He's The Unaffordable
Chapter 79 - The Good Mother

*Colin*

I really admire my mother. Although she is not my real mother, she loves me just as much as she loves her own daughter. Even on many occasions, she would rather side with me than Lily. And my sister was never jealous of that.

My real mother died of cancer. I don't have many memories of him because I was so little when he was gone for good. But from Dad's story, I knew that she was a good woman and a warrior. Until his last breath, he did not stop fighting the disease that was eating away at his body for my sake.

Dad kept all the photos of him with his mother in several albums. The picture with me who was a child is also well preserved. Every time Dad wanted to tell a story, he used all those albums to introduce my mom to me.

Mom's face is very similar to her sister's. Even their bodies are similar, only their traits are different according to people who know them, including Dad. So, I used to imagine Mom seeing my aunt.

From the whispers I heard from the adults around my family, Aunt Chelsea loved Dad. Unfortunately, Dad had no feelings for him other than respect and affection for the older brother of his late wife. Therefore my aunt was one of the people who opposed Dad's marriage to Mama. Fortunately, Dad's family fully supported Dad's decision.

I'm so lucky Dad didn't give up and gave me a very good mother. In the midst of her busy life as Uncle Hendra's secretary, Mama tried to meet my need for a mother's affection. He even gave me a sister I longed for. I'm no longer jealous of Hadi having a little sister since I had Lily.

“Did you see me like that, Colin? Quickly finish your breakfast, I don't want to be late arriving at work.” Mama glanced at her watch. I just laughed a little.

“Why are you afraid of being late? I'm on vacation, let me do the dishes. Mama can go to the office and hand over the affairs of the apartment to me,” Lily said casually.

“Ah, yes. I forget. Are you sure you can clean the house today? Don't you need to study for exam preparation next week?” ask Mama to make sure.

“I can't possibly learn all day, Ma. I also need to rest my eyes and brain.” Lily took one more slice of bread from the serving plate.

“It looks like it's time we take another vacation, darling. You've been looking very depressed lately. You forgot about our daughter who was on holiday?” Dad massaged Mama's neck slowly.

“I would love to go on holiday with you, but Mr. Mahendra has requested that I postpone my vacation plans in the near future. He's got a multi-billion dollar business deal that needs to be handled carefully. I can't delegate something this important to someone else. So, I'm the one who should help her directly.” Mama sighed softly.

“It's okay, Ma. We can take a vacation after I finish the exam. Or we can wait until summer vacation to be able to visit Grandpa and Grandma's house again,” suggested Lily.

“We won't go to my parents' house while on vacation. I want to take you to a very beautiful place. The four of us just enjoyed our time together.” Dad looked at us with a meaningful smile.

“Where, Dad?” ask Lily enthusiastically. “Are we going to a big city, a remote place, a beach, or to a mountain? Place abroad or in Indonesia?”

We all laughed at his cheerful face. “You will have to wait until we get there, because I won't say anything until the day comes. It's a surprise for you.”

“I'll really be late if I don't leave now.” Mama glanced at her watch again. “Take care of yourself, Lily. Don't study too much, okay? Whatever your test result will be, we remain proud of you.” Mama stood up, then kissed my sister's head.

Dad sipped his coffee until it ran out and stood with Mama. “Do not worry. You won't be late. Traffic has not been too congested at this hour.” Dad took the keys to his car at the kitchen counter. “We leave, take care of yourself.”

Lily and I replied to her words. We finished our breakfast before I left for my college.

During these three days, Lily did not go to school because her study room was used for the final examination of third grade students of SMU. He and Adi were both third grade SLTP, so their turn to take the exam was the following week.

Lily is a smart girl, so we're not worried about her learning. Moreover, the school has held special additional lessons so that all third-graders can prepare themselves for the day of the big exam. Having an educator father does provide its own benefits for both of us. He gave us many efficient study tips.

Arriving at the lecture hall, I felt an uncomfortable air coming from Hadi. For a few weeks, his mood was very bad. There was a moment where he laughed loosely not caring about the person who was looking at him confusedly. There was also a time where she was grumpy for no reason exactly like Mama and Lily who were on the moon.

“You can stop staring at me like that. I like you, but only as a friend. Not more. And one more thing, I like women and have absolutely no interest in men,” spray it as I sit on the chair behind him.

“Ampun, Hadi. Is it morning and you are angry like this? Did you have breakfast before you left here?” ask me while clucking softly.

“Good morning, Hadi, Colin,” greet Valeria who is approaching the seat next to Hadi. I immediately stood up and occupied the chair so that he would have to find another one. “Colin, what are you doing? Back to your seat. I first want to sit here.”

“Trust, Valeria. I'm saving your life by doing this. Find another seat.” I move my hand like I'm driving away mosquitoes.

“No. I wanted to sit here first. Wake up, get back in your chair!” Valeria pulled my hand to get me up, but my strength was much stronger than her. “Colin!”

“Find another seat, Valeria. I will not stand from this place,” I said firmly. The girl stomped her feet in annoyance and sat down on the chair I was sitting in.

The first two courses went well. We put together a lecturer assignment last week and discussed the topic in the final course. Unlike Hadi's previous habit, he always went home every time college was finished. He chose to study at home rather than the campus library.

I do the same thing sometimes. But Lily was studying in the apartment, so I preferred to study in the library. We would not be able to study without the supervision of one of our parents. Lily and I would interrupt each other until none of us could learn the book we were reading.

Honestly, I was tempted to do that. We haven't had a big fight in a long time, but the even semester is coming to an end and I haven't got the green light for the proposal I've submitted. At least before the semester exam, I have to take the proposal exam.

“Aw!” I heard a woman screech as she passed through the back of the department building to the library.

“Hei!” the voice of another girl or the same girl, I don't know. But his voice sounded different from the first. “You bumped into my friend, don't run away without apologizing.”

I rolled my eyeballs, imitating Dira's habit of hearing those words. How old do they think they are now? Ten years? Why would they magnify a small collision that I believe was done by accident? It's none of my business, so I continued my steps.

“You saw for yourself he deliberately hit me, not the other way around.” The sound stopped my steps. Clarissa. What did the girls do to Clarissa?

“How arrogant are you. Quick, apologize to my friend!” The third girl's voice got my full attention. Valeria's? What did he do to Clarissa?

“Valeria, maybe you need to tell him who he is fighting.” The voice of the second girl confirmed my guess. I didn't know why I had to approach them with the shortest step, but I hid behind a wall to find out what was happening.

“Maybe he thinks that he can do his best at this campus because Hadi is protecting him. Just look, he is shameless about staying in college after his guise as a campus chicken was revealed,” said the girl I believe is the girl who complained of pain earlier.

So, that's the problem. Valeria is jealous of Hadi's closeness to Clarissa so she does this. Not many people know that their relationship is over. What they do is very low. They should not trust the media that spreads news not from the main source. Clarissa is not a college chicken.

“Apologies to my friend, now!” valeria urged.

“Why aren't you the one who made me apologize?” challenge Clarissa.

Waw. I thumbs up to Valeria's bravery of looking for trouble with Clarissa before figuring out if she can protect herself or not. Attractively. I came out from behind the wall so I could see the incident freely.

“Quick, sorry!” Valeria pushed Clarissa's shoulder hard until she took a step back. Clarissa was silent. “Good. You asked me to do this.”