Crazy, Stupid, You & Me ✖ hood au

➋ Training & Tickets

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Today was Independence Day and I, Aurora, would normally celebrate this American holiday by diving headfirst into a plate of homemade BBQ, lighting up sparklers at sunset, and sneaking alcohol into my cup of fruit punch, all while being decked out in red, blue, and white. But as fate would have it, I was a Kirby, and normalities never ran through my blood. So instead of firing up the grill or throwing down a few bills on fireworks, my wonderful and oh-so holistic mother intuitively created a 4th of July breakfast that health gurus on YouTube would fawn over.

"What's chia seeds?" Frankie, who was just as confused as I, poked at the goopy concoction that sat before him. The mixture was in a glass jar, three layers and each color different to represent the American Flag. Frankie examined the odd texture sitting on his wooden spoon with such scrutiny, it was as if my brother were trying to solve a murder.

"Its a super ingredient, baby," my mother simply answered with a smile on her face. She held onto a plastic bowl in her arms as she vigorously mixed another crazy blend of ingredients, the colorful bangles on her wrists clanging together like the wind chimes outside.

"And what's so important about chia seeds?" I never questioned my mom's nutritional choices out of teenaged judgement. I was just curious.

You see my mother used to be a nurse-- one of the best, might I add. She loved her job dearly, and loved her patients as if they were her own family. But while being a registered nurse brought income, she never fully agreed with the modern medicinal system.

"These tiny seeds are packed with all the important vitamins, and are rich in omega fats," mom explained, as she ceased her stirring movements and sat on the chair next to Frankie. "And omega fats are important for Frankie, so his brain can flourish like the beautiful flowers outside."

Routine vaccinations gave my brother autism.

Well, that's what my mother believes. Which is one of the reasons why she left nursing altogether. Medication, in my mom's eyes, should come from the earth, and the mind, body, and soul can be healed without the poison of modern medicine. Ever since Frankie was diagnosed with Autism, my mom did everything in her power to reverse and mend my brother in the most holistic of ways.

"You don't care about my brain?" I narrowed in my brows, an over exaggerated pout on my face.

"Of course I do honey. Which is why I made you a much bigger jar of chia seed pudding," mom stood up, pointing to the large glass mason jar in front of me with the spatula in her hand. "That way you'll have all the best energy on your first day of training."

"Why's Rora training?" Frankie asked, he still hadn't touched his breakfast, yet.

"I got a job baby boy," I told him with a smile, reaching over to ruffle his curls, "so I can buy cool stuff."

"Like beach toys!" Frankie's face lit up like the fireworks that were sure to blaze through the evening sky.

"Yea, maybe," I mumbled under my breath, stuffing my mouth full of the pudding.

It had been exactly three days since Frankie's near-death accident on the beach. While Frankie forgave me for my idiotic neglect, I however, couldn't forgive myself just yet. I was so close to losing the boy who held onto my heartstrings with a tight grip, that I still had nightmares about it.

I ate my breakfast in bliss, which surprisingly was the best damn pudding I've had in my entire life. Frankie ate his, in between random singing outbursts to his favorite parts of "One Love" by Bob Marley and the Wailers which played from the record player. Mom continued to whip up whatever she was creating-- an experiment that we'd most likely taste test for dinner.