"Goodness! Who did this?" Mrs. Edwin questioned with eyes blazing at the kitchen's floor.
"Natasha did it." Aaron replied before staring back at the TV.
With her eyes closed and palm pulled together, Mrs. Edwin screamed.
"Natasha!!! Get down here before I open my eyes." she spat.
The last drop of water cascaded down Natasha's body as the shower was switched off. The sound of her name pierced right into her ears like she was close to the noise. Not knowing what she should do, Natasha quickly wrapped a black towel around her body and stepped out of the bathroom.
Barefoot, she walked straight to where the sound of her name was heard.
"Welcome, m..." but her sentence was cut short by the mess in front of her.
Gently biting her upper lip, a strange amount of sweat formed on Natasha's face still, she felt cold.
Sucking in a deep breath, Natasha raised her head up to see the blazing look of her mom.
"What were you thinking!" Mrs. Edwin screamed again before swinging her hands toward Natasha's cheek.
Closing her eyes, Natasha expected the impact of the slap. However, it never came.
Letting out some air from her mouth, Natasha sighed. "Ma... I have been working all day and now, I..."
"Working? Or messing things up! Can't I come home each day after working my butt off out there to rest? I remember cleaning off the kitchen before leaving home early, and you were left in charge, or, are you not the eldest?" Mrs. Edwin questioned.
Looking at the kitchen floor all over again, Natasha was lost of words.
Oil grease and tomato paste were all over the floor coupled with flour and egg. The kitchen was a dirty work of art, and deeply, Natasha knew her talking back would not help anyway, so she did what she always did.
"Sorry, Ma, I'll clean it up now." Natasha answered with her head bent while her side eyes caught the lazy look on Aaron's face.
Placing the tip of her fingers on her forehead, Mrs. Edwin let out a huge sigh.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? You are sorry. You are always sorry! Is this what you are teaching your little brother? How can you mess up the kitchen this way, ehn? What were you cooking that you had to mess up everywhere? Are you a kid? Thirteen years old, yet you act like a baby. I am deeply holding back myself for giving you a slap. Next time, you won't miss it." Mrs. Edwin stated with her middle finger pointed at Natasha before walking off with a huff.
With her head up, Natasha stared at her brother, Aaron. After her parents divorced, the family was torn apart. Aaron has now found a new habit of doing bad things and blaming her for it, and her mom, as usual, would shout at her, blaming her for almost everything, and she knew exactly why...
She reminded her of her dad...
With curly blonde hair, oval face shape, and glittering brown eyes, Natasha looked exactly like her dad, only that, she was a girl.
Walking back to her room, Natasha picked up a black gown from her hanger before walking back to the kitchen to clean up the mess made by her brother.
While cleaning, Aaron walked up to her.
"Why do you always take the blame?" Aaron asked.
Staring at him, Natasha resumed cleaning, ignoring his presence. Just then, Mrs. Edwin walked toward the kitchen when she stopped in her step before hiding close to the kitchen wall.
"If you keep taking up the blame, I'll keep on with what I do." He added.
"If dad leaving us hurts you, and the best way to get back at us is to ruin things at home every day, then continue. Just know that the more you do this, the more you mature and be a scoundrel to the world, and trust me, the outside world won't take it easy with you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some cleaning to do." Natasha replied, resuming her cleaning.
With her hands covering her mouth, Mrs. Edwin let out a soft cry. Natasha has always been the naughty one or as it has been Aaron all along? She thought.
Walking out from her hiding place, Mrs Edwin walked toward her children.
"Natasha, stop cleaning, and Aaron, come over here." she called, venturing them toward the sitting room.
As they all got seated, Mrs. Edwin spoke. "I heard what you said to your sister, Aaron. Natasha, is it true?" she asked.
Nodding her head, Natasha stared at her brother. "A few months after the divorce, Aaron has been a scoundrel, but I understand him. The fact that dad left with another woman without turning back made him angry, and doing these things is his way of showing his emotions." Natasha replied.
"...and you? What has been your coping mechanism?" Mrs. Edwin questioned.
Letting out a huge sigh, Natasha stared at her mom. "I have been writing, knitting, and reading. Anything that would make me spend time indoors, I have been engaging in such activities." Natasha replied with a shrug.
Biting her lower lip, Mrs. Edwin swallowed her cries. "I never knew you both knew why your dad left. I thought I had you both saved from that. And... seeing how you both found ways to sort things out without me knowing makes me feel bad about my style of parenting. I am so sorry for everything. But why did you always take the blame for your brother?" Mrs. Edwin asked.
"I... I look a lot like dad, so I..."
Holding her daughter's hands, Mrs. Edwin shook her head. "Oh, goodness, Lord! What have I been doing?" she questioned out loud. "The fact that you look like your dad has never been an issue, Natasha. Never will I use that on my child. I didn't know you thought this way.... gracious goodness!" she let out again.
"Aaron, come here." Mrs. Edwin called. Dragging his feet closer to his mom, Aaron stood. "When you lie, you hurt the people around you. What you have done to your sister is very bad. Lying that she did something she didn't do is never a good thing, and I want you to apologize to her and also start being responsible for your actions. Do we understand each other?" she asked.
Nodding his head, Aaron walked toward his sister. "I am sorry for being bad, Natasha." he said before hugging her. Patting his back gently, Natashe hugged him back, which brought tears to his eyes before she urged him to take a seat.
"I know since dad left, we've never had breakfast or dinner together. I don't know, maybe..."
Hugging her daughter, Mrs. Edwin cut her statement short with a deep, sad laugh. "You have grown up more than your age, Natasha. I am sorry, and I will make amends with mine. Starting tomorrow morning, we will eat together, and I'll have to sort things out at work. I admit I buried myself in work after the divorce, but not anymore. My family comes first." she said, hugging her children.
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