My mom always promised she'd be there. She would stand there next to me, and take care of me when I fell. It took many years of my life to understand that when I fall, I fly.
***
The day was just like any other. It was the summer before I was going to begin fifth grade, my first year of middle school. I wasn't very worried. I knew it was going to be a change, but not devastating.
I walked down into the living room to see my mom watching my brother play a game called, 'Grand Theft Auto 4' and crocheting. I went over and sat on our old, used, beat-up couch. It smelled old and like tainted leather. The house we lived in was really pretty. It wasn't too big, or too small. It was just right for a normal family of five.
"What the heck?!" My brother's voice was painted with anger. "Did you see that? He just freaking killed me!" My mom sat working on a blanket that she wanted to finish, and looked up slightly.
"Landon, calm down." Her voice was subtle and she continued on her piece.
I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bite to eat, coming back to my mom holding the controller and Landon teaching her what to press. "This is making me nervous," Then again, everything made her nervous. I can still hear her telling my brother she doesn't want to play anymore.
"No, no keep going." The persistence in his voice encouraged her to give the car some more gas. She slammed into the side of a building and started laughing. She was irritated her speed was slowed by a building, but she thought it was fun.
***
Over the course of a week, I saw her only playing with my brother around. As soon as she got the hang of it, she would play it when he wasn't there.
Landon finally introduced her to online mode. He was playing online in free mode and handed the remote to a woman who hardly left the house on her own. "No, no, I don't want to play with other people."
I had left and come back to my mom shooting RPGs at random people she had never met. I was really proud of her for taking a step like that.
***
The weeks continued on, and my mom played on my brother's account online. A day came that my brother asked, "Can you make your own account?"
My mom didn't like that. She was really nervous about it. She was getting pretty good at the game. Her driving skills improved, she'd fly, and her playing raised my brother's rank. "No, I don't want to mess with that. I don't know these people."
"You're already playing with them," The explanation cleared any thoughts my mom had. "You'll just be playing on your own account."
It took some convincing, but she finally agreed. She didn't know that that would be the last of her previous life.
