We had maintained a relatively safe distance between ourselves ever since our relationship had surfaced to light.
She was extremely apologetic about what she had done in the past. Although I now addressed her as 'Mom', I still could not fully see her as my mother.
After all, when I was a child, she was never there for me whenever I needed someone to take care of me or accompany me.
The parts of our lives where the other person was absent could not be made up for in such a short time.
Thus, whenever she wanted to express her concern for me, she always seemed afraid that she was being naggy but also that she was not expressing her care enough. She was so cautious that it made my heart ache.
The same was happening now. I could tell she had more to say but was too afraid to say it.
Perhaps it was because I had nearly lost Munchkin, but this time, I understood what Petra was feeling. I took the initiative to go forth and take her hand. "What do you mean, Mom? I've gained weight. Theo never lets me do any housework and is always asking me to lie down. All the food I've eaten can’t be digested and has piled onto my body instead.
I cracked jokes and started whining like how other daughters did whenever they met their moms.
Petra was slightly stunned, but she recovered immediately and held my hand as she said, "You should be plump. You should eat more now and focus on maintaining your figure later. I'll help you.”
Unlike what I expected, her words did not make me feel uncomfortable. Instead, I felt a wave of warmth washing over me. It made me feel even more like I had returned home.
In the afternoon, Petra took Munchkin on a walk in the garden she tended to herself. Munchkin walked beside her and listened carefully as she told him what the plants' names were, the characteristics they had, the color of the flowers that bloomed from these plants, and whether or not they would bear fruit.
Grayson initially did not partake in this conversation and merely sat nearby to read his newspaper. However, later on, he could not help but interject and tell Petra where she had made mistakes.
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