GOLD RIMMED SPECTACLES AND RED SHOES

The past five years seemed nothing in comparison to these last five minutes . I had waited patiently all these years but somehow these last few minutes seemed to be taking forever . I was anxious , nervous , very excited and like most mothers highly emotional and very worried . The minute I heard the announcement that flight had landed I felt this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach , my heart was ready to burst with joy . I remember feeling the same way 22 years ago when the doctor had told me that I was expecting . Today , I was going to see my little baby after five long years , she was now a grown up young lady and from what I have been seeing in the pictures she sends me , she is as pretty as pretty can be .
I must have stared at that little screen for ages trying to get a glimpse of her coming down the escalator , suddenly I saw a pair of bright red sneakers , that had to be her if I knew my daughter well , she had to be the one with the red sneakers . I took off my new gold rimmed glasses and cleaned the glass , I wanted this moment to be perfect , crystal clear for me to cherish forever .
Here she was now finally in my arms my little angel , she was much taller than before and had lost a lot of weight . I looked down and smiled when I saw her red shoes .
She hugged me all the way home from the airport . She was like a little parrot , talking non – stop , excited , overwhelmed , she had so much to say . I sat silently admiring her , listening to her voice , holding her close to me . It was like looking at myself in the mirror ages ago only now it was a far more pretty version of me , my daughter , she was finally home . Tears of joy trickled down my cheeks , she looked at me and said , “Aw ma don’t cry , hey I love your new spectacles here let me clean the glass for you”, she gave me a tight hug and I felt the same warmth I had felt when I held her in my arms the day she was born , nothing had changed and nothing will change , she will always be my little angel. Now I was not going to let her go any where , there was so much to catch up on , so much to hear , so much to say .
Sitting in the my seat putting on my red sneakers I smiled I could visualize the look on my mothers face , I knew exactly what she would say , “You and your fetish for red sneakers , some things never change”. Five years ago I was sitting on a flight leaving my mother not knowing when we would be seeing each other next , it made me extremely sad and tearful . Today as I excitedly wait for this flight to land on my home grounds I am tearful again . The tears roll down , the tears of joy , finally the time had come I was getting home , home to my mother. These last five years had been very busy and passed away very fast , ironically these last five minutes seemed like ages . The flight landed but the butterflies in my stomach were still very active and in motion . Meeting mum after five long years , it was making me a little nervous and couldn’t wait to hug her. Running towards this lady wearing gold rimmed spectacles I felt like a five year old who is lost in a crowd and suddenly spots her mother . My mother had aged a little , grey hair , spectacles and a touch of wrinkles . Looking at her made me realize how long five years were .
I felt comfort and security in her arms . The journey back home from the airport was full of stories and questions all obviously by me . However , one thing kept bothering , it was like a spot on the windshield which keeps bugging the driver till he hasn’t wiped it off . How was I going to tell mum about him , how would I tell her that I was in love , would she understand or would she over react ? I just hugged her and we both wept silently , I was home and with her and I knew all would work out fine , she always understood after all and I know she will be very happy for me when I tell her about my new job . She will be proud of her little girl who has finally grown up .
Three months at home should be enough time for me to tell her about him and my plans to move back and pick up the new job . Wondering how she would react to my suggestion of her moving overseas worried me . There was enough time to deal with all that right now being next to her , finally coming home was comforting and very exciting.