May 11, 2009. 

It was a typical day in my life. I was a sixth grader anxious for Monday to be over, as the bell rang I packed my things and walked towards the front of the school. My mom usually waited for me in the church parking lot across the street, but something was different. She wasn't there. When I crossed the road, my uncle lowered his window and told me he was picking me up. I got in and waiting for my cousin to come. Once we where both in the car, we drove to the high school behind my middle school to pick up my older sister. As she got in the car my uncle told us there was something important he had to tell us, then he broke into tears. At first I thought he was acting, but once I hear the whimpers I knew something bad had happened, I began to panic; "Was it my mother?! Did something happen to her?! What about my dad?! Maybe she's at the hospital with him that's why she didn't pick us up!" As my mind went to panic mode, next thing I know my uncle was parking in-front of my house. My heart began to race as I saw my other aunts car parked outside my house, but it became at ease when my father was standing by the front door with my other uncle. We lined up in-front of the cement and my father began to speak, "Something bad happened.." he paused. "your grandpa, he passed away while you were at school." As soon as he said that my eyes dropped to the floor. I stared at the grass beneath my feet as he told us that we had to be strong for my mom and aunts and how we had to go in and hug them and tell them how much we loved them. My vision began to blur with tears, when he opened the door. I saw my mother by my aunts crying, which broke me even more. I remember hugging my mother, hugging her till she was tired and stood up to hug one of my cousins. I then walked to my room, closed the door and cried and cried. I remember being angry, really angry because they took my grandpa. They took the only grandpa I had. 

I was twelve at the time. The last time I saw him was during Christmas of 2008. People asked me why it hurt, if I was so young? Well, he was not only my grandpa, but he was also like a second-father. He was the one that offered to help me with my math homework. He was the one that would offer himself so I could read to. He would visit me at school and eat lunch with me. On Grandparents day, he was there. On Fly-A-Kite day he was there too. He would encourage me and made me feel like I could achieve anything, but most of all he never failed to make me smile, whether it was with his goofy hand gestures or his funny facial expressions. It's funny because it's been six years and my brain hasn't caught up to it. In my mind, he is traveling the world and that's why I don't get to see him. I have broken memories, but memories are what sticks and they are stuck in my heart, forever.

Te quiero mucho payayito.

-Tu gotita de amor.

x x