Soon they had to start preparing for Isabela's 17th birthday, since she was the oldest by 2 months. Abuela was taking everything into consideration to make sure it was a perfect night.
They had started planning a week before and everyone's nerves were everywhere. Dolores being the worst of them. Because of her gift, it became more and more irritating to just sit back and do nothing about what was going on in the house.
Abuela and Pepa had gotten into an argument at the beginning of the week when they started planning Isa's party. They kept yelling back and forth until Dolores heard a slap being made. She was in the kitchen when she heard it in the middle of the day. It made her jump and she dropped a glass plate on the floor causing it to shatter and some pieces cut her skin.
Julieta came in when she heard it drop and saw Dolores standing there scared. She quickly put her in a chair and sat her leg up to see the damage. "Dolores, what happened?"
She looked up at her aunt and then back to the ground with her hands covering her ears. It was starting to become too much. The frequent fighting, mama losing the baby she was pressured into having. How could something like this happen just because Mirabel didn't get a door?
Just then she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Julieta with a concerned look and an arepa in her hand. "Eat." She removed her hands from her ears to grab the food item placed in front of her and took a bite that began healing her wounds.
Dolores sat there and stared at the table as Julieta stood in front of her. "Do you want to talk about it, sobrina ?"
The younger girl glanced at her aunt and then back to the table. "...it's just my hearing, it became too loud and scared me. Lo siento Tía " Julieta gave her a small smile and ran her hand down her cheek as she sighed.
"Why don't you go relax, try and take your mind off of it." Dolores nodded and stood up before receiving a kiss on her cheek that made her smile. As she walked out of Casita her smile faded a little at the thoughts running in her head. Even if she tries to forget about it, it'll never go away. Maybe she can figure out a way to help her mama out of this situation, then everything will be okay.
Before long she made it to the spot she's traveled to since she was a little girl. Alex was sitting there playing his guitar when she walked up to him with a smile. She sat beside him as he played and kissed his cheek. It's been 4 months since they started dating, and if Dolores was being honest, maybe he was the only thing to make her happy at the moment.
He turned to her when he felt her kiss him and gave her a bright smile. "Hola, mi amor. I wasn't expecting to see you today." She looked at the river that sat ahead of them and zoned out a little as she spoke. "The voices were getting to me again. Mi tia thought it would be good to find a way to relax." she could hear him hum before she felt a warmth on her cheek. "You know if you ever need to talk I'm here for you, Chiquita."
Dolores almost broke out crying at his words. If only he knew how much she truly needed him in her life. She played with the hem of her skirt and glanced away before meeting his eyes. "I know it's just..." the urge to close her mouth before she said anything was becoming a regular occurrence. Especially now that she knew exactly what was going on. How could she explain this without being too revealing.
Before her brain could ramble to the multiple possibilities that could happen depending on what she said, she felt a hand caress her cheek. She looked back at the boy who held so much love in his heart for her as he gave her a smile. "Tome su tiempo, Muneca . You don't need to rush."
She gave him a smile in return as she stared into his reddish brown eyes. " If someone couldn't control the problems that were around them, would you try and help them the best you could to solve the problem?" He stared at her as he thought about her question.
"I think that I would, depending how close I am with that person. Like if it was someone I wasn't close to, I would at least try to help, but if it was mi papa or mama , or even you, mi amor . I would give my life to help with the situation that was given and I wouldn't stop until I did."
Dolores nodded her head in acknowledgment at his answer, before laying back in the grass with a sigh. Without even asking he began playing the guitar to calm her nerves, and usually it helped but today felt different. After she heard the slap her nerves worsened and she couldn't stop worrying.
The fighting has gotten worse over the past 2 years. Mama is too old to have another child, it would be too dangerous after what happened last time but abuela wouldn't listen. Tia Julieta also couldn't have any more and Abuela would be doubtful seeing as Mirabel was her daughter. Tio Bruno went "Missing " years ago and also couldn't because he never married. The older generation wasn't fit to have anymore kids.
And the next generation were too young. Granted Isabela was turning 17, but she was the golden child. She had an image to uphold and Abuela would never let her have a child until she was married. The rest were way too young to even know or think about something like this, they wouldn't have understood.
Just then an idea popped into her head. An idea that terrified her horribly. She knows Abuela most likely didn't trust Julieta or her family to not have any more complications regarding the miracle, that's why she never asked her for another. Which is why she confronted Pepa into having another, but that backfired and she refused to try again.
That left Dolores.
Her heart tugged at the realization. She didn't have as many expectations as Isabela, and roamed around freely for the most part. Besides Isabela, she was the only other possibly fertile female in the family.
Luisa was only 13, and Mirabel was 9. They were way too young. Dolores was the only possible option, and she was actually considering it. It was for the sake of the family of course, some sacrifices had to be made. And with that Dolores now knew what she would do.
If her mama couldn't have another child, Then Dolores would.
Dolores then glanced over to her boyfriend as he continued to play a mindless tune, and her heart screamed in her chest. Alejandro was to leave in a month, and she didn't know if he would ever be back. The guilty thoughts that plagued her mind, told her that she couldn't do it, that he would have to know. She thinks maybe even if he did find out, it would be okay because it was for the sake of her family.
The boy had noticed that she was staring, but there was something different about the way she looked at him. He couldn't completely put his hand on it, but it didn't feel right. He stopped playing and laid beside her on his stomach before he nudged her with his arm. "Are you alright Dolores?"
The girl in question was still in her own world. How would she pull this off? When would she have the time to try? And then she laid there with a splitting thought. Isabela's party. Everyone would be there, they would be too busy celebrating to even notice if a couple of teens were gone for a few hours.
She then looked at him fully and gave him a soft smile. "I'm fine, mi principe . Just thinking about la fiesta de cumpleaños de mi prima. It's a week from now... Will you be attending?" She watched him smile before he leaned down to kiss her. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'll get to be with you."
She smiled back at him and leaned up to kiss him once more. " Perfecto."
