I Feel Our Memories Fade With Time.

Christmas Visits.

Christmas was a repeat of Thanksgiving. Except with presents. In the morning, I was talking to dad about nothing really.

“Dad? Are you and them gonna go out on tour again?”

“Soon. After the holidays, closer to springtime.”

“So then we go live with grandma and grandpa?”

“Yep, because you guys all gotta go to school. Maybe this summer you guys can actually come with us.”

“Really?”

“Yes, they want us to do the Warped Tour. It’s a big summer party, with a bunch of rock bands.”

“Neat.”

“Yep. Come on, you wanna go visit mom before everyone comes over?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, go get your coat, kiddo.” He ruffled my hair.

I ran to get my coat and boots and we headed out. We drove to the cemetery and we walked our usual path. As we got closer, we saw someone hunched over.

“Uncle Frank?” I called.

He turned. It was him.

“Hey, kiddo. Hey, Mikey.”

“When did you get here?” dad asked.

“About five minutes ago.”

They chatted while I stepped up to my mom’s grave.

“Merry Christmas, Mom,” I whispered. “I love you, and I miss you still, a lot.”

I stood up and stepped back as my dad stepped up. He went on to mumble his words, and I looked up at Uncle Frank.

“How are you doing?” I asked him.

We walked away a bit to let dad have his alone time.

“You know what? It hurts, a lot. She was my sister, she was a part of me. There’s days I wake up and believe I’ll see her sitting at the kitchen table. When I don’t’, yeah I get upset. I don’t know how well you understand though, because you’re still young.”

“I wish dad would explain it to me all at once.”

“He will. Give him time. He also probably wants to wait till you’re older. Even I still think you’re too young to understand what happened.”

“Oh.” I was disappointed.

“Don’t get mad. He will tell you. Don’t keep asking him to tell you. You’re ten years old, act it.” He smiled and he also ruffled my hair. “God, you look like your mother.”

“I do?” I looked at him oddly.

“You have her facial features, and her eyes. Come on, let’s go back by your dad.”

We went back to my dad, talked for a bit, then we went home. They all came over later for the party. It was just the same as thanksgiving. The same food, the same pea fight, the same chatter, and then presents. Then it was the same cleaning up, then they all left and I went to bed. I didn’t fall asleep right away. I was laying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

Act my age? Was I not acting my age? I guess not.Uncle Frank was right, I should be running around playing with G.I. Joes, not laying in bed thinking about my mom. I rolled over, curled up under my covers and fell asleep.