Mommy knows best
Salis had spent the whole day doing everything he could to stay out of her way. He had learned over the years that the less he was seen, the less likely he was to get into trouble. She was unpredictable, always shifting between the moments of indifference and rage, so Salis kept his distance. He spent most of the afternoon in his room, reading quietly, the sound of his mother's occasional footsteps in the hallway reminding him of her constant presence.
When he heard her voice call from the kitchen, his heart skipped a beat,
"Salis! Come here."
His immediate reaction was to freeze, his body tensing. It had been a while since she had called for him, and usually when she did, it wasn't for something good.
He couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness that gripped him whenever she spoke to him in that tone.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly stood up from his bed and walked down the hallway, his shoes tapping softly against the wooden floor. When he reached the kitchen, she was standing at the counter, staring down at a bowl of something he couldn't identify.
"Yes, ma'am…?" he asked cautiously.
She didn't respond right away. Instead she turned around and looked at him with an expression he couldn't quite decipher. For a second, her face softened, and she didn't look like the woman who had made his life so difficult—the woman who made him feel worthless. She looked almost… normal. Like the mothers he saw in movies who smiled, and kissed their sons goodnight.
"Sit down," she said, her voice gentler than usual.
Salis did as told, slowly sliding into the chair at the table. He didn't know why she was acting this way, and part of him was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting for the sharp words, the cruel punishment.
But it didn't come.
Instead, she slipped into a seat, and pushed the bowl of food gently towards him.
"I made your favorite—mac and cheese. You've been working so hard, and I thought you deserved something nice."
The words hit Salis like a freight train, and, for a moment, he was too stunned to speak. While it wasn't his favorite, he didn't mind. His heart raced as he stared at the bowl in front of him.
It wasn't just the food—Salis hadn't heard those kinds of words in a long time. Something nice. That he deserved something good.
His mind spun, trying to make sense of the sudden shift. He had grown used to the cruel remarks, the belittling comments, the forceful commands that he barely knew how to react to kindness. His mother's kindness was always fleeting, but this was different. She had made something for him, something that wasn't just another cold meal from the fridge. She had cooked.
Just for him.
Salis felt a wave of confusion roll over him. His head throbbed from the rush of emotions that surged through him.
"Thank you," he managed to say, though the words felt strange in his mouth.
She nodded, her eyes glancing away for a moment. "You're welcome." Then, as if remembering something, she added, "Don't think this means I won't expect you to keep up with your chores and your homework. But for today you can have something nice."
As he ate the macaroni and cheese, the warmth spreading through his body felt unfamiliar, like a luxury. The way she wasn't yelling at him, wasn't telling him he didn't deserve this—it made his heart ache in a way he didn't expect. He couldn't help but wonder if she was being genuine or if this was just another part of her sick game to keep him off-balance.
He finished the bowl in silence, not daring to look at her, not knowing what she expected of him.
When he was done, she stood up, taking the empty bowl from the table without a word. Her face, again, was unreadable. Then she paused, looking at him as if she was struggling to say something.
"You've done better lately," she said quietly. "You're starting to be more responsible."
Salis flinched. The praise hit him like a blow, even though it wasn't harsh.
He wasn't used to hearing things like that. No one had ever told him he was doing better. No one had ever said anything kind to him and meant it.
And here she was, offering something that almost sounded like approval.
But Salis knew the truth. He knew that this moment would be gone soon. That this brief piece of kindness would not last.
He couldn't let himself believe that this could mean anything more than a temporary reprieve from the emotional roller coaster she had him on.
The moment passed quickly, and after she walked away, he was left sitting at the table, his chest tight, unsure of what had just happened.