First & Last Time

A Story by Aurora .I.

Something I wrote in class for an assignment. I was a huge brat when I was younger but I guess all little kids are like that in some sense. This is what inspired my poem "I Remember It Well"

“Aurora,” my mother said, gently shaking my body to wake me up. “Get up honey.” I open one eye and slowly get up from my pillow, my body still nodding off with sleep. I shake my head in an effort to wake up. I look at mama, my 6 year old face held confusion. Why was mama getting me up? Was Ri up too? Was it time for school? Mama never got us up before it was time for school.
“Someone is on the phone for you, Aurora. Get down and meet me in the kitchen.” She hurried out of the room. Something wasn’t right. Mama always waited for me to get down. Always. I shake my head and rub my eyes, knowing I’m probably going to be up for a while. Who was on the phone for me? People are on the phone for mama, not me or Ri. Something is up.

I climb down carefully from my backpack, looking in between the cracks of the ladder to see if Ri was awake, he wasn’t. Not a family meeting, me and Ri were both present for those. I try to work my way across our small room without crashing into one of the boxes, I did pretty well if I do say so myself. But it’s not really a big deal when you are so used to having to maneuver your way around them like I was. Our stuff seemed to always be in boxes. I quickly pondered on the thought of where we would be moving next as I made my way to the kitchen. I heard mama speaking in a whisper.

“Richard I don’t have time for this crap.” Mama obviously didn’t know I was listening, she said a bad word. She never says bad words when me and Ri are around. Nor was she ever mad and she obviously was. Hmm…Richard…I’d heard that name somewhere.
“If you are just going to shut them out again then just hang up.” Who was ‘them’? And why was the Richard guy making mama so angry! I don’t like this Richard guy.

“Mama?” I enter the room, blinking a little as my eyes adjust to the bright light of the kitchen.
“Here she is Richard, I meant what I said.” She handed the phone over to me. I stared at it, confused. Mama gestured the way for me to hold it. I did.
“Hello?”
“Hello Aurora.” This Richard guy talked funny. He didn’t say my name right either!
“That’s not my name. My name is not ‘Aurora’,” I said plainly.
“Oh, no? Then what is it?”
“Aurora Ione Limb.” I said, rolling the R’s in my name like mama does.
“Oh what a pretty name. Do you know my name?”
“Yes. Richard. Richard the meanie!” I said angrily.
“Why am I a meanie?” he asked, laughing. I didn’t see what was funny about what I said, I was being truthful.
“Because you make my mama angry. Don’t laugh. I’m being serious.” I informed him. Making my mama angry is no laughing matter, in my opinion.
“You’re quite smart. What grade are you in?” You could tell he wanted to laugh, I frowned at that.
“Kindergarten. But mama says I’m supposed to be in 1st.”
“I bet you are. So tell me Aurora Ione Limb, do you know who I am?”
“I told you. You’re Richard the meanie.” I looked at mama frowning, telling her without words that I didn’t want to speak with him anymore. She gestured to give her the phone, I did.
“Richard say what you have to say. The baby has school tomorrow.” She said angrily, mama didn’t like him at all it seemed. She gave me back the phone.
“Okay Daughter, I know it’s you’re birthday soon.” The Richard meanie said. I was confused. I was mama’s daughter, nobody else’s. I opened my mouth to tell him but mama tugged my arm and shook her head. I nodded.
“In January. The 22nd.”
“What do you want for your birthday? Anything at all, I promise to give it to you.”
I thought for a little bit, humming a bit in though. Mama told me my cousin was getting married soon. I’m going to need a dress for that, right? I don’t like dresses. I hate them. Mama says I shouldn’t use that word but that’s exactly how I feel about dresses. But I need one.
“A blue velvet dress.” I replied.
“That’s it?”
“No but that’s all I want from Richard the meanie. Good night Richard the meanie.” I handed the phone back to my mama. She kissed me goodnight and I slept.
A few weeks past, I eagerly await my 6th birthday, waiting for my mama to make me cake and chicken. On the day of my 6th there was ten gifts or so on the table of our new apartment. I go for the biggest present, as I’m sure all little kids do. But mama pulled my hand away and said that was for last. I opened all my presents. I got a hello kitty pillow, a squirt gun for summer and some new clothes. Mama hands me the biggest present and I unwrap it eagerly, not looking at who it’s from. Because I knew. He promised and I hadn’t unwrapped the blue velvet dress. And there it was, it was plain and simple but I liked it that way. I smiled brightly.
“Mama, can I call the Richard meanie?” I said, happy.
She shook her head. I raised an eyebrow. Mama was sad. Mama had tears in her eyes. My smile faded. Why was mama crying?
“Mama, what’s wrong?” I said looking up at her, worried.
“I’m sorry Aurora, my beautiful baby girl.” She sniffled. I was so confused, what was she apologizing for?

She smiled, laughed, rubbed away the tears and hugged me. The next day she explained who Richard was, there was more tears shed. There was few more shed over the same topic over the years. But never from me. Always from her, my mother, the person whose given me everything.. And for that I will never forgive Richard. In my opinion, he doesn’t deserve our tears because he doesn’t know what he’s missing out on. No idea what a perfect, beautiful piece of heaven he abandoned.