Time for farewells
It was hard to believe that that skinny and shy little boy had become such a tall and self-confident man, in what looked like so little time to Asha. When she thought about her son she still saw him as a 6-year-old boy that would dress as a pirate during the weekends chasing his sister around the backyard. And here he was, setting off to university.
She looked at him proudly as he was bidding farewell to his sister and his half-brothers. Albert was a hero in the eyes of the twins, Mark and Michael, and he loved them with all his heart. Mayra was sobbing visibly, she had never been apart from her brother for so long. Albert was trying to calm her down by telling her that he would come back to celebrate Christmas, and that was not too far away. Still, Mayra hugged him as if this way he would not be able to leave, but she finally let go.
Albert approached his mother smiling, then he hugged her.
-I’ll miss you mum.- he said kissing her cheek. – Take care of her, dad.
John was only his stepfather, but Albert called him dad all the same from the day he married his mother nine years ago. Asha loved him even more for that.
-I will- John promised before hugging him.- you take care too.
Then came the turn of his grandparents, Asha's parents. After them came Lara’s turn, Asha could see her weeping some stray tears, her grandson reminded her so much of her son that it would be hard for her to let him go. She took her grandson apart and told him something, Albert looked startled and started asking something, but she wouldn’t let him finish, she continued talking and hugged him, hurriedly as if she didn't want anyone to see.
John helped Albert get his luggage on the train, and before it set off Asha made him promise at least a thousand times that he would call as soon as he arrived. Then she watched the train leave while holding hands with his husband. He squeezed her hand after a while.
-We should leave, Asha.
-Yes, it’s just… I still can’t believe he’s already leaving- she said staring at the empty train tracks.
-He’ll be back before you know.- John comforted her.
Suddenly Asha remembered something and looked around.
-Have you seen Mark's mother?
-She left some time ago, why?- his wife looked worried about something.
-I want to know what she told Albert.
-I’m sure it was nothing, some kind of advice probably.
-That’s Lara we’re talking about. She never gives advice.- said Asha, nervously.- Back then, she would come home whenever she pleased, do whatever she wanted to do, and leave, not saying anything and not asking for permission. One day she came in and cut Albert's hair herself because she thought it was too long! A normal person would have said that maybe his hair was too long, that we should take him to the hairdresser's, but no, she came with a set of scissors and did the job herself. Of course, I had to take him to the hairdresser, afterwards.
-Don't worry, I didn't see that she was carrying any scissors.- joked John.
However, as they got back in the car where Mayra and the twins were waiting for them, Asha couldn’t shake that feeling of uneasiness from her.
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