Alone

Private

When I turned sixteen years old I was finally able to board Hannifin Private School. After my grandma dropped me off I then looked up at the big building, it was very tall and the pattern in the bricks were quite fancy. They had this odd shape to them that made me remind me of my mother. My mother passed away when I was six years old. I remember that day like it was yesterday.

    I was sitting on the bench outside my grandma’s cottage. It wasn’t very big, but since it was just mother and I living there it was perfect. I wanted to swing, swinging was my favorite thing to do with my mother. I don’t swing anymore. I can’t bare to go near one because it reminds me of my mother too much. I wanted her to push me on the swing, I knew how to do it myself but that day I didn’t feel like it. Each time when she pushed me I would make this Weeee sound. Each time I did that she giggled. Her laugh was so cheerful and happy, it always made me want to laugh as well. To this day I still miss seeing her dirty blonde hair with her hazel green eyes looking down at me.

     It was a beautiful day outside and perfect for swinging. I had asked my mother to push me that day and she told me that she didn’t feel like it due to the fact that she didn’t feel good. Since I was only six years old I didn’t think anything from it. I decided to ask my older brother, Xavier if he would. That day was his sixteenth birthday and he had friends and family over at my grandmas. I had called him from my mothers cell phone and he drove right over and left his party just to push me on the swing. Xavier loved me. I always looked up to him. I remember eating hot dogs that night and sleeping on the floor in my grandmas condo. It wasn’t very big but Xavier only had a few friends and our cousin, Alex over. The one thing that I will never forget is him telling me that mother would be back as soon as she could and that she was in the hospital. I was not sure why but he said that she was very ill. The next day I woke up to my favorite smell,  bacon, eggs and milk. That was my favorite meal. Mother would always make that for me and when I smelled it I knew that she was alright. I got out of my sleeping bag that I slept in the previous night and headed toward the kitchen, where grandma P and Xavier were at the kitchen table enjoying breakfast. “Where’s mommy?” I had asked that morning. “She is still in the hospital Onyx, she should be home shortly,” Xavier had told me.

    I went to the stove and grabbed some bacon, then I sat down with a nice glass of milk and served myself some eggs. Most people would think that since I was six years that I wouldn’t be able to do things on my own. Xavier had taught me how to do that. He had told me a long time ago that mother wasn’t well and that I had to learn how to do things on my own. I didn’t know how to cook back then, but I do now. I ate my food in silence thinking about how my mother was doing. The phone rang and startled me that I lost my thoughts. I couldn’t hear exactly what the doctor was saying to Xavier but I knew it wasn’t okay.

    “Onyx, get in the truck, we are going to see mother,” Xavier had told me. I grabbed my backpack with some toys and clothes in it and got in his red truck. I loved riding with my brother. When he drove I always fell asleep. His driving was so relaxing. Even though he just got his license a couple days ago, he was still a pretty good driver. “Is mommy okay?” I had asked. “She will be fine Onyx, don’t worry okay,” Xavier told me.

    When we got to the hospital Xavier helped me out of the truck. I grabbed my backpack and ran into the building. Xavier yelled after me telling me to stop. I stopped but when I did I was crying. “I miss mommy,” “Me too, but don’t go running in there. We will see her in just a minute okay kiddo.” When we got inside i hit the elevator button and we headed up onto the third floor. I ran into the fifth room with tears running down my face. “Mommy, why are you here? Are you sick?” I had asked. She sat up in her bed, she looked like she hadn’t had sleep in a very long time. “Yes baby, I am ill. I will be alright though, Will you do me a favor Onyx?” Mother had asked me. “Yes mommy, what do you want?” “Will you go down to the first floor and get me a ice cold water? Here is three dollars, get one for yourself and Xavier.” I had done what she asked me to do, I went down the the first floor and went to the soda machine.