A Very Pleasant Surprise

Rosa Martinez

HAVANA TIMES — It’s around 5 AM, the neighbor’s skinny cockerels begin their singing at about 3 AM; at that time though, I never hear them, luckily, but at 5 AM they do disturb my ears.

Although I’m awake, I curl up a little more in bed, trying to finish off my well-deserved night of rest, which is so difficult for working mothers to have.

The temperature is pleasant at dawn. This month, January, has been extremely pleasant. Even though we didn’t have much rain, the sun didn’t heat the earth too much, and we have to make the most of that, because this is very rare in the East of Cuba.

I wanted to stay in bed a little longer, until 7 or 8 AM at least. But if I do, not only will I be losing a day’s worth of work; as if the entire world depends on me, if I don’t get up and do what I usually do, my girls wouldn’t get up for school and even my husband would get distracted.

I wait a few more minutes while I stretch, yawn and think. I hear a noise near the kitchen which must be Gisselle, my youngest daughter, who must have got up to pee. I get ready, because after that she always ends up on top of us. She’s already 8 years old and she thinks she is grown up, but it seems like cuddles will never end for her.

I hear another noise and another. I open my eyes properly and I can’t find my husband in bed.

Has something happened? I get worried.

Is one of the girls not feeling well?

Has somebody broken in?

I quickly begin to put on my flip-flops to see what’s going on; then a “Happy Birthday” and chocolate cake makes its way to my bed, and the most beautiful people in the world hug and kiss me… I didn’t know, or rather, I’d forgotten, but, it’s going to be the best birthday I’ve ever had, there’s no doubt about it…