A Place In the Sun
4
Dimitri held onto Madeline as she went across the monkey bars on the playground at the park.
"C'mon, Katalin, your turn next," Maddie called to her.
Katalin didn't answer her; she just sat where she was on the edge of the sandbox.
Maddie jumped down from the platform and ran over to her.
"Don't you want to play?" she asked Kata.
"No," Kata said, shortly.
"Do you miss your mommy already?" Maddie asked.
Kata nodded, holding back tears.
"But your mommy's okay and you will be back with her soon," Maddie said.
"I still miss her."
"Well, I miss my mommy, too, even though I don't remember her."
"Where is your mommy?" Katalin asked.
"My mommy's in heaven."
"Why?"
"When I was really little, we were on a plane that crashed. Me and my daddy made it out, but my mommy didn't."
"That's sad, Maddie," Katalin said quietly.
"Yeah, I've missed not having her, but I don't really remember her, except for what's in the pictures."
Katalin just sat there.
"Do you want to come play with Sam and me?" Maddie held out her hand to Kata.
Kata took it hesitantly and followed Maddie over to the swings.
...
"Jake, I'm going stir-crazy in here!" Gillian said the
next afternoon.
"I know you are," Jake said. "That's why I've arranged to have Dimitri take you home.
"Really?"
"Yes, really," Jake told her. "As long as you promise to stay in bed, and rest."
"Anything, as long as I'm with Kata again, I can't stand being away from her."
"Gillian, it's been less than a day!"
"She's never been with anyone but me, ever. I've cared for her ever since she was born."
"Wow, well, you'll be together again soon, I promise."
"Thank you, Jake."
...
Bobby got ready in his and Anita's room at the Valley Inn that
evening, getting ready to go down to the restaurant to meet with
Anita's family.
Anita waltzed back into their room barely an hour before they were supposed to be downstairs. She had been at the pool.
"You had better go get a shower, your Mama will be disappointed if we're late, we're probably already on her bad side for not coming to see her yet," Bobby told her.
"I'm going, I'm going," she told him, turning on the shower.
"You better make it quick. I know how long it takes you to get ready!"
"Lay off, Bobby. I'm working on it," she said, as she got in the shower.
They kept talking while she was showering.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were delaying going down there," Bobby said to Anita.
"No, I'm not, silly," she said coming out dressed only in a towel.
"You better get dressed."
"You are sure short with me today. What's wrong, baby?"
"You should know what's wrong."
"Still worried about Sammy?"
"What do you expect?"
"It's not that big of a deal, Bobby, don't worry over it."
"It's not a big deal? He's my son!"
"You told me yourself that he's Edmund's son."
"He is! But he's a part of me, too, and I haven't seen him in six years!"
"Bobby, it'll be okay," Anita gave him a hug and held him to her. "I'm nervous, too, if that makes you feel any better."
"What have you got to be nervous about?"
"My family! Bobby, it's been six years for me, too. Sure, I've seen Rosa and Mateo and Mama when they came to visit us in Chicago and for the wedding, but I haven't seen Julia in six years."
"Everything will be okay."
"Exactly what I've been telling you?"
Bobby just smiled at her and helped her dress.
...
"Are you ready, Hayley?" Mateo asked her.
"I've been ready, Mateo!" she yelled from the bedroom, running into the living room with one kid under each arm. "It's these munchkins that are taking forever!"
"Uh, Lili, your sandals are on the wrong feet," Mateo said to his daughter.
Liliana laughed and plopped down on the floor to fix it.
"Are my shoes right, Mommy?" Christopher asked.
"Yes, they are, sweetie," Hayley told him.
"Where are we going, again?" Liliana asked.
Mateo bent down to her and explained, "We're going to the fancy restaurant to meet with your abuela, your tía Rosa, your tío Edmund and primos Sam and Maddie, and you'll get to meet your tía Julia and your tía Anita and tío Bobby."
"Oh," Lili said, concentrating on her shoes.
"Why?" Christopher asked.
"Well, because Julia and Anita and Bobby haven't been here in Pine Valley in a long time, way before the two of you were born. So, your abuela is having a party tonight, and we all have to come," Mateo explained.
"Okay, are you two ready?" Hayley asked the kids.
They both nodded enthusiastically.
"Okay, then let's get out to the car!" Hayley herded the children out.
"Are you okay?" Mateo asked her as they reached the door.
"Yeah, honey, I'm fine."
"You look so tired, and distant a little."
"Mateo, I've been at SOS late every night this week, that's why I'm tired. I'm fine, I swear."
Hayley ran off after the kids, leaving Mateo standing there. He locked the door and followed.
...
Carmen paced around her hotel room.
"This has to be the place, it just has to," she said to herself for the hundredth time. "Now I've just got to decided what to do..."
She bit on her fingernail trying to decide.
"I just wish I had someone to talk to...someone who could help me...I want to find out everything about me, I can't remember anything past the last six years...but I'm scared..." she sat down on the bed. "This is so frustrating!"
Carmen quickly changed into her swimsuit and grabbed a towel.
She bolted out of her room; flinging open the door and pulling it slammed shut.
She barreled down the hall, nearly running into a young couple on their way to the elevator.
"I'm sorry!" she yelled back to them as she continued down the hall.
"Wow, she sure was in a hurry," Anita said to Bobby.
"We should be too, we have exactly two minutes to get down to the restaurant," Bobby took Anita's hand as they stepped into the elevator.