Fiction: Rice pudding (Arroz con leche) [EN/ES]
Rice pudding
“Darien, come quickly, the rice is getting cold.” The boy's mother called out to her son insistently.
Darien would say goodbye to his friends and run to the house, heeding his mother's call. Arriving at the white cedar table, the boy would take a chair, and sit down next to his sister and his father to enjoy the delicious rice pudding, that dish that was everyone's favorite and that had that flavor that everyone loved with the unique taste of mom.
She would arrive with the dishes and distribute them among her loved ones. A big smile was painted on the mother's face, so beautiful and full of love for her family. Each one with their delicious booty, they were preparing to take a big bite, one that made the soul vibrate and made the heart leap.
The spoon made contact with the millions of taste receptors. The sweet substance filled that mouth space with the unparalleled taste and the soft whitish texture. The mixture of so many delicious flavors made its way to the deepest part of the being. Each spoonful was like a delicious ambrosia that only Darien and his family could enjoy.
Each diner reached ecstasy with the last spoonful that marked the end of the feast. Everyone laughed in satisfaction and Mom's face reflected the joy of a mission accomplished, another day where her loved ones were cared for by her great love.
Darien stood up next to his sister and with a little kiss on the cheek, each one thanked her for that delicacy that only mother could make with that unparalleled taste.
“Thank you, Mommy. The rice pudding was so delicious.” Darien hugged his cinnamon-skinned mother with long, straight hair as black as the night itself.
“Thank you, my little boy. You don't know how happy you make me.” She would reciprocate the hug with a kiss of her full lips, decorated with faintly colored lipstick and a delicious strawberry flavor.
Darien would run out and get lost in the hallway with off-white blue floral wallpaper, which matched the honey-colored wood baseboard, and a red carpet that covered the entire hallway.
Years later...
The sound of a soft jazz melody brought Darien out of his trance of memories. He giddily picked up his cell phone and answered hurriedly. “Eunice, sis, I'm so glad to hear from you. How are you?”
“Well, thank you for asking. Mind you, I'm very angry with you, you haven't come to visit our mother in a while.”
“Sorry... sister... I've been very busy...” Darien's cracked voice reflected the embarrassment of the moment.
“Mother's Day is coming up, I hope you can come and visit your mother who remembers you so much.” Eunice's voice was becoming authoritative at that point in the conversation.
“Don't worry, Eunice, I'll be there. I promise.”
“I hope so, Darien, we miss you so much.” A sigh from her was letting out over the phone's speaker.
Darien was still conversing with his sister. After a few minutes, he would hang up and go to bed thinking about everything Eunice told him. It was an appointment he couldn't refuse, no matter what. He diligently wrote down the date on his cell phone, as a priority.
The days passed relentlessly and the date had arrived. Darien packed a few things in a small black briefcase. He got into his car and started his way back home, while he was thinking about that rice pudding, which he had not tasted for several years. In his thoughts, he wished that his beautiful mother would make him that dish that was his favorite.
Upon arriving, Darien saw a small house, got out, and let out a sigh to the air, it had been so many years since he had visited the place and everything was getting stranger and stranger. The only thing that tied him to that place was his love for his mother.
He knocked on the door and it immediately opened. The rusty hinges welcomed the prodigal son. Eunice hugged Darien tightly and a big smile flashed from between the woman's lips. “Brother, what an allergy to see you, how was the trip?”
“Eunice, sister dear. Fortunately without much trouble, just a little tired.”
Eunice would take Darien by the hand and lead him to where the mother was. The bent figure and whitish hair caught the attention of the man's eyes, which had watered to the point of bursting into tears. “Mother?”
“Son, my pretty little boy, what a joy to see you after so long!” The mother's arms were busily reaching for Darien.
“My beautiful mother, I apologize for not coming to visit you so often. I got so absorbed in work that I forgot you." The embrace came without waiting and the two melted into one soul.
“Don't worry, son, the important thing is that you are here.” The mother took her son with her hands wrinkled by time and kissed him on the forehead.
The three of them began to talk about so many things and the anecdotes of when they were children and the mother strong and vigorous, but those times were gone and they only had the present to live new experiences.
“Now that you are back, my little boy, I am going to make you a delicious plate of rice pudding, do you remember how you always asked me for more?”
“I remember, dear mother, but it's not necessary. Go get some rest and tomorrow we'll go eat at a restaurant.” Darien would lift the mother and carry her by the arm into the room.
“My little boy, let me do it and then I'm going to bed. I'm so happy you're back that will be my welcome home present.”
Eunice winked at Darien to let her go to the kitchen. After a while, the mother came out with the rice pudding dishes and they all sat in the dining room tasting the delicious dish, Darien hadn't tasted it in years. The rice pudding still had that magical touch of her mother's and the taste was still wonderful and enchanting.
After eating and saying goodbye, they each went to their rooms. Mother's Day came and Eunice would come running in with teary eyes. “Darien, Darien, our mother has passed away.”
On a frantic impulse, Darien would run into the room praying it was all lies and hoping to see his mother sitting there with that sanctified smile, but what he saw was his mother lying there, looking peaceful and happy. The siblings wept for the loss, the pain was intense and stabbed the heart.
They left the room sat in the dining room and saw the last two plates of rice pudding, which their mother had prepared. They hugged each other and through tears smiled and blessed their dear mother. She would continue to be happy and watch over them from heaven and maybe leave them a plate of rice pudding.
The end
Arroz con leche
«Darien, ven pronto, se enfría el arroz». La madre del chico llamaba a su hijo con insistencia.
Darien se despedía de sus amigos y corría a la casa, atendiendo el llamado de su progenitora. Al llegar a la mesa de cedro de color blanco, el chico tomaba una silla, se sentaba junto a su hermana y su padre para disfrutar del delicioso arroz con leche, ese plato que era el preferido de todos y que tenía ese sabor que encantaba a todos con el único sabor de mamá.
Ella llegaba con los platos y los repartía entre sus seres queridos. Una gran sonrisa se pintaba en el rostro de la madre, tan bello y lleno de amor para su familia. Cada uno con su delicioso botín, se preparaban a dar un gran bocado, uno que hacía vibrar el alma y hacía saltar el corazón.
La cuchara hacía contacto con los millones de receptores gustativos. La dulce sustancia llenaba aquel espacio bucal con el inigualable sabor y la textura blanda blanquecina. La mezcla de tantos deliciosos sabores se abrían paso para llegar a lo más profundo del ser. Cada cucharada era como una deliciosa ambrosía de la que solo Darien y su familia podían disfrutar.
Cada comensal llegaba al éxtasis con la última cucharada que marcaba el fin de la comilona. Todos reían satisfechos y la cara de mamá reflejaba la dicha de una misión cumplida, un día más donde sus seres queridos fueron atendidos por su gran amor.
Darien se levantaba junto a su hermana y con un pequeño beso en la mejilla, cada uno daba las gracias por aquella delicia que solo la madre podía hacer con ese sabor sin igual.
«Gracias, mami. El arroz con leche estuvo muy delicioso». Darien abrazaba a su mamá de piel canela, pelo largo y lacio tan negro como la noche misma.
«Gracias, mi muchachito. No sabes lo feliz que me haces». Ella correspondía al abrazo con un beso de sus labios gruesos, decorados con un lápiz labial de color tenue y un delicioso sabor a fresa.
Darien salía corriendo y se perdía en el pasillo con papel tapiz de flores color azul blanquecino, que hacía juego con el zócalo de madera color miel y una alfombra roja que cubría todo el pasillo.
Años después...
El sonido de una suave melodía de jazz, sacaba del trance de recuerdos a Darien. Tomaba el celular de forma vertiginosa y respondía de forma acelerada. «Eunice, hermana, me alegra mucho escucharte. ¿Cómo estás?».
«Bien, gracias por preguntar. Eso sí, estoy muy enojada contigo, hace tiempo que no vienes a visitar a nuestra madre».
«Perdón... hermana... he estado muy ocupado...». La voz entrecortada de Darién reflejaba la vergüenza del momento.
«Se acerca el día de las madres, espero puedas venir a visitar a tu madre que tanto te recuerda». La voz de Eunice se hacía autoritaria en ese punto de la conversación.
«No te preocupes, Eunice, estaré ahí. Lo prometo».
«Eso espero, Darien, te extrañamos mucho». Un suspiro de ella se dejaba escapar por la bocina del teléfono.
Darien seguía conversando con su hermana. Después de unos minutos, él colgaba y se iba a acostar pensando en todo lo que Eunice le dijo. Era una cita que no podía rechazar, pasará lo que pasará. Anotó la fecha diligentemente en su celular, con carácter prioritario.
Los días pasaron incesantes y la fecha había llegado. Darien empacaba algunas cosas en un pequeño maletín negro. Subió a su carro y emprendió el camino de regreso a casa, en tanto, él iba pensando en aquel arroz con leche, que no había probado en varios años. Dentro de sus pensamientos deseaba que su bella madre, le hiciera aquel plato que era su favorito.
Al llegar, Darien divisó una pequeña casa, se bajó y soltó un suspiro al aire, habían pasado tantos años que no visitaba el lugar y todo se hacía cada vez más extraño. Lo único que lo ataba a ese lugar era el amor a su madre.
Tocó la puerta e inmediatamente se abrió. Las bisagras oxidadas daban la bienvenida al hijo pródigo. Eunice abrazaba fuertemente a Darien y una gran sonrisa se reflejaba de entre los labios de la mujer. «Hermano, que alergia verte, ¿cómo estuvo el viaje?».
«Eunice, hermana querida. Afortunadamente sin muchos problemas, solo con un poco de cansancio».
Eunice tomaba de la mano a Darien y lo llevaba donde estaba la madre. La figura curvada y el pelo blanquecino llamaron la atención de los ojos del hombre, que se habían aguado a punto de estallar en lágrimas. «¿Madre?».
«Hijo, mi lindo muchachito, ¡qué alegría verte después de tanto tiempo!». Los brazos de la madre trataban de alcanzar afanosamente a Darien.
«Mi bella madre, disculpa por no venir tan seguido a visitarte. Me deje absorber por el trabajo y te había olvidado ». El abrazo llegó sin esperas y los dos se fundieron en una sola alma.
«No te preocupes, hijo, lo importante es que estás aquí». La madre tomaba con sus manos arrugadas por el tiempo a su hijo y le daba un beso en la frente.
Los tres se pusieron a conversar de tantas cosas y de las anécdotas de cuando ellos eran niños y la madre fuerte y vigorosa, pero esos tiempos se habían ido y solo tenían el presente para vivir nuevas experiencias.
«Ahora que has vuelto, mi muchachito, te voy a hacer un delicioso plato de arroz con leche. ¿Recuerdas que siempre me pedías más?»
«Lo recuerdo, querida madre, pero no es necesario. Ve a descansar y mañana iremos a comer a un restaurante». Darien levantaba a la madre y la llevaba del brazo a la habitación.
«Mi muchachito, déjame hacerlo y luego voy a la cama. Estoy tan feliz que hayas regresado que ese será mi regalo de bienvenida».
Eunice le guiñaba los ojos a Darien para que la dejara ir a la cocina. Después de un tiempo, la madre salió con los platos de arroz con leche y todos se sentaron al comedor degustando el delicioso plato, Darien hacía años no lo probaba. El arroz con leche seguía teniendo ese toque mágico de la madre y el sabor seguía siendo maravilloso y hechizante.
Luego de comer y despedirse cada uno se fue a sus habitaciones. Llegó el día de la madre y Eunice entraba corriendo con los ojos llorosos. «Darien, Darien, nuestra madre ha fallecido».
En un impulso frenético, Darién corría a la habitación rogando que todo fuera mentiras y con la esperanza de ver a su madre sentada con esa sonrisa santificada, pero lo que vio fue a su madre tendida, con una expresión de paz y felicidad. Los hermanos lloraron por la perdida, el dolor era intenso y apuñalaba el corazón.
Salieron del cuarto se sentaron en el comedor y vieron los últimos dos platos de arroz con leche, que su madre había preparado. Se abrazaron y entre lágrimas sonrieron y bendijeron a su querida madre. Ella seguiría siendo feliz y los cuidaría desde el cielo y tal vez les dejaría un plato de arroz con leche.
Fin
Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
Edited by Rincón Poético.
The text of this post was originally translated from Spanish to English with the translator DeepL
Original content
¡Thanks for you reading!
The symbolism of the rice pudding, a dish made with love by the mother, evokes feelings of nostalgia and warmth.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your kind comment.
This story tried to awaken memories through simple things that connect us to longed-for times.
Good day.
Your story was really heart warming @rinconpoetico7. Not only does it explore themes of family and love, it also demonstrates the steadfastness and dedication of a mother even when the end is near.
!LUV.
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I'm glad you were moved by the story. A mother's love will be unconditional until the end and always seeking the well-being of her children.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your kind comment.
Happy day.
Have a lovely day ✨
The attention to detail is exquisite in this story. The specificity of color and taste bring us into the memory of mother and rice pudding. When the call comes to visit, of course the son must heed. When he is served the rice pudding by his frail and white-haired mother, he is taken back to the memories as though they are fresh.
His mother's death is not a surprise to readers, although it may have been to the characters. We are ready for a conclusion to this well-lived life. To end it with that dish of love, rice pudding, is perfect.
Thank you for sharing this with us, @rinconpoetico7
One last dish, one last wish fulfilled for your children, that's being a mother, dedicated and selfless until the end. They are a precious gift that life has given us.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your beautiful comment, I always receive it with great appreciation.
Happy new week!
Darien got to enjoy his mother's wonderful rice pudding for the last time.
I was sad she died in the end. Darien and his sister must have been very devastated.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your kind comment. Life has these contrasts of gray and white, sadness comes as an annex to this path called life. It will always be painful to lose such a loved one. We must live with that and with the joy of having enjoyed his presence for the designated time.
Good Monday.
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