Shoot Your Shot

Ciento seis - 106

Clifford has been such a good boy, keeping his distance while I'm studying. He's focusing on basketball, doing promotion job offers... He got a Cheerios deal.. Go figure, considering he is a health freak. I really hope he gets a Captain Crunch or Lucky Charms deal in the future. But knowing him he would change into the multi grain.

I am so proud of Jaylan lately. It's like he is a brand new man. The radiant glow on his beautiful brown skin shows. Even though he was a pleasure to be around, it's different for him.

He is growing.

And it looks good on him.

Lightness spreads across my chest when I think about how he has been speaking up more about how he feels with his grief. He is even going to counseling to work through his pain.

Granted, it hasn't been easy for him but he is trying his best in finding positive coping strategies. He was being a stubborn mule when I told him to color but I finally got him to find a basketball mandala coloring book. He is in it every night.

I even got him to start journaling in his sudokus.

Jaylan working through his grief encourages me to continue to face reality with my parents divorce. It still doesn't seem real but my helping gigantic hand is guiding me every step.

I love him.

My phone buzzes on the empty dark oak dresser with his name. Weird. He probably has some kind of sixth sense that I'm thinking of him.

Mi Novio 🦕💖: Aunt Lisa said your family can ride with them to our house so your mom can start cooking.

Our house...

I still can't believe that!

There is so much work Jaylan and I have to do, but it's still special in its own way. Every weekend, Jaylan and I have been up there moving little by little. It's really starting to become a home.

Our home.

We're making it that way, from doing handprints on our new mailbox, which Jaylan's hand covers one whole side, to having our entryway with a photo of us professionally taken by Lexi at the National Harbor with cherry blossoms. On Jaylan's healthy side of the refrigerator, with his yucky kale, is lots of lettuce. My side is edible.

My favorite part is our new bed. It's very jumpable for Jaylan. It's a California king because I think he is having a growth spurt. I told him not to eat so much green beans the other day and he didn't listen.

Crinkling my nose, I swipe the dust on the top part of my mirror. I swear I got all of it before-

"Mija."

Turning around Mamá comes walking in with her pretty french floral creme lace up split sling dress. She has on my light brown wedges that click on the carpet.

"Si, Mamà." Adjusting my serape that won't stick, I grunt and furrow my brows.

Mamà smacks her lips softly as she stands behind me. "Aquí, déjame ayudarte (Here, let me help you.)," she coos.

A smile spreads across my lips as Mamá adjusts Abuela's handcrafted sarape sash with so many colors. Mamá rests her chin on my shoulder at my clean body mirror. I wiped it down at least ten times before she got here.

"Gracias, mamá."

She pats my shoulder, her grip caressing my nerves. "No puedo creer que sea tu día especial. (I can't believe it's your special day.)"

"Yo tampoco puedo creerlo. (I can't believe it either.)" I hum.

Just to think, how I followed a national cleaning week for the last couple of weeks, from Jaylan and I's house to here. Max is still mad she had to get on her knees to scrub the carpets. Lexi said she should be used to being on her knees, and then I had to separate two of them and make both clean the carpets.