Cherub

What a day, I thought as I finally approached my home of eighteen years. After climbing off my bike and leaning it on our worn black mail box, I was greeted by Erwin who began to purr and weave his way through my legs. “Hey buddy, wanna help me with these groceries?”, he sat and looked up at me as if he had no idea what I was talking about which I’m sure he didn’t. I untied the bundle of groceries from my basket making sure to create some separation between the dinner groceries and the going away groceries. I began to approach the porch of my well-loved yellow home with extreme caution.

”Mooooom!?…" No reply. She must have been in her workshop. I took the opportunity to storm up the peeling white stairs of our porch and swing the screen door open with my foot and turned the nob of the front door while making sure that none of my bags fell. I sprinted past the parlor and the kitchen and through the library to get to my bed room. Erwin followed in quick pursuit. I made sure to hide every single item that would be accompanying me on my trip under my bed. Say what you want but I knew it really would be the last place my mom looked. When it was over and done with I placed my hands on my head with a big sigh, Erwin meowed at me as if he was asking me what on earth I was doing. “Oh don’t you judge me you little jerk.”, he began to lick his fur. I picked him up and held him in my arms like a baby. “I HAVE to do this. If I don’t, I’ll die here Erwin! I’ll never see any place but this dumb little house and that stupid little town! There’s so much world to see!” He twisted his furry body and sprinted away to do his grooming elsewhere.

He had to understand. I loved mom but she would never let me leave this town. We had talked about it and she always said it was just too harsh of a world and I was too kind a spirit for it. I knew I had outgrown the fish bowl and she might have not believed in me but I did. I WAS going to leave and discover what I was meant to do. I slowly rose to go put away the rest of the groceries and then exited the kitchen through the back door. The beginnings of dusk had begun to fall over the lands. The fireflies began to light in the long green blades of grass and the soft summer breeze began to bend the branches of the oak trees. The sound reminded me of someone. I approached my mother’s studio. Really it was our old shed that had been converted into my mom’s studio some years before my birth. It was where she molded, casted and painted all of her puppets and miniatures that were used in various movies and advertisements around the world. It was how she earned her living.

It was a decent size shed with peeling blue gray paint and white barn doors with a window on each side. I opened one of the large doors and whispered. “Mooooom, are you there?” “Hmmm?”She replied. She had been sitting on the long wooden bench at her work table, painting the glass eyes of a little puppet that resembled a small girl. “What’s up?” She turned to me and lifted the jeweler’s magnifying glass off her head. It made her brown hair resemble a mushroom. “Nothing much” I replied. “Just got back from the Stop Shop, you?” I was glad she was distracted by her work. If she hadn’t been, I probably would have gotten grilled for spending so much time in town. She began to cut another puppet’s synthetic hair. “Oh, you know, just finishing up these last two puppet’s before my flight to New York tonight.” It was like someone has just slapped me with a trout. “It’s tonight!?” I exclaimed, surprise apparent in my tone. My mother had been working on set pieces and puppets for a full length film for the last six months and filming started tomorrow. I had completely forgotten. I felt awful. “Don’t worry honey, I’ll only be gone for a week or so. They only need me to rig for a few scenes, it’ll be a flash.” I walked around her large studio in a somewhat dazed state, making sure to avoid buckets of paint, and liquid latex. “BUT, before I go, I’ll give you your birthday present. I bet you thought I forgot.” She stood from her bench and brushed off her paint stained denim pants and button down that had been spotted with small chips of wood and made her way further back into the large shed. She appeared soon after with something in her arms covered by a small white sheet. She ripped the sheet off in one smooth movement. “TADA!” In her arms was a small version of myself wearing all my favorite things. It was so perfect. The Christmas lights mounted on the ceiling made her eyes sparkle, I could have cried. So, I did. I didn’t know how I was going to leave her, but I had to. “Oh, baby, don’t cry. It’s alright, now help me pack up these puppets so I can start heading to the airport. I was bad and had a bit of a nap so I’m already a little off schedule.”She placed my double on the surface of the crowded table and we began to pad and pack her small, lifeless travel companions away for their journey through the clouds.