—–
As Elayne slept, Mark walked towards the living room and sat down there, drinking some tea. He felt slightly nervous of being inside of Elayne’s home for so long now, and that he was given the authority of using anything inside, even cooking and all. However, his nervousness was beaten by his concern for her health.
Suddenly catching a fever from one day to another wasn’t something normal. Mark wanted to bring Elayne to a doctor if things were to get too bad, but he also wanted to know more about what she had been doing in her daily life that might indicate her current state of health. Therefore, against his concerns, he tried to ask her daughter.
“Elena, has your mother been alright this last week? You’re her daughter so I was wondering if you’ve seen her slightly sick, more tired, or something else.” Said Mark, as he interrupted Elena who was about to finish her meal.
“Ah…” Elena suddenly fell silent, having Mark in here certainly broke her daily life monotony. It was quite literally a house for girls in here, no man has stepped inside for some time. However, Elena knew that she had to try to remember anything, as she was concerned about her mother as well.
“Well, not that I remember…” She said. “Mom is always healthy, cheerful, and happy… It is almost as if she weren’t human most of the time. Most people nowadays is so gloomy… It is sad to see her like this, maybe… I’ve not paying attention to her enough.”
“I see…” Mark sighed. “Well, I am sure that you’re doing your best. Your mother always talks about you at our job.”
“…Really?” Asked Elena.
“Yeah, you’re her pride and joy, you’re literally her whole life. She never stops talking about you… You’re very important to her.” I said. “She works hard everyday just for you, and does everything for you as well… I’m sure you’re doing your best, but it would be nice to do a bit more for her and be more observant of your mother. After all, she works so hard every day that she might be suffering something I couldn’t notice myself.”
Mark’s words filled with honesty and concern made Elena realize something… She had never been paying attention to her mother’s health. Not for a single second in her life she had wondered how her mother’s health has been. Not for a single second she has wondered how she might feel sometimes, and not even she has wondered how tired she might feel after working so many hours every single day.
She was always wearing a happy and cheerful smile, so Elena always assumed she was always okay and healthy. Sometimes she even envied her own mother for having such a strong spirit… only for now to realize that she might be just hiding all her troubles to not bother her daughter.
“I… Yeah…” Elena sighed. “I guess you’re right… I haven’t been paying attention. I’ll try to be more careful…”
“She’s the only that is always doing her best to make your life better, Elena.” Mark said.
“I-I know… I’ll make sure to repay everything she has done for me…” Sighed Elena.
She herself had been making a lot of savings from playing Brand New Life Online and was planning to use them to support her family as she grew up, even thinking about becoming a full time player to make more money in-game. But that also meant less time to be with her mother and check on her. However, if she could provide money to the family, her mother wouldn’t need to work so much anymore.
Elena’s plan was to actually not move out at all, as she didn’t really had any plans to buy a house in these times where everything was so expensive due to years of inflation, and just wanted to earn her own money to support her mother and give her a good life, just like her mother has been giving her.
“I want to give my mother a good life so she can retire as well…” Sighed Elena. “I’m doing my best.”
“Huh? You’re working part time?” Wondered Mark. After having heard that there were not many clues about Elayne’s symptoms, he quickly decided to move on and simply wait for Elayne. If she gets slightly worse, he’ll bring her immediately to a doctor or the hospital, and if she improves, he’ll continue helping her.
“Um, not really. I’m playing a VRMMO game in my free time with my friend, we make money there by selling items we farm or craft.” Said Elena. “Don’t tell my mother about this but I’ve already earned few thousands in this small amount of time.”
“Wow… I-I also play a VRMMO game, Brand New Life Online.” Said Mark. “I had thought about making money in-game but I have forgotten about it most of the time… I’m just having fun with friends I guess.”
“Well you got a job that pays you well, you don’t really need to bother.” Said Elena. .
“Right…” Mark said. “Can I…?”
Mark was about to ask if he could add Elena to his friend list, but she quickly replied.
“No.”
“Ah… Okay then.”
Mark quickly realized she might not want to get involved with him anymore than this, and he decided to not pursue the issue.
“Well, are you sure you don’t remember anything from your mother’s behavior that might indicate any sickness?” Asked Mark again.
“Hmm…” Elena tried to think a bit more, until she quickly remembered something. “Not that I know of, she went to the gym and then… Ah, she was talking with plants yesterday. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it.”
“Talking with plants?” Asked Mark while raising an eyebrow.
“Y-Yeah, she sometimes talks with herself so I don’t think it’s anything bad. I think she plans to make a front yard garden.” Said Elena. “I might help her I guess… It has been a while since she had any hobbies, the only thing she does is work.”
“I see…” Said Mark. He quickly was reminded of a certain player in-game named Planta, and how much she loved her farm.
—–