In early November 1950, my mother was already having problems with my father; he had left home in a huff. A few days later, he asked her for an interview and she granted it, and they went for a walk. Then my mother got angry again. The following month she did not get her period, she was very surprised, when she realized she had become pregnant, after 9 months a beautiful girl was born, who today, as an adult, I tell you this story. Despite having grown up without a father, life has given me surprises that have filled me with happiness. But there was one that made me the happiest.
...When I was 12 years old, I sat in front of the TV and watched a movie about a rich girl whose parents celebrated her 15th birthday party at a club and then took her on a 5-star hotel ship on a trip to the Caribbean. That day I cried, it gave me a feeling of excitement, I would have liked that when I turned 15, it would have been like that, for a moment I could not stop my eyes from closing imagining that dream, but when I opened them I saw that the reality was different. I kept that experience to myself.
When I turned 14, on August 31, my mother congratulated me in the dining room, I prepared breakfast and we ate, while we did it, I told her about the movie I had seen on TV, two years ago; and the illusion I had after watching it. I stood very close to my mother and told her: "I would like you to celebrate my fifteenth birthday next year, with a dress similar to the one the protagonist of the movie I saw on TV had", I opened my purse and gave her the sheet where I had designed it. She took it, and stared at the design of the dress, very excited, with a very sweet voice she answered me:
"Daughter, I don't know if I can!" I suggested:
"It doesn't matter if it's something modest, because I know that what you earn is not enough to cover all expenses." She replied:
"Let's pray to God to provide me with the resources to be able to make you the suit and the little party".
I got up from my chair, hugged her and kissed her. Then we said goodbye, she went to work and I went to my high school, where that year I passed my fourth year of high school.
Time went by, 1965 began, the months passed and August arrived, I was happy, I was going to be fifteen, going to be able to put on makeup, paint my mouth as red as Carmín and put on my high heels, I was already shaping up as an adult woman, although I was and still am of short stature.
The days went by and sadness began to overwhelm me, I did not see in my house any movement of my four siblings or my mother for that long awaited celebration for me. Every day at night when I went to bed, I prayed that God would give my mother wisdom and patience to stretch the money so I could achieve my goal.
On the 30th of that month I kissed my mother goodnight and retired to my bedroom. That night I dreamed I was wearing my lilac-colored suit with pink trimmings and waltzing. At dawn, I was awakened by soft knocks on my bedroom door, knock, knock, knock; when I opened the door my mother and my 4 siblings came in, singing the mañanitas song along with happy birthday. then they hugged me and congratulated me. This produced in me a dazzle of so much emotion that the joy came out of the pores of my skin, for the first time in my life they sang me the mañanitas. Then they told me to get ready, we were waiting for you in the dining room, when I arrived they served me breakfast, we had breakfast as a family, when we finished, they put a blindfold on my eyes and they took me by the hand my two sisters accompanied by my mother, and they said to me: .
"We will take you to your room".
. As soon as we got to the room, they uncovered my eyes, my surprise was huge, I was dazzled, I could not get out of my astonishment. On my bed was the dress made of the same model and color that I gave on the sheet of paper to my mother. I measured it and it looked spectacular, I looked at myself in the mirror and I couldn't get tired of looking at myself. It also came with some nice white sneakers, with heels, I put them on, I looked tall and slender. I could not believe it, very excited I said to my sister Aurora:
"pinch me I think I'm dreaming!". She answered me:
"No need, this is a surprise turned into reality".
My sister Teresa, at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, told me to go to the hairdresser's to get the hairstyle you like. When the hairdresser finished, I looked at myself in the mirror and I was amazed, I had made a beautiful change with that hairstyle.
We returned to the house, I was even more surprised, I shouted and said "Urraaaa, I'm happy! In the courtyard there were three tables, one decorated with a cake, champagne and glasses that my mother had kept for years, on the other table, there was chicken salad, accompanied with rice from the garden, plates and glasses to serve, and on the last one, there were cakes and jelly. Around the tables were chairs. In another space, in front of the sound system, there was an area decorated with an arch of flowers to waltz and then continue with the rumba. From so many emotions received during that day I felt like I was floating in the firmament.
That same day my cousins who lived in Caracas arrived, I was shocked and at that moment I cried with joy. My four best friends and my three dearest friends, classmates and pranksters, also attended. At 8 o'clock at night we made the Bindis with champagne, raising the glasses everyone wished me much happiness. Then I danced the Waltz with my older brother, who was the father figure I always saw, and even danced with my mother. Everyone present joined in dancing the Blue Danube. A few hours later the dancing started with a different kind of music, as we were with family we danced and enjoyed the music until dawn.
It was the happiest surprise of my life. Today I would like to go back in time. And relive that beautiful moment of happiness.
This is a non-fiction story
I hope you like it
The drawings are by me
Use the translator Deepl