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Perception

The sacrifices our parents make that we often overlook.

By Giselle OmarPublished 6 years ago 6 min read
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Little Miss Sunshine 2006

As kids, we believe our parents are invincible. We say things like, “I bet my dad can beat up your dad! He can lift both me and brother up at the same time!” and, “My mommy’s so smart! She helped me make a huge tower out of blocks.” I later found out in geometry class that the secret is just to use triangular items for strength and stability in a structure. I also learned that our parents can’t withstand all obstacles the world throws at them without it taking a toll.

“Pack your bags, kids!” My mom announced as she abruptly entered our living room wielding two empty suitcases.

“Why?” I asked slowly.

“It’s a surprise!” My mother exclaimed as she paced around the room in a manic manner.

Both my brother, Ricky, and I immediately shot her a look of disbelief. My mother is not one for surprises. Milagros Omar is a straightforward, no-nonsense kind of lady. For the 17 years that I’ve known her, she’s followed the same routine religiously: wake up at six in the morning, go to work, come home and cook for her kids, have a glass of white wine while watching the latest episode of some crime drama, and head to bed at nine. There was no room in her schedule for spontaneity. Regardless of all the red flags, my brother and I complied with her request.

“How many days are we packing for, mamí?” I heard my brother shout from his room.

“Hm, I don’t know. Let’s pack for four days, just to be safe,” she responded in the same alarmingly cheerful tone she had been using since she came home. We both packed and it took us about 45 minutes until we set off on the open road all the way to Florida. I felt a mixture of excitement and fear in anticipation for what this sporadic trip would entail.

Two hours into "Four Days of Florida Fun 2016” my mom spoke up and asked my brother if he could take over on the wheel because her foot was starting to cramp. He groaned but obliged and told her to pull over so they could switch seats.

Ricky had been driving for awhile, and it had been relatively silent in the car until my mom spoke up, “Let’s do something fun! I’m bored.”

Despite her behavior straying further from her usual self, I played along and suggested we play Heads Up, an iPhone app game in which one person must guess something based on the clues the other players give them.

“Alright, Ricky you’ll guess since you can’t look over to see who it is anyway,” I announced and he merely shrugged. I chose “celebrities” when Ricky said he told me he didn’t know what category he had.

My mom was the first to give a clue, “Oh! I know her! She’s married to Ellen. I love Ellen. She’s so funny. Did you know she had these two little girls on once who both dressed Minnie Miraj? Is that her name? You know, I’m not very good with all these names. I-”

I interjected, desperate to stop her inexorable tangent, “Mom! The time’s up and the person you’re thinking of is Portia De Rossi. The person you were supposed to give clues on is Emmy Rossum, a completely different person. Also, it’s Nicki Minaj not Minnie Miraj, and we know, you’ve told us this story a hundred times.”

The game went on until my mom’s clues went from endearing to aggravating… It didn’t last long. When we arrived in Florida, Miami to be exact, the sun was shining brightly. It only took ten minutes of taking in the views and vibrant culture, for the rain to commence. We rushed to our hotel, fumbling with our suitcases in tow. By the time we reached the room, we were hungry, irritated, and thoroughly soaked. After eating the motel’s room service finest food, we all laid on our beds listening to the rhythmic roars of thunder. The only sounds to permeate from our room were the audio of the reality show blaring from the TV and my mom’s incessant apologizing.

“Kids, you’re probably wondering why I brought you out here,” she started once the thunder had died down.

“Was it because it was too sunny in New Jersey? Isn’t that why everyone comes to Florida during hurricane season?” My immediate reflex was to retort sarcastically out of frustration.

“Oye, don’t be such a smartass right now,” she paused for a moment and drew in a deep breath.

“I have breast cancer.”

I apologize in advance for being cliche, but I felt my world stop. I thought of every single sacrifice and every single hug. I immediately then thought the worst. If my mom dies, it’s just me and my brother. There’ll be no family left, just two kids sitting in a vacant house that is no longer a home. It’s selfish to think of how I would be impacted rather than to show concern for her current emotional state, but that’s what I did. I really wish that wasn’t my first thought.

“What the hell?” I exclaimed. “For how long? Have we just been sitting here on our asses wasting time? We should be at home getting this shit out of your body!”

“Language, mija,” she admonished before continuing, “I found out a month ago. I’ve been following up with my doctor and I’m having surgery in two weeks. Everything is finalized. Don't worry, ninos. I will be okay. I’ve been through worse and you’ve seen me bounce back time and time again. Now, let’s try and enjoy the time we have on this trip!”

My brother who had been deathly silent since her announcement finally spoke up, “What the fuck, mamí -”

“Language, mijo.”

“No, fuck language. I’m sorry, but this is cancer! Capital 'C' cancer. How do you expect us to just sit around and enjoy this trip?”

“What else can we do?” She gave us a sad smile and finally we understood why she took us on this trip. All my mom ever wanted was for us to be happy, and if we’re happy then maybe she could be happy too.

“You guys up for another round of Heads Up,” I proposed trying to ease the tension and hopefully fulfill my mom’s wishes. My brother responds with a hesitant nod, discretely trying to wipe tears from his eyes as he opens the app and chooses the category, “celebrities.”

Once again my mom interjects with the first clue, “Oh! I saw him in New York City when I was 21! It was in Central Park. My friends and I couldn’t believe our eyes. He’s a very handsome man.” Ricky looks at her incredulously. I burst out laughing, unable to contribute any helpful clues. This causes my mom to start laughing He pauses the game to admonish the both of us.

“C’mon guys. I need actual clues that I can work with, not some random story.” He tries to keep a stern expression on his face, but I can see the inklings of a smile.

“Well maybe if you listened to me when I tell my stories, you’d know that I saw George Clooney in New York on my 21st birthday.”

“Whatever. Giselle, you try dealing with her clues.” Ricky throws the phone at me, but I’m still laughing and I fail to catch it. Once I calm down, I restart the game and our laughter drowns out the thunder.

To this day, cancer continues to try and break my family, but a triangle is the strongest structure.

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