East Kids - Tessa & Elijah

Chapter 7

Tessa

The rest of the week is almost uneventful. Here and there a little trouble with some teacher, an argument with one of the five scholarship holders or just some small progress in planning the party next Friday. And then the day begins with my mother suddenly looking far too happy in the morning.

She's almost winged dancing through the kitchen and still hasn't stopped when I get home after school. "Mom," I take off my jacket and hang it on the coat hook: "But you know you should leave around eight o'clock when the first guests arrive, right?"

From the corner of my eye I can see my mother moving her head jerkily in my direction. Suddenly a dark spot on a plate in front of me begins to seem more than interesting when my mother begins to answer: "Yes, I realize that. After all, it's always like that." "Is it?" I ask and try to sound hypocritical and not to look at her.

I know for myself that it is not really friendly of me to always send them away when I celebrate. But if she would stay here, a normal party would be impossible. "Thank you for understanding me so much," I mumble and grab a banana.

"I don't have a banana at all", it means to me with a gesture of my hand that I should throw the banana I just took over to her: "Today I just have something to do myself and maybe I'll stay away overnight. So letting you celebrate your party there is just convenient for me."

I knew she wouldn't do that for me, but only for herself. So she kills two birds with one stone. Typically business woman.

"Why? What are you up to today", now I turn my eyes to her and lean my elbows on the black counter of our open kitchen. "Nothing special", suddenly it seems as if we have changed roles. She stares outside as if spellbound. As if she had seen a particularly interesting bird fly by.

"Oh come on, Mom," I ask as she begins to open the banana: "Now you've awakened my interest, you can tell me everything now." "All right," she looks at me with a firm look: "I'm going on a date tonight." "A what?" I ask stupidly.

My mother hasn't been on a date for more than a year. In the meantime there were already a few little flirts, but nothing really firm about which she would have told me. I also learned about her very short male acquaintances only by chance.

It only takes a few seconds until I have come to terms with the thoughts of a man at my mother's side, but then the shock subsides again. A shallow smile lies on my lips and a touch of joy spreads through me. Somehow I begin to rejoice for her. She really deserves to be happy again after my father left her.

Just as I'm about to open my mouth and say something about it, the doors of the elevator glide open one more time that day. The two people who are now standing in the hallway of our house put a big smile on my lips. Jil and Thalia are standing there with an equally joyful grin. Both have come to help me with the preparations for the party. On my own I would never be able to do that.