Chapter Three – Monday and Betty
Betty looked around her childhood room as she finished packing her suitcase. Not long ago, she would have thought she'd be packing to go to the airport to Rome or maybe even Tucson. But now she was packing to move her life forward. Hilda came in as she was putting her work clothes into her suitcase.
"You're up early." Betty noticed, "Though I'm sure it isn't just to see me off."
"I'm going to talk to Tony I think." Hilda said, "That whole "I'm married" thing has thrown me, but I still think I need to see him again." Hilda finished, blushing slightly as Betty smiled at her.
"His being married is a pretty big announcement. What are you going to say to him?" Betty asked. Hilda shrugged.
"I guess I'll figure it out when I see him." Hilda said. She walked over to Betty and hugged her.
"It's going to be weird not having you here every day." Hilda said. Betty hugged Hilda back and laughed.
"At least now I don't have to fight you and Justin to get in the bathroom at a decent hour." Betty said. The two sisters hugged for a moment until Hilda pulled away.
"I hope everything goes the way you want it Betty. You deserve to find some happiness and success." Hilda said. Betty smiled at her sister.
"Good luck with Tony. I hope things turn out better for you two." Betty said.
"So do I." Hilda replied as she headed out of the bedroom. Betty finished packing and looked around her room for a moment. Memories from her childhood surrounded her. She picked up the picture of her, her mother and her sister from when she was younger. Her father had reminded her of the photo the other day. The picture from the community pool; the first time Betty had went off the high diving board. Betty remembered how scared she had been but how excited she wanted to prove she could do it. Betty knew this day was just like that one long ago; she just needed to take a deep breath and jump. Betty took a deep breath and closed her suitcase. She headed out of her room and down the stairs.
She walked into the living room as Justin came up to her. Her nephew looked at her and smiled, but he seemed sad that she was leaving. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her as she saw Ignacio coming from the kitchen. She smiled at her father as Justin released her. Ignacio held up a paper bag with a lunch packed for her. Betty swallowed a lump in her throat as she took the bag and hugged her father. She could feel Ignacio holding back his tears as she heard him whisper "Te amo" in her ear.
"I love you too Dad." She whispered as he let her go. Betty looked around the house one more time as she reached for the handle of her suitcase. She turned and opened the door as the morning sunshine hit her face. Her taxi stood idling at the curb as she took a deep breath of the morning air. She felt at that moment exactly as she had when she was ten and jumped off the diving board at the community pool; happy and excited about her life. She took another look around her neighborhood as she walked down the steps to the taxi. She put her suitcase in the trunk of the cab and looked up in the sky as she saw the faint shape of a plane traveling overhead. She smiled up at the sky as she put her hand on the door handle of the cab wishing the best for Henry and Gio. She opened the door of the cab and gave the driver Claire Meade's address as the cab pulled away from the curb and carried Betty into the city towards her future, however uncertain.
THE END
