"If somebody told me they have the ability to control water, I would have laughed at them. I wouldn't have believed it. It was utterly impossible, to be able to control water. It was impossible and outright hilarious. Only somebody mad enough would...
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I was 9. Mom acted like whatever happened on the field trip didn't happen. She didn't ask me anything; didn't even talk to me. But I could tell she was mad at me. She wouldn't look me in the eye. She acted like I wasn't there. It was a version of her giving me a cold shoulder, only this time it's twice as worse.
She doesn't acknowledge me. She doesn't make me breakfast anymore. I caught dad giving me apologetic looks when she isn't looking. When mom's away, that's when he'll cook breakfast for me. Dad was also the one who gave me my allowance for school because I can't go to mom anymore.
I tried to apologize so many times but it was always like talking to a brick wall. Sometimes when I get too emotional, I don't even know if she hears me or anything. It lasted for more than a month. And she dropped the act when something happened in one particular day. Of course, it was another horrible thing. My life was just a series of horrible things happening to me when I was little.
We were out. Dad had this ingenious idea of bonding together outside so mom could 'soften' up and just forgive me. He decided it was a good idea for a camping trip down in the countryside forest. He told stories that when he was little, he and mom would go into the forest just to escape from all the city pollution and noise. It was one perfect day to spend with someone you love. This time, I'm coming with them.
The ride took almost five hours. We arrived at the forest in an old van dad rented. Once there, he started setting up the tent that we would sleep in later at night. There was a river nearby, which was probably for convenience purposes. The first thing my mom did was bring out the grill we packed in the back and set it up. Minutes later, she was heating up the grill and getting ready to cook meat and fish we bought in the market.
I walked to my dad, "Dad? Anything I can help with?"
He stopped what he was doing and scratched his head. "You can go and fetch me some wood for the fire later."
"Oki doki!" I said gleefully and trotted my way into the forest. I grabbed as much wood I can get. I was also careful in picking out the dry ones so it wouldn't be too hard to light on fire. I came back minutes later with my arms full of wood.
"Great job, baby girl," my dad cooed. I rolled my eyes. Being called baby girl at 9-years-old was pretty embarrassing for 9-year-old me.
My mom looked at me once. I took that as a good sign.
When the sun set, we all watched it together. Mom was finishing up with our dinner and dad had already lit the firewood. Everyone stopped what they were doing when the sky turned into a blazing orange and then pink and then darker, darker until the sun had completely set and the moon had taken its place.
The night sky was so beautiful when we're somewhere away from the city. It was breathtaking.
We had a good meal, considering we cooked it outside of civilization. But mom did use a grill. Dad was the only one comfortable to talk and so he talked and talked, telling stories about his childhood, about his parents, about him and mom. Sometimes I laugh so hard, I fall off my makeshift wooden seat. Sometimes I cringe and scowl when it gets too much or too awkward.
