Quality Time (Mothers' Day)

Weekend mum prepared for the responsibility by TV family drama, sit. coms. and magazines. Gooey bubble an' froth. Young lass had her head buried in a book initially; part two was a quiz with Mummy & Daddy. Latter takes his turn as MC; in the heat mum minus her mermaid suit at elbow. A quiz for Kiddie. …. Places & Peoples of the World. Japanese city?... Kangaroo… Ah. No. Cameroon…. is the capital city of?... (Buzzer. Buzzer. Might have read that wrong both times Dad.) Bespectacled, braids, polka-dot dress and long black socks....knee-length woolies. (Really.) What did dad sell Monday–Friday? Was it him in the white Audi SUV picking up the girl under the Post Office arches on Aljunied corner the other night at the red light? Nice lemon evening dress skipping around to the passenger door with demure smile. "Circling…. Like circle… Champagne...." Moved onto spelling? Or still geography?... Seven/eight year old. Ahhhhh!... Mummy dearest on cloud nine for some reason best known to herself. (Enduring her put-on orgasms no wonder he’s cruising Geylang after work. Have to stay back honey, late order. Don’t wait up.) Track-shoes like dancing clobber from Nureyev’s wardrobe: rich blue-green leather laced with red ribbons shopped only on Orchard Road. Mid-forties. Bent over the Correction sheet; child craning from her side of the table. Cluck-cluck-cluck Mummy. —F-L-Y…. High-end cos. treatment.... Ah, you got it right. CLAP.... Maid preparing dinner, folks due over. (Mothers’ Day wasn’t known at the time.) Difficult to turn further into the corner. More than one look cast in the direction of the determinedly averted neighbor. Oooh!... That was dangerous now, and not really intentional. Meaty and ripe silent squeezed out was easily covered by the clatter; that wasn’t the concern. But gee! blown up unexpectedly. Toxic storm without warning. The Indian curry at KV’s made for a big bomb. Nowhere to hide; nowhere to run. At any possible challenge unavoidably forced to lay the bugger on his back in front of the children. KAPOW! Be extra careful who you accuse next time Buster.... "Healthy and nutritious….HehHehHeh...." Those giggle aren’t going to compete with Aljunied my dear. Tough ask; hard row to hoe. Junior on the other end not got any attention, worn out her colouring pencils. Entirely yellow the whole place, thirteen tables…. Make that fifteen; not a one vacant. Racket making it impossible for Izzy to hear his Golden Oldies over the sound system. Izz had noticed the racial element. Told of the absence of maids the man had twigged to that independently and immediately leapt to the explanation. Once home make sure all clean. It was too hot to take any of the Ah-mas and Kong-kongs along for the outing. You young ones go ahead and enjoy yourselves. Only two tables with kids in fact: another argument for the maid absence. Rare not to find a single one on a weekend. Sometimes they do sit at the tables; more usually outdoors with a bottle of water playing with their phones. Gosh! Neither phones nor screens half an hour. Pact to discourage the children during quality time.