Valentine's Day.
It had been over a month since Pepa returned home.
She was trying her best to be nicer to her family members, even when they got on her nerves.
In return, they tried to help whenever she was having a bad day.
And today was one of those bad days.
"Who cares if it's Valentine's Day?" Pepa muttered, as she curled up under one of her newest blankets. "Nobody loves me, anyways."
"That's not true," Félix said. "Lots of people love you. Even Mirabel. After all, she is the one who made you that blanket."
"Yeah…"
"And I love you. Which is why I won't let you mope around like this all day. Come on; let's get you ready for the day."
Félix grabbed a comb from the bedside table, noticing some grey and black curls in its teeth.
"You took this from somebody else, didn't you?"
"Maybe…"
Félix sighed. "Oh, Pepa…"
As he combed her hair, he could tell by the sunshine above her head that she enjoyed it.
In the kitchen, Julieta was cooking up a whole batch of heart arepas.
"Hmm… I wonder where Pepa is."
"Probably in her room, being a waste of space as usual," Alma said.
"Mama!" Julieta said.
"She's not a waste of space," Dolores said. "She's just having a hard time… because… well…"
She lowered her already quiet voice, a quieter than usual.
"She's convinced that today is the day her baby would've been born."
"Oh," Julieta said. "I see."
She continued looking at the arepas.
"I should bring one to her."
She probably isn't going to accept it. But it can't hurt to try…
Pepa and Félix were cuddling when Julieta knocked on the door.
"Should I answer that?" Félix asked.
"Yeah, I guess…" Pepa muttered.
"Ugh! What do you want Julieta?" Pepa said, after Félix had opened the door.
"I… just wanted to give you this."
Pepa squinted at the arepa, and opened her mouth as about to say something.
"Not because I think you're sick. Just to say 'Happy Valentine's Day'."
"R-r-really? But I've been such a terrible person…"
"Well… we weren't exactly the nicest to you," Julieta said. "It shouldn't have taken a tragedy for us to realize that."
"Yeah, I guess I've been through a lot," Pepa said.
"I know it might not have seemed that way, but I really was worried about you," Julieta said. "Anyways, you don't have to eat this if you don't want to. But I'm giving it to you anyways… because I love you."
Julieta thought that she saw some tears welling up as Pepa sat silently, her mouth twitching as though she were deciding whether or not to smile.
Finally, Pepa took a small bite.
"D-d-do you like it?" Julieta asked.
Pepa smiled.
"I love it."