As she was still talking my dad walked in, and this time mom couldn’t contain the twins.
They squirmed off their seats and sprinted toward their father.
“Daddy,” they chorused.
“Hey my little dumplings,” said my dad as he swallowed them in a hug.
“Hey dad,” I said.
“Hey Muchacho, hey princess,” my dad said attempting to give Leo a high five but being iced as always.
“Welcome home sweetheart,” my mom said.
“Thank you beautiful,” he greeted my mom and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Hello, mama.”
“Welcome home my mieamore. Sit and eat before all the food gets cold.”
The week went by so fast, that by the time I realized, it was already Friday night. I was so excited, I couldn’t believe that I was going to the dance with Ricardo.
Mom and I spent the whole of Friday shopping for my dress and also since the twin’s birthday was that Sunday.
“Sierra, look, I really want you to have fun and enjoy the dance but I need you back by 10:30pm,” Mom said as we were trying to fit all the shopping bags into our grey Subaru Forester.
“Wait, why?”
“Well, Abuela I and are not going to be able to do all the cooking by ourselves considering that all five of your father’s siblings are coming for the twins 10th birthday,” Mom paused as she looked for the car keys in her bag, once she found them she continued, “Then there is your Aunt Cecilia. Grandma Julie is also flying in with Chris, my brother, so that’s a lot of people.”
“How come we have never met Uncle Chris?” I asked as we drove home.
“Well, Uhm, Uncle Chris had occupations that made him unable to come visit for a while.”
“You don’t have to sugarcoat it.”
“Okay, fine, three weeks after he had graduated, he was arrested for possession of illegal drugs.”
“Damn.”
“He was supposed to come for your first birthday but mom called and told me he had just been arrested by the cops,” Mom said while her voice became a bit shaky.
I was afraid she was going to burst into tears when she continued. “I remember I was so angry because he had made me a promise that he would never do drugs again since he came out of rehab, and how he was so excited to be an uncle.”
“I’m so sorry mom.”
“It’s okay dear,” she said wiping a tear from her cheek, “I’m just a bit scared about tomorrow cause I haven’t seen him since he went to jail and even though I would always send messages asking how he was, he never replied a single one.”
“Remember when Uncle Antonio, dad’s eldest brother, got arrested because he was drunk and disorderly at Aunt Cecilia’s wedding. “I said in an attempt to brighten the already dark mood.”
“Yah,” Mom said as she laughed at the recollection, “And Abuela was not happy because she believed it was betrayal to call the cops on family.”
“She almost beat the officer who was handcuffing Uncle Antonio.”
We both laughed so hard that when we pulled into the driveway we barely had enough energy to carry all the shopping bags up, so Leo was summoned to help us carry the rest of the shopping bags.
The next day Mom and I got up early for dance class as we had always done for the past 3 years.
Our dance teacher Solome, a thin average height Ugandan lady usually only had her dance classes from 8:00 am – 10:30 am, so I always had to wake up early. I loved her long natural hair that she would usually tie into cornrows or twists. I would ask her to tie cornrows with my hair cause she also part timed at a hair salon near my house.
After dance class, mom and I were heading home when I decided to bring up the issue of my curfew.
“Mom, is it in any way possible that I can extend my curfew to midnight?”
“Why, when the one I set seems perfectly agreeable?”
“Some of my friends are having an after-party and I want to go.”
“No, honey we agreed 10:30pm.”
“You said it. I didn’t necessarily agree.”
“Our streets are not safe at 11:00pm, you know with all the gang violence.” Mom said while we pulled back into the driveway.
“Come on, your not fair all my friends’ moms allowed them to go, why can’t you be normal like them?” I said as I slammed the door of the car and headed for my room and slammed the door again.
MOM:
Leo came out of the house to find me still seated in the car with my head on the steering wheel.
“Mom, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing dear, it’s just your sister is just… a bit.”
“Overdramatic and extremely insensitive.” With that, he walked past the car.
“Leo, where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m going to meet some friends.”
“None of whom are the ones we said you shouldn’t be around?” I asked with a trace of anxiety.
“They’re all good so you can relax.”
“Ok but be back before lunch,”
SIERRA:
I couldn’t understand why mom wouldn’t let me go to the party. All my friends were going to be there and I didn’t want to end up that weirdo who’s just standing there as guys talk about what happened.
I soon heard a knock on my door.
“Sierra, it’s mom, look I know that you’re mad at me but I’m doing this for your protection. I mean three kids your age were shot on Friday last week. I don’t want that to be you. I hope you understand,” she said and paused for an answer but nothing was said so she with a sigh went away from the door.
I couldn’t understand why she had to be so old school.
To be continued…
princejez 