Quilts, Tacos & Tattoos

A Fresh Start

When graduation day finally arrived, I was a mess. I had already done my hair once, and was in the middle of washing it again when it was time to leave. I clothes-pinned a white dish towel around the neck of my navy and white polka dress and tried to fix my runny makeup. I wanted to look like me, the girl I was everyday in jeans and t-shirts, but I felt too overdone. I had the door open to the bathroom and looked in the mirror as Mom walked by the door again.

"You should have taken off your dress. And we're running late, Cricket. We have to go." A few minutes later she yelled, "Now."

I kicked the door shut with my foot and yelled, "Can it, Mom! I will be ready in a second."

"Fine. I'll be on the porch."

I finished drying my hair and grabbed the makeup bag. I would finish it in the car. I picked up my cap and gown, and the box of gifts for all my friends. Of course, they were mugs with coasters left over from the Christmas sale. The ladies of the shop worked so hard on them and were so proud; I didn't want to show that I was a little embarrassed. But all of my gifts to my friends my entire life had been handmade aprons, headbands, book covers, and whatnot, and these would be no different.

I opened the screen door with my hip. Mom was on the porch.

"I'm ready." She quietly got up and walked to the car and opened the passenger door and then went to the driver's side. "What? Are you not talking to me?"

"You told me to can it," she replied.

"Ha. Ha. Can we really not do this today?" I pleaded with a double eye roll; I got in the car with a huge sigh.

She closed her door and said, "You might want to watch your butt."

"Excuse me?" I said through a furrowed brow as I pulled down the mirror on the visor.

"You might want to WATCH your butt!" She said louder.

"I can hear you. I just don't know what you are talking about." She reached down beside me and pulled a small, wrapped box and an envelope from under my dress, which, I guess, was technically under my butt.

"Oh. Sorry. Stressed." I smiled.

"Honey, there is nothing to stress about. It's just graduation. Now open your gift."

I untied the royal and light blue ribbons and unwrapped the silver paper carefully. She never spared a single detail.

I opened the box and inside found a Pierre Cardin watch with a black leather strap adorned with diamond studs. It was so elegant and, I felt so grown up.

I held it close to my chest and screamed, "No you didn't!"

"Did," she giggled back.

"Can I wear it today?"

"Absolutely!" I put the watch on and forgot all about the stress and tension between us. "Thanks, Mom. You are the best."

"I bet you thought you would get a quilt today!"

"Yep. That is pretty much what I expected," I said.

"Not today. Today is about things that you will need and use and keep for many years."

"Alright. Now you are just getting sappy. I have got to get on my makeup and you have got to drive. Let me do my mascara before we get on the bumpy road."

In a baby voice she said, "The bumpy road. Oh, my girl is all grown up."

I reached across and hugged her, "Mom, I know this is a really big day for us, but we really need to get a move on. No more tears. No more outbursts." I said as I contorted my mouth to apply the mascara, "Promise?"