"In breaking news tonight, a convict who was convicted to armed robbery escaped police custody while driven to prison. The man has been identified as Brandon Brown was sentenced to three months in prison. Residents are requested to keep thier doors and windows closed and beware of the lose criminal in our neighborhood" read the reporter from the local news.

Brandon was walking through the thick forest hiding himself in the darkness of the night. It was not the first time he robbed. It was only the first time he was caught. And it was an easy escape too. The cops are incompetent in this town anyway.

Bradon walks and walks and finally sees some houses in front of him. He needed water and some food. Mostly food.
He walks close to a house and walks around the house to find a window or door to get in. He looks inside the window and doesn't see anyone. He slowly does behind the house and finds a back door. Now opening a locked door had never been difficult for Brandon. He had been opening closed door his entire 24 yrs of his life.

He opens the door with ease and enters the house. He spots the tap and picks a glass, fills it and gulps down the glass of water in seconds. He closes his eyes feeling good hydrating himself.

He opens his eyes and instantly they were wide as the kitchen light were turned on. He slowly turns to see who turn it on and sees an old lady standing behind him.
Dare he move a muscle and stood there frozen in his place. He was waiting for the old lady to say something or scream but no, she was simply staring at him.

"Paul, is that you?" Asks the old lady.
Brandon thinks for a second and says "yeah"
The old woman walks close to him and moves her hand forward trying to reach him. She finally places her hand on his chest and moves it up to his face.
"You took so long to come back. I was waiting for you for so long" says the old lady.

Bradon realised by now the old lady couldn't see him. Now the question was, is she completely blind? Or just needs glasses?

The old lady moves closer to him and moves her hand on his face and to Brandon's utter shock, slaps him.
"You stink. Go take a shower and dress for dinner. I'll serve dinner till you shower" says the old lady and walks away to the fridge.

Bradon stood in his place in shock and open mouth. He rubs his cheek with his palm and then looks down at himself and smells his clothes. He gags at the stink from his clothes and nods to himself agreeing that he indeed needs a shower.

Brandon walks away to shower while watching the old lady preheat some food and turn the shove on with a pan filled with oil. Brandon smiles wide seeing chicken. The old lady was frying chicken. Now, he was more than excited for the food.

Brandon looks around the house and finds one room which seemed like it belonged to the old lady. He found one more which had a man's clothes. He picks a t-shirt and sweats. He decided to go commando as there is no way he was going to wear another dudes underwear.

Brandon showers and comes down freshly dressed to dig into the tasty food on the table. He was about to reach for the chicken when the old lady hits him with a spatula.
"Did you put the clothes in the washer?" She asks.
"No" says Brandon.
"Go put it and turn the washer on and then come for dinner. Go" says the old lady and lifts the spatula indicating him that she will hit him again.

Now Brandon could have simply killed the old lady and eaten the food. But she was still frying the second batch of chicken. So, he had to listen to her.

After he put the clothes in the washer it was finally time to eat. For the second time tonight, he attempts to reach the chicken when the old lady slaps his away.
Now, the second round of chicken was fried. Brandon didn't see any reason this old lady should be alive.

"You don't eat food without saying grace" says the old lady and praises the lord for the food in front of them.
After a longest wait of his life, Brandon finally took a bite of the most delicious fried chicken in his life.

Brandon was really concentrating on his food and trying to ignore the old lady's chatter.
"You promised to fix the roof when you returned" says the old lady and Brandon says "hmmm...," in response. He receives another hit on his hand and with the murderer awaking inside him, he glares at the old lady.

"What's hmmm...? Say, yes mama"
Brandon fists the fork in his hand and with grinding teeth says "yes mama"
"Now was that too hard? You finish up, I'll fix you some pie" says the old lady and Brandon cools down a little hearing about the pie.

After a hot delicious meal, the old lady serves him a piece of pie. Brandon finishes his piece and asks for another serving. The old lady serves him one more and while he was enjoying his pie, he feels the old lady reach for his face. She places her hand on his face and asks "when was the last time you had a home cooked hot meal?"

Brandon simply sat in his place speechless. He gulps down hard holding his tears back and says "it's been a while". In truth, he never ever remembers having a home cooked food.
It was a very beautiful and emotional moment for Brandon but it was short lived when reality slaps him right across his face.
Reality being the old lady.
"You should have come home early. I would have cooked you food" says the old lady.
Brandon smiles at her violent method of expressing love and care.
'Hard love', he says to himself and smiles.

After dinner, the old lady walks to the living room and Brandon looks around the room. It had a lot of pictures on the walls and Brandon could see the old lady with her husband and son.

"Come here, lay your head on my lap. It's been so long I held you close" says the old lady.
Brandon felt awkward but couldn't say no to the lady who fed him.
He sat down on the floor and awkwardly places his head on her lap. In just few minutes, he felt safe, peaceful, blissful, happy, cared and first time in his life.. loved.

"Being brave is facing your faults and redeeming your self respect. A true man is he who makes a difficult choice of choosing the right path in life than the easy wrong path. We all are given chances in life. All we have to do is show we are brave and can make a better choice for ourselves. I know you are good boy who will surely do good in life" says the old lady running her fingers in Brandon's hair.
"You don't know me, mama" says Brandon.
"Mama knows everything. I know you will be the best version of yourself if you put your heart to it. Promise you will try" says the old lady.
Brandon looks up at the old lady who was not looking at him but upfront. Brandon concluded that the old lady must be partially blind.
"I will mama if you cook hot meals for me" says Brandon.
"My home is always opens for you. You come anytime" says the old lady and holds his face between her hands and kisses his forehead.
Brandon had tears in his eyes feeling the warmth of a mother.

Brandon was still in his blissful moment when he hears the door open with a thug and cops burge in.
"Freeze" screams an officer pointing the gun at Brandon.
"Stop. I surrender. Don't hurt the lady" says Brandon standing in front of the old lady. He then feels the lady hold his hand and he turns to look at her.
"I called them" says the old lady.

Brandon was beyond shocked.
"Remember, my home is always opens for you for a home cooked meal" says the old lady and Brandon removes his hand from her hold.
He was handcuffed by the cops and one of the officers asks the lady "weren't you afraid of him?"
"Why would I be afraid of child who was hungry?" Asks the old lady.
"You knew I wasn't Paul?" Asks Brandon.
"Yes, I knew you were not cause I know my Paul can't return to me even if he wanted" says the old lady.
"Why not?" Asks Brandon.

The old lady walks to one of the pictures on the wall and runs her hand on the blurry image.
"My Paul died on duty" says the old lady smiling at her son who was wearing his airforce uniform.

Brandon was taken away, pushed inside the back of the cops car. He was driven away as he watches the old lady waving him goodbye.

Few months later....

It was in the afternoon and the old lady had just started working on lunch. She lived alone after her husband and son died. She was partially blind and with a little help from the glasses she could see a little better.

She was cutting the vegetables in her kitchen when she heard banging sounds from the roof. She was curious to what was happening and picks her spatula and walks out of the house to inspect. She calls on who was on the roof and after the sound was banging stop, standing on the roof was a man. She couldn't see who it was as the light from the sun was blocking her already blurry vision.
"Who is it?" Asks the old lady.
"I promised I'll fix the roof"

The old lady for a second visioned her son standing on the roof.

Brandon comes down from the roof and stands in front of the old lady and says "I am home, mama"

The old lady runs her hand on his face and smiles.
"You came back?" She asks and smiles with tears in her eyes.
"I promised I will, didn't I?" Says Brandon.
"Yes" laughs the old lady and slaps him.
"Seriously?" Asks Brandon.
"That was for being late. Now go on fix the roof and come inside for lunch" says the old lady.
"Can you make fried chicken again?" Asks Brandon.
"No, we are having roast chicken today with steamed vegetables" says the old lady.
"Fine, that's ok too I guess" says Brandon and gets a hit on his bum.
"You eat what I cook. No complaints" says the old lady.

Brandon hugs the old lady and says "yes mama"
The old lady hugs him back and busts out crying.
"You won't leave me, will you?" She asks.
"No mama, I won't. You are my home. I won't go anywhere, promise. Will you keep me with you, will you? I promise to listen to you and I even got a job. All I want is a mama" says Brandon.
"I can be your mama" says the old lady.
"I can be your Paul or you can call me by my name. I am Brandon" says Brandon.
"My Paul was very handsome. You are ugly. I'll call you Brandon" says the old lady.
"You are sassy. I like" says Brandon.
"You will the roast chicken more. Finish up fast and come in" says the old lady.
"Yes mama" says Brandon finally having a home, home cooked food and top it all... A mother.

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