BETH:
"Did you see the photo I sent you?" That was the first question my mother asked after I picked up her call and put it on speaker mode.
I couldn't use my hand to hold the phone because of how busy I was. I had my clothes littered on the bed with a big box with it. I was doing a lot of folding and unfolding and I knew it was going to take me a long time to finish up.
"What photo?" I asked in return. I may or may not have received a notification about two minutes earlier but I didn't even bother to check.
"Of Richard. I sent it to you a little while ago," she said.
"Oh," I muttered and was forced to finally pick up the phone.
Richard was the name of the man my mother has been trying to set me up with. She has been speaking highly of him to me for such a long time before I finally agreed to whatever it is she was planning.
I clicked open the picture mother sent and scanned the face of the man that she was ever so pleased to talk about. He wasn't that bad of a man. From the picture, I could deduce how tall he was including his good looks. However, it didn't do much to harbor any sort of interest in me.
"I've seen it, mother," I said, closing the picture and dropping the phone back on the bed.
"That's all you have to say? Not even a talk of how handsome he is because I know for sure that he's really good looking," Mother said, her tone filled with an ounce of tease.
I shook my head. "He's not bad. Not like he catches my fancy anyway," I told her.
"I'm so glad you're planning to come home after all these years. Although your father is still mad at you for leaving the way you did, I know he will come around when he sees you. I think he just misses not hearing from you over the years."
The sound of relief that exuded from mother's tone told me just how much she felt knowing that I was going back to them.
I left home about three years ago to go be with Troy after my parents totally disapproved of it. They claimed that he was not fit for me and I disregarded that idea. Since they didn't want us to be together, I had no other option than to run away without letting them know my whereabout.
Meeting Troy then felt like a jackpot. I thought I found the answer to it all. Not that Troy had everything that a man should possess but I stood by him because of how much I loved him.
I didn't think he would betray me like this. Didn't see this coming. I busted his ass out of the station after he and his so-called sister had been caught at a hotel during a raid gone wrong.
I should have asked him what was he doing in a hotel with a woman that he claimed he only saw as a sister and was only caring for her because her brother, his best friend, died.
I shook my head to take out the thoughts. "Yes, mother?" I said when I heard my mother's voice on the other end. I was completely zoned out to even know what she must have said.
"I asked when you were planning to show up," she obviously repeated what she said before.
I shrugged. "I haven't fully decided yet but it should be nothing less then next week. I'm trying to sort a few things out here. Once I do, I'll be home."
The idea felt so good that for the first time since I left home, I was actually eager to go back. Never felt this way before and I knew it was the right call for me at this point.
"I can't wait to have you home," Mother said in agreement.
"I'll call you later. Have a nice day," I said.
"You too."
The call got hung up from the other end and this gave me the chance to continue with the packing of my clothes.
I must have gotten lost in it to not realize that my boyfriend who didn't even bother spending the night here was finally back.
"What are you doing with your clothes?" was the question he asked from behind me that actually made me realize that he was in the room with me.
I stood frozen on the spot, to stunned to even turn around to look at him. I had the answer to give to him but the suddenness caught me completely off guard.
I had to say something before he got suspicious...
