So this chapter contains some character bashing!If you don't mind. Continue on, if you do then *shrug* do what you must...Anyways, continue...
The next day, a few hours after Pily got home from work, she and I got the kids ready to visit Gio at the stadium to watch one of the preseason games.
It was late in the afternoon when we finally managed to get through the heavy traffic.
Nati and Santi were extremely excited to watch their uncle's home games, so much so, they could hardly contain their excitement.
Pily had already bought all the kids matching shirts that had the name Ramos inscribed on the back in honor of Gio.
"Mami, podremos conocer a los amigos del tío después del juego??" Nati asked, curiously as we made our way towards the seats. (Mommy can we meet our uncle's friends after the game?)
"No lo se, cariño." I replied as Pily guided us down the stands to the closest seat to the field. (I don't know, sweetie.)
"Chuta duro el balón, papi!" Marco yelled excitedly. (Kick the ball hard, daddy!)
Nati cheered along with her brother and two cousins, yelling excitedly when one of the players got the ball into the net.
Rene and the rest of Gio's family arrived shortly before the game began, while we watched the players warm up on the field.
I couldn't keep the smile off my face the entire time, as I watched my kids excitedly cheer for their uncle.
"¿No deberías estar tomando notas o algo así?" Rene asked me as he and his wife sat down next to us. (Shouldn't you be taking notes or something?)
"No. I don't need to until the season starts. Besides, I want to enjoy the time I have with my kids…" I explained, before turning to the games.
"Ah…" Rene whispered, before turning to respond to one of his kids.
I smiled before turning back to look at the game, as it began to get interesting. Eventually, we all became too enthralled with the game, to keep talking. When the game ended, the kids were too excited to keep still.
The team ended up winning four to one. Mainly due to a certain player scoring more than one goal.
Shortly after the game ended the players slowly made their way back into the locker rooms, to change.
"Tia, podemos conocer a los amigos del tío?" I heard Santi ask. (Aunty, can we meet our uncle's friends?)
My sister laughed before pulling out her cell phone, her fingers moving quickly across the screen before she looked up and smiled. "Gio said to meet them in the lounge room down stairs in twenty minutes." She said, smiling as my kids gasped in surprise before jumping up and down.
"Niños calmense." My sister said, "Su tío dijo que esperamos veinte minutos." She explained calmly. (Kids, calm down. Your uncle said to wait for twenty minutes.)
The kids groaned before turning back to the glass, to watch as everyone began to leave.
After everyone had left the stadium, we were escorted by the security guards towards the lounge a floor down. I listened to the kids as they ooh'd and ahh'd as they took in their surroundings.
We had just reached the lounge when we heard my name being called.
As I turned to see who it was, I felt my face drain of all color.
"Isa, we need to talk." He said, as the guards held him and three others back.
"Tienes algo de descaro para aparecer aquí después de lo que le hiciste a mi hermana, gilipollas!" My sister shouted as Rene looked over to me, concerned. (You've got some nerve to show up here after what you did to my sister, asshole!)
"Ve a traer a Gio antes de que haga algo extremo." I ordered, holding onto my sister's arm in a poor attempt to keep her next to me, as she seethed. (Go get Gio out here before she does something extreme.)
Rene looked at us before escorting the kids into the lounge. The guards stood between us and them, as the atmosphere only seemed to tensify tenfold.
"We need to talk." He repeated, demandingly.
My mind reeled in disbelief, what was he doing here? Why was he here? This had to be another stunt, I had to keep a leveled head, I couldn't let him undo all the hard rock I had done these past years by him showing up. My kids were hurt the last time he showed up I wasn't about to let it happen again.
"You said everything you needed to say when I called you, two years ago. There is nothing more to say now. So please leave." I replied, calmly, gesturing towards the doors.
As I fought the memories still fresh in my mind.
"But—" He began, but was interrupted.
"I believe my little sister told you to leave. I suggest you do so before I have you escorted off the premises." Gio said tensely, walking over to us along with two of his friends.
"Look, this between me and her. You need to mind your business, Ramos." Edward growled trying to get past the security guards.
"You made this between all of us when you decided to be an asshole to her, so please leave or I'll make you leave." Gio replied, tensely, as he turned towards me with questions in his eyes.
"It's true. Besides, what was it you said? 'Quei bastardi non sono miei, non li rivendicherò mai come miei'? Well you made damn sure to ensure that they didn't have anything to do with you. If you truly need to speak, call my lawyer, and he'll get back to me." I said, cooly, feeling as someone hugged me to them. (Those bastards aren't mine, I'll never claim them as mine.)
It was a comforting gesture, yet I could feel the tension radiate off of them as I stared ahead.
"This isn't over. I'll be seeing you on the field real soon Ramos." Edward promised as he turned to leave.
"That's enough. Security!" Rene called, gesturing with two fingers for them to step forward.
As they were escorted off, I was roughly grabbed by my sister and pulled to the side. "You have got some explaining to do." She growled, pushing away from the group and leading me towards one of the offices at the end of the hallway.
"Explain. Now." She ordered, crossing her arms.
"Que quieres que te diga…" I muttered, sadly. (What do you want me to tell you?)
"Dime la verdad. Te fuiste mucho tiempo, ¿por qué? No crees que es tiempo de decir que ha pasado?" She asked, as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. (Tell me the truth. You left for a long time, why? Don't you think it's time to tell what happened?)
I sighed, dropping my head for a moment before I looked up at her. "You might want to sit down, this may take a while," I whispered as I closed my eyes and began to explain.
Flashback:(Two Years Ago)
This was it. I had finally gathered money to get a home for us to live by ourselves.
I had just gotten home from work, it was raining harder this afternoon, and I had wanted to stop at the grocery store but had changed my mind, choosing instead to drive home.
I knew my aunt Renee and uncle Charlie would probably be at work since it was half-past two in the afternoon. I also knew that Nati and Santi were probably home by now, with Gretta, their nanny.
As soon as I reached the guest house on the edge of my aunt and uncle's property, I parked the car, I pulled up my hood and grabbed my bag from the passenger's seat before heading inside.
The smell of homemade chicken noodle soup, and freshly baked bread wafting through the air as I walked in, hanging my coat and purse on the coat rack by the door.
Then step out of my soaked shoes before slowly making my way towards the kitchen.I could hear the voices of my children as they spoke to Gretta.
"Are you not hungry, Natty dear?" I heard Gretta ask softly.
"Not really." Natty replied, in a sad voice.
What had happened today?
"Why is that, dear? You didn't eat much earlier, and now you're just moving the soup around/the bowl now…" Gretta said.
"I know why she is sad." Santi replied, in the same sad tone.
"Oh? And why is that, Santi, dear?" Gretta asked.
"Well, because today was the father-daughter luncheon at school… and Clara Spooner mocked her for not having a father. Even though Uncle Charlie showed up, Natti was truly upset." Santi explained.
"Hadn't Mr. Masen promised to attend that last week?" Gretta asked in disbelief.
"He did. He never showed up." Santi replied, dryly.
"I don't like our dad anymore. He is a liar. He always does this." Natti says, as her voice breaks.
I felt as if I had been socked in the stomach as I listened to my children. Without giving it a second thought I grabbed my phone and quickly made my way towards the library.
Dialing the familiar number before pressing my phone to my ear, and turning to pace across the length of the room.
It rang a few times before he finally picked up.
"Hello?"
"You promised you wouldn't do this, Edward." I growled into the receiver.
"Woah. Hey. What the fuck are you talking about now?"
"The father-daughter luncheon, you dumbass! It was today! Why the fuck didn't you show up?!" I growled.
"Oh that was today? Look, I got busy. It wasn't my fault besides it's not like it was important." He said, offhandedly.
Was he being serious? I gasped in disbelief at his response and attitude, shaking my head. What did I ever see in him?
"It was to Natalia and you fucking knew that, you asshole!" I growled back.
"Well, oh well. It's over and done with. I have a busy life, I can't just stop living my life because I have kids." He replied.
Hijo de puta—! He didn't not just tell me that. (Son Of A Bitch!)
"This is not what we agreed to when you asked to see the kids Edward. You are hurting the kids and I will not stand for it! You have two options as I see it. You can either fucking take your head out of your ass and act like a fucking adult and father to them, or get the fuck out of their lives and dont come back! Pretend they don't exist!"I heard a scoff on the other side of the line, making me realize what was about to happen.
" You expect me to be scared of that threat. As far as I know, quei bastardi non sono miei, non li rivendicherò mai come miei… I don't want nor need them in my life." He growled before hanging up on me.(Those bastards aren't mine, I'll never claim them as mine.)
"Hijo De Puta!" I growled throwing my phone at the wall, watching as it shattered into pieces.
"Mierda!" I screamed realizing I now had to replace it. (Son of A Bitch/ Shit!)
Back To Present*
"Después de eso, con la ayuda del tío Charlie y la tía Renee, conseguí un abogado que le envió a Edward los papeles para terminar con todos los derechos paternos… el abogado los recibió firmados tres días después." I told her, as I felt my eyes water, as I tried to blink the tears away.
(After that, with the help of Uncle Charlie and Aunt Renee, I got a lawyer who sent Edward the papers to end all parental rights… the lawyer got them signed three days later.)
"Entonces por que volvio?" She asked, concerned. (Why is he back then?)
I shrugged in response, as I pressed my fingers to my temples.
"We need to go speak to Sergio. This could be more serious than I thought." She quickly decided before rushing out of the room to find Gio.