A Morning with Love

"Kring!!!!!!! Kring!!!!!!"

"Wake up you little princess!"

Huh? what is happening? where am i? i wake up in a room filled with many familiar furniture. Oh yeah, this is my room, with Johan.

"Ah shit, what time is now"

"Duh, its 8 in the morning. Get your ass up you idiot! You said you got a job!"

"Ah shit i forgot"

Damn, i applied to The Garrison a week ago. Didn't even think they would accept me. Of course i didn't tell Miss Jane.. uh my mom because she is gonna be mad. She doesn't allow us to join the military. I understand why she wouldn't, she just doesn't want his sons to end up like her husband.

"I saw you waking up all night, doing something on my desk.. again. Its not that i don't appreciate that but please, if you have a burden to share.. share with me.. i am your brother after all."

"Ah its nothing. I just, wrote some journal. And what about you? You are wearing nice outfit in the morning."

"I got to meet with someone. I will tell you later."

Its rare for Johan to dress up nicely, especially after we finished our primary school. There are many secondary school in the middle section but they are kind of expensive and Johan's father insurance money wouldn't be enough to cover it. Since his father died on that day of invasion, Johan have been different. No longer is the cheerful and hopeful Johan as he is now the rash and vangeful Johan. His father death really changed him.

Well, with all of our trouble. Life still goes on. Johan's mom, Miss Jane adopted me. No longer Henry Marsel, i am now Henry Lou. I am grateful that Miss Jane.. uh my mom would care to raise me up. I am so indebted to her.

"You two are dressing up this early. Haven't done that since your school days. Something is happening and both of you are hiding it"

"I have nothing to hide mom, i am gonna meet someone. That's why the nice get up okay. This is important."

"Ah it must be a girl eh.. welp.. protip for you my son, if you are going to get a girl at least get yourselve a fucking job!"

"Its not a girl-"

While Johan and mom began to banter with each other, i begin to think what shall i tell mom. Do i tell her i joined The Garrison? Will she be okay with that?

"And what about Henry?"

"What about Henry?"

Oh shit, don't do it Johan. Please, just shut your mouth.

"He get his ass to The Garrison. You can check it yourself. Every evidence is inside that bag"

"Johan what the-"

What the fuck Johan? Why are you telling her as if i am guilty of it. I did felt guilt but fuck. I am wearing a "nice" outfit because i don't want mom t know i am going to the garrison office so i out all my uniform inside my bag. I mean i did fealt guilt for what i did, going back at my mother's back. But i really got almost no choice here. Getting a job is hard. I mean look at Johan, he is now but a one sad guy who is obsessed with his dream of becoming mech pilot.

"Well, atleast i got a job you fuck! you have been leeching from our family fund and now you got yourself another fucking mouth to feed!"

"Damnit, its not a girl! FUCK i am out of here!"

Johan stormed out from our tiny living room. With our current financial problem, we got no choice but to life in this small place in the middle section. Mom doesn't want her children to life in the slum like i did after all.

"Johan, your breakfast!!"

Mom yelled at Johan then stormed out. But she then comeback alone. She didn't manage to get Johan. She seems troubled.

"Henry is it true? did you joined The Garrison?"

Ah the elephant in the room. How can i answer that?

"Its okay mom. My job is just getting citizen to safety in case of an attack and maybe doing some patrols. Its okay, i am not doing anything harsh"

She is still troubled. It is like she is not sastisfied with that answer. She looked at me then shakes her head.

"You have grown up, haven't you Henry? That boy i picked up is now a grown man. Alright, do as you please, just please don't drag Johan with you"

Mom, many thanks from me for your concern. Indeed, i am a man now, and i gotta do what a man gotta do.

"Mom, i thank you for what you did to me. You picked me up that day and raised me. Thank you. I will protect both Johan and you till the day i die. May our LORD be with us"

"May our LORD protect us. Henry.. Perhaps.. perhaps you should know the truth.. perhaps.. but.. but.. i.. i am not ready to tell you now. I.."

Truth? What truth? What truth should i know? i look at my mom concerned face. Its my mom face that i haven't seen before. What lies in her face is a face full of guilt and regret. What truth that can bend my mom usual cheerful face, a face she had even at the face of financial ruin and the possible destruction of her family. What ever secret she hold, i belive it might be important to her and to me.

"Mom its okay, you don't need to tell me anything okay. I don't care what is that you hold behind me, all i care is we are together as family. I mean you and both i and Johan."

I see my mom face begin to relieved itself and i am relieved too. She begin to be herself yet again.

"Perhaps.. perhaps this evening.."

"Come on mom, its okay. i-"

"No!! you deserve to know!"

There is a silence between us. I don't care about shit my mom is hiding. Hell, it might just be something stupid.

"Alright mom, what is it you gotta tell me, than hold your horses till you are ready to told me okay. No need to pressure yourself"

"Okay"

Then both of us eat our breakfast. Things started to get normal again. We are joking on how Johan gonna end up this evening. I bet 10 credit that he will be back with his ass whoop.. i mean get rejected by whoever he got to meet. Mom couldn't hold her laugh at how i described him. She even came up with her own version.

"Alright mom, see you this evening. I'll be back"

"Take care Henry! Don't forget to eat your lunch!"