13 Clarissa

The week seemed to fly by in a blur, as if time was slipping through my fingers. And before I knew it, the weekend had arrived, as it always does. But for me, the weekend ritual was something I looked forward to every week. It was the one time of the week when I got to spend some quality time with my beloved mother.

We headed to an extravagant spa for a day of pampering and relaxation. My brother's girlfriend, Sydney, also came along with us, which was a nice change of pace. As we walked past the reception area, we were greeted by a sea of my mother's affluent friends. They had all heard about my recent ordeal and were giving me sympathetic looks.

I tried my best to remain stoic, but the weight of their stares was overwhelming. I took a seat on the plush sofa, and as the hundredth woman asked me how I was holding up, I simply replied that I was fine.

I needed a distraction, and soon enough, I found one. I walked to the cosmetics section, picked up a brochure, and began browsing throug