Solving for X: 31

As a child, gleeful dance parties, play sessions, and helping out in the kitchen. Being dressed up in velvet dolls’ dresses for holiday parties and falling asleep in her lap at the table, the exhausted little socialite I was. As an adult, late nights, and leisurely mornings, soaking up reality television and each other’s company over a fresh bagel and bittersweet cup of dark roast coffee. Singing in the car, laughing until our bellies hurt, and pretending life could be this easy forever.

Soothing back scratches and cackling as telenovelas and campy Univision talk shows blast in the background. Beaming with joy each time I saw her silver VW Jetta pull up in the school pickup line, ready to whisk me away soft pjs and cartoons while I await my parents’ arrival. Watching “Sabado Gigante” and pizza for dinner. The permanent smell of fresh laundry and promise of a warm cup of strawberry milk if I asked just right. The constant perfect balance between tough love and warm snuggles.