The house was never at rest during the brief weeks between the magi’s Epiphany visit and the day when my fourth birthday came. I loved all the commotion because I knew that the preparations were all about me. After hearing that Tía Dulce, and even Tía Nereida, had sent word that they were planning to come, I was thrilled, and when Tía Consuelo and Tío Ramón walked in the day before with two-year old cousin Nicolás, I could not believe my good luck. Knowing that Benita and Celestino were planning to come heightened my mood, and to my surprise, I was even looking forward to her wet kisses and hugs. With a four-year old’s anticipation, I was anxious to open all the gifts that were still to come.
In preparation of the big day, Mother scrubbed and painted the walls with a yellow the shade of a pale rose bud. She then polished the coral and speckled cream tile floors throughout the whole house.
Father prepared as well, buying a new camel-colored gabardine suit, and Mother bought enough fabric to make a matching suit for me to wear on my special day. For herself, she sewed a floral wool circle skirt that she paired with a new high collar, long-sleeved sweater, accessorizing her look with new shoes, a belt, and Tia Cecilia’s choker of cream-colored pearls.
On the day of the party, all the food had been laid out in an extravagant display. There was so much to eat: small, salty deviled ham sandwiches with finely chopped pickles inside, potato salad decorated with sliced egg and topped with pimento, chicken croquettes, tiny croissants, a fancy buttercream round cake with a ship flying a pirate’s flag from its main mast. There was strawberry ice cream to serve with the cake, sodas for the children and the other guests, and of course, cold bottles of beer set aside for the men.
Father had left the house early in the morning of the party to go play dominos, but he must have lost track of time because by the time guests started to arrive, he wasn’t there, and I saw how Mother’s mood darkened with each second that passed as she started to pace back and forth.
Back and forth Mother paced, her anxiety building as she greeted each guest, until she stormed out the house without saying a word. Not long after, she returned with Father trailing behind. However, Benita and Celestino hadn’t followed and didn’t come to my birthday party that day.
Once Father had changed into his suit, Mother pushed the guests around the dining table, and with a loud exaggerated voice, asked everyone to sing Feliz Cumpleaños to me.
Overwhelmed by all the unfocused emotions in the room, I just wanted to run away and hide, knowing fully well that I could not because my job was to smile for each picture and perform.
When the party was over and the crowd was finally gone, after the house had been meticulously scrubbed, Mother, waiting for the ideal moment, slapped Father’s face as I stood there and gasped, too frightened to cry.