It takes a while but when your vision goes pitch-black, you lean heavily on other senses.
I wheeled my chair quietly to the door and put my ear to it. I heard her, breathing rapidly and moving around the house, in search of something.
After a while, she made her way upstairs. I quickly wheeled my chair back to my desk and stared out the window. The whistling of the breeze and rustling of the leaves from the tree outside my window couldn't block out the sound of her footsteps as she paused for a moment outside my door.
I saw her in my mind's eye, taking deep breaths to calm herself and disguise her fear and anxiety. My room was choking with these emotions such that I could taste them on my tongue. I was starting to get nauseous and breathed along with her, calming myself down as well.
She opened the door gently. "Eric, hey," her voice was soft and slightly shaking.
"Mom. You alright?" I asked and turned in the direction of her voice as if I could see her. She came closer, stooped, and placed her hands on my chair's armrests.
"I-uh, I need to go away for a day or two to get us some money. So you'll stay at Mrs Allison's."
"You mean her school for the blind that you promised I wouldn't go to?"
My mom sighed and bowed her head. I knew the tears were pooling in her eyes already. Ever since the accident two years ago, she promised to take care of me herself. The only people I had contact with were my braille and music teachers and a few friends who stood by us despite the change in our social and financial status.
"It's just for a few days, darling. I promise…"
"It's fine, mom. Are we going now?"
"Yes." She sounded so relieved.
"Mom?" I held her hands. "Promise me also you won't get into any trouble and ask for help if you need it?"
She scoffed. "Don't be silly. There's no trouble. Come on, let's go."
But I knew there was. Big trouble.
Immediately I settled in at Mrs Allison White's School for Partially Sighted & Blind, I begged to use her landline phone. I pulled out my leather wallet, daddy's gift to me on my thirteenth birthday. He said I was becoming a man just like him and must have my wallet. That was the last birthday we marked together.
I took out the only business card in my wallet. I did not need to because I'd memorised the numbers but I wanted to touch it, to know it was still safe inside my wallet.
The smooth feel of the card, slightly musty smell and lingering cologne reminded me of the only person who was kind to us after daddy's passing.
"Wilson speaking," a gruff voice said after the call went through.
"Uh, hi. Sergeant Burke, it's Eric Walker."
There was silence for a moment.
"Eric! My man!" His voice became gentle. "It's been a while. Wait, are you okay? Is everything alright with you and your mom?"
I smiled. He still remembered me. He didn't lie when he said I could call him any time of the day. "Yes sir. I'm fine. It's my mom."
"Lay it on me, son. What about your mom?"
"I think she's in trouble. She dropped me off at Mrs Allison's boarding school at Whelmbridge but didn't tell me where she was going."
"Okay, I'm glad you called me. Do you have any idea what she's up to or where she's heading to?"
"Only that she's getting us some money but I know she's in danger. Please help her."
"I'm on my way to you. Hold tight."
Sergeant Burke arrived within fifteen minutes and had a long talk with Mrs Allison White.
By supper time, I was beyond anxious. I'd not heard from Sergeant Burke or my mother. I sat with other blind students in the dining hall. As noisy chatter and the clatter of cutlery echoed in the hall, the aroma of dinner: roasted pork, vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy wafted around me. Then I caught a whiff of my mom's powdery and sweet scent as though she was present in the room.
In a blink, my brain and ears separated the distractions around me and magnified the echo of Sergeant Burke, my mother and Mrs Allison's footsteps coming from down the hall.
My mother was safe!
I wheeled my chair around and headed out of the hall.
"Hey, hey. Calm down." Sergeant Burke caught me at the door, touching my shoulder. "You did great calling me, Eric. Your mother is safe and so are you," he said.
I placed my hand on his. "Thank you, sir."
"No problem, son. I told you anytime and I mean it!"
"Mom?" I felt her touch first then her warm embrace as her relief and embarrassment flowed into me. I clenched my teeth tightly.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the debts, my darling. I wanted to give you the best not knowing the people I went to for soft loans are dangerous. They threatened to harm you and I thought I could give them my jewellery as part payment then Sergeant Burke showed up. How did you know?" Mom asked softly.
"It's going to be alright, mom. I just know these things."
I was still angry at the late Job Yates, the drunk driver who crashed into my daddy's car and we all ended up in a ditch. I was in the back seat. Doctors said Job Yates and daddy died instantly. I survived with a damaged back and lost my eyes. He put my mom and me in this position.
Hopefully, someday I might get over the pain and anger. Meanwhile, I was happy to have Sergeant Burke in my corner.