HE MADE IT, 31708

Clock’s ticking in solitude. The only sound I could hear from that house and a lonely woman. I fell on my old sofa, tried to ignore every single moment of that restless day. I was so exhausted that I even found TV couldn’t help me at all. My eyes were just flown onto an empty mind. Many times, I felt so tired to face it alone. And staring at this dumb house just made it worse. Reminded me to fading memories when John was still here. Though it’s hurtful, they had led me to reach a dusty photo album. Where his 2-dimension face lied inside. Smiles settled on our lips when we said promise on the wedding ceremony. Our first child’s photos appeared when I turned the page. He’s the only son we have, that we really love him by the rest of our heart. He’s named Ken.
A lovely husband and beloved son were enough for me to make my life perfect. Many weekends we spent on Saint Angel Park, sat on a long park bench, enjoyed the sunny sky above the boys playing soccer. That’s the place where Ken took his first step on this world. On few weeks later, he had been able to explore the park, chase butterflies, although he fell then cried for many times. He grew into a hyper-active kid when he was four. He liked to play soccer with older boys, climbed onto our dining table, even a tree on our backyard! But it didn’t go wrong to any accident, because John and I always stayed back to keep our eyes on him.
The happiness we gave to each other strengthen our family. Days were pretty beautiful for us. Until one day, everything unpredictably turned 180 degrees, when someone called. I picked up that phone, and what the man said shocked me. John who drove on his car had a collision a mile from his office. My finger was shaking, tears fell upon my cheek, dropped onto the floor, when I saw the body of my dearest man I ever had (except Dad), covered with much blood, frozen, breathless. I could only give a hug when Ken, whom I phoned, directly arrived from his school with a teacher. I didn’t allow him to see it, because it could be too horrible for a kid like him. But, when he cried, I knew that he understood the reason why.

2 years had left when I heard someone opened the door. I closed the album and placed it on the place where it’s supposed to be.
“Mom… I’m home…”
When I heard that, I knew who’s the person out there. I waited Ken to appear on that living room when he was still closing the door. There was something fell to the floor. Perhaps, it was his bag. Then, Ken appeared with such an unordinary expression on his face. I knew it, ‘cuz that clipped one couldn’t lie my eyes.
“Look at my son… You’re looked so tired…”
He walked slowly and sat beside me. His silence proved that there was something he thought.
“What’s wrong, Ken? Is there anything you wanna tell?” I tried to caress his soft hair, and found a little sweat there… I also saw much dust and dirt on his short. But, he didn’t answer me. Ken really love playing soccer. I could see it, even when he was 3! So, he joined the soccer club in his school. And, on that afternoon, his team played on a little competition. But, I was so sorry because I wasn’t there to support him
“How ‘bout the game, honey?”
“We’ve lost, Mom…” he said it in frown. My lil’ Ken couldn’t accept that result…
“Oh… It doesn’t matter at all, honey…” “You still have other games, don’t you? Maybe… your team can win those matches… “ I tried to cheer him. “Don’t be sad…”
“That isn’t the problem, Mom…”
“So, why, Ken? Just tell me…” he kept silence for a moment.
“My friends…. They hate me… I knew it when they looked at me…”
“Why do they have to do?”
“I made an own goal, Mom… In this match… I made my team lost the game!” he started crying before my arms.
“Don’t cry, Ken… They should understand what you did… It’s just a mistake…”
“No, Mom… They hate me… There’s no one who wanna talk to me after the game.” I couldn’t stop his crying.
“Even… Rick?” I asked about the coach’s reaction to Ken.
“No, Mom… , everyone did… except Rick…”
“I know it, Ken…” “ Don’t you know? He’s the best soccer coach I’ve ever known in Santa Monica! We grew u together, Ken… He was like you. He always played on the backyard, or the park. He won’t be angry with you because of only an own goal…” and he was still crying.
“I don’t wanna play anymore, Mom…”
“Oh… Don’t say that, honey… I know that you really do. Rick must be so sorry if he heard that.”
Ken didn’t say any word for more. But a phone call from Rick 3 days later told me what happened next. He said that Ken didn’t attend their last-2 training session. I told Rick about our talk on that afternoon. He then asked me to flatter Ken to join the team back, because they needed him.
Few hours later, Ken and I had been in our car, in our way to a field where Rick’s team had their training. Firstly, he rejected to go. But, after I told him about Rick’s call, he finally walked into the car with all his equipments, although in necessity. For a long time, we didn’t have any conversation inside the car.
“Just talk, Ken… What are you thinkin’ about?”
“Mom… Is what Rick said right?”
“Sure… They want you to be there….” We fell in silence once more “Listen, Ken… What do you learn from a game?” he didn’t answer. His face told a confusion “How to feel being a winner, or the loser? It’s more than that, honey… You can learn about trust… “ “When they believed on your ability, they must be ready for the consequences. Whatever the result… win or lose, they’ve made a choice, Ken… So, if you wanna be trusted, you have to trust everyone else. Although they have weakness or mistake. I’m sure that Rick has told it to your friends.”
Our car arrived in front of the school area.
“Come out, honey… They’ve waited for you…” I gave him a smile.
“Bye, Mom…”
as he walked into the building, the air started moving inside the car. Once more.


And right at the moment, I’m looking at Ken who’s running to me, after making his first goal. His friends are also running after him, with wide smiles. Some of them are screaming, “Goal!!!!” meanwhile, Ken, my next dearest man, is waving at me…:
“I MADE IT, MOM!”

-fin-


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