5 years later
"Mommyyyyy wake up!" Yorley shouted energetically, opening the curtains on the windows before running to my bed to shake me awake.
"I'm up, I'm up..." I mumbled, trying to adjust my eyes after the bitch slap the sun rays gave my tired eyes.
"Good morning, Mommy." Said my bouncing boy, who always manages to wake me up before my alarm clock on weekends, with a smile on my face.
"Good morning, Yoyo." I said through my yawns and Garfield-like stretching.
"Did you sleep well?" Yoyo asked, sitting down across from me.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" I said, leaning against the headboard and opening my arms for our morning hug.
"Well ..." He began and sat back down after the hug. "Because of your nightmares." He said, fiddling with his fingers.
I looked at my very articulate and kind 4-year-old boy for a while. Yorley was about 3 ft 7 in tall and almost reached my waist. He was slim, had light brown skin, curly 4A hair, a dimple on one side and long eyelashes that framed his amber eyes.
"I'm fine, honey, don't worry." I said, ruffling his mane-like hair.
"Promise?" He asked with a mixture of concern and curiosity on his expressive face.
"Yes. Besides, Manie's here to look after me, remember?" I said, reaching for the stuffed lion on the nightstand that he insisted on giving me to protect me from my nightmares.
"Okay, I love you, Mommy." He said with a wide, beaming smile that reminded me of the joys of early mornings with Yorley.
He came in for another hug, where I took the opportunity to hug him a little tighter for a few seconds and tell him how much I loved him.
"Mommy, what time is it?" He asked after we broke away from the hug.
"7:30, why?" I said after looking from the wall clock to him.
"Today is mama Gi's birthday." He said excitedly.
"Oh yes!" I gasped. "Then we need to get ready." I said and jumped out of bed to start our morning routine and make our way to the birthday cookout.
📍The Cookout
It was a sweltering summer morning, but I could tell by the line of cars on this leafy suburban street that the weather wasn't stopping the Nowa clan from showing out.
I climbed out of the heetch with Yoyo and the birthday cake I'd spent most of last night baking.
With the cake in one hand and Yoyo in the other, we walked the short distance from the sidewalk to the white vinyl fence gate of the beige exterior house.
As we stepped into the backyard, I could see some familiar faces moving back and forth in the kitchen through the white sliding patio doors, reminding me of my youth.
After my late twin sister and I lost our parents in a tragic car accident when we were six years old, mama Gi stepped in and raised us in this very house.
Growing up in my grandma's house was indeed a very special experience, because this place always offered me security, freedom and physical and emotional well-being.
"Mommy, can we go inside? It's hot." Yoyo asked, snapping me out of my inner thoughts.
"Sure, honey, let's go." I said, walked to the entrance and sliding the door open.
Since I had my hands full, I decided to put the cake down first and then close the door.
"Azyria, sweetie... you need to stop letting my air out! My bills stay high cause of y'all." Mama Gi's melodic voice rang out as soon as we set foot in the lively kitchen bursting with aromas.
YOU ARE READING
Azyria
General Fiction"I can't do this anymore... I just can't." I whispered to myself. "Can you please tell me what happened?" I heard him say before completely zoning out. My heart was racing, my palms were sweating, my ears were ringing and my eyes were burning and mi...
