REMAID- One Good Day II

Standing next to the window, I feel a bit of warmth inside my chest as the rain falls down. There's something calming about a consistent, patterned tapping that clears the mind. I close my eyes and let myself be wrapped up in it…

The feeling of being watched is too strong. I turn around and there’s nothing.

Gulping, I decide to go and find someone.

My feet carry me into the dining room and kitchen, but there’s nobody. When I arrive at the hallway to grandma’s room, the maid quarters, and the laundry room, I walk right past grandma’s room, gently opening the door to the laundry room. Inside, Tanya is folding clothes, when she notices me.

“Master Yuta! It’s lovely to see you. Do you require something from me?” I shake my head, sitting in the free chair and beginning to fold clothes with her.

“Just need some company right now.” I say.

“Well then.” Tanya smiles before continuing to fold. Time gently passes as the dryer slowly empties of its clothes. “Master Yuta, are you a fan of horror?”

“Yeah, my dad liked to show me classic movies when I was a kid. From there, I picked up a lot of manga and novels.”

“Classics? How far back?”

“Stuff like Nosfuratu.”

“Your father is a tasteful man.” She giggles.

“Are you a horror buff Tanya?”

“Well, I know a fair few things about the subject.”

“Such as?” I ask, now very intrigued. She taps her chin.

“Well, when I was younger…Jesus, I say that like I’m 50. Oh please don’t forget I’m 25.” The two of us share a laugh. “Alright alright, when I was younger I watched and read a lot of horror. I was very fond of foreign movies like REC. It put a nice little fear in me.”

“Hmm, REC’s a good one. I was a bigger fan of grindhouse stuff though.”

“Ahh, dirty fellow we have.” Tanya teases me, smiling gently.

“Nothing beats watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the first time.” I argue, folding some of my grandmother's underwear and wishing to disinfect my fingers afterwards.

“No? I’d argue Pulse was a much more invigorating experience.”

“Jesus…you said it’s name and I swear to god I felt a chill up my back.”

“Yeah, see? Good movie, hehe~.” Tanya’s good mood is infectious. My smile replicates hers.

“Why do you like horror so much Tanya?” I ask.

“Why? Hmm…It’s not that I enjoy getting scared. But, when I watched a lot of those movies, it was nice to be more scared of something that couldn’t hurt me at the end of the day than something that could.” Tanya says, her fingers slowing in their folding. “Dad could hurt me, but Leatherface can’t. Leatherface is so much scarier when you see him though…” I feel like listening to her is gonna make my heart shatter. I decide to quickly change topics.

“Tanya, what’s your ideal guy?” I ask.

“Ideal guy? Hmm…” Tanya seems to think it over for some time, her folding returning to normal speed as she thinks. “I’d say they’d ideally be someone who loves the things I love. Someone who could watch a horror movie with me and wrap an arm around me. Someone who would wake up every day and feel thankful to see me. Who would be sure the first thing I heard everyday was ‘I love you,’ and would be gentle and kind…” She looks at me and smiles. “I guess a man who reminded me of you, Yuta.” I blush at her words.

“That’s a wild thing to say.”

“I have no interest in a teenager of course. Your personality, however, is wonderful.” She says such kind words and expects me not to blush like crazy? Well, whatever. A guy like me huh? Wouldn’t it be funny if there were…a guy…like that…

“I’ll be right back.” I tell her, leaving the laundry room and pulling out my phone. I enter my contacts and, after hitting one of my three options (an improvement of two since I’ve moved here) I let it ring, waiting and waiting. A part of me knows I can neither expect nor believe that he'll actually answer, but again, I plead that he will.

Please pick up, please pick up, please pick up…

Dad…

"Hello?"

I hear his voice. For the first time in half a month, I hear his voice.

"H-hi dad."

"Do you…need something?"

What do I say? What should I say?

"I…I'm in trouble with the village leader."

"Goddamnit Yuta, what did you do?"

"His son was treating my friends like garbage. I couldn't take it, so I yelled at him."

"Yeah…that's gotta be a lie."

"It's not a lie!"

"You, yell at somebody? Either I'm going batshit or you're not my son."

"I-I'm your son…"

"Yeah I know, I figured that was the case the moment you started talking about trouble."

"Don't be mean on our first call you actually answer."

"Alright, alright, I'll make my way out there, so don't get your undies in a bunch."

"Thank you dad."

"Yeah, of course…"

His hesitance hurts.

"Hey dad?"

"Yeah Yuta?"

"...was it my fault?"

"...goodbye Yuta."

Yes, it was. As he hangs up, his silent confirmation stings at my soul.

"Why…why didn't I just die?" I ask myself, covering my mouth and holding in a sob.

"Yuta?" I hear Tanya's voice and turn away.

"A-ah, hey Tanya. Sorry, I just had a call, so I needed to answer that. Don't worry, it was just a little bad news so I'm feeling a little bit-" I feel her arms wrap around me. Her chin rests on my head. I stop talking.

"You don't have to lie to me." She says, holding me tight. "If anyone Is gonna refrain from judging you, I promise it's me." She promises. "So…you miss her. Your grandmother really doubted you did, but I never could. Nobody could not miss their mother."

"T-Tanya…"

"Your mother loved you, Yuta. You were a good boy."

"N-no! I was bad! I was awful!"

"Oh Yuta." She kisses the top of my head. "It's okay. No one is watching. You can cry."

Cry? I can cry? Cry. I can cry.

I'm crying. My eyes are letting out so many tears I could drown in them. I want Tanya to hold me tighter. Her embrace feels so calming.

"M-mama…mama…!" I grit my teeth.

"Shh…she hears you."

"Mama I'm sorry! Mama!"

"She knows Yuta."

"Mama!" I choke on the lump in my throat as Tanya rubs my head.

She really is a good mom.