All Izz Well

Raining drastically, she felt like stepping out. She wanted to be out of her home and also not get drenched. Maybe a warm cup of chocolate, she thought. She stepped out with her big, colorful umbrella representing the LGBTQ Pride. Filled with an iffy mood of not wanting any raindrops on her, she held her umbrella closer to her. But then, the rain was pouring heavily, and she felt wet from all her sides. She wanted to be away, a getaway to escape from getting drenched, but she determined not to go home. She looked around, but nothing interesting came up. Nothing caught her eye, and the cafe she wanted to go to, seemed crowded.

Then she noticed the building she had been avoiding for months, right across from her street. It had been over a year since she had visited. The last time was the breakup with her girlfriend, who tossed the displayed shoes over the floor, and security had to come to remove her from the facility.

She thought she would walk in and get through her hesitation this time for a change. She crossed the street and entered the building. She had no plans to spend but to walk around, stroll through the windows, view the rain, and walk back home—a break she wished for from her mood swings.

Her eyes still amazed, wide-open as she gets to the floor of shoes stacked and displayed for the customer's convenience to try and buy. The idea of the entire building being dedicated to branded shoes and a few fashion accessories still astounds her. She slowly walked to the women's section, looking around at the collections. She thought she could try some sports shoes for running, and she headed to the third floor.

She strolled by the side of the window, enjoying the view of rain from one side and shoes on the other, eventually finding peace and a slow pace in her presence of mind and mood. She didn't realize the time had been over an hour. Immersed in selecting the collections spread before her, she was now confused about what to choose. Just then, she heard a conversation,

"Mom, I don't like it,"

"You will look lovely in these at least once you try before saying no," Mom responded,

"Na, I don't like the color and style," the girl mentioned,

"but this looks classy and unique," her mom continued,

"by the time you try and come say no, I would have gotten you another option, so go get those paired with the right size."

"OK, Mami!" the girl went with a shrill in her voice.

And the mom started looking for other styles. 

By then, the girl was delighted, "Mom, this looks good!"

"This looks good on you, see, " Mom added,

They carried on with a few gossips, mimicking the emotional dramas in their ways.

She could see their happiness in being together. Listening to their little chit-chats from the other side of the racks, sneaking and eavesdropping through the little gaps, and enjoying their bonding, she became emotional and teary. She started to tiptoe around to look at them. The curiosity to see the mom-daughter combo reminded her of her days with her mother. She missed her. A lot happened after Covid, and she didn't want to face her mother in this condition, so she avoided traveling.

Missing her little shopping with her mother, she turned back at her collections, closed her eyes, and thought of her mother. The small fights, yet knowing her selections are always unique and beautiful, not too glossy but simple and elegant. She wished her mother to be here, making it easy for her to choose hers. She asked for a sign to pick from the colors red, blue, black, and white shoes spread out on the floor in front of her. She sounded silly but sat for a while, staring at the rain with slowly disappearing thoughts. By that time, the mom-daughter had left. She slowly stood up, smiled at herself, picked up and placed all the shoes in their corresponding places, and started her way back home. 

She saw the rain had slowed down, so she stepped outside, looked at the sky, and softly smiled while holding hands over her heart. She was about to cross the road when the coffee aroma called her to celebrate the gloomy weather, and she walked towards the cafe right opposite the DSW, the Designer Shoe Warehouse. She opened the door and checked for the crowd. With much assurance of fewer people inside, she walked to the counter and ordered a hot chocolate.

She looked at me from the counter, walked straight to me with a cup of hot chocolate, and sat across the table. She peeked outside at the view from the window. She could see her tale rooting its shape in my paper. I didn't make eye contact at first, but I looked up when she knocked mellowly on the table. Looking outside at the traffic, the DSW, the people, the cars, and the honks for a while, she stood up to leave and said with a smile, "You have the whole view to gaze and paint. You have a nice story in there! Is it yours or mine? If it's mine, call me Amy." 

Her simplicity and humor touched my heart, and out of the blue, my eyes welled up. I smiled at her and said, "Hi!"

She sat, and we slowly started conversing about the weather, the shoes, the chocolate, and the view from the window. After her last sip, she left with a heartwarming note, "All is well."

Wiping the tears rolling down my cheeks, sighing relief with the moving clouds, I repeated, " It's okay if my mother doesn't understand my identity. All is well."

And I giggled, reminded of a Bollywood movie, " 3 Idiots," in which the hero repeats, "All Izz Well" with his hand over his heart, conveying "Stay Positive."

Nourishing that little conversation made my day!