Imperfect Desires

Xiu was about to speak when the door of the room was pushed open and Francesca walked in saying, "Regi, look what I found in the lounge." Xiu immediately sat up but froze the moment she saw what was in Francesca's hands. "This baseball stick has my daughter, Xiu's name on it. It looks so cool."

Darren also sat up and looked at it. Then his eyes shifted to the bandage on her hand. Right, he had one more thing to ask her. And somehow he felt like that baseball bat and the bandage around her hand has some kind of a connection but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

"What is your mom doing here?" Xiu whispered to Darren while panicking inwardly. She neither wanted Francesca to see her as a weak girl who fell ill so easily nor did she want her to see her as a violent kind of person who ran around with a baseball bat to beat people. Fuck! What the hell was she saying?!

In short, she wanted Francesca to see her as a perfect girl for her son. But the way Xiu was constantly coming before her really didn't seem like it was gonna leave a good impression. At least, Xiu thought so.

"She came to see you as well," answered Darren. He didn't know what his mother had been doing all this time but he knew she didn't come up just because she didn't want to disturb his time with Xiu. However, that baseball bat must have appeared so fascinating to her that she rushed up without thinking. Turning to his mom, he asked, "Mama, where did you find it?"

"Oh, it was in the lounge. It had some blood on it, but I cleaned it. I came to ask though," Francesca ran off to the side of the bed and leaned close to Xiu's face. "Is it yours?" Xiu's lips curled downward as she meekly nodded her head in reply. She couldn't lie to her! "Oh, then did you beat someone with it?" Xiu wanted to bury her head, no! She wanted to bury herself six feet under the ground! But she again just border her head up and down in reply. "So, was it a bad person?" Xiu looked up at her as she elaborated, "I mean the person whom you beat with it. Was he a bad person?"

Xiu thought about Xin Xiaosi and shook her head. He wasn't a bad person. He did something bad but that didn't mean he was a bad person. All humans do mistakes, he did one too. Big deal! 

"Hmmm..." Francesca's humming made Xiu close her eyes losing all hope for her future. The dream of being Regan's wife suddenly seemed bleak. "But then did he deserve the beating?" Xiu nodded her head again. Francesca also bobbed her head up and down in understanding before she rubbed Xiu's head making her feel weird. "Then it's good. If he did something to deserve the beating than we're okay."

Xiu couldn't help staring into her eyes. "Child, why do you look so scared of me? Do I look that scary?"

"It's not that," Xiu abruptly disagreed with her assumptions. "You're actually very beautiful. Even more than the picture I saw."

"Oh, my! Thank you for the compliment sweetheart but it's not needed," Francesca's mild temperament was getting to Xiu. She had never met mothers like hers. She knew Nora's mom who was kinda scary then there was Dylan's mom who was sweet. But Francesca was gentle in her own way but it didn't overshadow her strong personality. "I'm gonna place it here," France went to put the baseball bat on the couch.

Darren was hugging Xiu from the side now while she was trying to push him away. "Your mom is here. Behave yourself."

"She doesn't mind," replied Darren calmly while he placed his head on her shoulder.

"Regan!" Xiu was pleading with her eyes.

But Darren wasn't budging at all! "Mama, tell her you don't mind me hugging her. She's pushing me away." Seeing how he whined to his mother, Xiu was startled. He never talked like this. Like ever! She had seen Dylan acting all cute with his mother but Darren? Oh, why didn't someone tell her he looked so damn adorable acting like this?!

"Oho! Sweetheart, can you please bear with my son? He doesn't like it when people push him away," said Francesca making Xiu's eyes widen even more. This mother-son duo was really too much for her poor heart! "But wait, Regi, she's still recovering from a fever. She must be feeling tired and lethargic, instead of letting her rest why are you putting your heavy weight on her? Do you want to crush her? She looks so thin already?"

"Mama, how can you say that? I'm here to help her recover?"

"And how are you exactly helping?" she looked challengingly at her son who scratched the nape of his neck while saying, "By providing my love and support."

"BLAAGH!" France acted like she was gonna puke at his words. "That's so bloody ridiculous that I'm feeling nauseous!"

"Aren't you being too much with your own son?" Darren complained to her then turned to Xiu, "Sweets, you don't pay attention to her. She never sides with her son. So, you have to take my side. Always." Xiu nodded her head in a daze. She was still reeling from trying to understand the nature of their relationship. They appeared more like friends than mother and son. 

But then again, France's indulgent look directed Darren wasn't also hidden from her. She finally could say that they were really close. Unlike any other parents, she had seen with their kids.

"Let's do a pinky promise that you'll take my side only," Darren was still stuck on this point as he lifted his pinky finger and hooked it with Xiu's.

"How old are you?" Francesca spoke in disdain. "I can't believe you're my son."

"Then maybe, I'm neighbor's son," retorted Darren while sticking his tongue at his mother.

Seeing how Xiu laughed, France looked at him is a disappointment, "If you kept acting like this, your girlfriend will eventually learn what a real mess you are to be with."

"But she won't stop loving me," Darren argued back and looked at Xiu. "You won't, right?"

That charm of his eyes worked again as Xiu really lost herself. She really forgot where she was or who was around her as she nodded her head at him and said, "I'd never. This love can only intensify. I don't think it has a stop button."