I did not have much, just a few old clothes, a faded photo album, and a couple of my favorite books.
As I flipped through the pages of the album, looking at photos of Nicholas’s bright smile as a child, my heart softened again.
Maybe I was overthinking things, as he was my son, the boy I had raised with my own two hands, and he was bringing me to live with him out of a sense of duty because he was worried about me.
“I should be happy,” I told myself.
I packed up my past, half a lifetime of memories, and prepared for a new journey, saying goodbye to my neighbors and the old friends with whom I shared morning and evening chats.
Everyone was happy for me, saying how lucky I was that my son was taking me to the city to be cared for in my old age, and I just smiled, an incomplete smile.
That weekend, Nicholas pulled up in a gleaming black luxury sedan, and seeing my son dressed in a tailored suit, looking every bit the successful man, a wave of indescribable pride washed over me.
He bustled about, helping me with my things, constantly asking if I was comfortable.
Hazel had come with him, and the warm family atmosphere temporarily swept away my worries.
“Mom, look, I bought you a few things,” Nicholas said, opening the trunk to reveal several boxes of expensive vitamins and supplements.
“Oh, you should not have spent all this money, I do not need anything,” I chided him lovingly.
“I do not lack money, Mom, just time to take care of you. I can only work with peace of mind if you are living with us,” he said, his tone sincere.
The car started, leaving the small town, the old roof, and the familiar garden behind, and on the wide highway, skyscrapers gradually rose before us like giants.
The noisy, bustling atmosphere of the city left me feeling a little overwhelmed.
Nicholas and Hazel’s condo was on the 18th floor of a high end residential building, much larger than I had imagined, with gleaming hardwood floors and luxurious furniture that spoke of expense and opulence.
Nicholas led me to a small but well equipped room with a window overlooking a lush green park.
“This is your room. I have had a TV and air conditioning installed for you, and if you need anything, just tell Hazel, so do not be a stranger.”
“It is wonderful, son, and thank you both so much,” I said.
Hazel skillfully helped me put my clothes into the closet, and this girl was always like that, constantly busy, always with a gentle smile on her face.
But I noticed that whenever Nicholas was near, her smile seemed a bit strained, and a flicker of caution and timidity would cross her eyes.
The first dinner was held in a seemingly warm atmosphere, and the meal was lavish, filled with all my favorite dishes.
“Mom, eat more, as you are too thin,” Nicholas said, placing a large piece of fish in my bowl.
“I can get it myself, you eat,” I replied.
