“The letter you left behind”

He was spitting out words as if he meant them, repeating them to me knowing he may not like them later. I stood there questioning my dignity and wondering if what I was going to say would hurt me in the long run. 

“See you don’t know because your too young to understand. I know your mother better than you I’m sorry but there are things you don’t know.” 

My tongue rolled around in my mouth choosing what to say back to him. My hand in a tight grip in my pocket was the letter from her.

“Look it was her that left the hotel, she didn’t stay with your father. I know she’s your mother and I don’t want you to think poorly of her…” he said in a straight voice “but I think you should start.” 

I couldn’t defend because I was in shock. I ran outside of the hotel. I ran until my tears fell sideways on my face, and I was able to run until my uncle couldn’t catch up anymore. I looked around and I saw Paris to my right and New York on my far left. The bright lights of the lost city of Vegas caused my eyes to breathe and almost laugh. 

“Hunny are you okay?” A faint voice said to me 

I wiped my eyelids and looked to my side, this lady with feathers coming out her back and head with a sparkly onesie smiled at me. She was one of those people you take pictures with once you come out of the casino. 

“Uhh...yea, yes thank you.” I said thinking I returned a smile 

I stood there watching as she walked away into a soon to be faint memory of her. People crossed my path on the sidewalk. Looking back I should’ve have moved to a corner in the dark, but when I cried I wanted people to see so they knew I was hurting. I stood there like a forgotten soul while the numerous tourist walked passed me giving me strange and concerned looks. But none of them stopped. My heart was beginning to burn and the tears coming down my face felt like the sore your get after you get burned. I Stared at one location to avoid the men on their cellphones giving me weird looks and the girls who laughed while they passed me by. It was a diner that looked welcoming, and I began to walk towards the building. As if a moth to a light. I walked in to a low light of red colored booths and the sound of the door bell that hung. Ignoring the possibility in my head that the people were watching me, I walked quickly to the bathroom. I locked the door behind me and I placed my hand onto

the sink. My body reacted to this as if I hadn’t dealt with these kind of situations before. I looked up onto the mirror. 

“No wonder why no one came up to me.” I said 

I turned my head sideways and I noticed my flared up skin and mascara stains underneath my eyes. I looked at myself for awhile thinking that if I needed to cry more I’d rather be here inside. I stared and stared but I was done crying and I was just looking at what was left of me. I whipped away my unfortunate makeup and walked outside the bathroom. Looking around I saw that one of the servers was wearing a cabbage hat on top of their head. I stood and watch as if him cleaning the table was more interesting than any plot twist in a telenovela I had ever seen. 

“Yes, do you need something?” The server asked, not shocked that I was looking straight on top of his head.

“Yea….” I said pulling my eyes away from the sight of his hat. “A table and some food would be good.” 

“Okay, well you need to order what you want first.” He laughed 

“No, I’m not in the mood to order. Can you please just whip out whatever is the most popular item here?” I replied 

“Sure.” He said taking the broom and rag back to the kitchen. 

I sat down onto the booth he was cleaning and I noticed I had only $20. I stayed still hoping he wouldn’t bring anything over $10

“Here you go.” He said putting down a plate of chicken and waffles. 

“This is the most popular item?” I questioned 

“Hey!” He said defending his belief “this put us on the map.” He said with laugher behind his agresstion 

“Maybe it’s good, I’ve just never tried this before.” I justified 

“Really?” He said confused he looked around the diner. 

Besides us there was just some couple on the end of the other side and the two servers behind the counter. 

He leans closer to me and covers his mouth as if he were telling me a secret. 

“that’s not the most popular item our burger is I just wanted to see someone just eat the food that I can’t have.” He said fake crying and laughing at the same time. 

“Why?” 

“Because they don’t allow me to eat anything here, it’s just a workers “benefit” skip out on breakfast, make your pants fit less!” He says in a cheerful voice 

“Well that sucks.” I looked down on my food and began to eat it. 

He turns around and begins to walk away until I said “Psss! You want a piece?” 

He walks over to the booth and sits down 

“When their not looking but for now I’ll just amuse myself and talk to you.” 

“I’m glad you find me enjoying.” I said with a smile ignoring his Sarcasm

He looks at my jacket and noticies my mother letter sticking out. I had forgot I moved the placement of it in the bathroom. However he didn’t have half of the decency to not ask like I did with his hat. 

“What’s that?” He points to it 

“Um...it’s a letter from my mom.” I replied while continuing to eat the chicken 

“Is she away?” He asked 

“Kinda but not from me.” I said 

“Then who?” He asked 

I thought about telling him about this whole situation but I didn’t want him to feel like I was weak. Plus, I really wasn’t sure if I would make it the whole story without crying. 

“My uncle.” I started. I convinced myself it’s always better talking to a stranger about these scenarios they can’t judge you because they don’t know your recent character and there’s a slight possibility that I will never see him again. 

He looked at me more confused than before. 

“Let’s just say that for as long as I can remember I’ve been belittled and yet treated as an acquaintance to my parents all my life.” 

“Ohh, juicy.” He placed his hand underneath his chin. And the other to motion me to continue. 

“Really what I meant is that….my parents had issues like everyone else except every time that had an argument, the would never admit to this, but they would always try to convince me to side with the other. I had always been their “friend” more than a daughter.” 

“Damn that sucks, how does this add up to your uncle?” 

I smiled “I’m getting there. Eventually I got sick of them always trying to pick a side and when I didn’t agree with them they accused me of not knowing anything. So I told them I didn’t want to hear them talk about one  another like that anymore. But that didn’t stop them from talking to other people about it.” 

He showed his engagement by drinking a chocolate milkshake he brought out for himself. I continued on over the sound of the bottom of a cup hitting the straw. 

“My father is very good at telling you about any scenario, he will almost always make you believe everything he says. My uncle was no exception. One day we all took a vacation and long story short my mother’s brother choose to side with my father and leave my mom to defend for herself.” 

“Wait? So your mom did something wrong? What did she do.” He asked 

“I honestly don’t know. I don’t believe my mom did anything wrong or my dad I just think they over exaggerate on stupid things like this.” 

“Okay so how does this lead up to the letter.” 

“The letter is written by mom and I was suppose to give it to my uncle.”

“Do you know what it says?” 

“Yea a little bit.” I said taking it out. I skimmed through it to refresh my memory. “Um…” my eyes started to tear up. “Because of their huge argument and stubbornness, my grandma helped my mother out and this caused my uncle to have resentment towards her too.” 

“Who your mom?” 

“Yes, but also his mother. My grandma.” 

“Dang this is bad.” He said 

“Yea.” I said with a small smirk trying to distract my teary eyes. 

“Why are you sad?” 

“Because I tried to have a good day with my uncle before I told him about the letter and once I even mentioned my moms name he got so mad that I had to leave the hotel.” 

“That bad?” He asked 

“Yes.” 

“Okay well just go give him the letter and be like ‘see ya sucker’” he said holding up his hand making a peace sign 

I laughed. “I wish but it’s too sensitive for that.” 

“Why?” 

“Because neither my mom and uncle have seen each other in over 3 years…..and in that time my grandma passed away.” I said in shock of my own words 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He said 

“Yea..” I said taking out the $20 

“It’s only $11.50” he said while I got up from the booth. 

“Yea I know I’m tipping you for the therapy session too.” I said smiling 

I had my hand on the door but I turned around due to the distant voice coming from the server. 

“Hey! I hope everything goes okay, you seem like you’ve been dealing with this shit pretty good.” He commented 

“Yea I have, thank you.” I said waving bye 

“Of course.” He said waving back 

I immediately turned back and asked “what’s the hat for?” 

He points up to his hat “We’re promoting being on the healthier side, you should have seen the girl who had the..” 

“Alex, we need you to clean the toilets.” One of the other waiters said cutting him off 

“I gotta go.” Alex said 

I nodded and left the diner. I began walking and once I reached the hotel I noticed the lights were off. 

“Hello?” I said turning on the lights. I look to the table to see a slip of paper. 

Vicky, I’m sorry for yelling at you and I know you just want to help me and your mom make amends but it just won’t happen not now. I’m going to be at the casino if anything. 

        -Uncle Rolando 

I sat down and I took out the letter and I placed it onto the table and I began packing my stuff...