Tangy Tomato #2
As a child, I liked to write in one of those “pre-made” diaries, the ones that gave you prompts like: “favorite animal,” “best friend,” “biggest fear,” “wishes” etc. For reasons I cannot remember, I had put that my biggest fear was my parents getting divorced. But somehow I knew that could never happen to me. My parents had the best marriage; they never fought, and though my father traveled a lot, I knew how much he loved my mom. Some of my favorite childhood memories are the days my dad came back from his business trips. My two younger sisters and I always sprinted to the front door and leapt up into his arms.
It was the summer before my freshman year of high school and I had just gotten back from summer camp. For once, both parents and both sisters were there to greet me when I arrived. For the two days after I returned, everything seemed perfect. I was meeting up with friends during the day and having family dinners at night. And I was getting ready to finally be a high school student! I remember even thinking to myself, “wow, my life is the best it has ever been. I’ve never been happier.”
It’s amazing how fast things can change. It was a sunny, hot and humid Sunday, one of those unmistakable summer days, where the moment you step outside you can feel the heaviness of the air and the humidity makes your hair stick to the back of your neck. I was getting ready to go meet friends for ice cream and a movie, when my mom called me downstairs.
She and my dad were sitting on the couch in the living room. I sat down on the other couch and my sisters were sitting on the floor near me. I had never seen my parents look so solemn. After what felt like painstaking minutes of silence, but was probably a mere moment, my mom spoke, “we have some bad news.” “OH MY GOD!” I blurted, thinking they were about to tell me one of my grandparents had passed away. “We’re getting divorced.” My mom said. All five of us cried together, and my little sisters looked to me for support and guidance. From that moment on, I knew my carefree childhood days were gone forever and my biggest fear from my childhood diary had come true.
It was the summer before my freshman year of high school and I had just gotten back from summer camp. For once, both parents and both sisters were there to greet me when I arrived. For the two days after I returned, everything seemed perfect. I was meeting up with friends during the day and having family dinners at night. And I was getting ready to finally be a high school student! I remember even thinking to myself, “wow, my life is the best it has ever been. I’ve never been happier.”
It’s amazing how fast things can change. It was a sunny, hot and humid Sunday, one of those unmistakable summer days, where the moment you step outside you can feel the heaviness of the air and the humidity makes your hair stick to the back of your neck. I was getting ready to go meet friends for ice cream and a movie, when my mom called me downstairs.
She and my dad were sitting on the couch in the living room. I sat down on the other couch and my sisters were sitting on the floor near me. I had never seen my parents look so solemn. After what felt like painstaking minutes of silence, but was probably a mere moment, my mom spoke, “we have some bad news.” “OH MY GOD!” I blurted, thinking they were about to tell me one of my grandparents had passed away. “We’re getting divorced.” My mom said. All five of us cried together, and my little sisters looked to me for support and guidance. From that moment on, I knew my carefree childhood days were gone forever and my biggest fear from my childhood diary had come true.
posted by Eliza at 9:45 PM
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