Lena had just finished watering the flowers in front of the house and was about to get back in when she noticed Mrs Lisa and Mrs Mary standing in front of Mrs Lisa's porch. She decided to go over and talk to them since there was something she wanted to talk to Mrs Mary about.
"Good morning Mrs Lisa. Good morning Mrs Mary," Lena greeted when she got to them.
The two women smiled veering to face her. Mrs Lisa was the first to speak.
"How are you, Lena? How is Trent?" She asked.
Mrs Lisa lived in the next house close to Lena's while Mrs Mary lived down the next street. Mrs Lisa has always been kind to Lena and Trent. Mrs Lisa and Mrs Mary were both close friends, they were seen in each other's company most times.
"I'm fine, ma'am. Trent is doing well," Lena replied with a smile.
"You weren't here with Ivy yesterday, is everything ok?" She inquired turning to Mrs Mary.
Surprise crossed Mrs Mary's face as she stared at Lena wondering what she was talking about. She had shown up at Lena's house with Ivy yesterday but Lena's mom told her that her daughter no longer offered babysitting services.
"What are you talking about? I was here yesterday but your mom told me that you were no longer offering babysitting services and that you have a new job now." Mrs Mary told Lena who looked dazed the moment she heard those words.
Her chest clenched and she let out a breath. Her mom was at it again! Her job at the bar wasn't even new.
Lena was worried yesterday when she waited so long for Mrs Mary to come with Ivy but they never came. She tried to reach her on the phone but it wasn't going through.
"Bye Lena. I have to go now; Ivy is waiting for me," Mrs Mary mumbled, jolting Lena out of her thoughts.
"Bye ma'am," Lena forced a smile.
"I don't know why your mom keeps treating you this way, it's going to be fine." Mrs Lisa sighed placing a hand on Lena's shoulder.
Lena said nothing because no words formed in her mouth.
"If you need anything, just ask. I will be sure to do my best," Mrs Lisa spoke, giving Lena a reassuring smile.
"Thank you," Lena murmured but it was clear enough for her to hear.
Mrs Lisa pulled her into a warm embrace before going into her house.
Letting out a breath, Lena didn't realise she had been holding, so she headed home.
When she opened the door to the living room and walked in, she saw her mom seated on the couch. She had a smile on her face and her eyes were fixed on her phone's screen.
"Mom," Lena called.
Her mother's smile faded into a scowl the moment she heard Lena's voice. She hoisted her head to peek at Lena, her eyes held disgust. The look Lena hated to see in her mother's eyes but could do nothing about.
"Go on, what is it?" Her mother asked impatiently still staring daggers at her.
Lena swallowed hard; she didn't like having conversations with her mom because she knew how they always ended, but right now, she did need to talk to her mom about what Mrs Mary told her.
"Did you tell Miss Mary that I no longer offer babysitting services?"
Her mother hissed glaring at Lena, "Yes, Is that why you look like someone who just lost all they have?"
Lena ignored her remarks, it was nothing new. Her Mom was very careless with words when it came to her.
"But mom why would you do that? I never told you that I was no longer interested in being a babysitter," Lena muttered trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.
Lena's mom frowned and she clasped her hands, her icy glare gliding on her daughter.
"I don't get you. Are you going to stand there and hurl insults at your mother because of some peanuts you get from your stupid babysitting job?" She hashed raising her voice at Lena.
"You already have a job at the bar so what's the fuss about, huh?" Her mom questioned.
She shook her head, and afterwards, her attention went back to her phone the moment it chirped.
"Mom, I quit my job at the bar," Lena let out.
Lena didn't know how she was going to break the news about quitting her job at the bar, but now she decided it was high time her mom got to know about it.
Lena couldn't deal with that job anymore. To her getting the job was a huge mistake in the first place, as the job didn't let her spend enough time with her son and made her uncomfortable. She didn't like the job from the beginning but had to accept it, thanks to my mom who kept bugging her about getting a better job with good pay.
Her mom burst out laughing.
Lena's brows furrowed in confusion as she wondered what was making her mom laugh so hard.
"This is a joke, right? The whole talk about you quitting your job?" Her mom rasped fixing her narrowed eyes on Lena.
Lena shook her head, "No, Mom. My job at the bar isn't giving me enough time to spend with Trent. I don't feel comfortable working...."
Lena didn't get to complete her statement because her mom interrupted her.
"And who cares if you feel comfortable about the job or not? How many times do I have to tell you that beggars don't choose, they don't have a choice." Her mom yelled springing up to her feet.
A pang of pain shot through Lena's heart, and her eyes welled up with tears as she heard those words from her mother.
"Of what use are you to your son if you can't provide for him, tell me? You are never going to be useful," Her mom rasped taking steps towards Lena.
"Mom why....do you.... have... to be so mean?" Lena's voice broke as she spoke, she was in tears.
Lena's mom was furious, her lips tightened and her lips curled up," you think I'm being mean? I let you and that bastard you call your son stay under my roof, eat my food, use my water and the electricity I pay for, yet the thanks I get is you calling me mean. You are an ingrate!
"My son is not a bastard mom..." Lena muttered raising her head. She could take whatever insults her mom dished out to her but not when her mom brought her son Trent into it.
"Then show me his father," Her mom cackled and then took a pause rolling her eyes at Lena before she continued
"That is not possible, you don't even know the man who got you pregnant. You are a slut, a cheap whore," Her mom hurled with a scrunched-up face.
"Why can't you just stop all of this? Stop it, Mom!" Lena fumed.
She lost her cool, it was just so hard for her to listen to her mom hurl insults at her and her son without thinking for a second about how it was going to make them feel. Lena heaved a breath realising she raised her voice at her mom, despite the fact that her mom wasn't treating her right, she still loved and respected her
"Mom I beg of you. Please let go of the past so things can go back to the way they used to be," Lena pleaded putting her hands together as she dropped to her knees.
.....
"I'm never going to forgive you, Lena. You killed him, he died because of you! You should have died in his place," her mom spat looking down at Lena, her eyes flickering with hatred.
Lena's mom had always blamed her for her father's death. That fateful day, Lena's Dad had gone to drop her off at college, she bade her goodbyes to her sister Irene and her mom before she left with her Dad.
At midnight, Lena was unable to sleep; she had a feeling that something was wrong but couldn't place her hands on what it was. And then her phone rang; Irene told her that their dad had crashed into a truck on his way back and died.
Lena was devasted, her world crumbled at that moment. She had to wait till the next day to return home since it was midnight when Irene broke the news of their dad's death to her. Her roommates were woken up from their sleep by Lena's wailing. They tried to console her, but no words were enough.
Her Dad was her all, she loved him so much. She was the closest to her Dad aside from her mom, most people who knew her family called her Daddy's girl. That day, she told him she could find her way to college, but he insisted he dropped her off himself.
Kissing Lena's hair, her dad told her how proud he was of her and how much he loved her when he dropped her off. If only she knew that it was going to be the last time they were going to speak to each other.
The next day, when Lena got home, her mom refused to speak to her. When she finally did after much pleas from Lena and her sister, she said she hated Lena and was never going to forgive Lena for making her a widow. Her reason is that Lena's dad would never have died if he hadn't gone to drop Lena off at school.
Ever since her mom's attitude changed towards her, she hated anything that had to do with Lena. It was so serious that Lena had to drop out of college in her second year because her mom wasn't willing to keep paying her fees.
Her anger towards Lena was fuelled even more when she found out Lena was pregnant with Trent. It was only because of Irene's pleas that she didn't kick Lena out of the house.
Lena begged her mom not to treat her son with the same anger she had towards her but it changed nothing. She was always hostile to Trent, making the little boy cry and asking why his Grandma hated him so much, but Lena would always comfort him,m, saying things were going to change.
"I never wished for Dad to die," Lena cried, holding onto her mom's legs, but her mom pushed her away.
Lena's mom leered at her daughter like a warrior would stare at their opponents in a battleground.
"I'm giving you two options: it's either you take back your job at the bar, or I throw you out of my house!" Her mom said menacingly before storming out of the leaving room.
Lena sat on the floor when her mom was gone. She sobbed wrapping her arms around herself and letting all the pain out.
She was glad Trent was asleep else he would have witnessed all that just took place, and that she didn't want.
The doorbell rang forcing her to get off the floor. Her eyes felt heavy and her limbs weak. She couldn't even tell how long she had been crying, because she lost track of time. The pain in her heart was just as if her heart was being pierced with a million thorns.
"Lenny," Matteo's lips curved into a smile as she opened the door.
"Come in," she mumbled stepping out of the way for him.
"You don't look ok, is everything fine?" He asked with concern scrutinising her face.
"I'm fine," she lied plopping on the couch.
She didn't want to tell him what had happened. Matteo was one of the people who knew of her mother's resentment towards her. He had offered her to move in with him quite a few times, but she declined, insisting she was going to manage.
They'd been friends right from middle school up until now, he was the only friend she had. He had Trent got along so well.
"You are not fine, it's all over your face." He crossed his arms as he stood in front of Lena.
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Lena asked ignoring his question.
"Someone forgot her days of the week. It's Saturday. " his voice came heavy with sarcasm as he chuckled.
Shoot! She sighed she had totally forgotten that today was Saturday.
She rolled her eyes at him, "Why are you here?"
"The queen is pissed," he said in a sing-song with a smile Lena found annoying plastered on his face.
She shot him a glare and he kept a serious face.
"I promised to take Trent to the park today, so I'm here.." He uttered, answering the question Lena had asked earlier.
"Well, he is as.." She was saying but was cut off.
"Uncle Matteo," Trent's voice raved as he descended the stairs.
Soon he was hugging Matteo's legs. Matteo was really tall, he was over 6ft tall.
She turned to see Matteo gazing at her.
"Don't give me that look, dude; I wasn't lying to you about Trent being asleep," she defended. She concluded he was looking at her that way because he thought she was lying about Trent being asleep.
"I never said you did," He shrugged and then directed his attention to Trent.
"Are we ready to go to the park?" He cheered and that got Trent dancing happily.
"Yes!"
"Mommy, you are coming along, right?" Trent giggled holding his mom's hand.
She wriggled her head, "You both go have a great time." She just wanted to go up to her room and take a nap at this point.
A frown formed on Trent's face, "I can't go without you, Mommy."
********
*******
"Thank you so much, Matteo. I don't know what I would do without you," Lena appreciated as he drove into their house.
Trent insisted Lena went with them to the park and she had to give in. When they got there, she just let them play their games and take rides while she watched cheering them on. She wasn't in the mood to join in. Matteo and Trent had such a great time having fun and they weren't even willing to leave until she insisted.
Matteo has been a friend indeed, always there to support Lena. He was one of the reasons why she had been able to carry on despite all the problems with her mom.
"What are friends for?" He smiled pulling the car over.
He got down after which he opened the car's door for her and Trent.
Matteo was a gentleman, he genuinely cared about Lena and her son.
Many people did think that Lena and Matteo were a couple right from high school, but it was nothing like that. They were just best friends.
"Thank you," Lena mouthed as she stepped down from the car.
"Mom our belongings," Trent called her attention.
She looked in the direction he pointed at, and only then did she notice that the suitcases which contained hers and Trent's clothes were on the floor, and the rest of their belonging littered all over the place.
