CHRISTMAS CHEER

“Go and buy foodstuff so that I can make something special for you” 

Was what her mum said to her after she changed out of her work clothes into a towel, and sat in front of the television scrolling through the channels trying to find something to watch.

She just stared at her for some time, organizing her thoughts and trying to find the right words to say to her. When nothing came out she nodded smiled at her mum and said to her.

“Go take a shower, while I prepare something for you to eat, then go to your room and take a long rest. This is a normal day after all”.

Christmas wasn’t about family. 

She always saw that in the movies and on social media but her situation never allowed her to experience it. This time of the year always sucked because everything just finds a way to fall apart. 

Her parents had broken up. 

Her father moved on and neglected his duties. 

Her mother became a workaholic. 

Her kid brother is in a world of his own, losing a battle with puberty and society so he really could not be bothered. 

She was entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the home at such a tender age, she had to be strong and was definitely not supposed to show any sign of weakness. 

She was the eldest child.

She was always angry at how “messed up” her family was. 

She goes to bed every night dreaming of a family that never was. 

Positive thoughts about what life could be was the ray of hope she held on to through her struggles. 

“Everything was going to be okay.” She whispered to herself.

What’s the worst that could happen? She wondered as she prepared tea to go with the sandwiches she had made for her mum.

Her mum got out of the shower singing “dorobucci”, swaying her hips from side to side trying to force some fake ”azonto” steps to the beat that played in her mind. 

“Now that’s a strong woman,” she thought, as she greeted her mum with a smile. She set the table and disappeared to her bedroom which was referred to as “Araba’s prison”, by everyone who knew her.

Things were beginning to look up. 

Everything was going to be okay.

but was it really going to be okay?...