Behind a Tough Shell, a Sweet Tender Heart.

by Sam 

Maui woke up on a rainy Saturday morning to the sound of absolute silence. Stretching her arms out, then stopping her self mid- yawn thinking, I never wake up to that. I’m always woken up by the sound of my mum’s cooking or my dad’s banter about the news. Why is it quiet?

Maui quickly runs down the stairs calling her parents, “Mum! Dad! Are you here?!”

After a few minutes of yelling her for her parents, she checks the driveway. She saw nothing but the gravel on the ground, houses across the street, aligned on Silverskin Street, and the road. Maui went into the kitchen and fixed herself up a breakfast. She looked in the fridge for some milk, but all she found was orange juice. She poured herself a glass of orange juice and had herself a ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat toast. She sat down at the kitchen table, before taking her first bite the phone rang. She brushed off the crumbs off her hands and walked up to the phone. Hearing her father on the other side of the phone, she asked her father where he was and where was her mom.

“Don't worry, I'm fine But your mother...”

“What?! What happened to mum?! Please tell me she's ok!” She exclaimed while tearing up.

“She..she died.”

Maui didn't know what to do with herself, but stay silent. Her father knew that she wasn't going to say anything. After a few seconds of silence he continued to talk, “I'm sorry honey, I'll explain everything when I get home.”

“OK.” That is all Maui said and hung up the phone.

She paced back and fourth anxiously waiting for her father to arrive to the house thinking about everything possible thing that could have happened.

After what seemed like centuries, Maui's father came home.

Maui ran up to her father and gave him the biggest hug she has ever given anyone. She has never been so relieved to see her father. She looked at him with teary eyes. Her father looked at her and kissed her forehead and hugged her once more before saying, “I'll tell you what happened over some tea. Maui looked at her food, which was cold by now, with disgust. She picked up her ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat toast and threw it out in the trash bin. She sat back down at the table. Maui watched her father fill the kettle with water and place it on the stove with a light fire. While waiting for the water to boil her father quickly went upstairs to change into his pajamas and robe.

By the time he finished changing, the kettle started whistling. Maui's father came downstairs and took the kettle off of the stove and poured the water into the black mugs. He went into the cupboards and found a box of PG Tips Tea. Tips Tea is my mums favorite. Maui thought while her father was putting down the cups on the table.

They each took a sip.

A few minutes of silence passed.

“What happened to mum?” Maui blurted out.

Her father took one last sip of tea and cleared his throat, “This morning we both woke up like usual. I got the news paper and she was getting the food ready. As she was going to make you breakfast she looked in the fridge she that there was no milk. So she stepped out to grocery store. To make a long story short, the rain became so heavy at the time she lost control of the wheel and crashed to an oncoming driver.”

All Maui could do was just stare at her father. As if every word that came out of his mouth was a lie. Each syllable much more faint than the word before it. She didn't even want to listen what else he was going to say. All she wanted was her mother back.

* * * * *

Five years have passed and Maui has still not gotten over the idea that her mother has passed away. Ever since that day she has changed. Maui has changed her wardrobe to darker colors. She tried her hardest to stay away from people, by giving them cold stares, instead of her usual happy hellos. Her grades in school have even drops. From being a straight A student to a C- or failing senior. Most of the kids at school either treated her with disrespect by calling her names or gave her sympathy about what had happened those five years ago. Maui hated the sympathy as much as the teasing. She would just ignore it.

Going home wasn't any better. She barely spoke to her father. If anything, they shared a few glances, but no, “Hello, darling” or “Hi daddy.”

Her father's appearance also changed. His once thick, dark hair has grayed and thinned. His eyes dead and dark from the lack of sleep from working multiple jobs to pay off the bills. Even his posture changed from a proud standing man to a slumped old man.

Maui woke up Christmas morning. She went downstairs to find something to eat. There was note her dad left her that read:

“Maui,

I've gone out to find a job. I'll be back around supper. I'm sorry I couldn't spend time with you today. Happy Christmas.

Xoxo,

Dad”

She set the letter down on the table and made herself some tea. She poured the water into the kettle and waited for it to boil. She took a bag out of the PG Tips Tea box and dropped it into the black mug. Maui sat at the table and sipped on her tea. She set the tea down and just stared at it. Tears started running down her face, drinking Tips Tea made her think of her mom so much, she couldn't contain herself.

While her moment of crying, she realized she hasn't been in her mothers room since then. Something inside her told her to go inside her room.

She picked up her mug and walked up the stairs and stood in front of her parents room where her mother used to sleep. Where she used to talk to her mom for hours. She inched her way to the door and slowly turned the knob. The door opened and looked inside. Nothing on her side was touched, she can tell because of all the dust that has accumulated on her furniture.

Maui finally stepped forward into her parents bedroom. She placed the mug on her mothers nightstand and sat on her mothers side of the bed. Still looked around. She noticed a book on her mothers dresser. She walked towards and opened it. She kept a diary?, Maui thought. She spent about an hour sitting on her parents bed reading it. When she got to the end there was an envelope. It wasn't sealed.

The letter was written as a word of advice incase anything would happen to her.

“Dear loved ones, I hope you're doing well. If anything were to happen to me, I would like you to know to always think positive thoughts. I may not be with you, but I'm always in your heart as you are in mine.

Xoxo, Your loving mother and wife.”

Reading the letter she held it close to her chest and looked up and said, “I love you mom.” She folded the letter back into the envelope, put everything in its place, took her tea and went downstairs to start making a christmas dinner.

By the time her father came home, the dinner Maui made was just about finished. The look on his face gave Maui the biggest smile. She greeted him and hugged him.

“Merry Christmas daddy.” Maui said.