Together

"Then I like her...as long as she doesn't try to replace my mom." I didn't need another mom. My mom was good enough.

"I would never let her do that. Your mom is uh, irreplaceable." That's a Beyonce song. I only know because my mom loves that song even though she says it's really old.

"Okay..." I trailed off because I didn't know what else to say. The door opened and my mom was standing there in her one shoulder purple dress. If I look like a princess then she looks like a queen. I wouldn't tell Eiza this but my mom looks better than her which must be embarrassing because it's her wedding day.

"You ready to get married?" Mom entered the room and dad stood up. She fixed his bow tie for him and then smoothed his jacket out. Mom started to look sad again but then she placed a smile on her face and looked up at my dad.

"Gabi, you ready?" She looked over his shoulder at me and I nodded, standing up and joining my mom. She looked at my dad one last time before we both exited the room, but I just felt like something strange had happened between them. Why were my parents so weird?

Walking down the aisle was easy and I was more adorable than Eiza's neice so I'm gonna assume that everyone who was cooing and awwing at us was doing it because of me. I had a big smile on my face and I dropped all of my petals out of my basket, then joined my mom who placed her hand on my shoulder than looked down the aisle.

Everyone stood up as Eiza walked down the aisle. Eiza looked pretty, but not as pretty as my mom. Her dress wasn't pure white because she said she couldn't get a pure white dress because she wasn't a virgin. I don't know what that means so I think I should stop listening to adult conversations. Eiza was crying when she reached my dad but her makeup wasn't running which was good because then her face would be ruined.

The preacher told everyone to take their seats then he spoke from the Bible and I was getting tired of being on my feet. How long was I gonna have to stand up here for?

The preacher said that it was time for them to say their vows and my dad was getting all teary eyed and Eiza could hardly speak because she was crying so hard. She really should calm down. She's probably gonna hate herself when she looks back at these videos because no one even knows what she's saying. And if she's so happy why is she crying so hard?

"If anyone objects to the marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace." Mom grabbed my hand and I looked up at her. She looked upset but she was hiding it with the fakest smile that I've ever seen. Why wasn't she saying anything? Why wasn't she trying to get my dad back? This was her chance, this was her moment, this was...

"Okay, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." I'm sure dad and Eiza were kissing but I kept my eyes on my mom. She was still smiling and when everyone else started to clap she did too. But I wasn't clapping. Why didn't mom stop dad from marrying Eiza?

"Gabi, what's wrong?" The reception wasn't in the same place as the wedding so we had to drive over there. I was sitting in the front seat even though I wasn't supposed to be but mom said this was a one time thing because she wanted to talk to me.

"The preacher asked if anyone didn't want them to get married...why didn't you say anything?" I know that dad said Eiza made him happy but mom made him happier. And I didn't want to see her sad anymore.

"Sweetheart," mom let out a long sigh and shook her head. "Your dad is happy, Gabi. He's so happy and what we had was over five years ago. Eiza is his wife and he loves her. She's your step mom now. I don't want your dad anymore, sweetie."

I didn't like her answer. I turned towards the window and folded my arms over my chest.
"I don't need another mom," I huffed out. I didn't want to call Eiza "mom" or go over there with her and my dad and pretend to be a happy family then come home and it's just me and my mom. That's not fair.

"You only have one mother, Gabi. And that's me. But Eiza is also gonna be another maternal figure in your life. You don't have to call her mom but you have to respect her because she is your father's wife now, and that's how things are." We arrived at the reception hall and my mom helped me out of the car so that I wouldn't mess up my dress.
We had to walk in with the rest of the bridal party and sit up front so mom knelt down and fixed my dress for me.

"Fix your face," she demanded. I wiped my frown away and she nodded her head before standing back up and grabbing my hand. Everyone else that had on a dress like my mom was walking in with men on their arms but mom was walking in with me. I wonder how she felt about that.

Once everybody sat down and stuff we got served food and there was music playing and people were coming up to greet dad and Eiza and congratulate them. Dad wanted me to sit by him so I made mom move with me because I didn't want her to be alone.

"After my first dance with Eiza, you wanna dance with me?" Dad asked and I nodded my head with a slight giggle. Dad nodded and kissed the top of my head before finishing off his food. The DJ announced that it was time for their first dance together and the spotlight was on them and their music started playing. I didn't know what song it was but they swayed around the dance floor to it, holding each other as close as possible.

I climbed onto my mom's lap and wrapped my arms around her. She began to rock me back and forth like she used to do when I was younger but wasn't doing this because I needed comfort. I was doing this because she needed comfort.

The song was over and dad came to the table to get me. I really didn't want to leave my mom alone but she told me to go so I did. Everyone awwed at me because I'm totally aware of how cute I am. Dad bowed and extended his hand which made me laugh and then he twirled me around and we started to dance together. It was more upbeat than the song that dad danced to with Eiza so we were having a lot of fun.

"I think you're the best dance partner I've ever had Gabi," dad complimented as I laughed and hugged him super tight. When we were done I ran back over to my mom and tugged on her hand so that she would stop talking to the woman next to her and come dance. There was a slow song playing and I recognized it from anywhere. It was mom and dad's wedding song and I knew because mom used to play it for me all the time.

"Gabi, I'm tired. I've been on my feet all day," she whined. But I wasn't buying it. I looked out on the dance floor and dad wasn't dancing, he was just talking. This was the perfect time for mom to dance.

"DADDY!" I yelled which instantly caught his attention. I waved him over and he jogged over to us.

"You should dance with mom. This is her favorite song, right mom?" I turned back to my mom and she shook her head. I knew this would make her happy, even if it was just for a few minutes.

"How about we all dance together?" Dad suggested. I don't know how that was gonna work but I nodded my head anyways. Dad grabbed my hand and my mom's hand and since there were so many people on the dance floor, no one paid attention to us.

We swayed in this awkward circle and even though we were a family, this isn't what I wanted. I spotted my Abuelo and nodded him over. He saw what I was doing and chuckled before taking my hand and beginning to dance with me so that my parents could dance alone. They didn't even notice I was gone! Dad wrapped his arm mom's waist and then took her free hand. Mom rested her head and on dad's shoulder and they weren't even on beat. They were just holding each other and swaying. It was so perfect. They may not think they should be together but I know that they should. But I guess they just have to figure it out for themselves.

"They'll figure it out one day nieta. It may not be today and it may not even be this year, but I think we all know that they're meant to be together. You just have to give them some time." Was five years not enough? But I just shrugged my shoulders and nodded because he was right.

Mom always used to tell me that if you loved someone, you should set them free. She said that if they came back to you, they were yours forever, but if they didn't, then it wasn't meant to be. I think my parents will find their way back to each other. But if they're happy right now, which I don't think they are, then they won't. But I know my parents and I know the type of love that they have because it was the type of love used to have me, so I think that somewhere down the line, they'll be together again.