Letty's P.O.V
"¿Dónde está Letty?" (Where's Letty?) I heard my cousin Gaby asked her dad, my uncle Diego, as she entered the garage at my grandmother's house.
"Está allí la fijación auto de la abuela." (She's over there fixing grandma's car.)
"Letty!" Gaby called.
"Qué?" (What?)
"La abuela quiere su ayuda con la cena." (Grandma wants your help with dinner.)
"Dile que estoy ocupado." (Tell her I'm busy.)
"Letty." She pleaded.
"Alright Estaré en un minuto." (Alright I'll be in a minute.)
She left the garage and shortly after I set my tools down and went inside.
I have been in Puerto Rico for almost two weeks and I've been hating every minute of it. I miss Mia's sweet gestures and all her little comments on how I should be more girly. I miss Dom and Vince's rude comments and annoying jokes and I miss Tony. God what I do for some of his grilled chicken that I've missed out on for the past two weeks. How am I supposed to last two more years without them.
"Leticia cariño eres un desastre, ¿por qué no te vas a quedar limpia antes de que me ayudes." (Leticia my darling you're a mess why don't you go get cleaned up before you help me.) She said after I walked into the kitchen
"It's fine abuela I'll just wash my hands in here." I said in a pouty tone
"Nina what's wrong?" My grandma said sensing my tone.
"It's nothing." I said pushing past her to wash my hand.
As I washed my hands I could feel her eyes watching me and when I was done I turned back toward her.
"Really abuela, it's nothing what did you need help with?"
"Cutting the vegetable's that are behind you." She said after staring at me for a moment.
I grabbed a cutting board, a knife, and then rinsed some peppers under the before I started chopping them up.
"You know Letty I'm here for you if you need to talk." My grandma said placing her hand on my shoulder.
After a minutes she removed her hand and started to chop some vegetables next to me.
"So Adriana's leaving in a few day." My grandma stated trying to start a conversation.
"I know."
"Did you know that she might not be coming back?"
"What?!" I questioned, stopping what I was doing.
"I was talking to David over the phone the other day and he thinks that it will best for her to go live with her other grandparents back in the states."
"Why would he think that?" I questioned harshly, putting down my knife.
"Well with his job he doesn't get to see her much and it would just be easier if she was already home with his parents when he gets back instead of over here."
"Can't we just fly here back a day before he arrives home or something?"
"Money's tight Leticia. We can't afford to keep sending her back and forth."
I don't know what came over me but I felt this rush of anger and I threw my cutting board across the room.
"Leticia!" My grandma yelled.
"It's not fair, why does she get live in the states and I can't. I don't want to be here I want to be with my real family back and California." I cried.
"Oh Leticia, we are your real family."
"Maybe by blood, but you're not them."
"I know and I know how much you care about them but there's nothing we can do about it, your mom wants you here with us until she gets out."
"But's that not until another two year!"
"It will go by so quick you won't even know it."
"That's what everyone keeps telling me but two years is a long time."
She didn't say anything after that she just gave me a knowing look and then she pulled me into a long hug before letting go to clean up my mess.
One year Later.
"Shhh! Ustedes estar tranquilo si me pillan a cabo después de la hora de mis abuelos se van a dejar de fumar." (Shhh! You guys be quiet if my grandparents catch me out after curfew again they're going to kill me.) I said hushing my friends.
"Lo siento chica, pero todavia estoy sorprendido de lo qur ha aprendido a hacer esa mierda!" Sebastian my new friend joked. (Sorry girl, but I'm still amazed how you learned to do that shit!)
"Sí chica ¿cómo aprendiste a hacer eso?" (Yeah girl how did you learn how to do that stuff?)
"Les dije que tengo algunos amigos en California que saben una cosa o dos acerca de coches. Ahora sal de aquí, así que no te me sorprendí" I said shoeing them away as I slipped through my bedroom window. (I told you guys I have some friends back in California who know a thing or two about cars. Now get out of here so you don't get me caught.)
I quietly shut my window and ran over to my bed as quietly as possible. I was already grounded from going anywhere but school and my uncle's garage and I didn't need to get caught again and have that taken away too.
I had been grounded from many things and many time since I've been here but this last time I got it the worst. Me and the two guys I was with tonight, Sebastian and Philip, had gotten caught about a month ago for boosting a car. It was something that Dom showed me how to do a few months before I left and we had done it quite a few times before we finally got caught. We never did any real harm to the cars, we would just take them out for a joy ride and then return them when they were out of gas. But the last time we caught and I can only blame myself, see I was going a little bit too fast and we got pulled over and I'm pretty sure you can guess what happened after that.
The next day.
"Leticia get up you have chores to do!" My abuelo yelled pounding on the door.
I rolled over and looked at my clock which read 10:38 and I silently cursed at myself for sleeping in so late. By the time I got up, showered, gotten ready for the day, and had eaten something it would be close to noon and it's going to be like a freaking sauna outside.
I jumped in the shower quick, got dressed then I went down stairs to get something to eat.
"Buenos días Leticia." My uncle Marcus said after I walked in the kitchen, as he sipped his coffee and read the newspaper.
"Mañana tío Marcus." I answered grabbing a class off the counter and I poured myself some fresh squeezed Orange juice.
"¿Vas a entrar al garaje con el tío Diego y yo?" (Are you going to go to the garage with me and uncle Diego?)
"Me gustaría, pero no puedo porque estoy castigada." (I wish but I can't because I'm grounded.)
"That she is." My Abuela added as she walked in the room carrying a basket of Laundry.
"Te lo dije." (Told you) I mumbled to my uncle while rolling my eyes.
"Oh and cariño this came in the mail for you." She said handing me a letter. (Honey)
I looked at the envelope and it was sent from Lompoc prison. It was my dad, I set my drink down and walked into the living room taking a seat on the couch as I opened my Letter.
Dear Letty,
I know it's been forever since we've talked last but I'm doing really well and I hope you are too. I've gotten cleaned up and I've been staying out of trouble. I know you probably don't want t to hear from me or even talk to me at all or you would have answered my last two letters. Don't worry I'm not mad and I'm not writing this to make up feel bad but I just wanted to let you know that there's not a minute that's gone by that I haven't been thinking about you. You're the only thing that's been keeping me going this past year, knowing that when I get out of this hell whole I'll be coming home to you and I promise I'm going to be a better father then I have ever been before. I know what you're thinking but I promise I'm going to give you everything you deserve as soon as I get out of here.
Love,
Papi.
I started to tear up a little reading this Letty I never meant to hurt him by not answering his Letters I just wasn't sure how I feel about him and I didn't know what to say but I do now. I grabbed the closes thing to pen and paper that I could find and I wrote my dad a Letter.
Dear Papi,
God I don't even know where to begin, it's been way to long since we've wrote each other and I know that's my fault but I was really confused on this whole situation. I have so many different things running through my mind right now and I have so many questions to ask you. I guess I just really want to know why you never came back for me like you said you would. You promised me after you were settled down and your album was done you'd come back for me and you never did. Why? I can't understand how you could leave me with that women all those times even though I begged you and begged you to stay or take me with you! I'll I ever wanted was to be with you and for you to love me enough to do so, but I guess you don't and you probably never will but if you only knew the half of what went down in that house when you weren't there. I'll never understand how Tony can love his kids so much and you guys not love me at all, am I really that terrible of a person? You always say how much I mean to you and how much you love me but you never show it and I barley hear you say because you're always gone! You say that you continue to leave in order to make money so I can have whatever I want but the only thing that I've ever wanted is to have you with me and have you and mami happily together with no breakups, no fighting and no drama I'll I've ever wanted is for us to be a family and If you stick to your word hopefully we can have that when you get out.
Letty
I must have read over my letter a dozen times debating if I should send it to him or not. Finally I got the balls to put it in an envelope and send it out to him. I dried my eyes quickly before walking back so my grandma and uncle wouldn't see me crying then I went out back to get started on my chores.
Three weeks later.
"Letty." My Abuela said as she gently shook me to wake me up.
"Abuela what time is it?" I asked rubbing my eyes.
"It's almost noon."
"What! How could you let me sleep so long?" I question hopping off my bed in a panic.
"Well you've been working really hard these past few weeks and I can tell you've been a bit under the weather so I figured I'd let you sleep in."
"You didn't have to do that Abuela there's work to be done around here."
"I know there's stuff to be done around here but I want you to sit down with me for a moment and talk to me." She said taking a seat on my bed and patting the mattress for me to come sit next to her.
I sat down and she started to talk.
"So another letter came for you in the mail today."
"You didn't read it did you?" I questioned
"No, but I did take the time to read who t was from this time."
"And..."
"And how do you feel about talking to your father again?"
"I don't know."
"Well is that why you've been so down these past few weeks?"
"Yeah I guess."
"Well did he write you something that made upset that I should know about?"
"No, Abuela it's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"It's just.. It's... I just miss him Abuela." I partially lied.
"I know honey but you only have to wait two more year."
"I know." I answered getting really quiet.
"Alright chica I'll leave you to read your letter in peace." she said handing me the letter then she planted a kiss on my head and walked out of the room.
Dear Letty,
I'm so sorry that I made you feel that way sweetie that was never my attention. I've always loved you with all my heart and I know that I haven't showed it in the best way but I promise you baby when I get out I'm going to show it to you. And to answer your question honestly the reason I always left you with your mom is because I knew you'd be strong enough to take care of her and help her out with your siblings. I always thought you guys needed each other more then you needed me. I guess I was wrong though and I am truly sorry for that all I've ever wanted to do was to make you proud and give you the life that I never had but that meant we could be together and daddy is truly sorry for that, but what breaks my heart the most is how you think I never loved you. Baby I love you more than Life itself and I would do anything for you that's why I cried myself to sleep the night I got your letter. But don't worry honey daddy's been really good and I hired me some real good lawyers so I'll be out in two weeks and your plane tickets are on their way. See you soon baby.
Love always,
Papi.
I can't believe it I'm going home.
