Chapter 5

Outside, Nora knocked on the door for a while before falling silent. I thought she had left. But an hour later, I heard the lock being picked. The security camera showed a stranger.

I got scared. Mom always said that if a stranger came when kids were home alone, they should find an adult. I couldn't get Mom, so I ran to the kitchen to find May.

"May, there's someone outside, and I don't know them."

May grabbed a kitchen knife, swallowing nervously. She stood by the door with me. When the lock finally clicked open, Nora stood there smiling and handed the locksmith $20.

"Thank you, sir."

May said, "Miss Nora, how could you do this?"

Nora replied, "Candy, your dad sent me to take you home. But you wouldn’t see me, so I had no other choice." She reached out to grab me.

I bit her hand hard and shouted, "I won’t go with you! Forget it!"

Nora screamed, and I tasted blood in my mouth before I let go. She shoved me to the ground angrily and stormed out. My hand got scraped on the floor, and it started bleeding.

May quickly brought the first-aid kit. As she bandaged my hand, I couldn’t help but say, "Mom, it hurts."

But my mom couldn’t hear me anymore. She used to spend time with Dad and me every day. Now she was gone, and I finally understood what missing someone felt like.

I remembered when I was six, and Dad took us back to his hometown for a family gathering. The house was packed with Dad’s relatives: uncles, aunts, grandparents... so many people. But Mom and I were alone.

That day, Mom cooked an entire feast by herself. Even when we sat to eat, she was still bustling in the kitchen.

Uncle and Dad’s brother praised Dad, "You found an amazing and hardworking wife."

Dad smiled proudly. Mom, wiping flour off her forehead and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, smiled shyly.

By the time she sat down to eat, most of the food was gone. I told her I was tired, so she quickly finished a few bites and took me upstairs.

But at the staircase, she stopped and looked back. I did too, curious. Grandpa and Grandma were handing out red envelopes, uncles and Dad were talking about work, and the aunts were playing cards. They were all with family.

Mom stared for a long time. I tugged at her hand and asked, "Mom, what’s wrong?"

She snapped out of it and looked at me. Amidst the noise and lights, her eyes were filled with sadness.

"Yaya, what do you think my mom is doing right now?"

Turns out, my mom missed her mom too.