Mi Madre-take dos

-1-
Yesterday I saw a rainbow. It was the brightest one ever, with the most vibrant colors imaginable. The sky was clear, the sun ablaze. This rainbow wasn't like the ones whose blurry water-colors cast drops of hope on a rainy day. My mother asked me to capture the rainbow for her. This was not unusual, for she asked me this every time one blessed our Hawaiian skies. Instead of my normal, "that's impossible, mom," I made it my priority to capture that rainbow. I set off on my journey. It was one full of perseverance, hope, and love. I wanted my mother to be proud of me and my efforts. I traveled high and low, being guided by the end of the arch, which only seemed to recede farther and farther as I went. Finally, after many steps the end of the rainbow stood gleaming, inches away from my face. It was so close that I opened my glass jar and scooped in some of its ocean of colors. Mission accomplished. I skipped home, excitement and joy creating the bounce in my steps. "Look," I said to my mother, holding out the rainbow filled jar. She gave me a acquisitive look. "What? There's nothing in here." She gave the jar a shake, and I watched the colors bounce about, till they slowly faded into thin air. With feelings of anger and sadness creeping through my veins, I told her, "You're right. It's nothing." I took the jar from her hands and tossed it into the trash.
-2-
I sat beside his tomb stone, arranging the purple orchids and evergreen ferns in Papa's engraved, metal vase. Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes, and I brought my hand up in a useless attempt to keep them from falling. I rested my heavy head in the palms of my hands. My shoulders shook back and forth with every new sob. Slowly, an arm slid across my shoulders and brought me into a hug. I looked up to find the eyes of my mother, gazing forlornly at Papa's headstone. I noticed that she too held tears in her understanding eyes. I rested my head on her chest. Together we shared the sadness. No words needed to be spoken. Cars rushed by on the nearby road, the sun escaped behind the horizon, and darkness fell over the skies. But my mother and I stayed in the same place, unmoved. We stood, cherishing our connection: we were together, we were united, we were one.