THE LIGHT THAT LEADS ME DOWN THE RIGHT PATH

Ahawwwwwmmmmmmh," I yawn and stretch. I turn to my left, looking at a backlit 5:30 sign boldly staring at me from my alarm clock. I guess old habits tend to stick.

"It's Monday again," I thought.

************************

Blar!!! Blar!!!, blar!!! Blar!!!, blar!!! Bl...

"Gosh, I so hate the sound of my alarm," he thought after switching off the alarm.

Little Ezekiel got up from bed to look at the backlit 5:30 staring at him from his alarm clock.

"Let me have just 5 minutes more in bed to really clear off this drowsiness." Ezekiel thought before closing his eyes.

Splash!!! 

Ezekiel jolted out of his sleep and shivered in the cold.

"Why is the water cold?" he thought.

He turned to look at his alarm clock and was surprised to see that it was now 6:00 a.m.

"Mom! Why is the water cold?" he asked the woman standing there with a small, empty, transparent white bucket. The bucket was obviously where the cold water came from.

"Meehh, I improvised." An elderly woman in her early thirties was standing by the door in her long orange dress that is starting to lose its color, her natural hair neatly styled in the popular all-back hairstyle.

"Do you want to ask me questions, or do you want to get your sleepy self in the dining room in 5 minutes, or... you can choose to have a nice cold bath in bed?" Mrs. Miles said, smiling at her 14-year-old son.

One thing little Ezekiel knows he can never do is get to school late. Being under a loving, caring, self-sacrificing, but also strict and disciplining mother has made him quite decorous.

He brushed his teeth, took his bath, and got into his school's blue shorts and white shirt as fast as he could.

"My sweet boy, are you all ready?" Miss Miles called out to her son from their little dining room.

"I'll be there in a minute," he replied.

The family of two stayed in a two-bedroom rented apartment. The building was just one story with two apartments. The owner of the house lived at the top, while the duo lived at the bottom.

Ezekiel and his mother have been living together for the past 4 years. It's been four years since his father died of a terrible disease.

A tragic thing indeed. Losing one's father at a very tender age. Ezekiel remembered his father as loving, caring, and playful. He remembered watching and reading his favorite superhero comics and movies with his dad. But little did he know that his father was moribund.

After having breakfast with his mother. He and his mother went off to school together since she also works there.

But not as a teacher.

Mrs. Miles owns a small business at her son's school. She sells a local delicacy called akara (bean cake) and bread to the students of that school for their lunch breaks. And she also sells this delicacy in their area in the evening.

This is how she has been taking care of herself and her son, Ezekiel.

They were not really financially stable.

************************

Oh Monday, How I love this day.

Getting up to do my normal morning stretching and exercises

Running on a spot, a few jumping jacks, and some push-ups

After my morning exercise, I walk into the bathroom to freshen up.

I walked into my luxurious-looking kitchen to make some toast and some tea for breakfast after freshening up in the bathroom.

After preparing breakfast, I decided to have my toasted bread and tea on the couch while watching the news.

Listening to the female reporter in a white shirt and a blue blazer talk about a road accident made me remember a memory I can't just obliviate.

************************

It was a Friday. The sun was beginning to set, and the night was closing in.

17-year-old Ezekiel stormed out of the house, walking away with his mother following after him.

He just learned from his mom that he won't be able to further his education due to them having no money. He had hoped he would have gotten a scholarship, but he didn't meet the requirements.

"Where are you going to, Zeke?" Mrs. Miles called out to her son with tears in her eyes. "Wait!"

"I want to be alone, mom," he said, taking a right turn to St. Matthew Street. "I need to think."

"Let's be alone together and think together. Two heads are better than one." She took a sudden sprint and stood in front of her son, placing her hands on his shoulders to stop him.

"Why is our life like this, mom?" Ezekiel said with tears in his eyes. "Is it because dad is no longer with us?" I really wish he was here with us."

"Oh, my sweet boy."

She gave her son a big hug as they were both in tears.

Screeeee !!!! Cheee!!!. The screeching sound of a tire hitting the floor jolted the duo. A black Toyota car was maneuvering to where they were at insane speed.

The car was about to hit them both before Mrs. Miles pushed her son away with all the strength she could muster.

Little Ezekiel saw his mother being lifted two feet off the ground from the impact of the car before hitting the ground.

"Nooooooo !!!!!" He cried 

************************

My mother saved me from that accident. It turns out it was a drunk driver.

I look at my large wall clock in the living room with my now empty plate and cup that were filled with toast and tea. It was already 6:30 a.m.

Getting ready for work I'm putting on my light blue dress shirt, my well-ironed gray pants, a black leather loafer, and a dark blue blazer. I am all ready for work.

Driving to one of the prestigious hospitals in my Mercedes-Benz And who am I?

I am Ezekiel Miles, a 28-year-old medical doctor at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country.

While I was still on my way to work in my car, a phone call came in. I put on my driving ear pods and slid the green icon on my phone to the right.

"Hey mom" 

"Hey, my sweet boy."

"I am no longer a boy, mom."

"You will always be my boy, Zeke."

"How have you been doing?"

"You know, the usual. My darling husband is taking good care of me, and your siblings are doing fine. Which makes me wonder when you are going to bring home a nice, beautiful, decent girl and have a family of your own. Like Cecilia" 

"Are Emily and Evan with you?"

"No, my darling husband took the twin to school. It feels like just yesterday I gave birth to them, and today they are all grown up. (She Signs)"I'm actually at the hospital now."

"Is everything ok, mom?"

"I just wanted to see your face since it's been ages since you last visited me and the rest of the family."

"But I visited last month."

"A month ago, really?"

"That was like a week ago, mom," Ezekiel said with an eye roll.

"Really?, (There was a pause.) Anyway, bye! See you soon."

She ended the call.

My mom got lucky in the car accident. She had a lot of bruises and scratches all over her body, but the major impact of being hit by the car was her leg. I remember the doctor who treated her saying she was very lucky because her injury was not too serious. It was a miracle; she could still walk, but she still limps a little.

After the accident, Mom remarried to John Walker. A man she met during her stay in the hospital, and they gave birth to the twins, Evan and Emily. Having a new dad really help me with my education, and John is very financially stable. 

Finally getting to work. I park my car and go straight to my office.

After taking the elevator up and taking a few turns, I saw my mom sitting and giggling with none other than Cecilia in one of the seats in the hallways. One would look at them and think they were two old friends.

Cecilia's mother is a patient here, and she was diagnosed with osteoporosis. She has been admitted for more than a month now, and Cecilia has been coming from time to time to check up on her. Being the one treating her mother, we have become quite close.

"Son! You are finally here," Mrs. Miles said with her arms spread out.

"Good morning, Doctor Ezekiel," Cecilia said with her usual killer smile, her yellow blouse, and her blue palazo trousers. Damn, she is so beautiful.

"Good morning, Cecilia." I walked straight to my mom to give her a hug and kiss her on the cheek.

"I thought you guys were friends now; what's with the formalities?" My mother said she was looking back and forth at both me and Cecilia.

"Mom?" I gave her a knowing look.

"Lia, give me a few minutes, okay? I'll be right back to tell you all about how I met his stepdad at a hospital. I need to see Doctor Ezekiel," Mom said with an eye roll.

Cecilia giggled 

Mom stood up limping a little bit due to the leg injury she got in the accident. We both walked to my office.

She sat down in my office and looked at me.

"I am so proud of you, my sweet boy," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" I said, cleaning her tears.

"Sorry," she sniffed, "these are tears of joy, my son."

I smiled at her and said, "I am sure if your biological father is looking at you now, he would be very proud. Sad thing cancer took him."

"Yes, but you were there for me, mom.

You were always there for me whenever I needed someone, and I am so grateful for that.

A lot of people stare at me and look up to me with a lot of respect and gratitude, but they don't know that without my mother, I would not be standing where I am today.

You have done more than I could have ever asked for from a mother.

You have been the light that leads me down the right path.

Thank you so much, mom. I love you."

"I love you more, my sweet boy."

"Remember when I always said my favorite superhero was Spiderman?"

"Yeah"

"You are my favorite superhero mom."

"Does that mean I get a cape or suit?" she chuckled.

I laughed, "maybe."

"My supermom," I said with a smile.

"Come here, my sweet boy."

I spread my arms and gave her a hug. Then she said it in my ear.

"You should better shoot your shot with Cecilia before it's too late. I see the way you look at her."

"Go back home, mom," I said, breaking the hug with a fake frown.

"What?" She said

"I know what I'm doing," I told her.

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"I want to have grandkids."

"Mom," I said, giving her a knowing look.

"Alright, I'll stop pestering you about you bringing a girl home since you don't want me to see my grandkids. Such a good way to treat your SUPERMOM."

"Mom!!"