Chapter Four

Amandla followed Aviana’s eyes; she was staring at the light blue wall clock.

“Are you going to go home now?”

“Yeah,” Aviana sighed.

“Now stay for a bit, let me see what food I can find for you.”

“You do not have to. There is no alternative for the nuggets.”

Amandla who has a kind heart took five pieces of chicken nuggets from the plastic bag, “Here is my share, do not dare hug me.” She warned but Aviana did not listen to her. She embraced her and Amandla raised her left hand and gently tapped Aviana’s back as her kind of hug. When they released each other from the hug, Amandla put Aviana’s nuggets in a different, clean, plastic bag.

“Think of going home safe,” She handed the food to Aviana.

“I assure you my nuggets and safety are secured!” Aviana gasped but this time it was because of her victory in attaining the nuggets, she was flabbergasted.

Amandla Holly nodded, and Aviana started to march out into the kitchen area before she even began to prepare their dinner. Amandla happily shouted in the hallway, “Thank you, Misses Holly and Amandla!”

Amandla stretched her hands out, above her head. Then she shakes her hands above until she moves them down gradually. After a fast exercise, she dragged out the rest of the cabbages in the box and placed them on a round plastic plate. She then took the plate, going towards the sink before she starts turning on the faucet to wash the cabbages with running water. She got splashed by the water when her hands faced closer to her chest while holding the plate that has cabbages.

“Are you starting to prepare for our dinner, mint?” Misses Holly asked her daughter, while she entered the kitchen area. Her nickname was mint because when she was younger her scent was like the aromatic plant—even in her current age, but it slowly fades away.

Amandla put the plate aside as she rubbed her wet hands on the towel that was hanging in the upper right corner of the small storage cabinet a few meters away above her head. “I put that there, is it too high for you?” Amandla looked at her mother because of the question.

“Of course not,” Amandla said with confidence because she knows that her height was useful.

Misses Holly grasped the plastic bag that was still on the table. And she realized that it was missing some pieces as she counts it silently, “Oh, Amandla you gave some pieces for Aviana?” Amandla walked to the left corner and began to sort out some empty can goods that were in a spacious area of the other cabinet. “Yes, I did give her some pieces, Mother.”

All the pieces that Amandla gave Aviana were her two days food supply, and she had not been able to get a hold of her migraine when it began after missing out on a meal or two. But mostly, her migraine lasts for three days, occasionally she gets a high fever. There would be no one to take care of her when she gets sick. Through those years of hardships, Misses Holly did her best as a mother of Amandla, she was and will be well cared for until the present day as long as Misses Holly goes on living. There were also times that Amandla noticed about her mother, who does not share a lot when it comes to the Manageress topic. Despite their financial situation and the lack of education of her mother, Amandla could not help feeling that those family members on her mother’s side does not need them. On one occasion, attending a reunion with her mother’s side family, they had to see if Amandla has the knowledge of what was the reunion about and how she managed to let herself grow up with a mother who cannot give everything to her child. And it breaks Amandla’s heart to hear words coming from their family. They probably had not seen how her mother works hard just to make her continue college until she did graduate. Amandla looked at her mother, the chicken nuggets were not a big deal for her. But it did get her to thought about some things. It was not a very good way to think about the past—the family reunion memories were wrong—but staying positive about whatever the things will come in their way was right.

Most of the things that they needed were not necessary to buy directly, some were over the limit of the price they are going to spend. It cost more than two hundred bucks and her mother’s salary was just one hundred and fifty bucks per day. It was not enough since their old house gradually shows its rustiness, which cost thirty thousand grand for a whole repair only on the first floor. Now and again, Amandla saved up some of the money her mother gave every time when there are some extras or bonuses. She can prove that not all daughters wanted an expensive dress or branded shoes, and she also kept the ‘I want this and I want that’ out of sight in her head, being blocked like water streaming down a path but there was a rock on the way which makes it stop flowing. “I told you not to do that kind of thing. I am glad you turned out to be a kind daughter but sometimes you have to think about yourself too.” Her mother could tell that she cannot carry on sacrificing things that will harm her. But since it was such a long while between meeting Aviana and having time with Amandla, her mother just heavily sighed as she searches for a knife and a chopping board. Amandla did not forget her mother’s reminder about her health, it was just she cannot bear to see Aviana earlier being all pouty and stuff. “You know what Mint; I think you just need someone to spend your life with. You are at the right age, twenty-two is not bad to have a boyfriend as a start.”