Circles in Side Effects

Today was a nice feel-good day. My mother is out of town in Mexico City for a week. My dad called us and invited us out for breakfast, and we suggested a home kitchen in a poor but lively neighborhood. Clean, good homecooked food, and reasonable ]prices! So our crowd (my sister Erika, her husband Oscar, her 9 year old son Gael, myself, my dad, my husband Adrian, my 9 year old Chelsea, and my 2 year old toddler Hilda) added to the restaurant’s good vibe.

After that we headed off to my in-laws’. My mother-in-law is from Durango, Mexico. It turns out there was a problem in the deed of a land she just sold, and the new owner threatened to sue her, so she had to leave immediately to go clear things up in person. My MIL is awesome, she’s so fun and for some reason she adores me. After spending the whole afternoon in family with Adrian’s parents, his grandmother and his siblings, we offered my mother in law (her name is Adriana, let’s use her name now) and my youngest brother in law Marco to the bus station since it is near our house.

Just on our way out a woman appeared at the door and I knew her face, she even called me by my name, but for the life of me I couldn’t identify who she was. Apparently Adriana is a godmother to one of her daughter’s, and she used to be a neighbor and had bought another house and moved away and they hadn’t seen each other since. She turned to me and told me I was the one that sold her the house.

Immediately I was thrown back, because in an instant I remembered her and was transported to 8 years ago, when Chelsea was as small as my toddler. It was a nauseating feeling of mixed emotions. It was when I was married to someone else, had 2 stepsons, a toddler, and worked as a real estate agent. I rocked as a salesperson and was making good money, but had nothing to show for it, because that someone else was a freeloader that milked me for everything I had. I connected with so many people, sold houses that I don’t even remember. This one woman in particular, Professor Martha, didn’t have the cash needed to sign the contract for the purchase. I spotted her $10,000 pesos risking never seeing it again, but her and her husband inspired a good feeling. After a few months their credit went through, the house was sold, and they paid me back my $10,000 pesos and I received $9,500 in commission. It was a good deal. they were very grateful and she gave me a perfume as a gift.

The next day I took a trip with the ex and the kids. The boys were competing in a nationwide handball tournament in Guanajuato. It was a nice trip, I had a great time with the boys, their teammates, my funny toddler, met up with an Aunt in Guanajuato, and a friend from college who also lived their. The ex was an accesory. I was more support to his kids than he was. I liked the perfume and wore it every day of the trip.

6 months later I filed for divorce. The perfume made me sick to my stomach, made me think of nice things instead of the abusive relationship I was running away from. I threw the perfume out and never ran into Professor Martha again. Until today. She told me she had a gambling habit, and lost the luxury home I sold her, and resorting to buying a smaller economical home.

She said she’d come back another time when we weren’t so busy, we drove Adriana and Marco to catch the bus, and we came home to unwind. I love sunday nights with my husband and my screaming kids. 8 years ago I never would have imagined I’d be where I am today. I don’t know if it is a good place. But it feels good.

Adrian, myself and the girls

Adrian, his sister Ena, me and Hilda, Chelsea, Ena’s daugther Zenyacen, his brother Marco, and a cousin

My parents,Adriana, and my nephew Gael

Last updated December 02, 2016