Sinead was busy gathering all her things from her place in Geneva and from what Elaine could gather, taking care of other business as well. Elaine didn’t mind though as she was just getting settled in the room. She was also enjoying a rather suspenseful summer at ACME academy. The ACME Tower debacle kept most of the agency preoccupied, while the rest of the students and other staff were left waiting for more news. 

Placing her camera on her desk Elaine walked over to prop open her door. She shoved her makeshift door stopper under her door and returned to read on her bed.

As soon as Sinead had received the news that she had received a place at the ACME academy, she booked a ticket to Amsterdam Airport Schipol. It was time, she thought sadly, to pack up her apartment in The Hague.

Once she landed in Amsterdam, she took a taxi for the Rijksweg A4 (moterway A4).

Sinead grinned appreciatively as the Taxi entered The Hague where the City lights illuminated the murky early morning sky, at least they would not get stuck in traffic, she thought. 

Her Landlady had waited up and was unlocking the door as Sinead’s Taxi pulled up in an old yet elegantly charming side-street. Once she had paid the fare in crisp Euro notes, Sinead was ushered into her apartment.

“Goedemorgen, Mevrouw Vandenhoek” She said, before her checks were kissed, first the right then the left. Sinead sighed; she was going to miss her kindly landlady and friend!

Five hours later, she had finished packing her belongings (mainly books) and seen off the small moving container.

She looked into the gentle face of Mevrouw Vandenhoek, and issued final instructions, before the customary farewell cheek kisses.

“Moeten mijn ouders ring, vertel hen ben ik in de Verenigde Staten (Should my parents ring, tell them I am in the USA), Dank U”

Sinead grinned ruefully as she imagined what the expressions on her parent’s faces would be like when she told them about her change in career.  Would they try to talk her out of it?

Too late, Sinead thought as she stepped out into the street of 19^th century apartments and slipped into her waiting taxi. 

“Luchthaven Schiphol, alstublieft” she told the driver. Time to catch her KLM flight to Geneva International Airport. Another of her apartments needed a bit of a tidy-up if she wasn’t going to see it for a few months. Besides, with any luck she would still be able to fit another one or two boxes of books into her ACME dorm room. She felt sorry for her new roommate, Elaine, already. 

 Elaine was awfully tired from the first day of classes and training. It was a long day and all she wanted to do was unwind in her room. Her mom though had a different idea.

“Li Li! I can’t believe your room is clean! Ah what would your baba say if he see your room. You are lucky that Mama wanted to come by and visit you,” Elaine’s mom exclaimed while she stormed into the room.

“Ma! You’re here! How did you find—,” Elaine sat up from her desk in surprise. Her mom hadn’t talked to her since the fight with her dad, with the few secret phone calls she made when her father was sleeping. But those alone were very rare.

Without skipping a beat her mom retorted back, “Of course I came! What kind of mother I would be if I didn’t visit my own daughter? You may be twenty-two now but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you. Your A-yi has been phone calling me to ask me about what you’re doing these days.”

Elaine calmed down to take in the whole situation. She was grateful that her mom came to see her. After that fight with her father Elaine was too scared to face her parents. The very fact her mom called only meant to check if she was alive but a visit was different.  It meant she defied her father, which was a total shock to Elaine.

“Ma You know I’m grateful to see you. I was just …surprised you know. I didn’t think you would come, let alone find this place. What did you tell Ba? I wouldn’t want him to get mad at you,” trailed Elaine.

“Ahhhh Li Li no worries. You ask too many questions. I told your father I went to the market. He don’t know,” Her mom slightly smiled as she sat down on Elaine’s bed.  Quickly changing the subject she started again, “Oh but here! Look I brought you food! See I made just for you, it’s not so good though.”

Elaine smiled at her mom humbleness and sat down with her, “Ma Ma your cooking is always great. I know I’ll love it because you made it,” she said while placing the Tupperware on her night table before continuing, “I’m just happy you’re here. How are you? How is Ba Ba? Is he still mad at me?”

Her mom huffed in reply before saying, “I am fine! Your Ma Ma is strong like an ox! You know Ba Ba  has always been too proud for his own good. He is still mad but I know he worry about you. When he thinks I’m not looking he stares at that picture of you two at your graduation. He will see that this job here at…how you say again?”

“ACME Ma Ma,” Elaine filled in.

“ACME. ACME is great for our Li Li. Just give him time. But enough about your Ba Ba. I want to see your new school and see where you work,” Her mom said before standing from her bed. “Your room is nice but outside is so interesting. Why is there that big hole in the middle? A nice man said someone stole your building?,”

“Okay, Okay Ma. Slow down and I will answer your questions. Let me get my coat then we can go,” Elaine shook her head while grabbing he cardigan and camera off her desk. She wanted to document this special moment with her mom. Elaine knew not waste this opportunity to spend with her mom who was genuinely trying. She was getting homesick so it was nice to have her around, even if it was only for a little while.

As her mom started toward the door, “Ah so your A-Yi was telling me she ran into Charlie! Remember him? Now he is a—“

“Maaaaa,” Elaine whined before shutting the door to her room.

Note:

A-Yi : Aunt from the Mom’s side.