Tuesday, 12/14/04 - 9:00 pm.
It's been a terrible day, as all days-before-a-long-trip are. I'm tired, and suddenly the only thing that makes me want to go to Houston is the fact that the kids may need some support. But I'll explain the reason later.
I went shopping in the morning, and just because I was thinking of Joseph, I bought a black bra *cough*. And then in the afternoon I went with my whole family for a pre-check, so we'll avoid the long lines at the airport tomorrow morning at (ugh) 6:30.
In the evening, long story short, we came to find out my brother in Houston and his wife are separated. My dad called to confirm tomorrow's schedule, and my niece picked up the phone. She wouldn't say what was wrong, but my dad made her. Case in point: daddy didn't sleep last night here, he went to a hotel. Mommy's on her way home from work.
Surprinsingly, I wasn't in shock. I only thought of the kids, my nephew and niece. My dad took it calmly, but my mom started to cry (we've decided not to tell my other siblings, we'll talk about that tomorrow once we're settled).
It's my mother's birthday today, you see, and it's been not long enough since my other brother separated from his girlfriend (they were living together). So you can't pull the "happy birthday" with her, no. She sobbed and said what's happening to my children?. I took that as she was let down, and maybe she was (I also had the selfish thought that I was the only one that hasn't disappointed, relationship-wise, I haven't had any major divorce-like break-up...but that thought didn't last long, because it was certainly irrelevant).
My parents have called my brother and his wife to their cell phones, and they're planning on coming back a bit earlier (their return was planned for january 10th -mine for the 25th-). We thought they might've been argued over the take over of my family, but both say that it has nothing to do with their fight, that the thing that caused all this trouble occured like three days ago. And apparently, they can work it out.
But still, it seems my brother's wife won't even spend christmas with us.
I'm sad, but reality hasn't quite sunk in. I don't want to jump to conclusions until I've heard the whole story, from both sides. My biggest concer is the kids, and I'm thinking that if things are bad, I may prolong my stay there, to look after them.
At some point I realized I've never read anything about how divorce affects other people than the parents and the children. I don't want to think about that, though. I hope it's just a temporary conflict between my brother and his wife, I hope they can work it out.
That's how things are, less than 12 hours before I get on the plane and get sick. My bags are packed, materially I'm ready. But now I kind of want to stay. I'm afraid our visit (we're 7 altogether) will fuck things up even more. Denise, my brother's wife, said it'd actually be a big help. I don't know.
The only good news is that I may stay at the house, and not in a hotel. That'll allow me to help the kids out with everything (walking them to school, preparing snacks, talking to them)...oh, and I get to have internet access. I really, really hope I can update often. Looks like I'll need to.
So, I guess I'd better go. I need to call Joseph (I! love! him!, you know?), I need to sleep. I need to prepare myself for tomorrow, and for whatever it may bring. Poor Frog, she's nesting in one of the suitcases right now. I hate to leave her.
Be at the airport at 6:30 am, arrival in Houston at noon or something. Got it. And then I don't know. I'll try to update as soon as I can. You all take care, yes?