Keep calm and fly

Chapter one

When my mom was nine years old, she discovered her hidden talent. Saving lives. After the tragic death of her first pet, a cocker spaniel, my mom knew that the moment she could escape her parent's farm, she would become a doctor. The sorrowful event of burying her only friend six feet below the earth's surface, made her realize how harsh life could be. "I could have changed the turnout of things. If only I had the tools and the courage to," she said when I found a hidden picture of the beautiful creature, whose life was taken by a neighbor's shotgun. My mom made her dream a reality with every breath she took. Twenty years later she found herself at a breakfast table with a husband, a child and a meaningful job. The story of how my mom changed her life by believing that she could, was a story that I heard each time I brought home a B on my report cards.

My parents are the type of people that try their hardest to maintain a life full of envy to others. Disregarding the fact that they were already being worshipped by their families, neighbors, and complete strangers, they had to be the best. No matter what. Wistfully I wasn't born like them. I don't have the ambition of my mom, the intelligence of my dad, I'm like the martian of the family. My dad was always interested in the law, he wanted to be above the law, (which I found absurdly crazy). Landing a career as a judge, my dad was still aiming for the top of the ladder. My surgeon mother on the other hand, found it exceedingly important to lead me on the path of success since my birth. My early birthday presents consisted of word puzzles, a lot of textbooks and unneeded science journals. When my parents (mom), built their own hospital in the city, it was decided that I would be the CEO after they turned old. Basically, I already had a life, even when I was not even alive.

"I think this one looks better," my mom came back into the fitting room with the gown that I had already discarded the minute the store owner offered for me to try it on. The color gold was my least favorite color, the length of the gown was long enough to cover a queen sized bed, and the high shoes that I would have to wear were out of the question. My mom came closer, the gown in  her hands glowed under the lights in the fitting room. I stared at my mom's reflection in the mirror in front of me, her face beamed as she laid the gown on the single couch in the room. I turned to face her, not sure why she thought I would even consider to put on that dress. "I'm not going to a wedding, mom." She looked at me with her dark eyes, "this dinner is just as important as a wedding could ever be," I  shrugged at her words.

"It's dad's dinner, I don't see why I have to go," mom took hold of my shoulders, she turned me back to face myself in the mirror. She started to unbutton the lace dress that I had on.

"Your father needs us at that dinner, we both have to attend."

"Won't we just be a distraction, to dad's colleagues?" I pulled the dress off my body, mom handed me the gold dress, I reluctantly slipped it on.

"Honey, the only distraction will be our absences. Your father needs us to hold him up, because we---"

"Are the pillars of this triangle, I know mom."

I stared at how the dress stucked to my undeniable curves, my mom couldn't stop smiling. "You look incredible!" For a moment I almost believed my mom, then I remembered how she dragged me out of bed this morning. The hairstyle she enforced me to get at the hair salon, the date she insisted I allowed to accompany me to a dinner I did not mark on my calendar. And now, wearing a dress that she loved, but I detested. Once again she was getting her way, and I had no saying in the situation.

I shrugged at her comment, this habit of mine I know annoyed her. "It feels really tight, and the fabric itches, plus I think the other one would be better." I started to take off the gown, but mom replaced her hands back on my shoulders, I felt her gaze piercing through my skin, the silence in the room became louder. Mom's smile faded, "nonsense, this dress was designed for you to wear on this night. Besides it's getting late, we don't have time for games." That was that. The decision was made.