The Other Side

The Other Side

Chapter One

So Sudden...

This photograph makes my stomach tighten every time I look at it. I was only seven years old when my mother collapsed at the kitchen table after answering a phone call. It was Dad’s boss, regarding a workplace accident. Mom tried to stay strong, but she couldn’t hide what was happening from me.

“Mom...?” I asked her, with a frightened face.

“Noémi...” she replied, sobbing.

“Dad won’t come home anymore,” she told me with tearful eyes.

“Does he have so much work?” I asked her, I didn’t understand what was happening.

A fleeting smile appeared on my mother’s tear-streaked face, knowing that I didn’t yet grasp the situation.

“Oh, Noémi, come here...” she said, then hugged me. That was when I began to understand what she meant.

“Dad, is he dead?” I asked her in surprise, with teary eyes, as it dawned on me that the last time I saw him was that morning.

That evening was when both of us cried, clinging to each other like two children. At that moment, she promised me that no matter what happened, she would always be with me.

“Noémi, whatever happens to us, I will never leave you, I promise,” she said. I was desperate about what would happen to us, but this one sentence reassured me.

A few days later, we buried Dad. Since then, I haven’t been to his grave. I still haven’t processed what happened, even though it’s been eleven years. I miss him so much...

I’d rather put this photo back in the box. Just thinking about it brings me to the edge of tears...

Door opens

“Noémi!” I already know what’s coming...

“I’m sorry, I won’t be able to take you to work this afternoon either. You’ll have to take the bus,” Mom says.

“Okay, I’m used to it...” I said, a bit annoyed. She always promises things, but recently, because of her job, she’s been able to keep them less and less...

“Please don’t do this to me now. I have to work a lot, I need to leave early, and I’ll only be home by nine in the evening,” she says. I know she’s also fed up with it.

“It’s okay, Mom, as long as we have each other, everything is fine.” At least she acts like a real mom and does what she can to improve our situation.

Soon, if everything goes well, by the end of summer, we will have enough money for a house with a garden in the countryside. Finally, we can step out of this city life and calm down a bit. I’ll continue high school there, and Mom will likely start her own business.

“Since your father left...” Ugh, not again...

“Mom, please not now. I’m not in the mood to think about these things,” I can’t stand it; it’s just too painful. But I appreciate her loyalty to Dad, even though it’s been eleven years since his death, she still hasn’t looked for another man.

“I’m sorry, dear. I know it’s hard.” Yes, it is...

“Come here, Noémi.” Mom’s hug is the best; it always calms me down.

“Mom, you’re going to be late. The traffic is getting worse; you shouldn’t speed like last time,” I say. That resulted in a nice ticket...

“You’re right,” she says a bit ironically. I don’t understand why speeding is a good idea.

“Okay, I’ll call you when I have a break,” I hope she’ll have one, unlike last time...

“Okay, Mom, but really be careful,” my stomach tightens because of this, probably still because of Dad.

Now that she’s gone, I start getting ready. My bus is leaving soon. I better not miss it. Ugh, this fast-food uniform itches my whole body. I don’t even understand how I can wear this for 8 hours. At least I have a summer job, and I can earn a little money alongside Mom. The bus leaves in 10 minutes; I better hurry.

Uh, I almost missed it again. There were so many people on the bus.

“Good morning, Noémi!” Ah, Alan, my manager.

“Good morning!” Alan replaced the previous manager, Liz.

That woman was unbearable; she treated us like robots.

“You don’t have to work the full 8 hours today; you’ll leave earlier. You’ll work for 5 hours today,” Alan says. What? This is good news. I just hope the pay stays the same for a day...

“Okay, should I inform the others, or will you?” I ask, to make sure he doesn’t forget to tell the others.

“I’ll handle it. But please get into the work, some people have already ordered. You’ll be working at the barista section today,” he says. What? I don’t have a barista certificate.

“Alan, I don’t have a barista license,” I point out, not understanding why he thinks this is a good idea.

“You’re right, Noémi, I confused you with someone else...” Duh, it’s true, he’s only been here for a few days.

“Then please take over the cash register,” Alan says, which is slightly better, hehe~

I managed to get used to the cashier job in a few weeks, and I even like it somewhat, though I’m not very good at talking. At first, I often froze, but I found that taking a deep breath helps with a lot.

Huh? A work call, a official number, I have to answer it.

“Yes?” I’m so stupid, I don’t even know what to say.

“Good day, I’m Emma from the local police headquarters. Am I speaking with Noémi Koltz?” Oh no, what happened?

“Yes, yes, that’s me. Why are you calling?” I hope I’m not unintentionally involved in something.

“I’m sorry to give you this terrible news, but...” Ugh, what terrible news, arrest warrant, haha~ I don’t think they’d call me for that.

“Your mother had an accident this morning and passed away,” she says. WHAT?

“Um, excuse me, what?” This must be a prank call, they got my name and...

“I know, it’s not easy to hear it like this, and I’m terribly sorry for what happened. Please come to the police station by 5 PM today at the latest. We’ll hand over her belongings to you,” she says. No, it can’t be true, it must be a lie...

“I need to hang up, please accept my sincere condolences, and come as soon as possible,” she says and hangs up. What’s happening?

No, I can’t handle this, I’m falling apart, my chest is tightening, my stomach is in knots. What’s happening, this can’t be true, I, eh, I...

“Noémi! Is everything okay?” Alan asks. No, it’s not, how could it be?

“Mom is dead. I need to go, sorry,” I say. I don’t even know where the police station is...

“But...” Alan says, “Okay, go, I’ll cover for you.” That’s the least he can do.

“Thank you, that’s kind of you. I’ll come back, or I don’t know,” I say. WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Ah, phone, map, it’s 3KM away. Damn it, the bus isn’t running, I have to walk...

This can’t be real, I can’t believe it. I bet it’s just a fake call, or a coincidence.

I’m so stupid, I’ll call Mom, that’s the only way to be sure. Aggrr, she’s not answering, it can’t be true, she promised, that she would, that...

“Ma’am, is there a problem?” A police officer asks.

“Yes, YES, PLEASE TAKE ME TO THE POLICE STATION!” I can’t handle the stress.

“Hey, HEY,” he says. I can’t feel my legs, no...

...

“She’s awake now. You can hand her belongings over to the hospital. When she is better, I’ll talk to her,” the nurse says.

“Where am I?” I ask, everything is spinning.

“Hi, Noémi, my name is Zoé. You collapsed pretty badly. You’ve been asleep for a few hours,” she says.

Uh, wait...

“Mom, what’s happening with Mom?” No, hehe, no...

“Noémi, please calm down. Your pulse is at its highest limit. Please rest now,” Zoé says.

“What. About. My Mom?” I demand to know.

“Your mother, Koltz Anna, passed away in a car accident this morning,” Zoé says. It’s not true.

“Haha, haha, very funny. You don’t understand, without her, I’m nobody, I...” I sound like a little child now, but after Dad’s death she was everything to me...

“Sorry, Noémi, the news is true. I know it will take a lot of time to process, but you need to rest now. Your health is very important,” Zoé says.

“If this is true, then I have no reason to stay...” I say, feeling like a little kid, but if that’s how it is...

“Rest now. I’ll be close by. If you need anything, press this button,” Zoé says. If something happens, I won’t press it.
“Okay, alright, huh,” I respond, feeling a bit easier, maybe they gave me something to calm me down...

I need to rest, really. I don’t feel right in any way, I want to die.

...

“Noémi, wake up...”

Mom?

“But Mom, I...”

“AAAH...” It was just a dream.

“NOÉMI!?” The nurses are really watching me.

“Are you okay?” they ask.

I don’t know, physically I’m fine, but emotionally... I don’t even know what’s happening.

“I’m better, but still feeling it...” I can’t believe what’s happening.

“Are you ready to go home, Noémi?” they ask.

I’m not sure, duh.

“Yes, I think so...” I reply, hoping I won’t collapse again.

“Alright, please get dressed. I need to give you some things...”

Just not Mom’s belongings...

...

“I’m here, Zoé,” I say, finally on my feet.

“32,000 HUF in cash, a phone, house keys, a picture, and her personal documents with the wallet,” Zoé says.

“A picture, huh...” I say, not wanting to look at it now.

“Thank you very much...” I add, feeling like everything is moving so fast.

“Your mother’s body can be kept here for a few more days...” Zoé says, clearly understanding people.

“I don’t know how the funeral arrangements work. Will she be buried next to Dad, or... I don’t know...” I ask, wondering what she would want.

“They will likely contact you by phone. Here’s my number. Call me if you need anything,” Zoé says, genuinely.

“Okay. Thank you very much, Zoé...” I say, feeling overwhelmed.

...

Her things are in a bag with me, the picture I’m afraid to look at. What if it’s a family photo? I can’t handle it, my chest hurts too much, and my stomach is in knots. I just want to get home...

...

Finally, at home...

“Oh, Mom, I don’t even know exactly where and how it happened. I still can’t believe it...” I say, feeling immense pain.

“I didn’t even get to say a proper goodbye, and you lied, YOU WON’T ALWAYS BE HERE...” I cry again like a little kid, just like I did when Dad died, except now there’s no one here with me...