Listen For Just a Minute

Through the hustle and bustle, I was ready to leave and my mother paid no heed to anyone. She just stood there knitting where she was at, trying to finish her project before telling me goodbye. 

"Mother," I tried, checking the time on my silver pocket watch, it was almost time to leave and I didn't want to leave her like this. 

"Yes dear?" She asked, her eyes still on her needles. 

I sighed, watching people passing me to get on the train, I looked back at her, holding my hand out, "could you please listen for just a minute?" 

She nodded, finishing a row, "I'm listening, dear." 

"No, you need to look at me." 

"I'm listening." 

The station echoed, "all aboard!" 

She didn't understand, how was I going to make her understand when I had so little time? Under desperate measures, I grabbed her wrists, forcing her to stop. 

"Mother, I don't have a lot of time."

"Let go of my wrists, dear. I'm trying to get this hat done for your sister." 

I looked up at the large windows of the station, she wasn't getting it. I held her wrists firmer, leaning in close to her, I couldn't leave like this. I felt a tear fall down my face, I never cried in front of anyone, but my heart wrenched as I watched my mother naively knit like nothing was going to happen to me. Like I was just leaving for a few days. 

"I hope you'll come back with a girl," she said with a smile, continuing another row even with me still holding her wrists. 

"Mother," I whispered with a choke heavy in my throat. I looked up at the time, I needed to go, I couldn’t properly give her the goodbye that I wanted. I sighed, loosening my grip around her wrists, "I won't be coming back." 

With that, I released her wrist and turned to leave. That was when she finally looked at me, but I was already walking to the train to board it.