Short Story

That day when I returned home from school, my mom’s boyfriend called me asking to speak to my grandmother. Typically, Gus would call my grandmother himself if he wanted to speak with her, which was rare. I found out about my mom going to the hospital from my grandmother after that phone call. The doctor told my family that a stroke afflicted her in the middle of the day. My mom confused the date with her birthday, had trouble getting words out and remembering our family member’s names. The nurse had to take her for walks periodically and exercise her legs and arms because they were weak. Seeing my mother in this condition made me appreciate my mother and everything she does for me tremendously. However, I was terrified for my mother’s health.

When I got back home, my mother was still awake, waiting on me to get back home, it was almost three in the morning. She asked, “ where were you?”

I walked away feeling like I was a complete failure and that I didn’t deserve to go on. On the way home my mother tried to talk to me, but, I put on my headphones and cried silently. Once we were home my father asked how it went. The tears that were in my eyes and they became more evident as my shoulders and chest were shaking and trembling. The only sound in the room was the sound of me crying and wailing. I started crumbling and falling to the ground and my mother and father rushed to my side. They held me until the tears came to a stop and a little bit afterwards

An ambulance came and carried out my mom. I didn’t know what was going on, so many questions running through my mind, what was wrong with her, was she going to be ok. I was scared, more scared then I had ever been. My sister Sheridan who was 8 asked me “what’s happening?” through tears. On that day a little piece of me began to change because if I let her see my fear that would not help anyone, and so even though I didn’t know what was happening I responded “everything is going to be ok” even though I did not trust my own words.

I thought she would laugh, but she didn’t. We were eating dinner together. My sister and dad were out to a movie. It was quiet, peaceful inside the house. My mother said, “You could be good at that.” When I asked her why she felt that way, she smiled. She said, “I know you’re always telling stories in your head.” She surprised me. I asked her if she thought my sister could be a writer and she said, “Not in the same way.” I wanted her to talk more about who she thought I could be, but my dad and sister came home. My dad was mad that we hadn’t made enough dinner for him, that we hadn’t thought to turn on the porch light, that the pesto had been left on the counter, that he always had to clean up after us.

My family woke up the next morning at 4:00am to head straight to Walt Disney World. We all put on our matching blue tie-dyed Mickey Mouse shirts and piled in the cars. Once we were all in the cars we were happy, happy, very happy. Then my Papa gets a call. “We are sorry Sir. You’re mom has passed away. She passed away very peacefully.” Though my family was expecting it, this trip suddenly took a sad turn. Everyone in the car started crying.

“Momma, I just want to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry you're going through this. I’m sorry daddy left. I’m sorry you weren’t able to fulfill your dreams. I’m sorry for not saying sorry sooner and that I love you. Regardless of what you did to me, I forgive you. I pray you can forgive me also.” She kissed her mother on the forehead and gave her a warm, tight hug she only dreamed of. She grabbed her hands. “I won’t allow you to suffer.”

I stood on the porch just thinking about my mother, oh how I miss my mother. If I could just see her one more time I would have so much to tell her. All I have left was my sister and my father, I'm just thinking about how much love I need to show them; because no one knows how much time we have left her on the earth. At the time, looking back on my mother and all she did for me, I honestly believe that she was the only person in my life that gave me joy and happiness. During the war the only thing I could ever thing of, the only thing that keep me sane was my mother. While being sorrowful on the porch, the door opens and I see my sister standing there crying. She runs at me a leaps into my arms crying, she tells me “its been to long brother”. I tell her that crying will only make me cry. At that moment my father walks throw the door and gives both my sister and I the biggest most immense hug. After maybe ten minutes of hugging the the porch we head inside and I got to take a shower and get ice for my head trying to relieve the

September 27th 2009. I was on my dad’s weekend and my mom was in the hospital for a weeks. I would visit her every day and sometimes bring her flowers. But on september 27th I woke up and walked into my living room and my dad was sitting on the couch looking sad. I asked what was wrong and then a knock was heard on the door it was my step dad and half brother. My step dad had puffy eyes he was crying. He told me to sit down and my brother came out and sat next to me. My dad looked at us and he spoke up your mother had just passed this morning. I was shocked I was hurt I was scared.I didn’t know if i should cry or run away. I’ve learned that losing someone you love is tough.

“Hey we need to talk.” my mother said as we just got done cleaning the kitchen on the saturday before we were going to leave. It was December the 19, 2015 when mom told us that my Grandpa had cancer. While we were sitting at the table me and my sister started to cry. Mom said “But just don't bring it up while we are down there please he doesn't need the stress.” We both said ok and carried on with the day. That Monday we got up early in the morning and packed up the car and Jonathan wanted to take his remote control monster truck that he got on christmas and I told him “we don't have any room for that” And mom said “let him take it this could be the last time he could spend time with him.”

Having my dad around all the time wasn’t my everyday routine. I’d see him once or twice a week so I wasn’t very much used to see him every day. One day I came home after school and he and my mom were on the balcony talking, the notice I was staring, they both looked at me and called for a family meeting by the tone of their voices I could tell there was

"It was horrible and there is no way I'm going back tomorrow!" I exclaimed to my mother. I felt that I had done every possible thing wrong and was greatly embarrassed by it. I explained to her all of my mixed emotions and recounted everything that had gone on. As I talked, I realized

“What’s this for?” I asked my mom as I lifted my tear-filled eyes to meet my favorite candy she was pushing in my direction. She responded with the kindest, most understanding words that acted like miniature needles pricking my heart, “because I know you are hurting.” In that moment the guilt of not reciprocating this treatment towards her whenever she was solely trying to live for me and my sister was all too much. I fell apart. My sobs became uncontrollable and tears began to flow like they were coming from a faucet.

Every night, as I sat on the table with my younger brothers assisting them with their homework, I hear a familiar sound at the door. As she walks her heels click, and I can hear her searching her bag for her keys, the next thing I know the keys are in the lock and as it turns me and my younger brothers’ jump. We run to the door and indeed we scream in unison “Mommy’s home”, one by one she gives us a hug and a kiss. My mother asks us how our day was, and if we finished our homework, she then looks to me and said “did you cook and assist your younger ones with their homework”; I replied “yes mom”. As I warm the food, I take my mother’s purse, jacket, and shoes put them away and prepare the table for her to eat dinner. As I glance at the

It was May 17th, 2011, it was a normal school day when my brother and I were told that my mom called to say that she was picking us up early. I was anxious, wondering why we were going home early and breaking our usual routine. When my mom came to get us, the first thing that I noticed was that she didn’t greet us with her usual smile. I was 9 years old, very observant, but not able to sense what was to come. We got into the car, when I asked my mom where we were going hoping