My Mother is a Transvestite

The Unexpected Gift

The city is always beautiful. Orange and purple clouds floated lazily in the sky, indicating that it was almost night. The footpath covered in round stones leads to a simple house with a white fence that always looks clean.

Ima stepped with a cheerful rhythm, down the road. He had just finished a long and hard school day. As a 2nd grade High School student, the duties and responsibilities are growing. However, amidst his exhaustion, a smile never escaped his face. His brown eyes sparkled every time he passed the playground which was always filled with children's laughter.

When Ima got to her house, something caught her attention. A beautiful bunch of red roses nestled sweetly on the doormat of her front door. Light green leaves envelop the rose stems, contrasting with the striking red color.

"Who left this here?" murmured Ima while lifting the flower. He felt the delicate rose petals in his fingers, then found a small card hanging on the rope.

"From: Raka," read Ima in a slow voice.

Ima's eyes were rounded, her tiny lips slightly opened, showing her confusion. With a quick movement, he opened the door and entered, carrying the flower.

Inside the house, the smell of chocolate cake being baked is coming out of the kitchen, creating a warm atmosphere. From the kitchen, the voice of Ana, her mother, was heard.

“Ima, have you gone home? Just take a look at the cake I just made,” Ana said excitedly.

With a puzzled expression still imprinted on her face, Ima entered the kitchen. "Mother, look at this," said Ima, showing a rose in her hand.

Ana turned her face away from the oven, looking at the flower with a shocked expression. "Where is that from?"

"From Raka, Mother," Ima replied, her voice full of confusion. "But I don't know why he gave me this."

Ana took a breath, her same brown eyes as Ima stared at the flower. "Maybe he just wants to thank you or show you a sign of friendship, dear."

But Ima seemed unsure. His movements were stiff, and his eyes looked anxious. "But why? We're just classmates, Mother."

Ana smiled, rubbing Ima's head gently. "Sometimes, young people do things for no apparent reason. Maybe he just wants to make you happy."

Ima sighed, trying to calm herself down. "Maybe you're right" he said with a faint smile.

"Well, we're eating the cake I just did. The smell of chocolate has made me impatient" Ana said as she opened the oven, pulling out a tempting chocolate cake pan.

The two laughed, trying to forget the confusion about the roses. However, behind the laughter, Ima's curiosity towards Raka's true intentions remained lodged in her heart.

The night covered the city. The lights in the houses sprung up, calming the restless heart. In the middle room of the Ima house, laughing voices and chatter filled the air. Ima and Yusuf sat on the sofa, while Ana sat in her favorite chair, facing a window that gave a view to the back garden.

"When you talk about your friends, I remember my childhood," Ana said in a nostalgic tone, holding a warm teacup in her hand.

Ima and Joseph looked at each other, and they looked at Ana with curiosity. "Tell me, Mother," pinta Ima, pulled a thick blanket over her.

With a sweet smile, Ana began to tell me, "When I was your age, I had a friend named Lila. We are two different people. I love to read, while Lila loves to be adventurous."

Joseph chuckled, "Mother is a bookworm?"

Ana nodded, "That's right. Lila always pulls me out of the house, invites me to explore the forest behind the village or swim in the clear river."

Ima scrunched her forehead, "But, I'm afraid of water, right?"

Ana laughed, "That's why Lila is special. He was the one who taught me how to swim. I remember that day, the sun was shining brightly, and the river water was so clear. Lila held my hand, calming my fear with soothing words."

Joseph smiled, "Mother must have looked funny that time."

Ana hits Joseph's arm lightly, "Hey! It's rude to make fun of your mother!" But his eyes sparkled with laughter. "But it's true, I must look funny."

"However," Ana continued in a serious tone, "what makes our friendship special is not just my adventure or fear of water. How we support each other. When my father died, Lila was always there for me. He invites me to talk, to listen with my heart, and sometimes to sit quietly beside me."

Tears began to pool in Ima's eyes. Joseph clasped Ana's hand tightly, "Lila sounds like a great man, Mother."

Ana nodded, "He's great. Friendship like that is hard to find. You are lucky to have many friends around you. Make sure you look after and appreciate them."

Ima held Ana, "Thank you, Mother, for sharing this wonderful story with us."

The three of them hugged each other, immersed in deep memories and affection. Outside, the stars began to flicker, as if nature was celebrating the beauty of friendship and family love.

In the morning, a light gust of wind toyed with the leaves in the front yard of Joseph's house. From afar, the song of the bird saluted the newly awakened world. Yusuf, in a grey t-shirt and shorts, stood at the front door of his house, looking around, his right hand holding a glass of orange juice. His mind was full of questions about Raka, Ima's classmate who recently gave her a red rose.

Joseph decided to start his investigation at school. He is determined to find out more about Raka and her intentions.

"Have you heard of Raka?" yusuf asked Bima, one of his classmates, during the break.

Bima raised her eyebrows, her short dark brown hair adding a sharp impression to her face. "Raka? Oh, the new kid? Yeah, I know him. Why?"

"See," Yusuf replied, trying to seem relaxed, "I was just curious. Looks like he and Ima are getting familiar."

Bima smiled cynically, "You're jealous, huh?"

Joseph frowned, his cheeks reddened. "It's not so! I just wanted to know more about him to protect my sister," he said quickly.

Bima laughed, hitting Yusuf's shoulder lightly. "Just calm down, bro. I heard he just moved to this town. His father got a job at one of the big companies here. But it seems like he's having trouble making friends."

Joseph was relieved. "Still, Bima. This is very helpful."

Bima nodded, "No problem. Be careful of your jealousy, yeah."

Joseph smiled wryly and left, leaving Bima who was still laughing.

At school, Joseph went through a different route than usual. His path this time took him past the old houses on the edge of town. Large trees with dense foliage provided shade, while the gurgling sound of water from a small channel beside the road accompanied its steps.

Suddenly, a complaining voice came from one of the houses. Joseph approached and saw an old man with white hair, sitting on the garage floor with a bicycle tire that seemed to be leaking next to him.

Without hesitation, Joseph approached the man, "Old Man, do you need help?"

The old man turned his head, his two wrinkled eyes looking at Joseph with gratitude. "Ah, young man. Right, I'm having trouble changing my bike tires. Can you help me?"

Joseph nodded and immediately helped. With quick but careful movement, he removed the leaking tire and replaced it with a new one.

Thank you, son," said the old man, patting Joseph on the shoulder, "Your generation is rarely willing to help parents like me."

Yusuf smiled, "I just did what was supposed to be done, sir."

The old man nodded, "May God repay your kindness."

Joseph left the old man with a warm feeling in his heart. He may not have gotten all the information about Raka, but today he learned something more important: kindness and empathy.

When Joseph came home, the sky was already dark. However, the light of kindness in his heart shone brighter than usual.