A Little Quiet

It was one of those days. You know the ones- cold but not unpleasant, with nothing to do- chores all done, house tidy, should be content but too bored to be happy. I was sat in my reading corner beside the window as my mother walked in.
"I thought you were working today?"
she sighed. "Nope. I was kicked out of the project this morning-" 
"was it Linda?"
"- of course it was Linda," she rolled her eyes as she sat down next to me, "but it's been coming for a while. Don't worry too much though, something new will come up soon." She ruffled my hair and I batted her hands away. 
She was finding it more and more difficult to keep jobs, and I don't think she ever realised quite how much I noticed. Usually in these rare little moments with her I'd be trying to enjoy her company as much as possible, but the mood had been dampened and both of us were silent. 
“I love the light this time of day,” she said, trying to start a conversation.
"you do?"
"Yeah. Especially from your room- it always makes me feel so calm."
I remember smiling sadly, finding comfort in her words but unable to feel truly peaceful. 
After a few minutes of silence, I put my head on her shoulder.
Neither of us could've known what would happen the next day.