Marcus sat by the foyer, the apex of his old guitar in his left hand. It had been over two decades since he played anything but the foyer was where all the magic used to happen. Marcus felt a wave of nostalgia as he recalled his days as a teen. The good old days when he was always unperturbed, unbothered. His only friends were the chords of his guitar and that worked perfectly for his introverted self.
He left his hometown immediately after college, driven by a sense of restlessness and a vague longing for something “more”. All he knew was that in order to find what he was longing for, he had to leave his comfort zone–and everything else that made him feel comfortable–behind.
“Marcus! Finish up and come in soon. Dinner would be served shortly.” His mother called out from the kitchen.
His mother meant the world to him as she had always played the roles of both his father and mother. When he was eight years old, his father died in a fatal car accident, leaving him and his mother behind.
His mother's happiness was one of his priorities and he couldn't help but support her decision when she told him she was remarrying. So far, her second marriage has been a triumph as she seems to enjoy the company of her new partner.
The wooden chair squeaked as Marcus pulled it against the tiled floor and sat on it. By turning a few knobs and randomly plucking the strings, he tried tuning his guitar. Once he got the right pitch, he sat up right and began gently strumming the strings as he sang along.
“My lover’s got humour, she's a giggle at a funeral” he sang. Take me to church was one of his favourite songs and what better way to reconnect with a past self than by singing a favourite song?
A sharp clap brought Marcus back to reality.
“And here I thought you were never going to touch the guitar again.” His mother said. Marcus smiled softly.
“I'm a bit rusty but with some practice, I could be a good guitarist again.”
“You remember the time you stayed up all night just to perfect a song you planned to sing for your crush?”
“The song that I didn't end up performing because I was too shy and chickened out?” Marcus confirmed.
"Yes, mein liebling,” She giggled lightly “I always knew you wouldn't give up the guitar so easily, that is why I kept your guitar after all these years.”
“Thank you mutter” Marcus replied.
“It's time for dinner, mein liebling. I'm excited to hear all about your escapades in London. Also, I want to hear all about the new girl that has changed my son so much.”
On cue, Marcus got up and followed his mother into the dining room. It has been so long since he tasted his mother's meal and his taste buds were already wetted, ready to experience an explosion of flavours. He was certain that visiting home was a good distraction from all the hassle in London and he intended to make good use of his vacation.
Mein liebling is an informal way of saying my darling in Deutsch.
Mutter means mother in Deutsch.
Love🤍