To the stars, I stumble

I woke up to the sounds of a busy home, hearing footsteps that sounded as though giants were stomping across the wooden floor. I blinked slowly, realizing the sun had almost bid the day goodbye. Nestled in what felt like a pile of feathers, I found myself wishing that these crisp, cozy sheets were mine.

A sudden swing of the bedroom door jolted me awake. My family’s loud laughter and chatter echoed through the cottage, and then I found my brother standing with wide eyes and a wicked grin on his face. He held my gaze for about two seconds, sprinted, then jumped to tackle me. Grunting, I tried to break free from his Crucifix Neck Crank, something he had learned from watching last week’s MMA fight. Great.

It is baffling how easily moms can break up a battle. Whatever tactic she uses for my brother and me is very effective. She did not even have to go to the room; it was one of her superpowers. She just yelled, “The first one dressed gets to choose the ice cream flavor!” Ten minutes later, we were strolling near the island’s edge, headed for a fancy restaurant. It was Papa’s idea, and judging by my mom’s pursed lips and the slight twitch of her eye when he said it, she wasn’t too pleased. That leads me to another one of her superpowers: a keen eye. My mom is excellent at catching wind of anything that may be of interest. Mainly, she uses it to spot sales, a certified bargain hunter at heart. She bought this hanging top I wore, saying it was perfect for our beach trip. “Plus,” she said, “it was 50 percent off!”

My eyes adjusted to the darkness as the sun fully set. I was taking in the sound of the waves as my brother picked up pebbles by my side. It was a rare day without disagreements flaring up between my parents, so they led the way. Looking up as I walked, I failed to notice a string tied slightly above the ground. Clearly, I did not have my mom’s keen eye. I took one clueless step, lost my balance, and let out an ear-splitting squeal. I felt someone’s hand attempting to hold me and stop me from falling, but gravity had its own way, and I could not avoid the inevitable. Before I knew it, our days of delight on the island flashed before my eyes. A kaleidoscope of summer sky blues swirled around in a haze, and flickers of burnt oranges appeared in the memory of when I swayed my hands through the rustling wind, watching my fingers soak up the sun’s rays. Like a chicken sticking its head into the sand, I wanted to hide until all this was over.

My brother was the first one to huff out a laugh. If it were not for my sorry ass, I would have taken up my dirty flip-flops and dusted the sand off his stupid face. Papa was beside him, laughing so hard that he made loud gasping noises whenever he came up for air. To my right, my mom was wiping the tears off her flushed cheeks. Before I knew it, I was smiling. I flipped over to see a better view of the fun they were having. At that point, we were all out of breath. My mom’s eyes twinkled ecstatically as tears spilled down her face like the first droplets of rain to hit the land.

While lying there with sand on my face like flour on bread, my eyes drifted from my loved ones toward the dazzling stars. There they were, pinned to the sky like a masterpiece. The different constellations smiled down at me. I noticed the palm trees dancing as we laughed, with the wind as the melody. I heard the ocean air’s gentle hum as if I had pressed a shell against my ear. The parked boats floated through the rising tide, swaying softly, and the distant lights made it look like a scene from a movie.

A part of me wanted to stop time right then. If I could just capture this fleeting moment with my family on this island, I would be forever grateful. My eyes glistened as a thought came to me: when we go back home, I wish I could have my mom’s superpower of breaking up a fight. So that even if I do not get to be in the room with them (as I’ll be with my brother watching MMA), I can use that superpower when the shouting begins.

The breathtaking view of the stars and my family having the time of their lives making fun of me was the best stargazing experience I ever had with them. Not only because it was the first, but also because it was the last.

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Marjorie Mae Servo, 23, is a student at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where she is pursuing a degree in literature. She is a free-spirited flower child who loves to take long walks. Her nose is always buried between the pages of an epic fantasy book.