The Green Card Dilemma

Chapter 2

The alarm clock did ring but Anita was never asleep. She couldn't close her eyes when her dad's face was staring straight at her. She had forgotten about the picture.

She grunted and stretched her sore limbs before starting a fresh coffee pot. Her mother couldn't go a day without the beverage. It was a reminder of back home and simpler times. She searched the fridge for something she could make into breakfast but an expired cartoon of orange juice and a yogurt was all she could find.

Her spirit sunk even lower as her stomach growled. She would have to take some money from her meager savings to go grocery shopping. It was alright. It would only set them back one year for the house she had wanted to buy.

Under a large discover, in the middle of the table, she found a bag filled with Haitian cassava that one of her mom's sister had brought on her last visit.

"Cassava and coffee it is," she grabbed some plates and begun to rationalize the food.

When everything was done, she knocked on her sister's door to wake her up then fetched her mother in their room. The old woman had already freshened up. She never slept past 5 AM.

"We have your favorite food, mom," Anita said as she led her mother out the bedroom.

It was obvious that Mommy Desbois liked independence but she accidently gave birth to a daughter that was a tad bit too much on the helpful side. Therefore, she let the young lady have her joy.

"Keke," Anita shouted at her sister's closed door, "aren't you going to be late for school?"

She heard her sister's muffled groan through the door before something knocked on the door. Probably one of her expensive textbooks.

"I'm going to the mall today," Anita said as soon as she had her mother seated. "Anything you'd like in particular?"

She poured the coffee and spread some peanut butter on the cassava bread. She watched her mother eat in silence.

"Would you like some new shoes?" She continued. "I think we can afford that. I can't exactly go to the mall and leave empty handed."

Keshia finally peaked inside the tiny room as Anita was assembling the dishes to wash them.

"What are you doing?" Anita frowned when she saw her sister pour the rest of the coffee in her thermos.

"I need it to keep my eyes open in that boring philosophy class," Keshia answered. "I have no idea what that got to do with medicine but it's required for medical school. How are you going to celebrate your first day off in ages?" A wicked tinkle appeared in her eyes.

"I'm going to the mall," Anita replied before going back to scrubbing the dishes.

"Seriously? What are you, twelve?" she teased. "Go do something fun, Nini." She bent down to kiss her mom's cheeks. "I'll be back."

Anita wiped her hands then went to freshen up. She took her time with everything because she sincerely had no idea what to do with her free time. They came by so few and far between.

"Would like me to stay with you, mom?" She asked the woman who was captivated by a Jerry Springer show. "I guess not," she continued when momma Desbois completely ignored her.

Anita tightened her coat around her and braved herself for the outside world.

It was a bright new day for Hector Barrero. After weeks of around the clock surgeries, he was finally seeing the outside world.

He loved his job and making people feel better. The most emotional part was after the surgery when the patient would wake with a smile on his lips.