Liliana+Garcia

=Memories = =Stories =

“Can you tell me the story of how I was born again?” I asked my mother hopefully. She would give me a gentle smile and nod, a glimmer of amusement passing in her eyes. “Do you really want to hear that story again?” she asked, obviously amused. I nodded my head vigorously, hair flying wildly. I asked her to tell the same story every night just before I got to bed. I waited impatiently, eyes wide in anticipation. She would chuckle under her breath, and start. She always started with ‘Once upon a time’ like it was a fairy tale with Princes and Princesses, and Kings and Queens. We both knew that the ‘Once upon a time’ was only a starter. There were no knights in shining armor, and there was no beautiful princess to save from the top of the tower, being watched intently by the ‘deadly dragon’. The only problems in this story were bills, debts, and heartbreak. But, in the end, there is happiness, and peace.  She began, “Once upon a time, there was a young independent woman. This young woman was not the fairest princess in the land, living her princess-like life in her beautiful castle, nor was she the cruelest of witches burrowed deep in the earth, making her evil concoctions to try to rule the land. She was a normal girl, living in the suburbs. She helped her father with his shop. She supported herself, not needing much help from her family. She was an independent person, and that’s how she liked it.  “One day, while working in the shop, a young man had come in. He was a very handsome man, and was very nice to the woman. He came again and again, and the woman began to develop feelings for him. They became good friends, and were both taken with each other. After a few months, the man finally got up the courage to ask her out. She gladly complied.” At this point, she would get a little bitter, but continued with the story. “They were together for quite a while, before she suddenly announced that she was expecting a baby. He was shocked at first, but happy that she wanted to have a baby with him. They had a beautiful baby girl  “They quarreled endlessly over the names Penelope and Liliana. The woman won the battle, and Liliana became the baby’s name. She was named Liliana Mariel Liranzo Arias,” My mother would peck my cheek lovingly at this, and I would smile up at her. She met my eyes, her mouth pressed a thin line, as she continued,” But, after a while, they grew apart. They didn’t have the same love for each other they had at the beginning. They had love, of course, but it was fading more and more. One day, they finally decided to break apart and find people that would make them truly happy. The woman kept the baby and the man went to Florida to live closer to his family. They went on with life. Liliana grew up to be a beautiful and intelligent girl with her mother. And they weren’t sad. They were happy that they were together. The end,” with a dramatic flourish, she ended the best story of all time. I clapped my hands until they hurt, and giggled a little.  “Well… I have a story for you too!” I said hopefully. She laughed and told me to continue. I wiggled a little, and started.  “Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Liliana. She lived with her mom in a house in New York in America on Earth. Liliana loved her mom a lot, like this big,” I said, stretching my arms out as wide as I could,” and they lived happily ever after. The end.” With that, I gave her a sloppy curtsy, before settling myself in a sitting position tangled among the nest of blankets. I heard her laugh, before giving me a look of love. She hugged me, and I hugged her back. She laid me down onto the bed, and I realized how tired I really was. I felt my eyelids droop, and my smile was fading. I heard a faint ‘I love you’ from my mother, and sleepily said that I loved her too. That was the last thing I did before I fell into a peaceful sleep with dreams of a big house made of cookies and cherry lollipops.

=Big Eyes =  I remember when my aunt, whom I call ‘Titi Mildred, had became with her second child. It was a normal day for us, and we were so happy for her when she finally told about the pregnancy. Her only son that recently turned six years old was not going to be an only child anymore. She already had Matt, but I guess she wanted to have a baby girl as well. That’s exactly what she got. March 6th, 2008, Emma Grace Arias was born. She was a beautiful baby girl, but super tiny, with a round face and bubble cheeks. I fell in love with her at first glance. When my aunt finally came home, I nagged at her and my mom to let me hold her. When I finally did get to, I couldn’t help but get lost in her big, brown eyes. I was just mesmerized by how she lightened my mood with all but a look. I smiled cautiously and brought her close to my chest, just holding her for a moment. Soon enough, she started to whimper. I instantly missed the sweet heat she gave off when she was taken from my arms. I was sad that I had to let her go, but happy I got the opportunity to carry her.My aunt came over a lot since she was my mom’s closest sibling. I got to see Emma a lot too. Titi Mildred was like my second mother, Matthew was like my brother; and Emma, my sister. I was and am happy that I got the chance to grow up with her. I am happy that I get to see her smiling face every day now. She is like the light that shines on the darkest situations, and makes you happy just to see her. We have our moments, too but they’re always resolved. She is a sassy three-year-old girl, who I love very much and I always will.

=Florida Visits =

 When I was younger, my mother and father split up. It wasn’t that someone had dumped the other, but an agreement that they were not meant for each other. My father moved to Florida, where most of his family lived. I grew up with my mother, not really being the ‘daddy’s girl’ I saw other girls being. However, every chance he would get, my father would come to New York to visit me. During the summer after school is over, I would go to Florida to visit my father and his family. (I think they love me more, since I didn’t get to see them very often.) I always have fun there because they have pools and tons of beaches. Most fun is that I have many cousins my age in Florida, so it wasn’t like it is in New Jersey, where I am the oldest.  A few years ago, my father and a woman named Yesabel had a baby named Maya. Maya is my sister on my father’s side, who I don’t get to spend much time with. She was a very beautiful baby, born on July 18th. I was awed at how adorable she was, and how she had looked so different compared to me. She was born premature, so she had been extremely small. Where I had been almost 9 lbs. she had only been 5 lbs. I played with her all summer long, and was heartbroken that I had to leave when I did. When I got back to New York, I told my mom all about my baby sister, and bragged about her to all of my friends. I remember swelling with pride when I showed them the pictures my mom had printed out for me, and laughing along with them when they said they wanted her too. It seemed everyone wanted to see her and meet her in person. One year, I remember my father visited. He was coming up the stairs, hidden behind my aunt, while Maya was in the front of her. I hadn’t realized that it was Maya, and thought it was just a baby that looked like her. When my mom burst out laughing after I told her how I thought it wasn’t her I knew it had to be Maya. Everyone got to meet her and we all had fun. I love my sister, and I wish I could see her more, but I can’t. She lives with her family in Florida, and I live with mine here in New Jersey. I often think about how it would be if I lived in Florida with my father, Maya, Yesabel, Angelis, and Nixon (Maya’s two other siblings). It would probably be very different. Wondering is enough for me. New Jersey is enough. I am happy <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">YOUR STORY IS SO TOUCHING. I LIKED IT BETTER THAN ANY OTHER STORY IN OUR CLASS. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">*ABI*:)