Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Like there is no time

The Uber has already been called
It's nearly the end of the night
of the first day of a hurried wedding
It's after the cousins have finished 
with their choreographed dances
after the henna has dried on my hands
My aunt, the brides' mother, comes up
to her sisters and sisters-in-law
Let's get on the dance floor
she says, It's our time now
The aunt who is giving me a ride back  
says: but I already called the Uber
the app says it's just five minutes away
Then let's go, let's go, let's go 
the bride's mother says
gesturing to the dance floor
looking like she's already dancing
we have no time to lose
we can't waste a single minute, she says 
but she seems also, so far away
It's the same far away look she has 
at the reception the next day
until the bride and groom 
surprise-announce 
that a baby is coming soon
and everyone is ooh-ing and crying
even more than usual
because--you know--we know
and when I finally get to congratulate 
my uncle and my aunt
My aunt who's made no mention 
of what we all know all weekend long
finally breaks. Gripping my uncle's hand 
in a way both hard and tender, she says--
I just hope he gets to see the baby
she says, as if there is no time

3 comments:

StephLove said...

That last stanza is sensational.

Gillian said...

Awesome. Did not expect that.

maya said...

Thank you, StephLove and Gillian!

"I'm a weirdo/doofus/nerd/naif" (Part MXVIII)

I realized during my meditation this morning that my energy for contacting so many people yesterday (the "emotional labor" that St...