Escaping Reality - Storms

Escaping Reality - Storms

Storms

It wasn’t unusual to come down in the morning and find mum already awake and working, either waking early or just having worked through the night. Depending how many coffee cups were strewn around the kitchen counter you could tell just how much or how little sleep she had gotten. Almost anytime a new patient or member of staff joined her team she would be up all night, new presentations, no sleep for those either. Mum openly admitted it was the largely unseen side of her life people seldom saw, they could see the end glitz and glamour but not the hurt, dedication and graft it took to get there. Sometimes if she was really tired I might come down and find her passed out on her laptop, still clutching a cold cup of coffee as she slept on the warmth of her overheating laptop.


Over the past two years I had grown quite used to seeing this side of mum but little caused her more trouble to sleep than a fresh idea for a story. Mum had notebooks all round the house with new stories and tales to tell and well in that way she was quite inspirational. Her mind would go into overdrive and she would often stay awake through the night laying those ideas out, which is why when I saw a fresh notebook beside her I knew why she hadn’t slept. However this morning something wasn’t quite right, mum didn’t have the usual fizz in her eyes that she normally did when she had a new idea for a story. Mum’s eyes would glisten as she told me about the new story and little excited her more but this morning she wasn’t like that she was? Kind of flat? Like she had an idea that she didn’t want but for whatever reason she just couldn’t let it go?


“Are you okay mum?” I asked her as she looked sullenly at me with a softened smile on her face, she didn’t really reply and I’m pretty sure she restrained herself from shaking her head as she sighed “I’m fine”. Mum was seldom quite so pained and as we sat talking before she got ready to go to work, there was something really bothering her, just either she couldn’t tell me what it was or maybe wouldn’t? I sat looking at her and put my hand upon hers, she just smiled gently and touched my cheek with a forlorn yet content smile “You have grown to be so beautiful Savena” she fell still as my fingers wrapped over her hand and I reached for her shoulder “All thanks to you mum” she shook her head “No, you were always so beautiful, you just needed…” mum paused and composed herself as I smile back “A real mum” she grinned gently withholding a proud tear as she nodded “Exactly that” mum looked at me and shrugged “Better get ready for work, that place doesn’t run itself now does it?” Mum slipped down and hugged me gently as before shuffling upstairs quietly.


I mulled over what mum had said and her saddened state. I had seen mum suffering before but this was different somehow and whatever was bothering her was big. Either way I couldn’t bear to see her so pained so as she came back downstairs looking deflated I just asked her outright what was bothering her so much. Mum fell still as my words hit her and she took a slow thoughtful breath before she came and sat back beside me and smiled softly as she asked “Can you wait for me tonight?” her gentle eyes fluttering as I nodded “Always, I know it’s wednesday night” mum nodded and giggled “We both know what happens tonight” quietly to herself as she waited for me to say “Mum goes out with Paisley’s dad tonight” she laughed gently as I fell silent and lunged at me gripping me tightly “But you will always be my number one” she winked at me “Thankfully he gets that!” Mum looked at me as I giggled “Thankfully for him you mean!” Mum smiled softly as she slipped off her seat and kissed my forehead as she sighed with proud eyes “There’s something I need to talk to you about and it’s important, so wait up for me” her voice was calmer and happier as I nodded, as she left me alone to head to work.