Close Family Ties
Patricia Ramos
“Kate? What are you doing here?” my mother gasped with a grin spreading across her face.
I looked from my mother to my girlfriend, unable to hide my confusion as I squeezed her hand as though to ask for an explanation. It was the first time I was introducing Kate to my family. They had yet to know her name, let alone recognize her face.
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Locke.” She smiled uneasily, obviously as perplexed as I was.
My mother chuckled lightheartedly, her eyes disappearing just as mine does when I show any bit of happiness. “Oh honey, you probably don’t recognize me- but you obviously recognize Mark!” She pulled me in for a hug.
“Mo—wait,” I stuttered, struggling to break free from her tight embrace. “Mom!” she finally released me from her abnormally strong grip. “How do you know Kate?”
She chuckled once again, her eyes barely peeking through from her lids. This time we didn’t lock eyes for a solid half minute while she let her giggles out.
I felt Kate inch closer to me and I squeezed her hand again, this time for reassurance. I know I haven’t been home in quite some time but there was no way my mother had grown this strange since my last visit.
“Don’t tell me you don’t remember Little Katie Cat?”
The next few seconds felt like a lifetime. My eyebrows furrowed as I processed her words but as soon as it did, my hand sprang open and my outstretched fingers fought release from Kate’s. I felt her eyes look apprehensively at me, refusing to let go of my hand which was becoming increasingly clammy with each passing breath. I did not meet her gaze, however, as my eyes were to busy darting around the room, suddenly realizing the troublesome number of family members that were watching the horrifying scene unfold in front of them.
“Are you talking about—” I mustered to whisper, “—cousin Kate?” my mother nodded slowly, realizing that the situation was not as light as she had expected. I felt Kate’s cold hand snap to her side as she jumped away from me.
Long story short, Kate and I mutually decided to stop seeing each other after that night. My father is still unable to look at me in the eyes and my mother took up going to church regularly. They stopped trying to invite Kate’s parents to the annual barbecue, since they never showed up for family events anyway, hence the fact that we haven’t seen each other since our early toddler years. To this day, I still have yet to get serious with a girl until we’ve had a thorough discussion about our families.
I looked from my mother to my girlfriend, unable to hide my confusion as I squeezed her hand as though to ask for an explanation. It was the first time I was introducing Kate to my family. They had yet to know her name, let alone recognize her face.
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Locke.” She smiled uneasily, obviously as perplexed as I was.
My mother chuckled lightheartedly, her eyes disappearing just as mine does when I show any bit of happiness. “Oh honey, you probably don’t recognize me- but you obviously recognize Mark!” She pulled me in for a hug.
“Mo—wait,” I stuttered, struggling to break free from her tight embrace. “Mom!” she finally released me from her abnormally strong grip. “How do you know Kate?”
She chuckled once again, her eyes barely peeking through from her lids. This time we didn’t lock eyes for a solid half minute while she let her giggles out.
I felt Kate inch closer to me and I squeezed her hand again, this time for reassurance. I know I haven’t been home in quite some time but there was no way my mother had grown this strange since my last visit.
“Don’t tell me you don’t remember Little Katie Cat?”
The next few seconds felt like a lifetime. My eyebrows furrowed as I processed her words but as soon as it did, my hand sprang open and my outstretched fingers fought release from Kate’s. I felt her eyes look apprehensively at me, refusing to let go of my hand which was becoming increasingly clammy with each passing breath. I did not meet her gaze, however, as my eyes were to busy darting around the room, suddenly realizing the troublesome number of family members that were watching the horrifying scene unfold in front of them.
“Are you talking about—” I mustered to whisper, “—cousin Kate?” my mother nodded slowly, realizing that the situation was not as light as she had expected. I felt Kate’s cold hand snap to her side as she jumped away from me.
Long story short, Kate and I mutually decided to stop seeing each other after that night. My father is still unable to look at me in the eyes and my mother took up going to church regularly. They stopped trying to invite Kate’s parents to the annual barbecue, since they never showed up for family events anyway, hence the fact that we haven’t seen each other since our early toddler years. To this day, I still have yet to get serious with a girl until we’ve had a thorough discussion about our families.
Patricia Ramos has a passion in writing and discovering new challenges to spark growth. She is involved in Ropes Course, the Female Mentor Program and is currently training for the Bataan Memorial Death March. A native of the Philippines, she now resides in Hagerman, NM, with her parents.