A/N hey Dovasary, thank you so much for your review, i would say more but i already emailed you so you know. Well here's the next chapter:
"happy birthday sweetheart," I stared counting the candles, 28, 28, 28, but i wasn't 28, i was 25.
"There's too many candles," i looked down into the brown eyes of my daughter. She was only six but still she was bright.
"that's right Mireya, 3 too many in fact." Jake looked down at the cake he was holding, mouthing the numbers as he counted.
"well, that doesn't really matter does it?" my mother said, putting a hand on my shoulder, "Jake and Maria, I mean Mireya have tried so hard on it,"
"yes I know, it doesn't matter," I said, keeping my voice cheery, I glanced at Jake but mainly I only had eyes for my daughter, my light. She beamed up at me as she span round the room, making her honey-blonde curls bounce, as she span she sang;
"happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear momma, happy birthday to you!"
"that was lovely, thank you!" I smiled, and blew out the candles.
That night, I tucked Mireya in and as she was about to drift off to sleep she said,
"tell me a story momma"
"what one would you like?"
"the one about my name,"
"ok, well, when you were growing inside my tummy, I had an accident, and the doctors at the hospital said that I wasn't going to have a little baby, but then when I went back for a... check-up, they told me they had made a mistake, that I was going to have a beautiful baby girl. It was a miracle, so I wanted a name for you thattold everyonethat, so I found a book with names and their meanings, and I found a lovely pretty name, that meant miraculous to go with my lovely pretty baby."
"you forgot that its a Spanish name, silly momma,"
"oh so I did," I bent down and kissed her forehead, "you know this story better than I do, now you go to sleep, and then I'll take you to school in the morning."
"ok, night night" I crept out of her room, leaving the door slightly ajar, then I went downstairs to the living room where Jake was sitting with a beer, I noticed about 6 other cans on the floor. He hadn't drunk this much in years, not since Mireya had been born. He hadn't wanted me to give her a Spanish name, but he wasn't there for the birth so it wasn't up to him. I remember waking up in hospital and feeling despair that I hadn't been able to go and join my baby in heaven, or wherever you go when you pass on. But then a nurse came and told me that they'd made a mistake, or something, I can never remember the details, and that I was still going to have a baby. I knew then why I hadn't been allowed to die.
"Lindy, I am talking t'you, d'you hear me," Jake slurred, "i found this, this morning." he held up a letter, I didn't recognise the handwriting. "it's from that Spanish bastard, you've been keeping in touch with him, haven't you," he got up, grabbing my top and shaking me as he spat in my face "haven't you!"
"no, I haven't, I don't even know, please Jake, Mireya might hear, please" I could feel tears pricking at my eyes, but he didn't listen, he just carried on ranting.
"shut-up you stupid whore, I never gave you permission to speak, I knew you were a slut when I first married you but I thought once you became a mom you would change, you stupid prostitute, is that it? Does he give you money? How come you will sleep with darkies and not me!" he threw me onto the floor, and I tried to block off my mind as I had done years before, but I was out of practise. All I could think was that I hoped Mireya didn't hear and didn't come down. Please, God, keep her safe.
He lifted me up again, only to punch me, so I fell back onto the floor, I could feel blood trickling from my nose and lip. Then he kicked me, in the stomach. Over and over. He picked me up again, throwing another punch. This time at my eye, then he threw me down and I banged my head on the coffee table. I blacked out.
The next morning I woke up in bed with a start, everything ached but I ran to Mireya's room, she wasn't there. I ran downstairs, shouting and shouting. But no-one was in. I finally found a note on the kitchen table,
I took Mireya to school, since you weren't feeling well
love Jake
I sat at the table my head in my hands, wondering what to do. Then an idea hit me. I emptied out the trash, and rifled through it till I found the envelope, luckily with a return address. Then I took some painkillers and ran upstairs to get dressed and packed. I took as much as I could fit into the bags we had and loaded it all into my car, I had gotten it yesterday for my birthday. Then I drove to Mireya's school, I still wasn't thinking straight. I went into the office area and told the receptionist I needed to pick Mireya up as she had a dentist appointment.
The receptionist looked at me,
"Mrs. Goldhouse, are you alright?"
I didn't understand what she meant at first, then I remembered my bruises, I laughed, "oh yes, I'm fine, I fell over in the garden, chasing Mireya round, you know," she didn't look as if she really believed me but I added, "look I'm sorry, but we're already running slightly late, so, please could you call Mireya,"
"of course," 5 minutes later Mireya came bounding round the corner with her coat and school bag.
"momma, what happened?" she gasped,
"remember I fell over,"
"Lindy, don't worry, I won't say anything, and please, take this." the receptionist handed me a small wad of dollar bills,
"thank you, but I couldn't possibly,"
"no, please take it, make sure that little angel is safe, and yourself of course," I smiled at her,
"thank you, so much, and don't worry I will!"i took Mireya's hand and led her to the car,
"Momma, where are we going?" she asked as she buckled herself in. I slid into the front,
"we're going to stay with a... friend of mommy's." I said and I switched the radio on.
Here's an old classic, Stay! By Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs, The dj informed us,
Please, please, please, please
Tell me you're going to
Now, how your daddy don't mind
And your momma don't mind
If we have another dance
Yeah, just one more
One more time
Oh, won't you stay
Just a little bit longer
Jesse's POV
I was making myself some tea and listening to the radio, ok well I was "making tea" actually I was more like standing in my kitchen, staring out the window, and thinking about when this "old classic" had been released. The kettle boiled and I wandered into the living room, trying not to think. About an hour or two later I still hadn't finished my tea and there was a knock on the door. I thought it was Adriana, maybe with a kid or 2, I opened the door and thought I was dreaming.
"Mi bonita..." I said without thinking, "i mean..."
"I'm sorry, I know you probably don't want to see me, but your letter, I never got to read it but, the envelope had this address, and I..."
"what happened to you, who did this," I motioned ot her face, andIcouldn't help keep the anger out of my voice, then I noticed the bags behind her, "are you staying?"
"well, I..." just then a girl, probably about 5 or 6 wearing dungarees and a little rucksack came up to the porch, she looked up at me and as soon as I saw her eyes I knew,
"Mireya, this is Jesse, Jesse, this is Mireya, my... daughter,"
"i think you both should come in and have some tea," I said, picking up their cases and taking them in.