I sat in my mother's living room watching television when I hear the front door open and in walks my mother with reusable grocery bags so I got up and grabbed them from her.
"Hey Ma," I said kissing her on the cheek and walked into the kitchen. I set the grocery bags on the counter. I took a peek into the bags and saw what looked like the ingredients for papas rellenas.
"Ma your making papas rellenas" I asked turning around to my mother who was walking towards the groceries.
"Si Hijo, it's one of your favorites" she answered as she took the groceries out of the bags and placed them on the counter.
"Ma, I love you so much right now" I hugged her from behind. She is right papas rellenas was my favorite, I loved all of my mom's food she is like the best cook.
"No, Ma you don't have to," She asked. I helped by putting the things that needed to go in the refrigerator in there, while my mom took out the things that she needed to put the dish together.
"For papas rellenas you will never get an argument out of me" I watched as my mom began to cook and thought of how she always looked out for me and made sure that I was okay. She raised me on her own and I never wanted for anything. I would do anything for her she was the mother and the father made sure I went to every practice and never missed any of my games. She made sure she was making me my favorite dish that would take her a few hours to prepare and cook. Watching her made me remember being little and her coming home from work to cook me dinner. I can count on one hand how many times she let me eat dinner out and those times that it did happen it meant that she worked a double and didn't cook before going to work otherwise if she knew she was going to be doing a double she would cook before she went to work. When I got my contract with the NFL and got my first check I wanted her to stop working and just live her life for her she has lived most of her life making sure everyone else is okay, and now that she doesn't have me living with her or worrying about how her bills are going to get paid while running me around to practice and games I want her to travel even go back to Puerto Rico for maybe a month. I asked her if she wants to buy a house down there but she does not plan on ever moving back to Puerto Rico. She works hard but I do thank God that she doesn't work as hard since her house is paid off and that is one less bill she has to worry about and she doesn't work doubles as much just now and then.
"Oh for papas rellenas you won't argue" She laughed mimicking me. She continued prepping the food and I kissed her on her cheek and went into the living room to finish watching what I was watching.
I picked up my phone and saw that I had a few texts that needed to be answered. One was from one of my teammates who I had to tell I wasn't in town. Two were from the girl whose name I could not remember while I was home and I left those unanswered. I was not entertaining anything with her I couldn't even remember her name. I put my phone back on the table and tried to get into what I was watching on television.
..............................…
I must have dozed off because I woke up to the doorbell ringing. I got up and opened the front door and there stood someone that I never expected to see. Chanae stood on the other side of my mother's door. I didn't know what to say to her so she spoke first.
"Hi Anthony"
"What's up? What are you doing here" I asked her. I stood holding the door open.
"Can we go somewhere and talk?"
"Hijo who's at the door" I heard my mom yell from the kitchen.
"It's for me" I yelled back. I turned back to Chanae and asked "You want to go somewhere now and talk?"
"If you can I think it's time I talk to you about us five years ago" she replied.
"Ok I will meet you outside in a few minutes" I answered. I don't know how I feel about doing this but I feel like I wanted to see her deep down especially after knowing she has a kid and wanting to know how her life was going now. I walked into the kitchen where my mom was at the stove cooking. It looked like she also decided to make chicken and rice. I walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek.
"I will be right back Ma"
"Okay. Don't take too long I want you to eat while it's hot." She said
"I shouldn't be too long," I said before walking out of the kitchen and out of the house. When I walked out the door Chanae was standing at the end of the step waiting for me.
"So where do you want to go," I asked her
"Do you remember the park by our old high school" of course I remembered the park we spent a lot of time there when I was going to school with her.
"Sure, I will meet you there" I replied and we both went our separate ways to get in our designated cars. While in Connecticut I decided to rent a car with tints. My mother offered her car but I wanted to move when and how I wanted without having to wait or be timed. The park was two towns over so it took twenty minutes to get there and I made it before Chanae so I got out and took a seat at the picnic table. Part of me was excited to see her and talk but I wondered where it came from to make her look my mom up and come talk to me.