Chapter 4 – MEMORIES

Riona is all alone in her room and is seated on her bed and going through her laptop. As she scrolled through her pictures on the laptop, she arrived at a picture she had taken with her mum at the city's fun park. Riona stopped as she arrived at the picture. The picture brought back memories. Memories she would never want to forget, and she wished were not mere memories anymore. Unable to decide what her reaction should be, she only stared at the photo with feelings of love and hope.

Thereafter, she placed the laptop on the bed beside her as her mind drifted to when she and her mum had taken the picture only but some months ago.

On that day, Riona had casually requested that she and her mum go to the park together with some of the kids that Rennet Aid provides for. But then she never knew that would be the last time that she would ever be there with her mum.

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FLASHBACK

Riona and Evolette were in the city fun park and they were taking selfies with their phones. Unlike Riona, Evolette was eager to capture every fun moment that she has with her daughter.

Cindy was the person in charge of the kids that they had come with and she led them around the parks to have fun.

Evolette kept on leading Riona round and round to different backgrounds at the park to take more selfies amidst subtle protest from Riona who felt that this was unending and wanted them to be rather engaged in other fun activities rather than just waste the whole day on selfies.

However, in response to Riona's protests, Evolette said "Come on Rio, this is going to be the last one I promise".

She dragged Riona to the front of a roller coaster.

"But mum, you have been saying that the whole day, since we got here, we have done nothing but take selfies" Riona lamented.

"Baby girl, I am serious this time. It's going to be the last one" Evolette assured her.

Riona reluctantly posed and smiled for the camera as Evolette positioned her phone to take more selfies.

"And to think that we came here specifically on my request and now we are doing only your biddings" Riona complained.

Evolette dragged her to another side in front of the roller coaster and took more pictures. Riona kept lamenting in the course of taking the selfies, but Evolette deliberately ignored her and went on smiling as she engages in her selfie-taking task.

"Mum, I had believed today was going to be about me" Riona put up more protest.

Riona was almost in tears as she watched herself being dragged by her mum from one location to another while the kids that they had brought along with them were scattered all over the park having the best fun.

"Okay, we would do what you want just about now. Please pose for the last shot dear. Say cheese" Evolette requested.

"Cheese" they both chorused.

After Evolette was done with the shots, she turned to Riona.

"So what would you like us to do now, would you like a game or some ride?

Riona looked around the park as she contemplated what to choose. Her eyes settled on the merry-go-round horse and she smiled.

Evolette noticed what Riona was up to and she could tell the choice that she was about to make. So she quickly put up some protest.

"No, no Rio, not that one" she pleaded.

"Of course not mum, I would be asking that we go for the merry-go-round over there" Riona replied.

She pointed to exactly where her eyes had been all along, the same ride her mum had protested against.

"Must it be that Rio, you always pick that one?" Evolette protested.

"Come on mum, you will enjoy it, I promise," Riona said.

Riona held her mum by the hands and drags her along with her to the merry-go-round. Evolette had no other option but to give in to Riona's request after all they have been doing all she wanted since the time they arrived at the park and this time, it was time to allow Riona to lead.

"You always say so Rio, but it is just the same every other time. Are you even aware that you are a big girl now Rio?" Evolette asked.

Riona did not mind her mum's objection. All she knows is that she would pick exactly what she fancies. "You will enjoy it this time mum" Riona replied.

She completely ignored her mum's complaint but continued to her destination.

"You will be 12 in just a few months' time Rio. Do you even realize that?" Evolette asked.

They stopped in front of the ride for Riona to go get their tickets for the ride. But before Riona left for the tickets, she responded to her mum's last question.

"It's going to be in 5 months mum, I just turned 11 and moreover, you know I love merry-go-round".

When she arrived with the tickets, Evolette brought out her phone for more selfies.

"Not again mum. The other kids are already having all the fun" Riona protested.

She tried to resist her, but Evolette was having none of it.

"Just this one, and we would go in" Evolette laughed.

Riona looked at her and knowing who her mum is and that she would not be able to stop her, she obliged.

After Evolette had taken the selfie, she said to Riona.

"You never can tell when you would need these memories dear, you will look back and smile. These are treasurable moments to be cherished forever" Evolette said.

Riona inhaled and smiled. She grabs her mum by the hands and the both of them entered inside for the ride.

"Rio" a child called.

Riona turned and saw that it was one of the kids that had come with them. Her name is Sandra and she said "Hey Sandra"

"I want to join you for the merry-go-round," Sandra said.

Sandra is a pretty little girl of six that is always glued to Evolette and Riona whenever there is an opportunity to. And so, Riona did not find her request unusual but was very ready to grant it.

"That would be great love, do you have a ticket already?" Riona asked.

"No I don't have any ticket with me" Sandra replied.

Riona walks up to her and hands her ticket over to Sandra

"You can have mine Sandra, I will go get another for myself" Riona offered.

Sandra beamed with a smile as Riona gladly granted her request. She happily collected the ticket from Riona "Thank you Rio" She exclaimed.

As Riona goes for another ticket, Sandra ran and took Evolette's hand and drags her into the merry-go-round.

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It was the very selfie that she took with her mum in front of the merry-go-round horse that she saw and remembered the event that happened on that day.

Riona got up from her bed and wiped the tears that had formed on her eyes. She went for her wardrobe and when she got to it, she opened it. She wanted to go through each and every one of her clothes as she wanted to have more memories of her mum.

She began to pick out her dresses one after the other. With each of the clothes that she brings out of her wardrobe, she wore a smile as she reminiscence on how each of them reminds her of her late mum. However, when she brings out any clothes that have an exceptional memory of her late mum, she would chuckle. But she was completely indifferent to a few of the clothes. She drops any cloth that she was done with on the floor and goes for another.

As she continues in her search, she got to a pink blouse and stops. She sniffed the blouse, smiled, and goes to sit on a chair.

"Mum," she said.

She held out the blouse and looked at it once again and she chuckled at the memory that it brings.

"I will forever remember and love you mum, I will cherish your memory forever," she said.

She held the blouse close to her bosom and a tear dropped from her eyes.

The sight of the blouse took her down memory lane and she began to remember the whole activity surrounding the blouse.

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FLASHBACK

It was over a year ago, on a Monday morning. Riona runs down the staircase of their house. She was putting on a singlet and little shorts and she was holding a brown short flare skirt in one hand.

Wright and Evolette were already having breakfast when Riona ran downstairs. And as Wright saw what she was putting on, he was surprised that she was not dressed for school yet.

"What happened, Rio, you ought to be ready for school already. Why aren't you ready yet?" Wright asked.

Riona did not respond to her dad. Rather she rushed to her mum and hands the brown skirt that she was holding to her.

Evolette collected the brown skirt from Riona but she did not know what to do with it so she held the skirt and stared inquisitively at Riona.

"Mum, that is the skirt I want to wear to school this morning" Riona said.

"Okay," Evolette replied.

She still wasn't sure why Riona could not wear the skirt as she was supposed to. And she does not know what Riona wants her to do with the brown skirt that she had handed over to her or even what she was supposed to say to Riona.

"I said I would be wearing this skirt this morning" Riona repeated.

Riona was already becoming impatient. She does not understand why her mum would just respond okay to her without more.

"Of course Riona, you are allowed to wear it. This isn't the first time you would be wearing this skirt to school honey, you will look just perfect in it" Evolette said.

She looked at Wright to know what he thinks of the response that she had given Riona. The look from him shows that she has given Riona just the right response and she was cool. But this wasn't the same for Riona, whose countenance shows that she was not having any of her mum's responses.

Seeing the confusion on Evolette, Wright decided to step in and see if he can clarify things with Riona.

"Is there a problem with the skirt Rio?" Wright asked.

"Not with the skirt dad" Riona responded.

"So what is the problem about honey?" He requested.

Riona did not understand her parents at all. Why was it difficult for them to see her predicament? But it's already obvious that she would have to spell it all out to them if she intends to be in time for school today.

She heaved, placed her hands at akimbo, and said to them

"I already have the skirt, but I would need a top to go with it"

Evolette was taken by surprise by Riona's request, but she decides not to show it. Wright heaved a sigh of relief and continued with his meal.

"You have tops that you use for this skirt Rio, what about them?" Evolette asked.

Riona was beginning to get irritated as she finds her mum's question unnecessary. She hesitated to answer for a while before she finally said.

"The top that I would have loved to use for this is dirty..."

She discovered from the facial expression on Evolette that her response had come as a surprise to her, so she quickly added.

"Sorry mum, I just discovered that I did not bring it out for washing after the last time that I wore it"

"Okay, Rio. But that's not a problem. You can use another top for it. I believe you should have one or two other tops that would be perfect on this skirt" Evolette suggested.

Evolette turned to Wright to know if he's got anything to say, but Wright was far off from them, he was rather focused on the meal in front of him. So, she called his attention.

"What do you think Honey?" she asked.

Wright was taken unaware by the question from Evolette. His entire disposition shows that he never intended to be dragged into their talk. However, seeing that there was no escape for him, he responded with food in his mouth.

"Sure, she can pick one top to wear with it"

Wright noticed that his answer was not pleasant to either of the ladies, so in order to give a more acceptable response, he quickly swallowed the food he had in his mouth before speaking.

"Rio, why not get another nice top to go with this skirt. It's a brown and pretty skirt and I doubt if any top would not be just lovely on it" Wright said.

Evolette could tell that once again, she has made a mistake in asking Wright his opinion on a matter that is so delicate to the womenfolk. She ignored him and turned to Riona.

On her part, Riona looked at Evolette in an 'I told you so' manner before responding to her question that was directed to her earlier on.

"I am scared I don't have any available top to go with it"

Her eyes were pleading with her mum not to ask any further questions as she might not have very pleasant answers for them.

"I have actually been ransacking my wardrobe all morning mum, and I really want to wear this skirt" she pleaded.

Evolette thinks about this for a while. When she was done thinking, she stood up and said to Riona.

"Don't worry dear, mummy got this all under control"

She smiled at Riona, who in turn, smiled back at her.

"Wait for me, I will be back in a jiffy," she said.

After assuring Riona that she's got everything under control, she hands the skirt back to her and she went up the stairs.

In a few minutes, she resurfaces holding a cloth in her hands and she went and sat back on the dining table.

Riona who did not know what her mum was holding and was already anxious to know what her mum was up to, went and sat beside her.

"You can take this, Rio," she said.

She hands what she was holding over to Riona, who opened it to discover a pretty pink sleeveless blouse.

Riona could not contain her excitement. This blouse is just so beautiful, and pink is her best color. It would just be perfect for her flare brown skirt.

Evolette intentionally cleared her throat before speaking.

"You see Rio, this blouse was passed on to me by my mother". She began.

Riona rolled her eyes. She was aware that her mum was about to fill her in with some long family history, but for the love of the blouse, she was ready to take the pain and hear it all.

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Riona looked at the blouse once again. She had gone to school on the blouse on that fateful day and just everyone loved the blouse. They all admired it and could not seem to take their eyes away from it.

According to her mum's story, the gown had been worn by her great grandmother, to her grandmother, to her mother, and now to her.

Riona has since taken extra care of the blouse. And even though she has not really thought about having kids, she hoped that one day her own daughter would wear it too.

This is more than a mere blouse to Riona. The blouse connects her to something strong, her root. Standing up, Riona decided to put on the blouse.