When Night Falls

Recitals and things

"Come on man!" I yell in my car like the girl in front of me can hear anything that I'm saying. "Did you really not see me?" How people get their licence, I will never know. I indicate right, speed out into the next lane and take off down the highway, glancing to my left as I pass this poor excuse of a driver. To say I'm a little aggressive, is an understatement. I may have been told a time or two to get "Anger Management" classes or just therapy in general because apparently your girl needs it. Insert sarcasm. I shake my head at the negativity coursing through my body as I check the clock beaming in front of my eyes. If I go over the speed limit just a little, I might be able to make it in time or else Sienna is going to kill me.

If I wasn't trying to race to my niece's dance recital right now in the middle of winter and in the middle of peak hour traffic, I'd be just the happiest girl in the world. Not! Who puts a show on at 5:30pm in the freaking afternoon? Do these people know that not all "parents" have the luxury of staying home, some of us, "pointing to myself" have to work. Ugh.

Every time I was stopped at a red light, I internally yelled. Because at this moment, in this car, that's all I can do. The thing about being a Personal Assistant to a major Commercial Kitchenware company CEO, meant a lot of paper work. Paper work that I can't just push aside and save for the next day. In saying that though, my boss was a really good family friend, my Father's best friend from College and me getting this job was a blessing in disguise. He was basically an uncle to me and has saved me on more accounts than I could count for. I love my job though. Everything that we sell, is installed in our "Practice Room" so that buyers can come in and test it, get a demo of the works and buy it for their own companies/restaurants. Which means, a chef comes in and makes food daily. And if you know Pacific Islanders, you know we love food!

I rounded the corner of the school and looked at the time again. I knew it would be starting any minute now and Sienna is probably freaking out in the back somewhere. My poor girl has been practicing non stop for the past month, I've watched her work so hard and earn her spot in the front row of her group. I just wished her parents were here to see it. As quickly as the thought came, it vanished. Thinking about them was just going to bring my already solemn attitude lower than it already was and Sienna didn't need that from me.

I park my car and sprint towards the door, smiling at her teacher standing there ushering people inside. I practically threw my ticket at her with a sorry as I race back stage. Sienna's group was first which meant she'd be standing on the side waiting to head on. I slip through the side stage doors and see her on the other side of the stage. Luckily behind the stage there's a walk way and Sienna sees me running over to see her. She just shook her head at me as I attempted to breath and catch whatever breathe I had left. Damn I need to run more, that was a killer.

"Oh my gosh! You made it" Sienna pouts at me. I don't like this look.

"I'm sorry okay, traffic was a nightmare out there" I look at her in her pretty dress. For a 12 year old, she was tall. It was all her Dad because her Mum, my sister, is shorter than I am and I'm not even that tall.

"At least you got here before I went on stage" she sympathized with me. "Wish me luck" she kissed my cheek,

"Good luck" I said still trying to catch my breath. It was getting really stuffy back there with all the lights and the amount of people who were also backstage getting themselves ready. I watched her set the pace for the other dancers as the song began. She was a natural, so poise and yet so gentle and soft. Absolutely beautiful. Tears were forming in my eyes because after all this time, the struggle and the heartache, this was a moment I know her parents and mine, would've killed to see and be a part of. Why did it have to be them? It wasn't fair.

Thinking about the accident made my heart hurt. It took one drunk driver and a truck to steal 4 of the most important people in my life. A day I will never forget.