would in disappointment.
Her words this time seems unclear to me as they weren’t her usual comments though, she had said, “until you’re emotionally stable and mature enough, moreover I don’t want you wandering the face of the earth foolishly, searching for some unknown killers in the name of revenge.”
“Okay, Mom.” With much vigor, I shook my head in agreement and sniffed.
She gestured for me to stand up as she gave me a comforting motherly hug.