"Wait for me, I'll be there in a 10 min."
That was the last words I heard from her. It had been almost an hour and I'm still hoping her 10 min is just around the corner. I never bothered asking where she is again, from past experience, this would just irritate her and make me wait more.
But patience is taking its toll. I kept my mind busy as I sit outside a fine dine restaurant, looking at every passer-by and admiring every beauty that this glorious night has to offer.
It was Friday night, and I was at the mercy of a cold night, as Christmas was fast approaching. I could have been with my friends, hanging out somewhere and enjoying music and possibly the warmth of beer. But I chose to be here, comforted only by the warmth light above me, taking refuge to the idea that soon, after 10 min of a slow moving clock, she will be here and sit in front of me. Yes, only time will tell how foolish I could be for something I wanted so badly.
Another 10 min had passed, more sexy ladies in their fine dress had greeted me with their smiles, and the coldness continues to drop that my hands begin to shiver from time to time. I look at the street and still I see no sign of her. I can't help but be bother by the possible reason that she could have been late. It was after all a Friday night, Friday traffic could be the culprit. But still, 10 min has quite passed its due.
As the clock continues to tick, I can help but see people near my table taking a peek at me. Perhaps their wondering how long I’ve been waiting here, alone and with just a glass of cold water, alone. Perhaps their right for wondering, I myself have been puzzled by why I'm here, still waiting, and didn't bother checking on her.
Frustration and anger has started to boil inside my head. For the past 20 min, I had been constantly fighting with the urge of just leaving the place and just call her after a few hours. But just the thought of leaving her alone is enough to make me wait for another hour or so.
10 more minutes and it would have been an hour and 30 minutes of waiting. But my world started to shine as I see a glimpse of her from the end of the street. There she was, walking slowly, with a smile that has been her most beautiful asset. As she slowly comes toward me, all the time that had been wasted to wait for her had been forgotten. It's like my world had once again been filled with warmth and joy as I look at her moving towards me. All the beautiful ladies that comforted my eyes during my wait had faded into her background. The world seems to have turned into black and white and only she had remained colourful, and shining in this black night.
It had felt like eternity, eternity filled with happiness, as I watch her walk towards me. I was in so deep that I didn't notice that we are now a foot apart. She smiled, while I still remain amazed and mesmerized. Then she leans toward me, and hugs me tight. She whispered in my ears, "Nice to see you again, Son."
Tears in her eyes started to fall, as I keep mine in my eyes. It had been more than 3 years since I last saw her. And the past 3 years hadn't been well for the both of us. I hugged her back and felt how aged had caught up to her.
She was once the most beautiful girl in my eyes, and she still is. I had been a big fan of her and she had been my closest friend. That's why it was so hard being away from her for a long time for the both of us. That's why this moment had been one of the best moments of my life.
As I escorted Mom inside the promised restaurant, not the fine-dine restaurant you would have thought, just a semi-fast food chain on a side of the mall, I felt stupid and angry with myself.
That one hour and thirty minutes of waiting, I had been the cruelest son. How could I complain about waiting, when she had waited everyday at home to see me grow into a fine man I am now? How could I complain about enduring the cold, when she had endured night months of pain and more than 3 hours of labour just to give me my life? How could I complain about not being out there and have fun, when she made my happiness hers. How could I complain about waiting alone, when I know those three years of being away, she had felt it more than I do.
Looking at her again, and seeing her smile back again, I told myself, "I could even wait a lifetime if it means, having this moment with my Mom".
