Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
The smell of the evening meal, spaghetti and meatballs, was making her salivate, it was so good. She sat back and glanced around the dining room.
In the past, this room didn’t even have a chair. Most of the time it had a stack of boxes that meant nothing to her. It must have taken her mother weeks to clean the whole house. To get it painted and in a state it could be lived in.
“Here we go,” Ethel said, putting a large plate full of spaghetti and meatballs in front of her.
“Wow,” Nikki said.
“Yeah, that is a little snag I’ve hit. I don’t seem to be able to cook for a few people. I tend to fill the freezer, and then take some around to the church, or go to the homeless shelter and help.”
This made Nikki’s mouth drop. “You go to the homeless shelter?”
“Yes, yes, I know, I know. I’ve made some cruel observations over the years, about them being a burden, and it is embarrassing.” Ethel bowed her head, and she knew her mother had sent a prayer. “I was … naïve, stubborn, and stupid.”
“I can’t believe how different you are,” Nikki said.
Ethel offered her a smile. “Well, I’ve always been told that people can change, and I guess I’ve certainly changed, or at the very least remembered who I once was before I allowed a man to change me.”
Nikki couldn’t help reaching out to take her mother’s hand. “Thank you.”
She saw the tears glistening in her mother’s eyes. “I should be the one thanking you.” Ethel squeezed her hand. “Now, eat. I don’t want your food getting cold. Also, there should be plenty of hot water for you to enjoy a nice, long bath. So, tell me about your day.”
Nikki twirled some of the spaghetti around her fork. Her mother had mixed sauce into the spaghetti as well as dolloping it on top. She loved it like this. “It was good.”
She took a bite and the flavors were so intense, but not overpowering. The food was perfection. She had never tasted her mother’s cooking like this. It was usually takeout or a sandwich, but this was something else. Her mouth felt like it was being danced over but in a good way. She loved it and went straight in for another bite.
“Just good?” Ethel asked. “I thought you were working at that beauty salon a few towns over. I heard you struggled to get work, and the supermarket job closed on you.”
“Oh,” Nikki said. “I was working at the salon.”
“I’m so relieved. I had hoped to have bumped into you before then, but you know how life can be, and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help you find work.”
“Uh, I’m not actually working at the salon. The job was kind of fake, and I only just found out about it.”
Ethel frowned in between taking bites of her meatball. “You’re going to have to fill in the blanks for me, because I’m not sure I understand.”
“I’m not out of a job. I’m working at a fast-food joint. Serving burgers, fries, and a whole lot of other things. It’s busy and it seems like good pay,” Nikki said.
“So what happened to the salon job?” Ethel asked. “I remember as a little kid you were always fascinated by my makeup.” Ethel looked away and Nikki frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just … bad memories. Always bad memories where I could have been nice to you, and I was cruel and said some bad things.” Ethel’s hand was clenched into a fist. “This is the price I have to pay.”
Nikki was shocked to see the guilt. There was a part of her that had wondered if this was all an act on her mother’s part. Now, she felt a little guilty for not believing what was right in front of her eyes. Her mother had truly changed, but the biggest problem with that kind of change were the memories of the past. She hadn’t forgotten them and was still dealing with them.
She took her mother’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Yeah, I used to play with your makeup. I don’t think you liked that.”
“You’re beautiful, Nikki, and don’t let anyone ever tell you differently. Not me, not a guy, not even a spiteful girl. You’re beautiful.” Her mother squeezed her hand. “And some people are just assholes and cruel bitches for the sake of it. Don’t you worry, I will make up for all those bad things I said. How did I not get you taken from me?”
“You remember Hawk, the biker, from last night?” Nikki had always assumed it would be easy to confront her mother about the past. Staring her in the face, telling her she was a monster, a horrible human being, who didn’t know what the fuck she was talking about. How she didn’t deserve to have children, and she was in fact a lucky woman to have had a daughter like her.