Jennifer Rehm
The Picture
I stare blankly at the dark sky, the big circle moon is just sitting their with the stars dancing around it. I shooting star flies by and I make a wish. I make the wish while holding a black and white picture in my hand. Its a picture of my parents but its hard to tell what they look like, I never knew who they were, never met them or even got to talk to them. They are only a piece of paper that I hold in my hand.
You guys are probably wondering who I am being raised by, since I was 3 years old I have been living with my Auntie Anne and my Uncle Kyle, I have been living with them for so long I started to call them Mom and Dad they don’t mind it when I call them that. But it feels like something is missing, I wish I could wake up every morning and say that to my real parents. My Auntie soon walks into my room, “time for bed Aubrey” she says to me. “Ok I said back. There has been so many times when I wanted to ask my Auntie or Uncle about them, but I was always afraid when I wanted to do it because I didn't know how they would take it. I didn't want them to get mad at me for asking. But tomorrow I'm going to do it, I am going to ask what the question I have wanted to ask for many years… I was ready to find out who my parents were.
I woke up the next morning and I could hear my Auntie and Uncle down stairs I put on my fuzzy slippers I got and went down stairs. They both said hi to me as I sat down in my usual chair I always sit in. I take a big deep breath, but nothing will come out “Are you ok” my Uncle asks me. “Yea im fine, I was um I was just wondering something”. “What is it, what's on your mind?” my Aunt asks me. This is kind of a hard question to ask and I dont know how you will you will take it. But I was wondering if you guys knew anything about my real parents, like their name, what they looked like you know stuff like that. My Auntie sat in the chair next to me and said, Aubrey, you know your father is my brother. Yea I know, what about that. Well Aubrey even though he is my brother I haven't talked to him in many many years. He had a very hard life while living here and one day he just left and no one has heard from him since. No one knows what happened to him and if he is even still alive I tried to reach out to him and I called the apartment he was living in but they said he moved out of the apartment. They don't know where they went to I said, he didn't tell anyone anything. Im afraid so we don't know anything.
Do you remember what he looked like I asked. My Auntie smiles, he was very tall and often liked to kneel or sit so he wasn't a giant. I remember he always hated being tall when he was kid but he eventually grew out of that. You got his height, he was that tall when he was your age, I remember he had very dark brown hair that turned to a shade of black in the summertime he had hazel eyes that sparkled green and brown in the sunlight. What was his name. His name was James but everyone always called him Jimmy, his middle name was Rico after your great grandpa. Was he smart, did he play any sports. Oh yes he was very athletic he played football, ran track and played baseball. Baseball was always his favorite he wanted you to play so thats why we signed you up, he wanted you to be like him. He was a good student payed attention well and got good grades in most of his classes, but after high school something happened and he was never the same. But I remember he was always a kind person, like you. What about my mom what was she like, Your mothers name was courtney, thats how you got your middle name you were named after her. Her middle name was rose and everyone said she was just a pretty as one. She had golden blonde hair and in the summertime when she came to visit it would turn a light dirty blonde. She had freckles that ran across her face. She was a theater person we would always go together she danced and did gymnastics, just like you. On fridays we would go to a restaurant and she would do the karoke. You remind me a lot of her, you guys are exactly the same, I wish she could see how much you resemble her. Will you guys help me find them, I would like to finally meet them. It might be hard but we would love to help my Uncle said to me.
I was getting ready for bed when my Aunt and Uncle knocked on the door, come in I said when the knocking stopped. They walk in and they sit on my bed and the tell me to sit on the chair I have in my room. Whats going on I asked them, nothing we wanted to give you something. All of a sudden my Auntie talks something out of her coat pocket, it looks like a note wrapped in a purple envelope- my favorite color. My Auntie hands me the envelope and says here, this is for you. I have been waiting for the right time to give this to you and I think you're ready to read this. I slowly take the envelope from her hand and I see them get up and walk out of the room, the door closes and once I hear them down stairs in the kitchen I open the card, tearing it opened very carefully making sure it wouldn't rip. There was a bunch of writing written on the paper and it said the following.-
Dear Aubrey, since you are reading this it means you are curious, you want to know who I am and where I have been in your life. You probably want to know why its not me watching you blow out candles on your birthday, watching you open gifts on christmas or why i'm not there to hold your hand when you are crying. I am your mother, I met you once on October 5th 1996, its know 2008 and I wish I could be with you. You probably want to ask me why we gave you up and you might be mad at me but I hope you can forgive me and understand I did this for the both of us. When you were born we were a very poor family we didn't have much, your dad was never really around and often was getting into trouble with the police. We thought it was the best for you to go live with your Auntie and Uncle. They took you in when you only a week old. You probably think of them as parents more than me and your dad and we both understand that. You might want to know where your father is but I don't know where he went. 2 days after you were born he got arrested for getting into a fight and I haven't heard from him since the police said he ran away. I would love if I could finally get the chance to see you again. My number is 868-3405 please call and tell me you are ok.
Love, Mommy.
I felt a tear run my down my face, I can't believe she would write something like that. It was beautifully written. I picked up my phone and looked at it, im ready I said to myself. I slowly dial the number. I hear a soft voice say Hello on the other end. Who is this she asked. Mo-mom I said. There is a pause for moment. Aubrey, Aubrey is that really you. Yes mom, yes it is. Aubrey its so good to hear your voice. You to Mom, I really miss you and I want to see you. I want to see you to Aubs. If you want to see me, every day at 1:00 I sit by the wishing fountain my address is on the envelope. If its ok with your Auntie and Uncle I would love to see you. I would love to see you to, let me go ask, I hope they say yes. I do to my Mom said she said by and hung up the phone. I went down stairs to tell my Auntie and Uncle it took a while before they finally agreed on it.
The next morning I woke and followed my usual schedual I looked into the mirror, Im finlly going tp meet my mom. I got into the car and we started driving I could tell my Auntie new I was nervus because she kept asking mr quesrions to make me forget about it. I was holding a picture that was in the envelpoe in between my hands. When we got to the place my Mom told me about I walked around and then all of a sudden I saw a girl sitting on a bench. I hold the picture up next to her. I walk over and tap her on the shoulder. She turns around and I say… Mom.
