Alorah Reagen

"Alorah, calm down," Dad chuckled as he watched us. It had been an hour since I saw Mom in the kitchen, preparing our dinner that we are currently having. I am not kidding when I say I have been glued to Mom's hips, keeping her up to date on what has been happening in my life at school, at home, and Dad's life.

"I'm just happy to see Mom again! It's been like, what? 6 months since she went abroad for work? Seeing her in the dining room, browsing through the pictures you took while in her apron, was just..." My voice cracked as I tried to contain my emotions. I'm not only like this toward Mom. If Dad had also been in Mom's position and gone abroad to pursue his dreams, I would be happy for him but lonely too.

It's like not being able to be there with them for a long time has created a void in my childhood life. The memory hasn't been filled to the brim yet, and there have been times when the memories I had with Mom weren't enough to satisfy me.

Now she's here with us and isn't going anywhere.

Wait...what did she say?

I slowly backed away to have a full view of Mom. She must have felt something because her gaze had shifted slightly, and her eyebrows creased as she examined me.

What did she mean by not going anywhere? I thought to myself, trying to piece the puzzle. It didn't take me long to understand what she was saying, but I was in denial.

Don't tell me she...

No, she can't be. Why would she do that if it meant ending her happiness from there?

"Mom," I called her as I processed the information. She sets down her utensils and faces me, puzzled yet with a hint of recognition on her face.

"What is it, Alorah?"

"Mom. When you told me that you weren't going anywhere anymore, did you mean that you won't be continuing..." I trailed, my eyes were on hers, but they swept off to Dad's a few times.

Dad didn't look bothered or surprised by how fast I caught up on the news. There was no way Dad wasn't aware since they never kept secrets from each other. Mom hates the idea of not sharing anything with anyone close to her, and Dad likes to be there for her through thick and thin.

Mom lets out a sigh, her fingers tapping on the table. Though I haven't been around Mom for a long time, I could still understand the small gestures or habits she does.

She's contemplating whether she wants to acknowledge my guess.

As I continued to stare at her, the phrase I had carried with me since childhood echoed in my mind. My parents' happiness is my happiness. It was the only thing that kept me from holding grudges against her because I wouldn't want to pull her down.

If she's happy, I'm happy.

If she needs me to be beside her, I will be there.

"Mom, are you satisfied with having to achieve your dreams?" I asked. Mom was rarely home because she wanted to pursue her dreams in the hospitality industry. No, it's not about working in the hospital like the name, but working in hotels, restaurants, and traveling.

It took Mom a few years to get to the position she was in, and I remember Dad telling me every night when I was a toddler that Mom wanted to explore what it was like working in hotels and restaurants in her managerial role. She wanted to experience what it is like working in different countries too.

It was because of that that I started to support Mom. I tried to be understanding and wished her the best with a smile as I watched her leave a few weeks after she came back home. Yes, it was lonely. However, the stories she told and the happiness that surfaced as she shared them with us were all worth it when they made her smile like that.

"Yes, honey. I'm extremely satisfied." Mom tears up before engulfing me in a hug, "Thank you for being understanding and supportive. I have the best daughter I could have asked for."

Oh no. I knew I made a mistake when I felt a squeeze in my heart.

Not now. Please.

"Ehem. Please don't forget my fair share of hugs too. Your daughter isn't the only one who was lonely," Dad interrupted our moment and my thoughts too.

"Honey, you'll get your hugs later after dinner," Mom laughed as we let go of each other. The whole dinner, I kept quiet as they talked about work.

It turns out Mom planned to open up a cafe somewhere near where we lived. Dad had begun looking for available rental properties after Mom mentioned her intention to resign from her job.

I joined a couple of times since it sparked my interest. Throughout dinner, I tried to force my thoughts away from that place while smiling at them. I didn't want to ruin the mood by thinking about or perhaps mentioning their mortality and mine too. The idea of dwelling on that while I'm around them made me feel weaker and weaker.

Authors note:

The mother and daughter relationship😭 Though they weren't in each other's life as often as Alorah and her dad, at least their bond and love for each other is evident.

I want to thank those who kept reading this book despite it not being as detailed as other books (which makes the books more eye-catching because who wouldn't want to be fully immersed in the story if the description of the surroundings are detailed as ever?).

Whether there are views or not, my main goal is to finish this book as it touches some part of my life that I am going through. As long as I finished the chapters and pressed the complete button, I will feel relieved that I was able to express my worries.

Question of the day!

Have you ever felt your mood depleting whenever you're reading a book? Like not being in the mood to respond to others because your mind is still in the book world?