Heart-Breaker Part II

It takes less time to do a thing right, than it does to explain why you did it wrong. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I woke up in the morning not feeling in my top form. It was my first day and I didn’t really sleep well last night.

I put on my moody look the whole morning. Somehow, Mervin seemed to be avoiding clashing head-on with me. Vice-versa, I think.

I gathered I really messed up the situation. I didn’t know how to pick up the pieces left behind. So I spent the morning walking around with my eyes fixed into the empty space in front of me.

The scenes from last night didn’t replay in my head, thank God. I was more occupied with the dishes in the sink, the clothes in the laundry basket, Kristel’s poo on the floor, the sugar spilled over the countertop… Anyway, it was a blessing waking up to the birds chirping outside and kids yelling in the room; the green leaves dancing in the wind and filth dishes swimming in the sink; the cool breeze blowing in my face and the cold water running through the laundry; the smell of urban life and dog’s pee and poo on papers. Isn’t life amazing?

As I vacuumed the floor, I ran into him in his bedroom. It’s near impossible to avoid someone in a small four-room flat.

The awkwardness lasted a mere brief second before I broke the silence.

“Go and have your shower! It’s running late, you know?”

I cooked porridge for lunch, walked aimlessly around the house, moved the toys in Mervin’s room into another corner and then shifted the keyboard in the living room into his room.

After a few more rounds around the house looking for something to move, it was almost time for the kids to leave for school.

Just before the two of them descend the stairs, I decided to declare what I had in mind since last afternoon but didn’t have the chance to voice out last night. Forget about formality, I shall do it informally and get it done with.

“Mervin, I have decided to let you play soccer whenever you like in the school. But you have to promise me not to play till the last minute to get to the hall for assembly and that you have to revise your work EVERY DAY despite of whether you play on that day or not.”

His expression was first of unbelievable, then unbelievably joy.

“Thank you, Mummy!” he cheered. I was quite sure that only the first part was registered in his head for that moment. But the look on his face was enough to bring a smile to my lips.

“I’ve already told you, our Mummy is the best, besides Mdm Roselinda, my form teacher…”

I could hear Angel mumbling to Mervin on their way down the stairs. I couldn’t control the chuckles coming out from throat.

Sigh. Why didn’t I do so earlier?