JACKSON HEIGHTS GIRL
II. Sunday, June 25th 1993. 7:00 pm. Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City, New York, United States of America.
Hilda had just thrown up. She was feeling inconfortable. She had had to clean up the toilets so her mood wasn't at the best... Her dad has just called her for dinner.
Food was good. But it tasted weird. Like after losing her teenage years, she was also losing her good taste in food because of this damned pregnancy...
"Dad, this is absolutely great! I love it when you cook enchiladas," Betty said, gleefully.
"Thanks, mi amor. You're nice. Hilda, what do you think?"
"They're fine," she grumbled.
"You seem grumpy lately. Is everything fine?" her father asked.
"I'm okay."
"I know all this stuff about college guidance and everything is getting at you. But don't worry, you're gonna be okay." Ignacio said, with a confident grin.
Hilda couldn't take it. She couldn't talk about college. She couldn't talk about her loss. She couldn't talk about the sacrifices she would have to make. And she burst into tears. She just couldn't help it. Since she had known about her pregnancy she had been keeping this pain inside and it had to go out. Her father kept eating. And Hilda kept crying. Silently. Betty was staring at her, worried. After the plates were emptied, Betty left the table and Ignacio finally noticed the tears on his daughter's cheeks.
"What's going on?" Ignacio asked.
"Nothing." Hilda managed to say after a few seconds. "I'm just... so tired."
"If you've got something to tell me, go ahead..."
She didn't say anything. Ignacio got up and picked the plates to do the dishes. And when he had put everything in the sink, Hilda finally answered her father's questions.
"I'm pregnant."
There was a long silence and Ignacio watched his daughter, speechless, breathless... Hilda hurried up to her room without another word.