Czar's Can Full Of Kisses [Fiction]

She was here!

Czar giggled and hopped on his feet, his toothless grin on full display, not knowing how adorable he looked for a six year old.

“You're here,” he said, breathless with excitement. “I thought you weren't coming…I waited for you yesterday.”

The first time he saw her, he loved her without thinking only because she bore the soft, gentle face he'd known right from the cradle. His first love. His mother before the anger, frustration and tiredness changed her fine demeanor.

There must be a connection, surely. She simply smiled and held him in an embrace for a long time. When she disappeared, he felt so much better.

Then he saw her again, days later and jumped into her arms. Her chuckle was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard, just like his mother. When she used to be happy, and his father treated her like a queen.

He had so many questions to ask her but she placed a finger on his lips. “Czar, you can only ask me for one thing. Think carefully.” She cupped his chubby cheeks. “Remember, just one.”

He jolted awake as his bed shook from a hard kick to it. His mother stood over him, her glare sharp and scary. “Git up, you lazy bum.”

He scrambled to sit upright as his chest rose and fell with quick, short breaths. “Git ready for school. If ya miss that bus,” she growled, pointing a finger in his face, “yew walk all da way there by yaself!” She stomped out of his room to the kitchen, muttering under her breath.

His dreams were better than his real life yet he wanted his mother to see that he was no “lazy bum”.

As he brushed his teeth, an idea popped like a light bulb in his head. He hopped to school after missing the bus, whistling all the way.

That night, he went to bed earlier than he usually did. “I hope ya ain't feelin’ sick or somethin’,” his mother warned just as he fluffed his pillows. “Cause I ain't gat money to waste on ya.”

He shook his head. “No, ma'am…” She walked away before he could finish. “Good night…mother.” He whispered the last word wishing she had heard it.

Czar was back in the garden again. A world that existed only in his dreams yet felt so real. The place where he'd first seen the pretty woman who looked like his mother.

The air was warm and cosy. The scent from the flowers were like the pink, butter cupcakes sold in the bakery across town.

She appeared and he raced into her arms. She held him like he'd always wanted to be held. “Tell me now, dear Czar,” she asked gently, her brown eyes tracing his face.

He took a deep breath and blurted. “A can full of kisses.”

She arched her brows. “Are you sure, little one?”

He nodded with a smile. “A can full of kisses, please. When I give them to my mother, she'll know I love her even when my father makes her cry.”

A tear slowly rolled down her face. “A can full of kisses you'll surely have,” she whispered, kissing him on the forehead.

Czar woke to a sunny morning, chuckling. He’d overslept and was going to be late for school again. His mother hadn't woken him up but the aroma of bacon and eggs did.

He washed, dressed up and ran to the kitchen. There she was, his first love, looking tired and stirring a pot while his baby sister sat perched on her hips.

He walked up to her quietly, rose on tiptoe and kissed her on the cheek. “Good morning, ma'am.”

There was a struggle on her tired face. She frowned, sighed and smiled a little. “Okey, Okey! Sit down and eat ya breakfast. I'll take ya to school. Ya miss that bus again.”

With a toothless grin, Czar began munching his food while his mother sang to his baby sister, something she had not done in a long while.

I hope you enjoyed reading this short piece. It's inspired by the Freewrite #dailyprompt phrase "a can full of kisses".

Thank you for visiting my blog.

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