The World of Tomorrow

Chapter Five

The movie was a new superhero movie, and I actually liked it. All four of us were talking about it from the car ride home to the dinner table, where mom heated up leftovers from Thanksgiving.
"Master is my favorite hero. He's got a little dog sidekick! Anza says as she digs into the mashed sweet potatoes.
"I liked Miracle. Her staff is way cooler than having a dog for a sidekick. Besides, Miracle has more powers than Master." I counter her statement with a jab of my spoon for good measure.
That's when my dad came to settle the argument. "Jibe, don't throw your spoon at your sister."
"It didn't even leave my hand!" I gape.
"Anyway," my dad continues, "Minotaur is the best. Whatever you like about Blaster and Miracle, he tops it. I mean, I hate to break it to you, but he can see in five dimensions." My dad laughs, pumping his fists.
Mom comes into to join us, agreeing with my dad that Minotaur is definitely the best. Anza and I admit defeat and we all settle down for dinner, which is just leftovers from yesterday. There were a lot of leftovers, because my mom made such an excessive amount of food, we couldn't fit it all on the table! Some of it was served in the kitchen, the only place left to put the extra food. So, the day after Thanksgiving is pretty much just Thanksgiving over again, and I have no objection to that.
As we eat and joke, a thought comes into my mind. A terrifying thought. This is the last dinner I'll ever have with my family. I drop my fork onto the plate, tears welling up in my eyes. My family looks at me, concern lining their faces.
"Jibe?" My mother asks. "Are you okay, sweetie?"
I break, holding my head in my hands as sobs rake through my body.
My mom jumps out of her chair, and runs over to my holding me in her arms. She rocks back and forth, whispering that it'll be okay.
Anza doesn't really understand what's going on. "Is Jibe crying because he's sick?" She asks my dad.
He nods, and Anza speaks again. "But that's no reason to cry. You said Jibe is going to a hospital. He's going to get better and then come back here, right? Right?"
My dad slowly shakes his head. "That's not how this works, Anza."
She begins to cry as well. "Why not? Why can't Jibe come back?" Anza sobs into my dad's shoulder as he rubs her back.
I feel a single salty tear roll down my cheek and drop into my mashed potatoes. My mami hugs me tights, as if she can't ever let go. As if she and I are the only people in the universe, and all that really matters is that she needs to hug me. No more tears fall from my face, but I feel them building up in my eyes, blurring my vision. Eventually, Anza falls asleep and Dad carries her upstairs. Mom releases me and we walk up as well, my head hanging in sorrow.
Just before I walk into my bedroom, my mom stops walking. Turning to me, she says, "I will always love you, Jibe. Never forget that."
I hug her one more time, a hug that promised I loved her back, that I'd always be her little boy, no matter where I was. No matter what I saw. No matter what I smelled. I let go and walked into my room, quickly closing the door behind me, not wishing to look my mother in the eyes for fear that I'd break out in sobs again.
I walk slowly to my bed, wrapping myself in the sheets and quilt.