Reason why

Mother was not sure about telling her daughter that they were relocating from the big city of New York to the small-town Buford. They finally were able to return to their normal, happy lives. A week before moving to the town, mother gets her confidence together and talks to her daughter. She tells Sophie that they were moving from New York to the town of Bufford. Sophie did not give the reaction that her mother thought she would. Sophie stayed calm because she knew that finally after a year, her mother was living her life back to normal. As a result, she wanted her mother to get away from the place where her father’s memories lingered.

“Mom, I am with you whatever you decide,” says Sophie.

“I want what is best for you, sweetheart. I know you have your friends here; you are not in the habit of staying in towns. This place here, reminds me of your dad. Every single day, I feel like, “why is he not there with us at dining, in his study room, watching movies with us, playing video games with you?” replies her mother.

“Mom, please,” Sophie holds her mother’s hand, “I get it, and trust me mom I am comfortable with whatever you decide. Let’s go to Buford and if it’s a small town, so how is it a big deal? I still can make friends, hang out and party, and vlog and do all those things I used to do here,” says Sophie with excitement.

Her excitement did not emanate from within, but she wanted her mother not to think otherwise. Her mother wipes out the tears crawling down her cheeks and stands up to hug her daughter with pride.

While her blogs used to help her pass the time when she felt low, this time it didn’t. She kept thinking about the town where they were about to move. She was curious why her mother would go to the town from where her father was coming back on the night of misfortune.

She looks up the town online and finds that it is about 12 hours away from New York and very less populated. She wonders why she wants to move there. She knows that she cannot ask her mother directly about the concern. She thinks, “If I did ask her, she would come to know that I am not quite happy about it, and she would not like it.” Sophie decides to wait until her mother goes to sleep; she will sneak into her father’s study room.

At midnight, around 12:49 AM, Sophie sneaks into her father’s study room. She gets herself to search through his files and other belongings to find out the reason her father went to Buford. What is the main reason her mother wants to move to that place now. Despite her efforts, she was unable to find anything. She is tired, she does not want to give up, but she hears someone walking toward the room. She immediately hides under the table and sees her mother standing in the distance. “Hello, is someone inside?” her mother shouts with her threatening voice, “I am calling the police.”

“Oh no! mom, no do not call the police; it’s your daughter being a thief tonight, please,” Sophie keeps murmuring to herself. Her mother switches on the lights and stands there for a while, looking around. “I think it was nothing but the old stuff rattling,” a mother tells herself. She switches off the lights and makes her way out of the room. Sophie takes a deep breath, and she hears her mother stepping up the stairs. “Oh hell no, she is heading up to my room, mom is there to look over me as usual.” Sophie panics, thinking that her mother is heading upstairs to her room, and of course, she is not finding Sophie in her bed. Sophie quickly makes herself out of the room and gets into the kitchen as quietly and quickly as she is able. Her mother walks upstairs to her room. It is obvious she will not find Sophie in bed. Sophie thinks that she will act as if she came down to get water when she hears her mother calling. “Okay, Sophie, get ready; it’s time to showcase your talent,” Sophie talking to herself. Sophie is ready for her mother to look for her, but she did not hear a thing. It was so quiet that she is able to hear her heart pounding and watch ticking. “What the hell, why mom is not shocked, am I really out of bed?” Sophie taps herself with a confused face and mind, “Oh! Yeah, I am out of bed, then why mom is quiet”. She grabs the water bottle and quickly steps upstairs. As she gets close to her room, the light is out and mom is sitting on the other side of the bed. It seems like her mother is not looking at her but she is saying something to Sophie.

Sophie is standing outside and trying to listen to her mother. All she could hear were the last lines, “I am so sorry, baby girl, that is the reason I thought Buford would be the most suitable place where we could start fresh and live our life as well as your dad’s. As you will soon begin your career after you complete your studies, you can go wherever you want and do whatever you feel like. I love you”.

There is like a moment of pause, and then Sophie realizes her mother is coming out. She hides against the wall. It was pitch dark, so her mother did not come to know. She quickly jumps inside her room, locks the room, and sits down, feeling so pissed. “Why did I leave the room? My mom was right here telling me the reason why we were moving to that very place. But, why would mom speak to me when she knew that I might be sleeping? How can I hear when I am asleep? What is my mom thinking?” A string of questions raced through her mind, one after the other.

Putting everything aside, she thinks she will just ask her mother about the concern first thing in the morning.

We still have to find out why the mother wants to move to Bufford. Hang on tight and check out the next chapter.