Mother

“This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives,”

This refers to one day before my birthday.

Let me take you back in time where it started, how it started!

A white color tent is placed in the corner of the drawing-room which is sparkling with fairy lights, inside is sitting a 14-year-old girl surrounded with various kinds of soft toys out of which she is holding a cute little off-white teddy bear. That girl is me.. Allen. Let me describe myself to you, I am a teenager with a single parent, my mother left us when I was 7 years old since then I am with my old man, my father. I look a lot like her hazel eyes, fair skin tone, dark brown wavy hair, and a normal height according to my age.

I was peacefully playing in my tent when I heard a banging on the main door. I rushed to open the door there stood a 6 feet tall middle-aged man, with straight blonde hair, his eyes were green with a mix of blue and that was my father Raul.

“You came early today,” I said hugging him.

“Less work, honey.” He replied pulling me apart and entering the small apartment of ours.

“So can we cook together?” I asked excitedly.

Let me tell you I love cooking with my dad. He is the BEST CHEF according to me.

“Yeah, of-course we will cook together. Let me change my clothes first.” He smiled.

I rushed towards the kitchen thinking of what we should cook.

My father entered in about 2 minutes and said “Let’s bake cupcakes.”

I love cupcakes!

We started preparing the batter for cupcakes poured them in the utensil then in the oven and waited for them to be baked properly.

“You know your mother too loved cupcakes,” my dad sighed.

You all must be thinking my mother is dead, however, she isn’t dead, she just left us and father never told me why? I am mad at her for leaving us like this but I miss her more.

“They are ready,” I shouted.

We decorated them nicely and took them to the dining table where we always eat together.

After a few minutes dad said, “I have something to tell you!”

“Go ahead, I am listening,” I said.

“You know as Christmas is around the corner so is your birthday, I wanted to tell you something I hid from you these past many years.” He took a pause.

Till then I was sure it was about mother and I was ready to listen.

“It is about your mother!” he again took a pause waiting for my response.

Here it is, told you all.

“Go ahead, dad,” I said calmly.

“So it is your birthday on 24^th December you will be turning 15. Your mother wishes to see you and celebrate both your birthday and Christmas together.” He said.

“After 8 years she wishes to see me?” I asked angrily.

“I get it honey you are mad at her for leaving us.” He said.

“Definitely. Why she wishes to see me now?” I raised another question in a louder tone than before.

“Honey don’t get her wrong….”

“WHY? You never told why she left us and now you say don’t get her wrong?” I interrupted.

“I want to tell you the reason now. Will you listen? And will you try to understand her?” he asked.

“Mmmmm okay, I will see,” I said.

“Listen, your mother is an agent. She works for the FBI. She left us because she had to go on a dangerous mission and she had to be away for almost 4 years but the years extended as time passed. Now she is in a state where she wishes to see you, where there is no danger. She did this to keep you safe.” He explained.

I sat speechlessly, all the madness was fading away, I was trying to hold my tears back but here we go I busted into tears.

“She will be here by tomorrow’s eve i.e. 23^rd December.” He said.

“I want to meet her dad,” I said sobbing.

Obviously, I was mad at her but I missed her more every day.

I was restless waiting for the day to end and the evening to come. It was 4 pm when dad said we should leave to pick her up from the airport.

We drove to the airport I rushed towards the terminal where she was supposed to meet us.

There she is beautiful than ever with the same hazel eyes, sharp nose, average height, wearing her favorite black coat, and wearing her favorite hairstyle that is a low bun.

I ran towards her and grabbed her in a hug.

I heard a gunshot. I realized my mother’s back was bleeding, the gunshot hit her. My heart sank. She was half alive in my hands.

“I love you mother, I have missed you, I always wanted to get dressed by you dad doesn’t know how to dress a girl up, I always wanted to be like you, I want to cook with you, travel with you, wear your clothes, apply makeup with you, watch tv with you..please don’t leave me, please don’t leave me.” Words came out of my mouth as I held her and tears flowed down my eyes.

My dad picked her up, we took her to the hospital.

The doctor took her into the operation theatre.

An hour elapsed, it was a long, harsh struggle. Then, as the machine started slowing down despite being able to remove the bullet the blood flow continued and, there she lay…lifeless.

The doctor came out removing his mask and gloves and said, “ We couldn’t save her.”

I cried even louder, tears were flowing through my father’s eyes too. He pulled me into a hug where all I could feel was the blood in my hands that was of my …. Mother.

The doctor said, “The time you brought her to us, by then it was too late.”