I’ve always loved traveling here to Mexico. The sunny beaches, happy tourists, exotic animals, and luscious fruits have always appealed to me ever since I was three years-old and took my first trip to the country. Six years have passed by, and my mom agreed that her, my older brother, my twin brother, and I could come here for my twin brother’s and my 9th birthday. Today, we are in Playa del Carmen, spending time on the beaches and exploring the local shops.

“You excited to be here, sis?”  Jesse, my 16-year-old brother, questioned. Jesse has been there for me and my twin ever since our dad went into the military when I was 7. He’s been a substitute dad for us, which is pretty nice of him to do considering his young age.

“Yes! I’ve missed it here so much.”

“Let’s go around to the stores and shop,” my mom motioned. We walked around for a while and saw some really interesting souvenirs that are unique to the culture. My mom bought a sparkly ring, Jesse bought a necklace for his girlfriend back home, and me and my twin, Colin, bought birthday gifts for each other.

“I’m hungry,”  Jesse said as we left another shop.

“When are you ever not hungry?” Colin jokingly asks.

“Whatever – let’s go to that cantina across the street,”Jesse says back.

“Colin, walk with me. Jesse, go with Mia,” my mom stated, referring to me and Colin.  Jesse lifted me up and gave me a piggyback ride over to the cantina. Mom and Colin went in front of us and I was told to keep watch of them to make sure we wouldn’t lose them. The crowd was so thick and dense that Jesse wouldn’t be able to see them unless I went on his back.

Suddenly, a huge bird flew right past me, which caused me to look behind myself. To my surprise, when I turned back, Colin and my mother were nowhere to be seen.

“Where did they go?” I worriedly whimpered. “I can’t see them.”

“I can’t see anything,” responded Jesse. “I think they went past the cantina!” We search inside the cantina and everywhere around it, but have no luck in finding them.
“Text mom,” I say.

“Okay,” he says as he pulls out his phone. “Oh, no. It’s dead.”

“Okay, now what?”

“Let’s go search the other cantinas. Maybe they didn’t know which one I was talking about.”

“Okay, go,” I say. After scanning the crowds and each cantina in the area, we still have no idea where they are. “Where’s the cantina we were going to go to originally? I can’t see any ones that look like it anymore.”

“Oh, gosh. I think we’re lost.” While from my perch on his back, his face was hidden from me, knowing my brother, his face has probably turned white with worry. “How are you doing up there?” he asks, concerned  about blazing sun on his can feel beating against his back.

“I’m doing fine, just a little nervous that’s all,” I say half-heartedly. “There’s no point in staying in the sun if we’re lost. Let’s go buy a phone charger, so we can text mom and charge your phone.” We walk into the nearest drugstore to buy a cheap charger that’ll probably break after one use. The air conditioned store hits me and Jesse like a brick as soon as we walk into it, and it’s a good, refreshing feeling. I come down from Jesse ’s back and help him look for a charger. Jesse buys one and plugs his phone in right inside the store. As his phone turns on, I look over to the door and see my mom and Colin walking inside.

“Mom! Where were you?” I questioned. For a split second while we were still outside, I had been terrified that she was gone forever, not that I was going to admit that to my brother.

“We went down to the cantina on the beach. Didn’t you point to that one, Jesse ?” my mom asked. Jesse let out a sigh of relief and a hearty laugh.

“We thought we lost you,”  Jesse retorted. “We were looking everywhere for you,”Jessesaid through another laugh. “Did you have time to eat anything while we were lost?”

“No, I’m starving,” Colin said. Then, we walked together, all holding hands as to not lose each other again, and ate a meal at the beachside cantina. The waves were crashing loudly against the rough sand while the sun above was slowly descending. The sunset left the sky in hues of pink, orange, yellow, and blue. It was the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen in my life. The dinner we had eaten tasted of exotic flavors combined together to make a mouth-watering meal. The waiters brought Colin and I a delicious churro in celebration of our birthday. We blew out the candles that were stuck along the top, and made our wishes.

“Colin, Mia, what did you guys wish for?” questioned my mother.

“I wished that Mia and I have a really good birthday this year!” Colin happily replied.

“Mia? What about you?”   Jesse asked.

“I wished for this,” I replied. The peace of being with my family after being lost for what felt like hours was enough to keep me feeling happy and comforted. I love my family so much and feel so grateful that I can spend this time with them.