CHAPTER 3: EYE TO EYE

CHAPTER 3: EYE TO EYE

Amelia Solace Bernard, the point of view.

Weekend came and Hugo has been talking about his visit to his grandparents' home for the last three days during the week. While I, on the other hand, is trying to figure out how to make him happy even if I had to tell him that we can't fulfill what he wants.

"Mommy, faster! I will show grandpa my toys and... and my new clothes!"

It breaks my heart to see that Hugo has been denied by my parents. They are the only ones I have left that I can lean on, but they rejected me and chose to forget I existed. 

That's why five years ago, I decided to move out from the house and continue my life with Hugo in a small apartment in which I'm currently renting every end of the month. I had to apply for a full time job at Raphael's Pizzeria. They didn't had enough paycheck but at least it pays our everyday food and my bills.

"Baby, Hugo," I kneel down to catch his eyes. "Grandma and Grandpa has something to do today. We can't just disturb them, baby, because they might not finish their thing."

Hugo stretched his lips upside down that shows sadness. He even pouted his lip a little bit. So I kiss his nose and rub his arms.

"But... Mommy... I didn't see them ever since."

Oh, and that was like, what, five years ago. And Hugo was just a newborn baby and he didn't know a single thing about the world or how the olders around him looks like.

I stretch a smile on my lips and showed him the flyer I had received yesterday. It was given to me from a random customer while I was in-charge for the counter. 

"Guess what? Let's go on the amusement park!" I shrieked in excitement to show him that we will be going into an exciting adventure instead of visiting his grandparents. 

"Okay." He just simply said, wow.

He didn't show a single excitement just as much as how I show it.

"And... Aunt Anj will be there! Yay! And we'll have an ice cream, baby!"

"Okay..."

Oh, he's not happy at all. He really wants to visit his grandparents.

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[Oh, for Christ's sake, Amelia. I'm busy.]

"Please, just for this once, Anj. Help me out, man, I know you love Hugo. Just think of helping him out this time instead of me." 

[You've been saying that the whole time you wanted help, Am. I'm so fucking tired of your bullshit but be thankful that I love and care for you both. I'm coming, wait for me at the restobar.]

I smile. "I know you won't let me down every time I ask you for something, Anj. Love you!"

[Love you too.]

I ended up the call and went back to our table where Hugo is waiting for our food. We're in a nearby restobar and I ordered two set of burgers and fries for us, and a fruit shake. 

Just as I sat down, our order arrives in a tray. I thanked the staff who delivers it on our table and gives him a small amount of tip because payday is still in two weeks.

I pass Hugo's plates and helped him put on some ketchup on his burgers and on the plate to dip in with his fries. I also helped him cut his burgers into bite sized. His food wasn't that much big and haven't much toppings on it so that he wouldn't have a trouble eating it. 

"Thank you, Mommy."

I smile. I'm so proud of how he grows up -- he knows how to be a gentle boy, and how to be polite in bare minimum. Hugo wasn't that kind of an only kid who wants to be spoiled with everything he wanted. He just accepts what I give to him. 

And the funny part is, everybody I meet says he's going to grow up a super model because of his handsome features. He has this ocean blue eyes that must've inherited from his father -- well, whoever he is. He only inherited my curly hair. Most people I meet wouldn't believe that I gave birth to this child.

Just half an hour had past, Angie arrives. I offered her to eat first before we go but she insisted that she's already full and wants this shit to be done early. So we went straight to the amusement park and treated Hugo the kid-friendly rides they have.

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After the tiring rides, we went into a near ice cream shop and we ordered each a different flavors of ice cream. I ordered my usual vanilla flavor, while Anj ordered her all-time favorite chocolate and Hugo chose a strawberry.

It was a very tiring day. We had nothing to do for the whole Hugo day but to tail him everywhere he wants to ride and wait for him until he finishes. 

"You know what," Angie suddenly says while licking his chocolate ice cream. "You should start finding Hugo's dad. You might have a big time, there. We don't know, maybe his father's a multibillionaire who owns a huge mall and somewhat have a huge mansion living in."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Jesus, Anj, that's a fictional."

She laughs. "We don't know, Am. And maybe he'd support Hugo's education soon or maybe he'll give you a nice condo that you can live in."

I take a glance at my son who's playing with his dino toys that I brought with us in case he gets bored during our ice cream time. 

"The problem is, Anj, I don't know how his father looked like. Or if he's still alive or unmarried. Or even if he's married, I don't know, maybe he has no comfortable life. Like, you know, jobless. Or maybe he's someone who still goes to school and is achieving his goal to graduate College. It has been, what five years, maybe he's still in College."

"Tss, why don't you go to your parents and accept your mistake? By that, you can have someone to take care of your child, at least, when you're working."

"Mom and Dad hates Hugo even when he was still inside my womb." I heaved a deep sigh. "My older sisters don't even care at me or my son. I can handle us, Anj, don't worry."

"Dude, you can't just handle it. You go to work with a five-year old kid stuck in the staff room the whole day. What if he starts to go to school?"

"No one knows, Anj, I still haven't figured that out."

As soon as we finished our ice cream, Angie finally bids goodbye.

"Thanks for today, Anj. I'm sorry for taking your rest day."

She hugged me and Hugo and finally gets out from our sight. I hold Hugo's hand and asks him if he wants to be carried.

"No, Mommy, I can walk."

"Are you sure?" I ask and starting to walk. I kept my eyes on him so I am slightly bent down. 

"Yes Mommy -- watch out!" 

I bumped my head into a flat and wide chest because I wasn't looking at the road. I immediately hold my head as I feel it in pain. 

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

"Watch your step next time, Ma'am." A man beside him says and I nodded. When I take a glance at the man in front of me, I nearly choked to death to meet a familiar eye that I once loved to gaze every day.

Fuck, why does his eyes looks like Hugo's?

"Boss, let's go this way."

The man in a gray suit stared at me intently that I forgot that I am blocking his way. Before I could even step a foot away from him, his gaze went down to Hugo who was just watching him all along. 

"I—I gotta go. I'm sorry for bumping into you—"

"That's your kid?" He asked. I nodded in answer and pulled Hugo into my arms so that he wouldn't be able to see his face. "Be careful next ti—"

"Bye!

Oh, God, Angie. I remember his face now. I remember the face of Hugo's father.