Chapter 5

>> >>< Sapphire ><< <<

As far as stupid mistakes go, last night was a very stupid one.

Aside from sleeping with a stranger who turns out to be a Mafia Don with a ruthless reputation like no other. I totally forgot about Mom.

My life is practically revolving around her and yet I forgot about her. Worse, I missed my chance to get an extra shift.

I won’t deny that last night was the best night of my life and I am already missing it. But I also can’t delude myself with the momentary luxury and pleasure.

For all I know, he doesn’t even remember he had sex with a girl like me.

My life is simple; I wash dishes at the restaurant from late afternoon until midnight for a very small wage and then I take on extra night shifts scrubbing toilets overnight for even less pay.

I would normally get back home around ten in the morning, make breakfast for Mom, and make sure she used her drugs. And then I’d sleep five hours only to start again.

As if working overtime and being underpaid is not enough, all my earnings go to making sure Mom’s medicines never run dry and yes, they are expensive.

I can barely keep up with the Utility bills as it is and I’d be lying if I said my life is nothing short of miserable.

The soup spoon in my hand slips from my grip and clatters on the ground;

“Oh my!” Mom gasped in shock from the living room.

“Oh dear, Sapphire!?”

Even her voice is as weak as her health; I can imagine her looking around frantically confused in her rocking chair.

“Sapphire, is that you?”

“Yes Mom, it’s me,” I called back from the kitchen as I picked the spoon up.

“I’m making your favorite soup.”

“Oh dear,” Mom sounded surprised - as always.

“I didn’t hear you come in, when did you come home?”

“I...” I sighed.

There’s no point.

The best thing is to play along with her dementia and hope to get a decent conversation out of her.

I served a bowl of soup and brought it to Mom;

“You know me, Mom, I was born a Ninja,” I said with a fake smile. “I sneaked in from the back to make you this.”

“Awwn...!” She laughed with such glee I couldn’t help but smile genuinely.

“You always loved playing pranks on your father,” She chuckled softly.

“He’s going to be so surprised when he finds you in his secret room.”

It’s pointless.

I don’t even know what she’s talking about.

It’s just like the doctor said, she’s trapped in a varying timeline that constantly changes without her noticing. She always has a hard time distinguishing the present from the past.

As if that is not enough, she has a worsening eyesight, a lung cancer that is bound to kill her without surgery, and now I worry she might get a heart condition.

Yes, it’s all thanks to the accident.

She did work very hard to take care of me before her dementia set in. She insisted I went to school even though she could barely earn enough.

I was thirteen when she lost it and her memory loss became a big minus. Ever since it’s been up to me.

She used to have occasionally lucid moments, but now she’s just rambling on and on about this and that. Telling jokes I don’t understand, and asking me about people I don’t remember.

She didn’t even notice when I left to serve breakfast as she kept humming Merry Christmas by Ed Sheeran.

- I hate Christmas -

At least she’s mostly happy on Christmas, so I guess it’s not so bad.

“Hey Mom,” I said kneeling before her.

“Uh ... Uh,” She gasped in shock again.

“It’s me, Mom,” I said stroking her hair. “It’s breakfast time.”

“Wha ... b-but I had breakfast already,” She said as I slowly guided her to the small dining table.

“I had pasta already, Sapphire. I can’t eat anymore...”

“That was yesterday, Mom.”

“Oh ... Really? I thought I just had pasta.”

Another sigh escaped my lips as I sat in my spot.

And as if on cue, my stomach grumbled for food.

I’m usually not this hungry in the mornings, but I don’t blame myself. I pretty much used a lot of energy last night.

- Ugh, I shouldn’t be thinking about last night -

I concentrated on my breakfast and the speed with which I wolfed down my potato omelet surprised even me.

>>< Ding Dong ><<

Mom froze and her eyes went wide in terror.

My heart skipped, looking at her and fearing she just had a heart attack.

But then a blanket of sadness saturates her face as a tear drops down her cheek. I can’t imagine what’s playing in her head that’s got her so terrified and sad.

Yes, she does that a lot and I can’t stop myself from fearing she’d collapse one day.

>>< Ding Ding ><<