What if?

Chapter 17: Black floral dress

Nick

I was totally surprised by what Michael has told me about mom’s dark past. I can’t believe that she is this kind of person. Mom is a little childish. I know it is not wrong because it is fun to have that kind of attitude in the household. Dad must have had a hard time accepting mom first but now I think that he made the right choice, besides mom is a really good mother and person. She is very bright and she makes the people around her happy. I guess this made me wake up how amazing my new mom is. 

Mom is wearing a very beautiful dress and I think that this dress is worth something. Mom kept on turning and turning which made her dress fly. Let me describe the dress that she is wearing right now. The dress is red which looks so good to her fair white skin. It is long and floral, the flowers are black. There is also like a ribbon in the chest which made mom younger than her age now. Mom also has a hat on her head but the hat looks like a beach hat. The hat’s color is peach. I looked down to see the shoes she is wearing, and saw that she is actually wearing peach-colored shoes. Peach is like a weird color for me but when mom wore it, it just hit differently. 

I turned to look at Michael and I can see how red he is right now. I think he is embarrassed by what mom is doing right now. “Ouch!” I heard mom exclaim. “See? You hurt yourself because you kept on daydreaming as if you were a princess.” Michael exclaimed. “Do you agree with what Michael just said dad?” Mom asked dad as she turned to look at dad’s direction who was still staring at mom. Dad is still mesmerized by mom’s beauty. “I agree.” Dad replied. 

What dad just said almost made me laugh out loud, but I needed to control myself from doing so because it is awkward to laugh. I am afraid that mom might get mad at me and that’s what I don’t want to happen as of the moment. 

“What?!” Mom said and sat on the sofa. She put both of her hands on her face enough to hide her beautiful face and then pretended to be crying. “I disagree with the thought that you only look like a princess, for me you look like the most beautiful queen in the world.” dad said while kneeling down to face mom. Mom slowly put her hands away from her face.

“Eww!!! Disgusting!” Michael shouted and made her mom and dad look at him. Dad stood up and laughed as well as mom. “What are you doing? Nick and I are here. You should have thought about that. You can do that if you are only together don’t let us see how disgusting you two are.” Michael explained and sat on the sofa too. 

I can see how disgusted I am right now. So I went in his direction and also sat on the sofa. “Hey, I think they are messing with you.” I whispered to Michael’s ear. “Whatever!” Michael replied to me. “Hey… dad and I are just kidding. We want to make this environment a happy one.” Mom explained and curled Michael’s hair. Dad also came to sit on the sofa. He sat next to me. “It was a good one right?” Dad whispered to my ears. At first I didn’t know what he was talking about. I turned to look at him then I saw him looking in Michael's direction and me. That was the time I understood it. “Yeah it was.” I replied shortly. I was still a little shy saying that.

After I replied to Dad I immediately turned my attention to Michael, who is beside me. I then heard Dad giggled for a minute. “You don’t have to go to this extent just to annoy me you know?” Michael said in an annoyed voice. “Hey. Okay I will get this hat off. Are you okay with that now?” Mom asked Michael. “No. I want you to take all of that off.” Michael replied to Mom while doing some gestures. “Oh no Son, I can’t do that. I will be naked then.” Mom replied to Michael. I can sense that Mom is definitely trying to annoy Michael and she even said that as if she is acting. “Ughh! Mom. Whatever!” Michael exclaimed to Mom. 

I am really having fun right now. Just looking at Michael being like this is just so fun and entertaining. “Okay fine, fine Michael stop being such a kid.” Mom said while messing Michael’s hair. “Ughh! Mom I told you, don’t mess my hair. And Mom in case you forgot, I am still 10 years old which means that I am still a kid okay?” Michael said while doing some gestures. 

“Kidding! I am going upstairs and changing them. Wait here because I have something to say okay?” Mom said while turning. She stopped after doing three turns and went upstairs. How was she able to do that? That was a skill, I mean if I were Mom I might not be able to walk properly after doing three turns. 

I just looked at her. “Hurry mom.” Dad shouted after mom was finally upstairs. “Ughh! So embarrassing.” Michael exclaimed by my side.”Hey, you know that they are just kidding right?” I asked Michael. “Yeah I know. But they are doing it at a higher level now.” Michael explained. “What do you mean higher level?” I asked Michael because I was curious. “They used to do that to me whenever they get home from somewhere but only simple things but now they are over the top. It is way more embarrassing knowing that you are here. I think now you are thinking that this family is full of dorks.” Michael said to me softly. 

Michael’s voice is soft not because he doesn’t want dad to hear what he is saying instead he is shy of what he is saying. “No, I don’t think about that at all. You know at first, I thought that mom and dad are serious parents because they are business people. Besides, I thought that they don’t have time for fun. Now, seeing all of this honestly is really surprising for me but not in a bad way but in a good way.” I replied to Michael to make him feel better and not think about me. 

I know Michael thinks about me more than any other people here in the house. But I don’t want him to feel shy just because of that. Sometimes, I just don’t get Michael why he gets shy on things like this. This is something to be proud of. I heard people from rich families before saying that their parents don’t have that much time to spend with their family. Some also said that their families are very strict and serious and that they don’t have time for fun. 

I thought this way before but after experiencing this first hand to this family, it is really so different. I guess people are really different. I know mom and dad were worried about us a while ago knowing that they were not able to do their promise. It is not actually their duty to feel guilty because they are busy and I know that they are tired every time they go back home. 

“Really? Oh thank goodness.” Michael said while putting his right hand on his chest. I took his hand away from his chest. “I am so lucky to be in this family.” I said to Michael while looking closely to his eyes so that he could see the sincerity in my words. Michael did not say anything, instead he turned his looks on the wall. Is he shy again? I looked at his ear. His ear is red and I think that this is an indication that he really is shy with what I just said. 

We all heard someone stomping on the stairs while going downstairs. Because of that, it all caught our attention. “She’s doing it again.” I heard Michael say in a soft voice. I didn’t turn to look at Michael and just let him say it. I think that Mom is stomping because she is doing it on purpose. Now that our eyes are all on mom she even exaggerated her walk to a slow walk. As if she is Cinderella walking downstairs and looking so majestic while all people are looking at her walking slowly. “Mom! Stop it!” Michael shouted. When Michael shouted we all turned to look at him. 

“Fine.” Mom said shortly and immediately came to our direction. “What was the thing that you wanted to tell us?” Michael asked mom as soon as she arrived where we are now. Why is he in a hurry? Ughh! He is messing with all the entertainment. “Okay. Here is the thing.” Mom said. “What?!” Michael asked hastily. “Why are you in such a hurry? Let me sit first.” Mom replied and got the stool then moved in in front of us so maybe she can talk better. She sat on the stool as soon as she moved it in front of us. “Dad and I don’t have any more schedules for today. So, we talked to each other and decided to have a bonding time with the both of you.” Mom said. 

I am okay with that thought but I don’t know where else to go at this hour, besides it is near dinner. If we would go out it would only be in the restaurant. “It will be dinner soon. Where else can we go?” Michael said. “Nice one Michael.” I said to myself. Of course, I can’t say that out loud knowing Mom and dad are around us. 

“Ahh Come on. Let me finish yet.” Mom said while giving off a deep sigh. “You don't even care to finish your sentences. That’s why I asked.” Michael said. Okay now, in this matter I would team with Michael because he is right. Mom is thrilling everything and can’t finish her sentences. That's why Michael asked a question. “Fine. Here is the thing. We are not going out instead, we are going to bond inside this house only. If it is okay with both of you.” Mom explained to the both of us. 

“I am okay with that.” I replied immediately. I did not wait for Michael to speak first because I know that he will rant again. “If Nick is okay with it then I am too.” Michael replied. See? That’s why I spoke first so that there will be no problem. “Why do you always go with what Nick thinks?” Dad asked curiously. “Well because he is my brother and as a good older brother I need to take care of him. That’s why.” Michael explained to Dad. 

After Michael said that I just feel so cringed right now. “That’s my boy.” Dad said while doing a fist bump with Michael. Michael even did it with dad without saying anything. Now they are having fun. And here I am on the other side, feeling uncomfortable. 

“Great! Then let us have it this evening then of course we are going to eat snacks for dinner. I already ordered pizzas for us to eat.” Mom said. “Do you have something in mind that you want to eat boys?” Dad asked Michael and me. 

I think pizza is enough and besides, there are some foods here inside the house that we can eat. “I want fried chicken with different sauces.” Michael exclaimed. Yeah! Fried chicken feels great while chatting. “Wait what? Are we just going to chat? I can’t do that.” I said to myself imagining what might happen. “Mom snacks as dinner, what do you mean are we going to watch movies?” Michael asked mom curiously. “Nice one Michael, you are very reliable in times when I have questions. “That is correct!” Mom replied to Michael. 

“But what movies are we going to watch? Well, I have never watched a good quality movie before so maybe the movies that we are going to watch are good movies.” I said to myself while still imagining.