"What the hell? Mom what do you think you are doing?" I rushed the bottle in my mom's hand, grabbing it away from her.

"You are not supposed to be drinking in your condition. Mom..." I said in a pleading tone. I felt helpless. She wasn't supposed to be drinking. What was I going to do with my mother? I pondered.

"I need your dad. Roman he is supposed to be here. I need him to be here."

Mom, he doesn't care. He doesn't love you. If he did, he would be here. When are you going to stop? You are already dying and yet he is all you think about. Those were the words in my mind, those were the words I wanted to speak but I couldn't. I couldn't say them. Rather, I pulled her into me and I held her fragile body against mine. She began to cry. I cannot explain the pain I felt with words.

It hit me straight in the heart and tears gathered in my eyes. I wanted to take her pain away. I wanted to bear her pain instead. I wished it was me who was dying instead of her. Regret replaced the pain in my heart. I regretted everything. I regretted shutting my mother out all those years.

"It's okay mom. It's okay."
Soon she stopped crying and I carried her upstairs to her room to get some rest.

I remembered her. Amora. The woman at the bar. The woman that brought a calmness so soothing to my bones. I wanted to feel that way again. I needed to feel that unexplainable calmness she brought.

I grabbed my cellphone and I called her. -Thank God she dropped her number.-

"Hello?" Her gentle voice resonated through me. I closed my eyes and I took a deep breath.

"Hey. It's Roman. Mr. I'm not a nice guy?"

"I knew it. I knew your conscience couldn't handle saying no to me."

I chuckled. I totally forgot that she had asked to stay in my house for awhile. I began to regret calling her. What was I going to say? I knew I wasn't going to say no to her again. I felt trapped. How was I going to get out of the situation?

"Are you there?" She asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm here." It hit me. It suddenly hit me. I couldn't take care of my mom on my own. Even if I could, there was so much sadness between us and I didn't know what to do about it. I wanted my mom to be happy. I wanted to see her laugh. I wanted to see her face glow with happiness.

Maybe if Amora stayed here, she could help. Her optimism could help my Mom feel better. What I was about to do felt very impulsive and I was a guy who hated acting on impulse.

A part of me wanted to hang up and never call Amora again but another part, a greater part felt hopeful that her presence could help my mom. So I risked it. If it didn't work, I would ask her to leave.

"I have an offer that could work for the both of us." I finally said.

"Okay?"

"I would agree to you staying with me till you get your own place, if you will agree to help me take care of my mom."

"What's wrong with your mom?"

"She's a little sick."

"You are in luck. I have a little bit of experience in looking after sick people."

"Really? How so?"

"I volunteered a few times at the clinic in my hometown."

"Wow. That's very charitable. I'm impressed."

She laughed. I could get used to her laughter, I thought.
"So we have a deal?"

"Yes Roman. We have a deal. One more thing."

"Yes?"

"I like your voice over the phone. It's soothing and almost sexy." I felt good hearing her say those words. I know you would think it very teenage-like to feel good because of her words but it was how I felt. I smiled and I knew she knew I smiled.

"Meet me at the bar by seven." I said and hung up.
_______________
Letting a total stranger into my home had to be the most reckless I had been in my thirty two years of existence and trusting her with my mom was totally bizarre. Still, my instincts tugged at me and they told me Amora would be good for Nicole.

I wasn't a guy that did things because my instincts told me so. That had to be the first time I listened to my inner man and I'm grateful I did.

"This is it Amora. Welcome to my home." I dropped the small bag in my hand on the table in the sitting room. The bag was too small for someone that was permanently moving. I shrugged. The size of Amora's luggage was the least of my concerns.

"Let me guess, you decorated it yourself." She said looking me straight in the eyes.

"Yes. Why?" I was confused.

"It's ugly." She said with a laugh.

That was the thing with Amora. She was a very honest person and she was very open with her feelings.
Don't expect her to say something was beautiful when it was ugly or to say something was white when it was black. She didn't know how to hide her feelings or at least filter them.

"I didn't notice. Is it too ugly for you to stay?" I asked her. I was joking.

"Of course not. Never underestimate the power of change. Something very ugly could turnout to be very beautiful." I looked at her and her words sank in deep into me. Something very ugly could turnout to be very beautiful.

"I'm a bit nervous." She said.

"You. Nervous. I find that very hard to believe."

"Why?" She dimed her eyes in curiosity.

"You have bravery written all over you."

"No Roman. I try to act brave most times. It doesn't mean I don't get scared."

"What's making you nervous?"

"What if your mom doesn't like me? What if she doesn't want me here?"

I smiled. "Listen, you have nothing to worry about. My mom is a very nice person. Unlike me," I rolled my eyes playfully "She might be dying but..."

"She's dying? She asked and an expression of shock crossed her face.

"I told you she is sick."

"No. You told me she's a little sick. What is it?"

"Cancer. She has a few months or less left." I said.

"Roman? I'm so sorry." There was so much pity on her face. We had known each other for less than twenty four hours but the way she reacted, the way she cared was as if we had known each other forever.

She walked up to me and threw her arms around my neck causing me to bend and my arms involuntarily circled her waist. I pulled her in so close and I remember holding her so tightly.

Then it happened, I began to cry. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't stop the tears. The more the tears came, the tighter I held Amora. I didn't know why I shed those tears. Was it because of my mom? Or Sally? Or my messed up and broken life that I had no idea how to pick up the pieces. Amora didn't let go of me.

She held on to me and then she whispered in my ears, "There is a reason for everything. You may not understand it now but in time you will. Roman, trust me. Everything is going to be okay. You only need to be strong." Everything is going to be okay. Those were the exact words I needed to hear, the exact words I craved for. Amora said them to me and the strange part was I believed her. I believed her with all of my heart. I needed someone and I knew she was the one.

We finally let go of each other and she wiped off the tears on my face with both hands, that smile I had grown fond of on her face. I smiled back at her and I took her hand in mine.

"I'm sorry about this."

"Don't be silly. Why don't you introduce me to your mom?"

"Yeah," I said slowly letting go of her soft hands. "She's upstairs."

My mom was up. She had her back rested against a pillow and she was flipping through the pages of a book.

"Roman." She called out the moment I entered the room with Amora by my side.

"Mom." I kissed her cheek. Then her eyes rested on Amora.

"Mom? This is Amora. An old friend from college. She is stranded and needs a place to stay for a few weeks. I offered to help her. Hope you don't mind." I looked at Amora and she gave me a stare that depicted she didn't approve of my lying to my mom. I knew I was going to be reprimanded by her.

"Come off it Roman. It's your house. Why would I mind? Hello Amora." My mom said very softly.

"Hello ma'am." Amora leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I could have sworn you and Roman were siblings. You are such a beautiful sight to behold." She said, flashing her teeth at my mom in a smile and then she sat next to her.

Whenever Amora smiled which was most of the time by the way, her eyes smiled too. You could always tell that they were genuine and very sincere. She smiled from the heart and that is probably what I miss the most about her, her smile.

My mom laughed and placed her hand in Amora's. "You should have seen me in my youth. I won so many local pageants." She laughed again. "You are beautiful too."

"I am?" Amora asked.

"Yes my dear. Must have them lined up." She said cheerily.

I leaned on the wall, watching Amora and my mom hitting it off, watching Amora say things and my mom laugh, watching my mom warm up to Amora. It made me smile and something swelled up in my chest. Gladness. It was gladness.

"I like her Roman." My mom said, her hand still in Amora's.

"I like you too ma'am." Amora said and my mom giggled.

"Call me Nicole. I'd like that."

"Okay Nicole."

My mom smiled and then took in a deep breath. "I'm tired. I want to rest now."

"Yeah. You should rest." Amora stood and I helped my mom get comfortable on the bed before leaving the room, Amora behind me.