Luke and I had an apartment on Holcomb Street. I loved this apartment. It had cathedral ceilings, a brick fireplace, and windows from floor to ceiling. It was going to take a natural disaster to get me to ever leave this place. We were living beautiful but also in poverty. It was me and Luke, I was a full-time student, waitressed part-time at Pizza Hut, and had every benefit the state could offer. We got by but if anything unexpected happened, we were screwed.
Tracy moved in with me in 2002. Tracy and a little one-year old Charisma who lit up every room with the brightest happiest smile and an unbelievable laugh. Life's crap held nothing to Charisma, she was a beacon for everybody. I could not wait to get home and do things with her. We got into this ritual of my daily water bottle. I had a big yellow wheelie backpack with a side pocket for a water bottle. I would get a bottle of water, take a few sips and leave it in the pocket. When I got home, Charisma would run for my bag to claim the rest of the water bottle. I would buy one even if I wasn't thirsty so it would be there for Charisma when I got home.
My grandfather passed away early on in the year. It was freezing temperatures out at this time, a string of -30 degrees Fahrenheit every night. The apartment didn't heat well, so it was prudent that we kept the door shut tight and blankets handy at all times. Jaime was flying in from North Carolina for Grandpa's funeral and we were all excited. She was staying with us. Danielle was on her way from Vermont with her new husband that no one has met yet. We had plans to go to Syracuse to pick up Jaime from the airport. I get home from school to unsettling news. Luke had broken a window in the living room and the entire place was so cold we could see our breath. We had an hour before we needed to leave to get Jaime so my idea was to get plastic for the window to seal it. Using a hairdryer to heat the window sill to get the adhesive to work, we were able to get the window sealed and it worked.
We picked up Jaime and came home to settle in. The next day was calling hours, we were expected to spend the day at the funeral home. My Aunts had called to say that they planned to come spend the day watching our children at my apartment. They are always thinking of these things before we do. They meet us at the house the next day and promise our kids will be in good care.
12 hours of meeting people, shaking hands, crying.... We arrive home around 9:30pm. The house has been cleaned from top to bottom, the window had been fixed, and the cupboards have been filled with food. I forget that this is what they do... they are angels. You do not have to be a spirit to be angel, you can be an angel present. It was an emotional homecoming for me because they were making ends meet for us and relieving stress in any way that they could. I remember a time when they showed up at my Mother's home when I was very young, possibly 5 or 6. My mom struggled and they showed up with a trunk of groceries. Loads and loads of groceries. I remember when I first moved home from Boston and found a little house for me and Luke. I couldn't move in till I cleaned the house from top to bottom. I arrived to the empty house after a long day at work to find my Aunt Linda finishing her long day of cleaning my house. If there is a crisis and we need to drive out of state, they show up with gas money and a shoulder to cry on.
I don't think it is as much as they unexpected relief, but the knowledge that someone has your back. My mother is the same way... she blindly hands out anything she has (and sometimes what she doesn't have). What do you say to someone who gives you and your children security? Thank you never seems like enough. I hope I can someday compare to that kind of love.
