modern family | vanessa delgado

Earthquake

I'm sitting next to Manny at the counter table as he's putting three spoonfuls of sugar into his espresso like usual. Jay and I watch him, always being stunned that he puts so much sugar into his espresso. I just put a dash of cinnamon into mine and take a sip.

"You know, it might be easier just to pour the espresso right in the sugar." Jay jokes as always.

Manny sarcastically chuckles and then abruptly stops, shaking his head, muttering. "Every morning."

"Jay, what are you wearing? You can't go to church like that." Mom tells Jay, entering the kitchen.

"Well, that settles it, then. I'm going golfing." He excuses.

"You're gonna miss church again? Last Sunday, you said that you had to go to the office. The week before, you had breakfast with a friend." Mom vents.

"And before that, you thought you had a cold that turned out not to be a cold." Manny adds.

"Because I babied it." Jay quips.

"God can read our thoughts and know our hearts, you know." I tell Jay just to screw with him, but it is true. I do believe in God, but I'm not the type to shove my beliefs down someone's throats and it's not like I go to church all the time or even want to go. I just attend the church service because of my mother.

"You don't have to convince us. You have to convince Him." Mom points up to reference God.

"Who, God? Me and God are good!" He insists.

"How would you know?" She asks with a hand on her hip.

"Look, you feel God in church, which is great. I feel God out in nature, amongst His works."

"Are you gonna go to church next week?" 

"We'll see." He replies his typical answer.

"I know what 'we'll see' means. If you're done with church, just say it." Mom is getting frustrated. I know her well enough that she doesn't mean that.

"I'm done with church." Jay says.

"Don't say that!" She yells angrily, stomping her foot. Her eyes look around in paranoia like God is really listening to us.

 "Look, I'm not going to church anymore. It's not the end of the world. Let's not make a big deal out-" Jay gets interrupted when there's suddenly an earthquake.

I try not to freak out too badly.

"Earthquake!" Manny yells, being scared.

"Iterremoto! Vamos, vamos, Manny y Vanessa! Vamos, Jay!" Mom quickly orders us so we can hide for safety.

After the earthquake is over, we check around the house and fix anything that broke or has been ruined. I help Manny sweep some glass from a vase that fell over the counter while Mom is calling the family if they're okay. When we know that the family is okay, that makes me feel a lot better.

•          •          •

"You're still going golfing?! God sent you a sign, Jay!" Mom says as we're outside at the garage. Jay is getting his stuff ready to go golf.

"What, the earthquake? You got to be kidding me." Jay replies in disbelief.

"You say that you're never going to church again, and the ground shakes with a vengeance." 

That does make sense, but it also kinda makes Mom sound a little crazy.

"I'll prove it to you," Then Jay starts mocking and speaks to God. "God, if you have a problem with me golfing send me a sign! I mean, throw in a little lightning! Put on a show!" Mom is shushing him being afraid for another incident like an earthquake.