Thank you for beta'ing, MsSchneeheide!
"Hey…Sofia Vergara."
Maritza points to herself with a questioning look.
"Sí." Gloria pats the couch cushion next to her.
"You really do look like her," Ceci comments. "That woman's tits are real, Aleida once saw her jogging in Tribeca."
"If that's a compliment, then gracias."
"It is," Gloria and Ceci tell her at the same time while smiling. "Ahora, queremos hablar contigo," Gloria says.
Now, we wanna talk to you.
"Don't make me go back home, I'm not ready!" Maritza practically begs her.
"I'm not about to. I just think I know why you turned to prostitution. Deep down, your mother does, too."
"No, she doesn't get it." Maritza stares down at her shaking hands.
Gloria's face is now etched with concern. "Honey, creo que ella lo hace. No one with a normal family does sex work. You felt vulnerable, isolated…abandoned."
I think she does
"Yeah, like I did," Ceci says as she takes a spot on the other side of Maritza.
Maritza nods. "My mom was busy trying not to die every single day…and she sometimes was too injured to be there for us. I knew she still loved me and Raiza, she always will. She fought to stay alive for her daughters. My dad…he wasn't even around and he had no good excuse like she did. I was desperate for cash, though…because no other jobs would make me as much money as selling my body did. I wanted my mom to get us off the streets. I was hoping to buy us a nice apartment."
"That's what I was guessing," Gloria murmurs. "I think this was the case with me and my kids. Lourdes told me if I continued to be with Arturo, my boys could grow up believing they can treat women badly, and my girls would see violence and threats as normal so they let the abuse happen. My children were mad at me for letting the abuse happen-but it's like, not my fault, you know?"
"Yeah." Maritza nods and swallows a lump down her throat. "All kids are different, though. I hate Mami's abuser a hundred percent and I'd want to tell a trusted adult or call the police, but I couldn't! Dean was an ICE agent and I didn't have faith in any adults except my mother in Arizona. I'd go to parties, though, and no one's dads mistreated their moms. I was fully aware that there was something off about Dean…much more than just a bad temper. I hated seeing Mami getting hurt all the time…I knew it wasn't right."
"I could see Benny protecting his future girlfriend and respecting women because he didn't like seeing me in pain, and he wouldn't want to bring that upon others. Julio as well, but he never saw me abused. Just Benny did."
"As for Elena and me, we knew it was wrong as well. We just couldn't understand why Mami would stay with such a volatile person," Ceci puts in.
The only father figure my kids have ever known is Fahri. The boys really look up to him and the girls respect him and think he's good for me," Gloria adds.
"Yeah, he's cool!" Benny chirps from another room and then comes in, tugging Fahri and Julio along with him. "Last year, I had no daddies, but now I got two! Him and Mister Leon."
"Papi, you don't know us," Julio says. "How we special?"
"Yeah, I caused Arturo to be mean to Mami!" Benny chimes in.
"Maybe it was my fault," Julio mumbles.
"Oh, baby, no, it's not anyone's fault...just his," Gloria assures him and beckons for her sons to sit in her lap.
"Your mama is right," Fahri adds. "Arturo was mean and there's nothing that either of you did to make him like that, he was just…messed up in the head. Now, how about I take everyone to Friendly's and get you guys some Monster Mash sundaes?"
"Yeah!" the boys and Ceci cheer.
"That sounds wonderful!" Gloria says excitedly.
"Can I have some too?" Maritza wants to know.
"For sure, yeah!"
"Thanks, dude."
"You're welcome!"
Aleida and Hopper walk into a department store with an older Christina, Lucy, and Eva, and the two split up. She buys leopard jackets, but it's not cheap. He passes Aleida some cash, but she looks at it and holds out for more. He shrugs and gives her it. Hopper asks Aleida to model for her. She looks at two seated guys and says that's for pussies or perverts. The guys squirm uncomfortably. He's going to Sibarro, apparently. She avoids kissing his lips. Aleida waves her daughters over and doles out cash. Thirteen-year-old Eva rolls her eyes and she strolls over. Aleida says nothing slutty. Eva knows that Aleida was stealing from Hopper.
She tells Eva to get a shirt that covers her cleavage and insists she's thirty-seven. The year is twenty-eighteen. Eva texts on a phone as Aleida accuses her of being jealous that her boobs are smaller than her mother's, she has her grandma's boobs that look like tube socks. A guy nears, it's Eva's older boyfriend named Angel, he parked in the handicap zone. Aleida sizes him up; she's disgusted that he's twenty-six to Eva's thirteen.
She threatens to stop him from ever making babies and takes Eva's phone. She forbids Eva from seeing him because he's a grown man and a drug dealer; he called her mamí and she doesn't want Eva being a gangbanger thug. She has this reaction because her mom used to pimp her out to pedophiles, like Angel.
Aleida stuffs Eva's phone in her purse. "Look, you think you're all mature and adult and shit, but you ain't. That sleazebag's gonna fuck you up before you're a freshman. I know from experience. Just be with someone your own damn age!"
"They're boring!" Eva storms off angrily.
Later, outside Angel's house, an officer and the next door neighbor strut past Eva, who's staring at a squad car. Her mom peers out at her from the backseat of the vehicle. Mother and daughter gaze sorrowfully at each other as the car pulls away. Aleida stares out the back window of the squad car, her face streaked with tears.
Aleida wakes up, explaining what happened in her nightmare between uncontrollable sobs and gasps for air. "Hey, let it out, it's okay...I got you…" Leon murmurs as she holds onto him.
"I'm just so fucking overwhelmed with what's happened lately. At least Elena's with somebody who's still in high school. Eva's boyfriend in my mal sueño was in his fucking late twenties! I got arrested for beating his motherfucking ass up!"
"That won't happen! Not with both of us parenting her right!"
"Oh, you never know." Aleida takes in a sharp, shuddering breath and then exhales. "It did to Blanca, Maritza, me…Daya! What if…what if Eva really is next? When she turns thirteen…"
"She's only two! I know a lot can happen in eleven years, but circumstances were different in your nightmare. First of all, you had that stupid Rick Hopper…"
"Yeah, his nana chewed loudly and had night reflux. He wasn't there when I gave birth to Christina…I facilitated contact even, like saying I had a kid…but that motherfucker bailed out as soon as he met her." Aleida lifts her shoulders up and down. "Whatever, though. I was about to dump him anyway, so it's like the trash took itself out."
"You got me, now, though. I'll never allow you or your kids to fall apart, I promise. God damn it, Aleida I love you so much! I won't let you down."
Aleida grins and snuggles into Leon. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"I know how Blanca's feeling right now. Nicky just had a relapse after seeing her biological father planning to have a child with another woman. She tried to hide this from me, but I could see it, clear as day. I understand why she's doing this to herself, but it's sad to watch. I'm doing everything I can to stop her from accessing drugs. I won't let anyone give Nicky heroin…I busted her trying to score some crack from Angie, and then Maria and Ouija. They pretended to run a hair salon and put drugs into Nicky's updo. I threatened to ruin Angie's food if she dared to work here and eat in the staff lounge. Thankfully, she stopped dealing to Nicky after Lorna and Suzanne discovered she was shitting in the shower at their local gym. Nicky would steal things from me…my makeup mirror, my lip pencil…she gave them back, but still…someone else is selling her drugs. I just wish she'd snap out of it!"
"Ugh, you're saying Nicky got crack from Angie that was up her butt and she traded your lipstick for it?" Gloria asks and Red nods. "Just unbelievable. It's almost as if she wanted you to catch her."
"Yes, I think so," Red grumbles. "A few days ago, she was just fine. Now, I feel like we're losing her again."
"I'm sorry, Red. Hopefully, you'll get her back!"
"Me, too."
Later on in the detention center, Maritza lies on her bunk, her hands together in prayer. She's asking Beyoncé to help Blanca and herself, when a heavyset woman named Delma gets her attention. She slips down to the foot of her bunk bed, climbs down to the floor, and steps over to Delma, who peers around nervously. She wants the number that Maritza called and she's trying to get a lawyer, but she can't afford it, all the ones she's tried have a five month wait, she has kids alone out there, they don't know where she is. Maritza shifts from one foot to the other, her expression softening, she clicks her tongue. She decides to share it with the woman, but warns her to be cautious, and not to let the guards see her calling that number. Maritza reaches up and gets a pad and pen from her bunk. She hurriedly writes down the number, rips the sheet off and hands the scrap of paper to Delma. They both speak Spanish. The woman kisses her cheek and thanks her profusely while crying. Maritza rounds the end of her bed to watch the woman join her excited bunkmates. She smiles wistfully at the appreciative woman, as the one she gave the number to points her out to the others. Maritza turns to see a lot of helpless expressions on the faces of other women in the housing unit. She peers all around the room at clusters of forlorn detainees from other parts of the world. Sniffing, glancing down at her notepad, she sets it on her bunk and jots down the number three times in a row. Tearing off the bottom number, she strides over and hands it to a woman laying on a bunk bed. She charges over to Efua and hands her one as well. They're so grateful. Maritza passes out another.
Watching from a distance like a creepy bastard, Dean shakes his head. Carlos, the head of PolyCon, steps up beside him. They can't believe what they're seeing.
"She's a hot troublemaker," Dean states with a smirk as Maritza hands out more slips of paper. "Hey, she's not my real daughter. I can say that, and I don't blame you for lusting after her."
"Pathetic. She automatically assumes that just because she got money for sex, she'll get out of this one…but she's going on a plane in just a few seconds…back to Colombia," Carlos mutters.
Meanwhile, Blanca and Karla walk back into the housing unit. Karla stomps off past her. Blanca looks up at Maritza's empty bunk and turns to the Egyptian woman, who reports Maritza is no longer there when Blanca asks.
In the kitchen, Blanca stands with Gloria and Flaca, who can't believe she's just...gone. She never even got to say goodbye. Blanca assumes Maritza is at her hearing and Flaca thinks she'll be back. Blanca isn't sure if it'll work out the way they hope. She was only lucky because Karla went first and gave her the idea to ask for more time to find a lawyer.
Flaca says they can't just deport her girl, Maritza has never been to Colombia, except for vacation that one time when someone stole her cousin's purse in Bucaramanga.
Gloria wants them to stay positive. "Maybe she's with her lawyer?"
Blanca's eyes fill with tears. "You better be right. That's my daughter you're talking about!"
That night in the detention center housing unit, the pigeon's wings flap as it coos. Blanca opens her eyes to see the pigeon sitting on top of a nearby hanging light. She turns to Maritza's bunk, grinning to find the figure sleeping there and threads her fingers through the girl's hair. It's not Maritza, and Blanca's face falls. The woman looks alarmed. Blanca asks where Maritza is in Spanish. She speaks K'iche back to Blanca. The stranger sets her head back down as Blanca stares off worriedly, clutching her heart.
Outside on an airport tarmac, an ICE agent escorts Maritza to a plane. She's wearing blue jeans and a white sweatshirt and black and white converse shoes. Her wrists, ankles, and waist are shackled. Looking up at the boarding ramp, Maritza's eyes glisten. A bearded agent, carrying a semi-automatic rifle, stands behind her. She starts up the stairs. On the plane, the agent motions with his head for her to keep moving. Ten other women already sit on the plane, their faces a mask of apprehension and dismay. Her eyes red, Maritza takes a seat near the back where another armed ICE agent stands.
One woman disappears, then another, and seven more after them. Maritza dissolves into nothing.
This time, Maritza wakes up screaming and sobbing out loud. She, Flaca, Daya, Taystee, Poussey, and Ceci are at Katie's house for a sleepover. Through the moonlight coming in through the window, she can see them all stirring around her and she suddenly feels a pang of guilt that she'd probably woken them up.
"Maritza, jeez…what the fuck happened?" Flaca asks in a tired voice.
"Lo siento. So much ho-horrible shit," Maritza stammers as tears leak out of her eyes and trickle down her cheeks and chin. "I-it's a fucking recurring nightmare…me and Mami…in-in the ICE bullshit…detention center," she says through her shuddering gasps of air and constant wails of anguish. Tears stream down her cheeks and she cries in Flaca's arms. "This time…I was…I was deported." Everyone is awake now. "To, um…Colombia…because of my mami's ex. She, Karla, and Shani were there with me and you were in the kitchen working, Flaca. It took place like, ten years from now."
"Baby, estas bién, you're just having stress dreams," Flaca assures her. "Your family had to move because his ass was stalkin' you, so obviously, this is all on your mind!" Flaca hands Maritza some Kleenex and Maritza blows her nose loudly a few times. She strokes Maritza's hair and cups her wet and sweaty face. "It could also be that you're seriously missing your mom right now."
"I just saw her a few days ago, and Raiza wasn't in it for some reason." Maritza sniffles. "Look at you, though, Miss Dream Analyzer! I just better not be seeing the future or whatever."
"Yeah, I hope not either. You're so cute and fly…I can't lose someone so special! I've got this nightmare that comes into my head occasionally, too. It's of us in kindergarten, we're all holding a rope as teachers take us out of the classroom. We witness a shooting in the hallway and I slip in the blood…and then I find out it's someone's that I love…and it comes when I'm really frightened of losing that person for good. The last time I had it was when you were homeless, and then when my mom had that lymphoma scare. I saw someone get killed in the street in a drive-by shooting when I was five and there was so much blood."
"Whoa, for real?" Poussey asks. "That's hella sad!"
"Yeah."
"You never told me that, how traumatizing and freaky!" Maritza exclaims. She turns on a lamp and the girls rub their eyes open. "Lo siento…"
"I never felt the need to bring it up 'til now."
Ceci clears her throat. "My turn! So…it keeps being this flashback of my younger years in Puerto Rico. Elena has on a yellow shirt and ponytail and I'm wearing a sleeveless white top with blue, red, yellow, and green stripes every time. Mami is always in a red dress with spaghetti straps and a white flower pattern and bright pink polish is on her nails. Mami, with her hair long and curly to her chest, searches playfully for Elena and me. She's in a long red sleeveless dress with a gold floral pattern. The bedroom is green…in fact, it's verde everywhere, even the phone. Mami she peers under a bed, calls us her loves in Spanish…mis amores. It's our native language; we grew up speaking Español. She tiptoes across the room, searches the closet, Abuela points, we're hiding in the tub, apparently…Ellie's six and I'm eight. Mami speaks Spanish with us, saying she'll give us a hug when she finds us, and she then pushes open the shower curtain. She lifts out a suitcase. We shift over and make room for her in the tub. I beg her not to go as I play with my long hair. Mami tells us it'll be easier for her to find a job in New York rather than Puerto Rico. She doesn't want to move either…but she says we'd have our own apartment, beds, and be able to go to good schools. I loved sharing a bed with Ellie, but she didn't with me…I used to kick her 'cause her toenails would scratch me. Mami just laughs while saying she'll buy us bunk beds. She hugs me and strokes Elena's hair. I decided I wanted the top bunk. She promises us it wouldn't be too long and feels like she has to leave us."
"This actually happened?" Maritza asks.
Ceci nods. "Eight years later, we learned English…we used to live with just our abuela and step-abuelo. Lourdes had told Abuela to move out here with us. Pero…the flashback turns into a nightmare each time. As a teenager, I've got on this same outfit, a blue and pink and yellow tye dyed shirt and lime green shorts, while Elena wears a pink shirt and white skirt under a jeans jacket. A pregnant Mami studies bunk beds, it's a yellow room with white lace curtains and a wooden bunk bed with pink and white flowered comforters. She'd been expecting little girls…she wears a green shirt and pink cami and jeans and sits a pink teddy bear on the bottom bunk. A little boy tries to climb up, but Gloria holds him in place as he kneels on the bottom bed. She'd taken the day off work so she could pick us girls up from the airport but we didn't want to go, it had been too long. Mami thought we were nervous about flying or scared about making new friends. I didn't even wanna talk to her when Abuela held out the green phone to me…I shook my head. Abuela said I needed to tell Mami myself and I reluctantly took the phone. Mami held her own phone to her ear while the young boy played beside her. She insisted I would love it there and didn't need to be afraid. I called her by her first name and stubbornly said we weren't coming. She wanted us to meet our little brother so bad. She said she was our mother and in charge, but I told her it was my choice and Elena's. So, as soon as Mami stares forlornly around the small bedroom, that's when I wake up, relieved that Lourdes had really insisted on Abuela and us girls to come out for Christmas a year later when I was fifteen and Elena thirteen and we got snowed in for a few months. It took a year for us to learn English, five hours a day. Also, Mami added Abuela on MySpace and asked to speak to Elena, saying, 'Don't worry about what your sister said, give her time, but what do you want?' and of course, Elena said she was eager to get to know our mami and cussed me out, crying that we needed to hear her side, she missed Mami so much. So, what happened when I was fourteen, that phone call…it's true…but I think of it all as one bad dream. I almost lost my mami…twice…and the second time, because of my stubbornness. I had no idea how much it affected Elena…good thing I'd do anything for her."
"Hell yeah it is, 'cause otherwise, we would've never met!" Katie points out.
Ceci grins at her and they kiss.
"Hell, yeah! You and Elena are awesome, it would suck not to know either of you girls," Flaca says.
"Mm-hm, seriously!" Maritza chimes and the rest of the friends agree.
"I keep having terrible dreams about being lifers in prison with this one." Taystee playfully punches Daya.
"Hey, what'd we do?" Daya asks. "I'm not that bad!"
"You told everyone what you figured out about me, but you should've just kept it to yourself, puta," Maritza snaps.
"Look who's talkin'!" Daya fires back.
"Yo! Chill out, you two," Taystee grumbles. "So, in my nightmare, I was accused of killing Piscatella while you really did kill Humps, D, but that ain't the point. In my nightmares, you go off the deep end and get high off your ass and become a total bitch."
Daya guffaws. "Like that would ever happen! I bet Hopper was my stepdad instead of Leon, that's probably why. My mom always did say that pansy-ass loser would fuck us all up if she had stayed with him."
Taystee chuckles. "Actually, yeah. So anyway…private prisons are horrible since the guards are so bad it caused a riot, and the governor's mom called! We were in one and we wanted to work for ten bucks a day, not eleven cents an hour…and a whole bunch of other shit, like higher quality foods, two bunks to a room rather than four, better guards that were well trained, etcetera. If the government gave into Litchfield's demands, they'd have to do it for all the prisons. The governor just wanted to give the inmates what they wanted to shut them up. My best friend P got killed by a guard…Bayley, and they weren't gonna get him in the slammer because it was an accident caused by the craziness Piscatella and his men Dixon, Stratman, and Humps caused. So, every fucking time I have this nightmare, I stupidly choose not to be happy with the rest of the demands we were able to get handled and get us all sent to a maximum security prison! Alison, Michelle, and Janae kept asking me if I was sure, I kept saying no, not until Bayley's locked up…but…" Taystee shakes her head. "I can still hear the indistinct screaming from everyone I fucked over, including myself, because we were getting taken down by the stormtroopers. God, I'm glad that ain't real!" She fist-bumps Poussey. "Also that you're still here, of course!"
"Me too!" Poussey grins. The others nod in agreement.
"I hate the idea of a riot since we'd only be free for such a short amount of time, I'd rather just forget and serve my time," Maritza says.
"My usual nightmare is of Carol and Barb's gang war and how they separated us, even the adults," Daya tells them. "Barb had Nurse Lorna, Flaca, Maritza, Nicky, Maria, Taystee, and I stay with her at Daddy's apartment since Carol would be with Red and Aleida. Barb wasn't gonna visit the girls at their houses...and when Diane went to Charles' apartment, Carol would take Alex and Blanca to Zirconia's. Alex, Blanca, and Alison bonded over the fact that they hated this and it was like kidnapping. Lorna and I were under Barb's spell, so Nicky, and Flaritza and Maria and Taystee felt alone. You chicks couldn't even talk to Gloria because the sisters were always there...but you had Diane, who was friends with Barb to keep the peace and her boyfriend is a cop and nobody fixed it by just telling him about them. Maybe we were afraid he could get hurt, I dunno."
Maritza scoffs. "We should just lock Barb and Carol into a room together and let those stupid dramatic bitches from Hell kill each other! They deserve it, they divided our group in Daya's dream, literally! They'd do it in our waking life, too. What was their dumbass fight about anyway?"
"Their black co-waitress thought a customer asked for the classifieds, so she went out and bought him a newspaper and returned to his table to give it to him. He asked what it was and then explained that he wanted a glass of ice! The warring sisters fought about whose story it was, when it was neither of theirs." Katie rolls her eyes. "Your typical white braindead morons stealing black people's shit."
"Oh, that's not good!"
"Nah, it ain't."
The others make sounds of assent.
"Ouija and I are equal in height, you got discrimination against short people? I heard you wouldn't give her H either," Nicky complains. "Come on, man!" She bangs on a counter to make Luschek look at her.
Standing, he rubs the back of his head. "I didn't have sex with Judy fucking King to get her lawyer to set you up with a nice job at this school for you to go back to the high life!"
Nicky scoffs. "Oh, stop it, you're an alcoholic loser, it smells like a brewery every time you breathe. We're both screwed up, that's why you stuck your nuts inside her wrinkled up cunt."
"Yeah…if it were up to me, I would've done Alex, now she's the hot one out of your bunch. It's just too bad she wouldn't have helped you…but it seems like you're throwing everything away to have one last high. I did marijuana and meth while I was growing up in Oswego…and still do now, so here." He hands Nicky a pack of cigarettes. "Just so you can go a little wild, but not enough to get arrested."
Nicky averts her gaze. "God damn it, you're disgusting." She grabs them.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone we did the nasty." He winks at her.
Behind him, Zirconia enters and drops a box that's labeled Body by Butterflinger. "You what?!?"
Nicky blows out a few puffs of smoke. "Bitch, I'm a lesbian and with Shani; besides...I'd never be into that moron, and Gloria is head over heels in love with Fahri...so Luschek is all yours! He's only giving me what I asked for…as a friend. I promise. I'm just an ex-prostitute and I fucked him for money."
"Damn." Zirconia glances flirtatiously at Luschek and then picks up her candy. "If you were that desperate, you could've just asked me, I'm right here! Eat up, sweet thang!
He takes it from her and squints. "Love, Irene?"
"That's my real name. Isn't the cursive elegant?" She points to the note taped on top gleefully.
"You realize you're a student and he's a teacher, right? You're also a minor. It's against the law, kid," Nicky tells Zirconia while twiddling her cigarette between two fingers.
The girl frowns and shakes her head. "Who the hell made you the police? Age is just a number."
"Wait 'til college when you've gotten the fuck outta this place, then you got time to think about whether or not Joel's worth dating. He's a dumbass, by the way. He's supporting my drug habit and my addiction to heroin is very strong right now, thanks to him…and Angie."
"I don't need another mom, and certainly not one off her rocker!" Zirconia stomps out.
"Good advice…but too bad you're a junkie! I wonder what your girlfriend thinks you're up to."
"Argh!" Nicky shouts, annoyed with herself yet again. "Fuckin' hell, I hate my father. He always manages to ruin my life, and if not him, my mother. Screw 'em both, ya know? Later. Never give me this bullshit again, damn!" She leaves Luschek's classroom.
"You guys really do make a beautiful couple."
Elena smiles at Maritza with tears in her eyes. "Gracias." She kisses Sergio's hand while still holding it and cuddles into the non-bandaged side of his chest. "I'm just happy he survived and they're letting me visit him for this long."
Sergio pecks Elena's temple. "Same here."
"I met his family…they're nice people!"
"Oh, good!"
"It was cool to meet them, despite the circumstances. He liked my family too."
"That's wonderful, I knew he would!"
He turns his attention to his girlfriend. "Thanks for taking care of me, querida."
"You'd do the same for me if things were reversed."
"'Course I would. De hecho, lo hice."
In fact, I did.
Maritza appears to be shocked. "You were shot, Ellie?"
"Nah…I was kidnapped by Sergio's rivals since they wanted to get to him. They forced me to drink hard liquor until I passed out. Then, they must've been about to rape me because I found myself naked, but didn't see bruises or feel pain. I was just scared! Serge found me just in time and saved me…my mami watched him carry me into her home and tuck me into bed and kiss me on the lips. He passed her and ducked his head like a gentleman. He explained that he never hurt me, it was just random assholes out there who hated him for some reason. Mami's heart filled with joy that he was so good to me."
"Aw…pero lo siento that happened to you!" Maritza exclaims. "You never told us before…when did this happen?"
"Last month…but that's when Mami knew for sure he was the right guy for me."
"Good night, ma'am."
"Por favor, call me Gloria. Buenas noches, Sergio. Muchas gracias for taking care of my daughter."
"It was my pleasure. She's everything to me. I swear…I beat up her attackers and rescued her before anything worse could happen. She has some injuries, but I patched 'em up."
Gloria smiles sadly as soon as he says this. "You're Ellie's perfect match. I'm just relieved you were there." She's standing by Elena's bedside, stroking her hair while she cries from trauma.
"I wish I could've been there to comfort you, but I had to respect your mami's rule of no sleeping over," Sergio mumbles tiredly.
"Sí…yo también," Elena murmurs as she drapes her arm over his waist. They lock eyes. The moment is so intimate that Maritza turns away, probably to give them privacy.
"Let go of me!" Elena screams, still in her nightmare. "Sergio, help me!"
Gloria wakes her up gently. "Honey, it's just me. You're safe now, baby."
"They tied me up, Mom. They tied me up with a rope and I couldn't get free," Elena chokes out. She leans into Gloria, getting her mother's shirt wet with her tears, but Gloria doesn't mind. She rocks Elena from side to side, smoothing her hair away from her face and wiping the tears away with her fingers and shushing her softly.
"Honey, you are the strongest girl I've known. You're my daughter. You're just like me, a happy girl except when something is seriously wrong. I love you, Elena, don't ever forget that. Your mami's love is very strong."
She breaks out into another round of tears while Gloria comforts her again.
"There, there, mariposita. My baby one."
"Mariposita? Baby one? Hmmm…I like those!" She smiles through her tears.
Gloria taps Elena's nose and she giggles. "You ready to sleep, sweetie?"
"Yes, Mami."
"Okay, good night, Elena." She scoots under the covers and Gloria kisses her forehead and then her cheek. Elena kisses her cheek right back and squeezes her hand.
"I love you, Mom."
Gloria makes her way to the door. "Love you too, my darling daughter, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite." She closes the door softly and all she can probably hear is Elena's light breathing. Elena is falling fast asleep.
"Your mom lets you sleep over here?" Maritza wonders aloud.
Elena nods. "She had to, I thought he'd die!" She strokes his cheek with her thumb and he puts his hand over hers. They share a soft kiss. "I'm so glad he didn't."
"Me too!" both Maritza and Sergio say in unison.
It's been a week since the family has seen Maritza. Diablo brings her home. Blanca has missed her this entire time and she's not as angry anymore, just disappointed in herself. The guilt from what she'd told Maritza has been eating her alive.
Once Maritza comes through the door with Diablo, Raiza makes a beeline for her and the girls hug once Maritza kneels down to Raiza's level. "I missed you, sissy! Everyone did. I don't want you and Mami to fight."
"I know, I feel the same way, hermanita."
Blanca and Diablo exchange tearful smiles. "Muchas gracias por traerla a casa."
Thank you so much for bringing her home.
"De nada."
Maritza rises. Raiza takes both her and Blanca's hands. "We gotta stay together and be happy...so can you pretty please, with sprinkles on top, just hug and don't be sad no more?"
After a long moment, mother and daughter look at each other. "Bueno, bienvenida, te extrañamos," Blanca tells Maritza, wrapping her up in a hug and kissing her cheek a few times. "Mi bebe…"
Well, welcome back, we missed you.
"También los extrañe," Maritza mumbles, winding her arms around Blanca.
I missed y'all too.
"Lo siento mucho…por enojarme tanto contigo and calling you names, blaming you when I've made horrible mistakes, too. You're sixteen, what did I expect? Teens mess up sometimes…we all do, especially under stress. I'm starting to understand your point of view," Blanca murmurs, wiping underneath her eyes and sniffling as they separate. "If you didn't know what to do to help me out with money, you could've always asked."
for getting so mad at you
"Yo sé eso ahora, Mami. Y lamento decir que no eres mi verdadera madre. Por supuesto que sí. Siempre has sido mi mamá. There for me and shit. I was just mad. I didn't mean it."
I know that now, Mom. And I'm sorry for saying you're not my real mom. Of course you are. You've always been my mom.
"I know. Todos dicen cosas que no quieren decir por enojo." Blanca cups Maritza's chin and brushes away a budding tear from her daughter's eye.
Everyone says things they don't mean out of anger.
"Are we good now?"
"Sí, mi nena." Blanca squeezes Maritza's hands comfortingly and they beam at each other emotionally. A weight has been lifted from Blanca's chest and she's sure Maritza feels the same way. "Nosotras estamos bien."
We're good.
Thank you for reading and reviewing, Juliette45 and MsSchneehiede!