Dear Carmen
Prologue
The purpose of my narrative is to relive memories from my mom's best friend Carmen. My favorite memory was how she connected Christmas to my family and me. Carmen was a gift to us because she would always help with anything we needed. In this case, it was helping Christmas special every year. It would all start by Carmen calling me Christmas eve at midnight to tell me she's coming over to help me put the presents out under the tree while my siblings were asleep. We had to go into my closet where the presents were hidden. Even though my parents were home, it was our tradition. Then Christmas morning she would arrive at my house for about a half hour and enjoy her presence. She was a very big part of my family and like a second mother to me. Unfortunately, about two years ago, she passed away from brain cancer. I sometimes wish I could of had more time with her, but that's something you never get back. I might have known her for 20 years, but she will always be in my heart. By doing this twitterive, it helps me remember why she was so special in my life through a letter I wrote to her as well as photos and videos.
The purpose of my narrative is to relive memories from my mom's best friend Carmen. My favorite memory was how she connected Christmas to my family and me. Carmen was a gift to us because she would always help with anything we needed. In this case, it was helping Christmas special every year. It would all start by Carmen calling me Christmas eve at midnight to tell me she's coming over to help me put the presents out under the tree while my siblings were asleep. We had to go into my closet where the presents were hidden. Even though my parents were home, it was our tradition. Then Christmas morning she would arrive at my house for about a half hour and enjoy her presence. She was a very big part of my family and like a second mother to me. Unfortunately, about two years ago, she passed away from brain cancer. I sometimes wish I could of had more time with her, but that's something you never get back. I might have known her for 20 years, but she will always be in my heart. By doing this twitterive, it helps me remember why she was so special in my life through a letter I wrote to her as well as photos and videos.
Me- Hurry up, Carmen...
*Phone Rings*
Me- Hey Carmen! Are you coming over soon?!
Carmen- Hey Fabioli, I'll be there in 5 minutes. Make sure your front door is unlocked so I can come right in.
Me- Alright, no problem. I'll see you soon, Carmen.
Carmen- Bye. *hangs up phone*
*Phone Rings*
Me- Hey Carmen! Are you coming over soon?!
Carmen- Hey Fabioli, I'll be there in 5 minutes. Make sure your front door is unlocked so I can come right in.
Me- Alright, no problem. I'll see you soon, Carmen.
Carmen- Bye. *hangs up phone*
*I open the front door quietly*
Me- Hey Carm! Come on, let's go get the gifts out of my closet. There's so many, but we can do it!
Carmen- If we handled last year, we can do it again. Just make sure we don't wake up your little brothers and sister.
Me- Don't worry, they're all asleep and my parents just went to bed. We're all good.
Carmen- Alright, let's go do this!
Carmen- Holy crap Fabio, that is a lot of gifts! *laughs*
Me- I told you! *laughing* Let's hurry up and stop staring all these gifts. We need to put them under the tree quickly and quietly.
Carmen- Alright, hand me a gift...jeez *laughs*
Me- Hold on, let me move this one box so it doesn't all tumble down....CRAP! *catching a Christmas gift box*
Carmen- That was close. Next time be careful when you're moving around gifts.
Me- Don't worry, I'll be careful. There's like 50 Christmas gifts in here. It's not so easy compared to last year.
Carmen- Quickly and quietly, hand me a gift so I can put it under the tree in the other room.
Me- Here ya go. I'll be right there to bring some more.
Me- I told you! *laughing* Let's hurry up and stop staring all these gifts. We need to put them under the tree quickly and quietly.
Carmen- Alright, hand me a gift...jeez *laughs*
Me- Hold on, let me move this one box so it doesn't all tumble down....CRAP! *catching a Christmas gift box*
Carmen- That was close. Next time be careful when you're moving around gifts.
Me- Don't worry, I'll be careful. There's like 50 Christmas gifts in here. It's not so easy compared to last year.
Carmen- Quickly and quietly, hand me a gift so I can put it under the tree in the other room.
Me- Here ya go. I'll be right there to bring some more.
Me- Man, we're good...
Carmen- We sure are... *smiles*
Me- I honestly didn't think we could do it this year considering how many gifts there were.
Carmen- Well, we did it without waking anyone up thank goodness.
Me- I had a lot of fun and I'll see you tomorrow morning. I need sleep and so do you.
Carmen- I'll see you tomorrow, Fabioli.
Me- Thanks again! *I give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek goodbye*
Me- Man, that was fun!
*I close the front door*
Carmen- We sure are... *smiles*
Me- I honestly didn't think we could do it this year considering how many gifts there were.
Carmen- Well, we did it without waking anyone up thank goodness.
Me- I had a lot of fun and I'll see you tomorrow morning. I need sleep and so do you.
Carmen- I'll see you tomorrow, Fabioli.
Me- Thanks again! *I give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek goodbye*
Me- Man, that was fun!
*I close the front door*
*Alarm goes off*
Me- Ugh...I'm so tired
*I get up out of bed and head downstairs to see my family getting ready to see Carmen*
*Mom yelling at everyone to get dressed and ready to see Carmen*
Mom- HURRY UP EVERYONE!!!! We only have a little bit of time left until Carmen gets here!
*My mom comes into my room*
Mom- Hey, hurry up and get dressed! Everyone else is getting ready but you.
Me- Don't worry, Mom. I was up all night helping Carmen put out our gifts. Give me 5 minutes.
Mom- Alright, I better see you in 5 minutes or else...
Me- Yea...Yea...
Me- Ugh...I'm so tired
*I get up out of bed and head downstairs to see my family getting ready to see Carmen*
*Mom yelling at everyone to get dressed and ready to see Carmen*
Mom- HURRY UP EVERYONE!!!! We only have a little bit of time left until Carmen gets here!
*My mom comes into my room*
Mom- Hey, hurry up and get dressed! Everyone else is getting ready but you.
Me- Don't worry, Mom. I was up all night helping Carmen put out our gifts. Give me 5 minutes.
Mom- Alright, I better see you in 5 minutes or else...
Me- Yea...Yea...
Before Carmen passed away, Christmas wasn't just a holiday for my family and I. It was a special day that Carmen and my family had together. In the morning, the doorbell would ring approximately 8am. We all knew it was Carmen at the front door since she was always on time. Then we would all run to Carmen and say "Merry Christmas!"
*Door bell rings and I run to open the front door*
Family and I- MERRY CHRISTMAS, CARMEN!
Carmen- Awww, thanks guys. Merry Christmas!
Mom- Hey, we got Dunkin' Donuts for you. Come and eat a donut before the kids do.
Carmen- Mmmm, thanks Shari.
Mom- You're welcome, Carm.
Carmen- Awww, thanks guys. Merry Christmas!
Mom- Hey, we got Dunkin' Donuts for you. Come and eat a donut before the kids do.
Carmen- Mmmm, thanks Shari.
Mom- You're welcome, Carm.
Me- I don't mean to interrupt, but I see you brought me some popcorn?
Carmen- Of course I did! *smiles*
Carmen- Here you go...
Fabio- YES! Thanks Carmen! *I give her a hug and a kiss*
Carmen- You're welcome. I know how much you love this popcorn *smiles*
Carmen- Of course I did! *smiles*
Carmen- Here you go...
Fabio- YES! Thanks Carmen! *I give her a hug and a kiss*
Carmen- You're welcome. I know how much you love this popcorn *smiles*
EQUALS
VICTORY!!!
The smell of caramel, cheddar, and buttered popcorn filled the air. But before I knew it, the smell disappeared. I had no chance to hang on to any of it.
Carmen- Alright guys, I gotta go home and see my other family *laughs*
Me- Awww man. You just got here.
Carmen- Don't worry, we always have next year...
Me- I hope we do...
Me- Yea, I know. It's just not the same without you here. You sure you have to leave...now?
Carmen- Yea, but I'll see you guys this week some time.
Me- Alright...I guess I'll see ya soon.
*My family and I give her a kiss on the cheek and a big hug*
Me- Love you!
Carmen- I love you too!
Me- Awww man. You just got here.
Carmen- Don't worry, we always have next year...
Me- I hope we do...
Me- Yea, I know. It's just not the same without you here. You sure you have to leave...now?
Carmen- Yea, but I'll see you guys this week some time.
Me- Alright...I guess I'll see ya soon.
*My family and I give her a kiss on the cheek and a big hug*
Me- Love you!
Carmen- I love you too!
*We all watch her walk to her car to make sure she's okay*
Me- I hope there's a next year...
*I slowly close the front door*
Me- I hope there's a next year...
*I slowly close the front door*
Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned...
The emptiness of the path will never be filled. It will only be a sidewalk and nothing more. This path won't just be empty of her, but of everything she once gave my family and I. The humor. The love. Everything. Gone.
Dear Carmen,
I just wanted to write you saying how much I've always loved you. I know I never said it very often in the past, but I should have. You have always been there for my family and me as long as I can remember. You were like a supermom, always taking care of your family and then mine. But I'm glad it was always you and not someone else. Not a soul on this planet can replace you. You never stopped caring and taking care of me even though you had two kids of your own. You've always made my mom and I very happy in every way possible with your own little humor. I thank you for that. I know I wasn't always there for you, but I tried, I really did. And I know you're not related to me, but I've always loved you like a second mother. Like I always said, God gave us all one mother, but I was the luckiest of them all because I got to have you as a second mother. I'll love you and always will love you, the way any son loves their mother. But in this case, you're my second mother and that's fine by me.