Turning Back the Hands of Time

"I wish that my mom would wake up and smell the flowers!!!!”

I know that sounds

a bit harsh, and a little insensitive but that's how I felt. My mother and I

unfortunately never had that mother/daughter relationship that you hear your

closest friends talk about or that you see portrayed on TV. She always would

leave me and my two younger sisters Elisa and Ellora while she is either at

work or up in some guys face. We’re only like two years apart. Elisa is 14,

Ellora is 16 and I'm the oldest, I'm 18 years old. Ohhh sorry, I'm Emmie, its

short for Emily but everyone calls me Emmie.

Growing up was

hard, when I'm sure it shouldn't have been. Our mother, Elizabeth worked two jobs

just to make ends meet. She was a nurse by day and a waitress by night. So as

you can guess that doesn’t leave not much time spent with us... That I'm okay

with, she's a hardworking woman of 3 girls. Her husband, our dad got locked up

when they were in high school. He did 3 years in jail and when he got out we

all thought he changed... And he did... For a while, they even got married a

month after he got home, but things didn't stay peaceful. He was doing any and everything

to help out and things were starting to look up. (Or so we thought was on the

up and up) Helping out around the house, getting back into going to church,

just all around trying to change his ways... Until, one day he came home late

one evening with the smell of beer seeping through his pores like he took a

bath with it, it was almost immediately after 3 months of being married he was

back to his old self trying to make a quick dollar selling drugs, using

drugs... Just anything that would help him get a leg up in the world, or so he

thought. This last offense got him life. It was a drug exchange gone wrong,

ending in a murder.

Before he went back

to jail for the last and final time, they ended up getting a divorce, that

shattered the entire family although it was needed it still felt like we was

carrying around dead weight.

After my dad, my mom

started to care about the wrong things... Like looking good for her boyfriend

that she's dating that particular week... She never fully wanted to put in the

effort with us, her flesh and blood anymore. Nothing seemed genuine... Nothing

seemed important...

Finally, one

morning I woke up feeling defeated and frustrated I yelled

"I wish my mother would wake up and smell the flowers."

The house was empty, my sisters were at school, and mom was

at work. I was getting ready to start my day as normal I had no classes that

day so I just decided to clean the house a little bit until it was time to meet

my sister, Ellora at our local thrift shop to start looking at dresses for

prom. Elisa gets dropped off near the thrift store which is like two blocks

from the store, so she can just walk right over. Of course, I would be at the

bus stop waiting for her to get off, she sometimes doesn’t like crossing the

street by herself.

As I was getting

ready to pay, we heard a voice asks

"What about

me"?

Instantly we all

turned around to see our very own mother standing there nearly in tears but

with excitement...

Mom! We all looked

at each other in utter shock!!

I decided to break

the silence and ask

"Mom, what

exactly are you doing here"?

Helping, my baby

with her prom dress.

“I'm confused, mom

can I talk to you for a second”?

“Girls, we'll be

right over on the bench if you needs us my mother gently said”.

I didn't want to

come off harsh because I can see the hurt, and regret in her eyes.

“Mom, don't you”...?

But she immediately

cuts me off...

“Honey, I'm sorry

that I haven't been there for any of you. I let the past dictate my feelings,

my actions... After your dad was put back into jail, I started feeling

worthless, like it was something I did or didn't do. Instead of trying to mend

my broken home, I looked for love elsewhere”.

Mom, why haven't

you said anything before?

“Honestly, I messed

up soo bad that I didn't know exactly where to begin until I saw a note that

was left on the refrigerator as I getting ready for work from Ellora”.

I take the note

from my mom's hands, and read it out loud.

*Mom,

I hope you don't think we're mad at you, okay we're kinda are, but mostly we just miss you. We used to be a family and although things are not how they used to be...

I wanted my mom to

realize that no matter what happens, your girls will always have your back!! I

wish you could come with me to help me pick out my prom dress, but I understand

that you gotta work. Well anyway, hope to see you soon.

Love you mom,

Ellora

After reading this

and hearing the words, there was no dry eyes in the room.

My mom’s embrace

was the warmest, tightest hug I ever received from her and it was well over due,

so naturally I just hugged her tightly back and cried like a little girl in my

mother’s arms.

From that very

moment, things have changed... For the absolute better!!

My mother no longer works two jobs but instead she has one good job as a nurse receptionist which is in walking distance from the school. I’m doing my second year in college, it felt amazing to have my sisters and mom help me move my things in my dorm. Although I’m going to a community college, mom thought it would be fun if I still get to experience living on campus in case next year I decided that I don’t wanna live off campus and not to mention that the community is like in walking distance from our house. Elisa is getting ready to soon graduate from high school and Ellora just graduated last month. Having my mom there, but actually knowing that she is present makes all the difference. The bond that we share have never been as strong as it is today, and although we had to go through our share up storms, trials, difficult circumstances  and so much more…It makes us who we are today!

Mom definitely seems happier, she’s not allowing a man to run her emotions and hide from her failures instead she’s learning to become a better woman and for that I’m so proud of her!

Be careful what you wish for, because it just might come true!