Oversoul stories -Lost by the Shore

I used to believe myself uniquely special in my mother's eyes, partly because of those spontaneous afternoon outings the year I entered the 5th grade. Having only recently transferred to the International School I had a different schedule from my brother & sister, who remained in our old school. Throughout that year my mother would sporadically intercept the bus at the playground where we queued up in the afternoon and whisk me away to join her with her friends, they met mostly at the club but once or twice it was at someone's house. Those afternoons were precious to me because I was the chosen one; they were delicious because I thought her friends sweet; they were thrilling because it was a secret.

My mother never told me to lie, but when I was questioned by my father I instinctively knew to say nothing of those outings. Though I was always Daddy's girl but it was my mother's love & attention I'd most craved. That was the first time I'd seen that hurt in my father's eyes, but I wasn't saddened as I knew I wasn't the cause to his unhappiness, so I broke my father's heart just to please my mother.

In looking back now I realize that I was trained to lie in the most intrinsic level....that the ends justify the means. But most of all, I learned to break my father's heart without so much of a tremor.

On that particular afternoon-a half day-my mother and her entourage came by my school to pick me up and we all drove out of the city. The seaside was quiet as the season hasn't yet begun and we were the only party in sight on the shoreline. When the umbrellas were set up my mother hid behind one of them. Someone gave me a football and told me to go play. So I took it to the waves and entertained myself as best I could - I was never very good at it because I'd always had my siblings with me. I remember the feeling of a sinking loneliness, while I kicked the football into the water the waves brought it back and I chased it only to kick it again, I felt stupid in believing that I would actually have some quality time with her. I let the sea breeze dry my eyes as I dug my feet deeper into the wet sand, and over time I felt better as I emptied my heart in quelling my desires, and when I was ready to forgive my mother I cautiously turned around, with a half-hearted smile. But there was nothing, only a vastness before me, an endless stretch of sand and nothing more. I couldn't decide if it was the mist or my tears blurring my vision but everything seemed confused, then it started to rain, then it poured. It washed away the mist and I could see again, but still I can't find my mother, they had all vanished, umbrellas and all.

Had they forgotten me? and driven back to the city without me? I let out a great cry, and called "Mama!" again and again. And as I repeated my cries I turned this way and that, until finally I lost my bearing, I couldn't even be sure in which direction I should run. So I just ran, mindlessly. I was crying and calling and running along the horizon, for I don't know how long, it could have been merely 10 minutes, perhaps 30, but it felt like forever.

Then suddenly I heard my name through the rain, and when I looked up I saw a tan strong body come into view. It was Uncle Kong, he wasn't really my uncle, just a friend of my mother's, "Kaye," he said when he saw me, "it's okay now, I found you." he smiled so handsomely.

All the ride back they discussed the details of their search party, Uncle Kong swore he'd heard me crying for him, and others a different tale. My mother kept me in her embrace and kissed my head at every bump on the road home. I felt exalted.

Although my oversoul had manifested in the form of Uncle Kong but it was in my mother's arms that I'd found solace that afternoon.