The life of Miguel Caballero Rojo had always been full of tragedy. His mother, a 5'11" beauty got pregnant at age 16 by a man she thought would be the love of her life. Instead he left her, never to been seen again; her parents kicked her out soon after forcing her to leave town for whatever life awaited her.
Working as a waitress she made enough to life in a small apartment with 4 other girls. Each had different shift and various restaurants (and other "businesses") some had children as well, so who ever was home would act as unofficial babysitter at any given time. It was a reasonably good existence.
But one day a stranger came in. A 50 year old vineyard owner, who, after the death of his father was now insanely wealthy. He flirted with every girl in the restaurant, but when it came to her- she was the one he wanted to keep.
She told him on their first date, about her son (now 4 years old), be he claimed it didn't matter; his wealth could take care of everything. They dated for just over a year; taking her to only the finest restaurants and shows, showering her with gifts; he even introduced himself to Miguel.
But Miguel could feel coldness from this strange man. This man was incapable of love; only possession. Miguel's mother assumed her son was just being shy; someday he would grow to love and appreciate his new step-father.
The wedding was small (since the bride had no family to invite) but lovely on the groom's vineyard estate. He showed her to her room; a beautiful bedroom where she would live like a princess. But there was no room for Miguel, not even a bed.
That was part of the man's plan. He counted on his new bride being especially fertile; she was pregnant with in a month with a child that was all his. He would now say "for the benefit of the new baby, Miguel has to go."
Now 5 years old, he was subtly sent to school with the vineyard worker's children. The class of 12 went to school from 6 am to noon then worked in the fields from noon to 6 pm (and that was only if everything was done to the boss's approval.)
Miguel did not see his mother until 3 days after the baby was born. Nicola, a perfect baby girl with a round doll-like head and rosy cheeks. His mother was told to stay indoors with the baby, but it was an unusually warm day and both she and the baby needed some air. Nicola cried harder and harder, unable to verbalize her horrible discomfort. Her mother walked the baby through the vineyards hoping the movement would calm her.
"Mama?" Miguel could barely see where she was, but he heard the baby's cries clear as day.
His mother was shocked; he had changed so much since she last saw him. She instinctly ran to him, giving him a hug with the baby sandwiched between them. The baby stopped crying.
"This is Nicola; your baby sister." she said with tears in her eyes.
"can i hold the baby?" he asked.
She put the baby in his arms; it was as if the baby knew he was her brother. The moment was interrupted by the man. He slapped his wife hard, yelling at her for endangering the baby. He grabbed the baby (who resumed crying) and hauked them both back to the house, leaving Miguel alone.
This was ruining his plan. He wanted to erase Miguel. He wanted to have a family that was all his own; ONLY his own. But fate had other ideas.
Despite her father's insistence that Miguel was no one to her, Nicola never lost interest in her brother. When she was 5 and he was 10, she went off to school during the day, but every afternoon before coming back to the house she would visit him; talk about her day- he was always a good listener. As she got older, She would sneak in pencils and paper and they would make drawings together.
The vineyard workers did not receive schooling past age 10, so eventually Nicola's was teaching him advanced math and langue in addition to art. She stayed with him later and later, telling her parents that she "got lost" on the way back to the house (the road were very poorly lit.)
This might have continued but for one day, one very very hot day when Miguel did not make it to their meeting place.
It was so hot outside the workers could barely breathe but the grapes needed to be harvested (before they shrived in to very expensive raisins.) but of course the only source of water was the water used for the plants. Usually the man allowed his workers 5 gallons at the end of the day for the night's meal. But of anyone ever took any before the end of the day; there would be hell to pay.
Miguel, at age 14 needed to risk it. He, as well as many of the other children were getting painfully sick from the heat. He used a collection container to sneak away just a little water, and he was caught almost immediately.
The water was thrown to the grown and Miguel was to be made an example of; in front of all the workers and their children Miguel was beaten mercilessly by his step-father's security guards.
He was then placed in the small chapel that the workers prayed in on Sundays. (There was little air flow and of course no water.)
An order was issued; if anyone helped Miguel they would suffer the same fate. But that would not stop Nicola. She looked for him all over, asking anyone of they knew where he was. No would talk to her, but she would not give up. Miguel was more than her brother, he was her friend.
He was violently sick when she found him; lying on a wooden table, vomiting up blood and bile. She had an icepack in her lunch bag and used it to cool his face and neck, resting it on his throat. He had no shirt on, revealing the massive amount of injuries. He had 5 broken ribs, a fractured arm, and various bloody bruises all over his face and body. In his weakened state he could barely open his eyes but he knew she was there.
"nicola...my princess...my angel." he laid back down assuming he was going to die. She held his hand, and rested her head on his chest. She would not leave him, even if her father came after her.
Miguel was the only person she ever truly loved. "You can't leave me" she said in soft tears. "I can't make it here without you! Mom and dad don't care about me! They just want to make in to something they can show off to their rich friends! Please... please get stronger."
Not "get well" not "get better"- "get stronger" that was her prayer.
In the months to come that would come to pass; working harder than ever before, by age 16 he would be 6'1" with a body that would rival any model's.
But this meant his step father needed to put part 2 of his plan in to effect, fast- banishing Miguel forever.
Nicola was 11 now and so his lie could be believable. He talked to his wife in private telling her lies about Nicola and Miguel's relationship. He started small, saying how he had proof that Nicola was Miguel as "more than a sibling" and this could lead to sinful corrupt acts in the future.
But his wife did not believe it. After all Miguel was still HER child. But in the end this was HIS vineyard and he had the last vote.
He kicked Miguel out the day before Nicola's 12th birthday; as if the onslaught of gifts would distract her- it didn't. Miguel was hauled off by the same security guards and taken 3 towns over with just the cloths on his back. Nicola screamed and cried. She locked herself in her room for the next 4 days.