Before The End Of Dawn

11 | 06

We arrived in Lyman, New Hampshire around 4:30 yesterday.  Mom and Dad called around 7:15, saying that they had arrived at the new house.  

"Papi," I asked, "can I go over to see our new house?"

Papi smiled, but replied, "It won't be until tomorrow that you'll be settling in yourself, Champ.  Tonight, your Papa and Momma are going to move everything in, and they really don't want you int he way during the process."

"Alright," I replied.

---

I couldn't tell you how I slept that night.  The surroundings were silent compared to the busy, bustling BIg Apple.  No horns blared, no loud laughter or chatter erupted from neighboring streets.  All was quiet in the little town.  Few cars went by during the night, and many were locked up in their houses getting a good night's sleep themselves.  

I slept so soundly, I could barely hear Mimi come in the next morning to wake me.  She had to plant a soft kiss on my cheek to wake me.  I looked up at her with sleepy eyes.  "Hi Mimi," I yawned.

"Morning Austen," she replied in a soft whisper.  "Would you like to come into the dining room for some breakfast, and then go over to your new house?"

My eyes grew steadily wider.  I got myself into a sit-up position, and rapidly nodded my head at Mimi.  

"Well," she said, "Get yourself dressed and then come get something to eat."  She smiled at me.

I smiled back.

---

The drive over was relatively short.  I saw the beater Volkswagen parked in front of a small navy house, with a large yard.  The grass a thick, vibrant green.

My mouth literally fell open.  

"Well, here we are Austen," Papi said.

I undid the seat belt, and pulled on the door latch.  I dragged along my backpack, closed the car door, and slowly crept towards the front door my new home.  I heard Papi and Mimi get out of the car, their car doors slamming shut.

My knuckles grazed the surface of the large white door to the entrance of the house.  Then, after five quick raps, it opened before me.  Papa was standing inside of the doorway, a smile on his face, upon seeing me.  "Bienvenidos tu casa, Austen," Papa greeted.  

"What?" I asked for clarification, not understanding the different language.  

Papi chuckled behind me.  "It means, Champ, welcome home."

"Oh!"  I ran inisde.  A large living room greeted me upon entering.  To my left, there were two openings.  One lead to a kitchen, another led to a staircase that went straight upstairs.  I climbed the stairs and was greeted with four other openings.  One was a bathroom, and the three others were bedrooms.  

I squealed with delight upon reaching the last room on the left.  I saw my race car bed, NASCAR posters, and checkered flag hanging behind my bed in my new room.  Mom raced up the stairs upon hearing my squeal.  Her wide eyes caught on me and softened.  "What do you think of your new room, Austen?"

I threw my backpack down on the hallway floor and ran towards her.  I wrapped her waist in my arms and cried, "I love it!"

I felt my mother's hand on top of my head.  "How about you put your backpack on top of your bed, and come down.  I want you to meet our new neighbors."

I did as mom asked, and rushed down from the steps, two at a time, like I used to do at the old house.  Mom took me by the hand and lead me over to the house across the street.  I met an Earl Trite, his wife, Emily, and son that was a year younger than me, Derek.  We next went over to the house to our right and met an older couple.  The wife's name was Samantha West, and her husband, Alik.  Then we met the family of five that lived to our left.  The husband and wife were Sebastian and Erica Mate.  They had two sons - Josue and Jorge - and a girl named Ximena.  

I got along with Josue and Jorge pretty well, and Ximena also shared a few of my interests.  

At that exact moment, I felt right at home in the new neighborhood.  The families were friendly, and I felt like I had made some new friends.  When we had turned around a little later to go back to the house, I wrapped my arms around my mother's waist and didn't let go.  

"Are you alright, Austen?" she asked upon seeing my face streaked with tears.  

"I'm just fine!" I replied.  "I'm must so happy we chose this place as our new home!"

---

The end of dawn came the following day.  Then, when the sun shone, in a new dawn, I was a different boy, in a different house, in a different neighborhood, in a different state.  Right then, right there, I knew my life was evening out.  I knew I was going to enjoy living in a new area.  Everything was going to be, in my eyes, perfect!

---

I was right, after looking back, upon myself forty years later.  Everything evened out, just like Papi said.  I've been grateful for his words of wisdom ever since, and have passed the same lessons on to my children.  

"Always look for the good ending when in a bad situation," Ximena would tell the children when they were first born.

"Even with ups and downs, the road will eventually even out," I would say to the three before they left the house to start their own lives.  "And before the end of each dawn, and at the start of a new, you will realize that," I would add.