The Weight of Everything by Marcia Argueta Mickelson

Author:Marcia Argueta Mickelson [Mickelson, Marcia Argueta]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction-Young Adult, Fiction, young adult fiction, Texas, San Antonio, grief, Guatemala, art, YA romance, coming of age, activism, heritage, US history, Latin America, contemporary, realism, family
ISBN: 9781728479200
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
Published: 2023-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

I don’t open Mom’s notebook over the weekend. The conversation with Dad, the memories of my indifference to her perspective, have filled me with guilt. I think about the missed opportunities to have conversations that were important to her. I have her notebook, but I could’ve let her share those thoughts with me with her voice if I had just taken the time to listen, instead of always thinking that I knew best, that I knew more, that she was just being a mom. I leave the notebook on my desk, promising myself I’ll make time to look at it this week.

On Monday we have our first field trip to Las Positas Elementary for COOP. We’re going to observe a fifth-grade science lab and a PE class. We’ll come back another day for math, art, and music classes. Makaila and I share a seat near the front of the bus. She’s wearing a Black Girls in STEM T-shirt.

David pulls Carlos into the seat across from us. “Hi, Sarah,” David says, pulling a hoodie over his head.

“Hi. You excited to see what the PE class will be like?” I ask him.

He pats down the back of his head, settling down a few tufts of hair that came up when he pulled the hoodie over it. “Yeah! Since I’m going to be the first one from COOP to lead a class, I need to get ideas. I’m curious to know what kind of music they use for the warm-ups. Like, it has to be songs the kids know and like, but you have to be careful with lyrics. And sometimes kids get tired of the same old songs over and over.”

“So, you’re making plans for your presentation already?”

“Yeah, I got a little playlist going.” David hands me his phone across the aisle, and I scroll through about ten songs.

“Are you nervous about teaching?”

“Nah. PE is so much fun. You just have to let kids get out there and enjoy themselves. Make it a bullying-free space where everyone can feel like a winner. That’s the key.”

“You’ll do great,” I say, handing back his phone. He flashes a smile that I wish I could capture to look at whenever I feel sad or lonely.

Carlos takes away David’s attention, and I turn to Makaila, who’s scrolling through her own phone. “What do you think, Sarah? Can third graders get into a sink-or-float science project or is that more for lower grades?”

“I don’t know . . . maybe lower grades.”

“How about magnets or taking the temperature of different substances?”

“My brother is in third grade. I can ask him what he thinks might be more interesting.”

Makaila brightens and looks up. “Oh, that’s great. Do you think I could come over to your place and practice my class with him?”

“Sure,” I tell her. “Just let me know when.”

When we get to the first class, which is in the science lab of Las Positas, Makaila goes right to the front to take notes on how the teacher handles everything.

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