Sunday, May 11
It's Mother's Day today.
On Friday in school, Mom was taking a photo of the children's Mother's Day art work. She had placed all the children's cards on the stage, and was positioning them properly --
Pause ...
Yes, pro -- per -- ly ...
Some words, somehow, will never be the same for Mom.
It's a long story, let's not go there right now ...
So, where was she?
Ah, yes, she was trying to take a photo of the children's craft ...
Yes, she was ... when she suddenly found herself standing very still, face to face, at a stuffed toy ...
Oh -- my -- gosh ...
Gasp ...
Seriously?
Stitch?
She learned later that one of the 5 year old girls had brought that Stitch toy to school for our Show & Tell session. That Friday, the children were supposed to bring an item that Mommy likes and share why Mommy liked that item. There were more than 20 items that was brought by the children. The teacher had not at the time asked the children to take their items out of their bags. Yet, that girl had somehow took her item out and left it on the stage ... among the happy mother's day cards.
Stitch ...
Gawd, Son. How can Mom ever forget Stitch? He was the toy your aunty J and Justine bought for you to accompany you in the surgery room. You were 7 years old.
Your first open brain surgery.
ZAP ZAP ZAP.
That was a clear HI MA!!! I'm right here ... all the way from heaven.
Mom couldn't wait to tell Dad during lunch time that Friday.
She was like, "Omg, you wouldn't believe this but I was taking a photo of the children's Mother's Day cards, and guess what? Omg ... STITCH ... you remember Stitch? His first operation, we gave him Stitch and told him Stitch will be with him during the operation ... remember? Remember? Stitch??? Lilo and Stitch???"
Of course Dad remembers.
"Stitch was sitting right there ... amongst the cards. I don't know how it got there."
"Who brought it to school?" Dad asked.
Mom mentioned the girl's name.
"Why did she bring it?" Dad wanted to know.
Silence.
Why did she ...
Argh, she wanted to stomp her foot, why's your father asking all the wrong questions?
"She brought it for the Show & Tell. The teacher did not ask the children to take out their items yet (it wasn't time for that sharing session then anyway) and yet, there it was, among all the Mother's Day cards ... the girl put it there ... like it was meant to be ... You must have whispered to her ... Take Stitch out and put it among the cards ..."
Omg ...
Did You see your mother take a deep breath at this point?
"Stitch was sitting -- right there!" she finished almost triumphantly.
"My Son is clearly wishing me, Happy Mother's Day, Ma ... Can you hear it? I heard him. I can always hear him. It's so obvious ... so easy ... He's saying Happy Mother's Day, Ma ... I know he is ... That's a clear zap from Son ..." <3
Yes easy ...
Mom hears your words -- from the hospital bed -- "It's -- so -- easy ... "
So on Sunday -- Mother's Day -- Mom woke up early. Aunty Di sent a text to say that she wasn't going for mass this morning because aunty C and uncle C are both on-call (hospital). Mom replied immediately, that TODAY, all mother's will get special blessings from Father, and that Dad, Mom and Justine will help Aunty D with the 2 kids and that we should go for mass ...
Aunty D need no further convincing.
We were soon on the way to church.
Baby Dylan (1.5 months old)
Mom was carrying the baby in the car. He was on her lap.
Shortly after, she felt her breath caught in her throat when she suddenly felt the words "Mummy, i really love you ..." reaching out to her ...
She searched the words ...
and suddenly noticed the letter D, on the right, at the bottom.
Slow gasp. Yeah, picture that, would You please?
Slow gasp.
Omg ...
And then -- she saw the second letter D.
Mom whispered to Justine, beside her.
Two Ds ...
A secret smile.
A silent thought.
A happy sigh.
You are definitely gonna be with your family today ... :D
It's Mother's Day. :D
Today, for some reason, Mom walked into the church ... from the side entrance ... You know how normally, we just try to find a seat outside the church ... because of the kids, we tell ourselves (innocent look) ...anyway, she walked in to find an empty row waiting for us. The first row of the second half portion in church.
Perfect.
Plenty of leg space.
So here's the baby with Aunty D ... Don't tell Aunty D this but your young aunt is obsessed with trying to burp the baby. Really, she's like trying to turn that into a career or something the way she insists on burping him each time he has a feed ... Did he burp? He must burp! You must burp him ...
Sometimes, the burp just ain't coming ... no matter how hard you try.
Haha.
Here's Megan ...
"That's my brader," she would say to everyone.
So anyway, when mass was over, the Priest called for all mothers to step forward.
Aunty D and Mom stood up and hurried to the altar.
Hehe.
We actually made our way right to the front of the altar, just standing behind one patron who was in front of Mom. Mom was carrying the baby with her, and Aunty D was carrying Megan. The woman in front of her happened to turn around, saw the baby, and whispered to Mom, "How old?"
Mom said, "One month ..."
The woman replied, "My grandson is only 7 days old ..."
Pause.
Say what?
Her grandson???
Did the woman think the baby in Mom's arms was your mother's grandson too???
Oh Lord.
Father said a prayer before sprinkling holy water on all the mothers.
Yeah, that's your mother's favourite part, as You would know.
She always need to feel the drops of holy water on her, and if she doesn't, it would feel like something was not -- right.
Plenty of holy droplets showered on your mother, to her delight. :D:D:D
Yeah, Happy Mother's Day to myself, she thought happily.
Yet somehow -- a tinge of sadness slowly crept into her veins.
How would she explain it?
How could she?
She couldn't ...
You know her thoughts.
Go figure.
After mass, we decided to go to an Indian restaurant nearby ...
So anyway, the congregation stood up for the final hymn.
Dad whispered, "Let's go ..."
Our car was double-parked. We should get to the car as soon as possible. However, Mom kinda stood there ... for what, she doesn't really know. She just stood there, and nodded to Dad with a whispered, "In a minute ..."
Dad said again, "We have to go ... the car ..."
For some reason, Mom wasn't ready to go. That was strange, because normally, when Dad says, let's go ... she would automatically pick up her bag and -- go.
She didn't -- that Sunday, Mother's Day day ...
Suddenly, as she turned to Dad, her eyes caught sight of a young boy in a black tee shirt, who was walking towards her direction.
Gasp.
Omg.
She stared -- open mouthed.
The boy walked past Mom.
There was a word on the top right (Mom's right) of his tee shirt.
UP.
Yes, those words were on his tee shirt.
Omg ... seriously???
UP???
ZAP ZAP ZAP.
Son Son Son ... You really know how to make your presence felt, don't You?
You are with Mom all the time, aren't You?
UP was the movie Mom and You went to watch together.
Our very first movie together -- and last.
Justine was at camp, and Dad was outstation that weekend.
Mom and You went to watch UP ... by ourselves.
We shared a cheese cake, remember? That was certainly the best cheese cake we have ever tasted. Truly, the best.
There were certain moments / scenes in that UP movie that Mom wished You did not have to see ... but You did ... :(
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MA ... <3
It's amazing how You can speak right to her heart ...
Mom heard You.
She smiled to herself.
Picking up her small shoulder bag, she turned to leave.
Yeah, she was ready to leave -- then.
After the UP zap.
You must have whispered to her to :
Wait a minute, Ma, don't go just yet ...
You must have.
Otherwise, she would have left a few seconds earlier -- with Dad.
Smile.
So meant to be.
Walking to the car, and hurrying beside Dad, Mom tried to tell Dad about that UP zap.
Dad did not notice the boy nor the words ...
Ah, Dad's just --- jealous.
Grin.
Oh, never mind ... that ZAP moment is so between Mom and You ... it is after all, Mother's Day, is it now?
So, it makes sense that that zap moment was special for Mom and Mom only.
Okay, are we all clear on that? Or does she have to repeat it? :D
Thank you, Son ...
Oh by the way Son, please do remember to tell Mama Mary that Mom wishes Our Lady a Happy Mother's Day too. What did You do for the Mother of God, Daniel? Did You give Her something special? You could give Her a blue rose, You know. You do know blue is Her colour, right?
So anyway ...
In the car, Aunty D was relating an incident to Mom.
Aunty D said, "I was in the shower yesterday, and I locked the bedroom door. Megan knocked and called. I told her I was in the shower ... and you know what she did?"
What?
Your aunt said with a laugh, "She sang, do you want to build a snowman through the door ... hahaha ..."
Hehehe.
That's funny. Mom could picture Megan singing that line through the closed door.
Do you want to build a snowman?
Hahaha ...
Mom said, "Yeah, we're gonna do LET IT GO for concert this year ... the kids love the song ... everyday, it's like Let it go, Let it go, Can't hold back anymore etc ... And the girls love Elsa ... They used to fight over pink stuffs, and now they're starting to fight over blue things ... "
Soon, we were talking excitedly about which class would do which FROZEN song.
Chatter chatter chatter.
One thing's for sure, we're definitely doing LET IT GO for the 5 and 6 years old. The Juniors will do the SNOWMAN song.
Said Mom.
So that's settled then.
Perfect.
We reached the restaurant some 10 minutes later.
Aunty D said, "Eh, go to the air-con room ..."
Yes, Mom intended to go there. Entering the restaurant, she walked straight to the back.
That air-conned room.
This was a special hall for family functions and private events, that the restaurant people open during weekends for the public. So we walked in and found a table right at the back of the small hall that had about 10 tables or thereabouts.
We sat down.
No sooner had your mother settled down, she suddenly heard the song LET IT GO in the air. It was coming from the table next to us. Could be a handphone or tablet whatever, we couldn't really tell as some -- bodies -- were blocking our view.
But but but ... the song was loud and clear ...
Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know
Let it go
Let it go
Can't hold it back any more ...
Oh my ...
We were just talking about FROZEN and LET IT GO on our way here, and now that we are here, we hear the song immediately after we seated ourselves at our table?
Good Lord, what are the chances?
No chance, no way ...
Gosh oh gosh oh gosh ...
You're near, Mom knows.
So near, she knows.
Beside her?
Are You?
Yes yes ... surely ...
Surely You are beside her ...
After brunch, we went home.
Aunty C said she had bought movie tickets to Spiderman.
At 3 pm.
Soon it was time to get ready. We would grab a quick lunch before the movie.
The television was on.
TITANIC (movie) soon came on the screen.
Every night in my dreams
I see you, I feel you
That is how I know you go on
Far across the distance and spaces between us
You have come to show you go on
Rose (elderly) said, "It's been 84 years ..."
Mom's ears pricked up.
84???
Secret code : 21
The time was 1:25 pm.
Decode : 44
Her angel number.
84 was mentioned again.
21 two times.
Mom got the message alright. :D
I'm right here, Ma ... :D
ZAP ZAP ZAP ...
Near far wherever you are, Daniel-Son ...
Keep the zaps coming ...
Will continue in a bit ...
Have to help Dad clear up the store room today.
Love you, Son ... <3
