The Illuminant

Chapter 8

It's nearing evening already and I can see the sun is setting, giving the sky an orange tinge.
As I roll in to the garage, I decide that now would be a good time to go to the park and clear my mind.

I climb up the porch and slide in the key to the back door that leads into the kitchen and unlock it, pushing it open.
The heavenly smell, of caramel mixed with strawberries wafts up my nose and I can't hold back the moan of pleasure that escapes my lips.

"Hey, mom."

"Honey, your home early." I lean over and peck her cheek.

"I finished early, now what are those?"
I point at the strawberry topped cupcakes in the baking tray.

"That is my newest recipe, honey." She replies excitedly and I roll my eyes and sigh.
My mom's always sourcing up new recipes from cooking channels to the Internet, she goes ahead to also buy food magazines and tries out the recipes whenever she isn't at church or busy.
Sometimes, Aunt Talia, Tomi's mom comes over when she's free to help out.
I therefore am sentenced to footing the bill for food items I have never even heard about.
The good part is that they always taste good and I can have as much as I want as long as she isn't giving them out.
This time, I am determined to have a bite of that cupcake.
The next thing I hear is the sound of her hand on my wrist.

"Oooow, mom, what was that for?" I kiss and tenderly rub the sore spot on my palm where she just slapped me while sheilding it from her reach.

"No cupcakes until you have had a shower."

"Old kill joy." I mumble under my breath.

"What?"

"Nothing, I uhhhhh........., I'm going out."

"But, honey, you just came in, where are you going that can't wait until tomorrow?" She drops the plates she is currently wiping to look at me.

"I'm just going to the park, I need some time to clear my head. I won't be long."
She holds my gaze intently before looking away.

"Okay, but you'll either have something to eat before you leave or I pack it for you." Her tone indicates I have to chose between the two.

Sheepishly, I rub the back of my head and avoid her gaze while trying to think of a way to squirm out of the situation.

"I'm waiting honey, pack or eat at home."

No such luck.

She moves her hand from where it was on the sink to her hips.

That dangerous stance, it was responsible for so many unpleasant experiences in my life, the list too long to explain to anyone who even cared to listen.

One thing is sure, there's no getting out of this one.

"Yeah, maybe you should pack." I flash her a smile before sprinting up the stairs to my room.

                         ※※

Dressed in a plane white T-shirt, black skinny denim jeans and some brown boots, I work my ponytail and sprint down the marble staircase.

The kitchen is empty when I step in but there is, sitting neatly on the table, a picnic box.

"A picnic box?" I shake my head and carefully stride over to find out it's content.

"You would think I was going on a field trip." I murmur to myself.

In it are about five cupcakes, two sandwiches, from what I can make out, a bottle of milk, four or maybe five cookies wrapped up in wax paper, a jar of strawberry jam and a few more things of which I don't know their names.