A/N: Ok I will be honest. The scene in this chapter was actually supposed to be an end scene for last chapter..
However it completely slipped my mind that its only after I posted it that I realized my mistake.
And I really didn't want to go back and edit it so... as a result I ended up making this a little longer to be posted as its own chapter which will be classified as an interlude since the last five chapters will be more plot involved.
But anyways hope you enjoy this regardless.
Camila Noceda had always considered herself a deeply religious person, rooted in her Christian upbringing. Despite Luz's frequent complaints during their Sunday church visits, Camila found solace in her faith. However, recently, she began to question the very foundation of her beliefs. Was there truly a higher power watching over them?
The memory of Manny's hospital visit still haunted her. The devastating news had left her feeling as though her world had come crashing down around her.
Cancer.
It felt like a cruel twist of fate, undeserving of a good man like Manny who had only shown love and kindness to his family and others. His optimism in the face of such a daunting diagnosis gave her strength, but doubt lingered in the corners of her mind.
"Why?" Camila's prayers became a desperate plea, a cry for understanding in the face of such injustice. She clung to hope, whispering fervent prayers every night for her husband's recovery. She wanted to shield her daughters from the harsh reality, but at the same time she wondered if it was right to hide the truth but telling them will hurt them, especially little Vee, who had already endured so much in her young life. She still remember when they first found her, she was shocked to learn that Vee was a cryptid and they were actually real, but it didn't take long for her to see what others would perceive as a demon was simply a scared child whom she and her kind husband did not hesitate to take in because they know if the government had found her she would most likely be locked up and experimented which was a big no no.
Camila couldn't bear the thought of shattering Vee's newfound happiness with the news of her adopted father's illness.
As she navigated her own turmoil, Camila found a flicker of solace in knowing that Luz, despite her own issues, was looking after Vee with love and care in her own way. In the midst of her own sadness, Camila took comfort in the bond between her daughters, a beacon of light in the darkness that was her life right now.
But still, she couldn't help but feel resentment towards whatever higher power up there that did exist as she and Manny sat on their bed, the weight of their devastating news hanging heavy in the air.
"I just don't understand. They told us you were improving, and now they tell us it's stage three heart cancer," Camila exclaimed, her voice trembling with sorrow.
"Mi amor, please don't raise your voice. We must protect the girls from this pain," Manny said, his voice filled with a desperate attempt to comfort his wife.
Camila took a deep breath and released a tired sigh. "I'm sorry. It's just so unjust."
"I know. But... if I don't make it," Manny began to say, his words filled with a sense of acceptance of his situation.
"No. Please, don't say that. You will make it. I swear to God, if there even is one, that you will make it," Camila said, her determination mixed with an underlying fear of the worst outcome.
"Please, let me finish. I have something special for Vee and Luz for their birthdays. If I don't make it, please give it to them. But if I do, let me be the one to do it," Manny said, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and resignation.
"Okay, I promise, but..." Camila hesitated, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "What do we tell them?"
Manny pondered the question, his eyes searching for an answer amidst the chaos of their emotions.
"Let's not burden them with the details," Manny finally suggested, his voice heavy with sadness.
"W-What?" Camila was taken aback, her heart torn between protecting their children and being honest with them.
"We can simply tell them that I need medication for another condition," Manny suggested, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Camila's nerves began to fray. "Can we truly lie to them about this? Luz, mija, she's always been perceptive beyond her years. She'll sense something is wrong. Teachers have even suggested she skip a grade because of how smart she is. I fear she'll know, and Vee will too."
Manny gently took his wife's trembling hand. "What good will it do to burden them with the truth? Besides, who knows? Maybe the chemotherapy and treatment will work, and we can find a better surgeon to treat me. We must stay optimistic, for ourselves and for our girls."
A bittersweet smile graced Camila's lips. "You always know how to find the silver lining, don't you?"
"Whatever happens, however much time I have left, I want them to be happy," Manny choked up, his voice breaking with raw emotion. "I don't want our remaining time together to be filled with sorrow. I want to remember their beautiful, smiling faces, to etch them into my memory forever so when I pass on I can take it with me"
Camila held her husband tightly as the painful reality of their situation broke him down. "Okay... it's okay. We won't burden them, then."
"We should rest now. Tomorrow, we have to visit the hospital," Camila said softly, her voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and determination. She leaned in and kissed Manny, pouring all her love and strength into that single moment.
Unbeknownst to the couple, just outside their door stood their daughter Luz, her young face bearing a blank expression. She had heard every word, hearing every weight of their sorrow. Without a word, she quietly retreated, reaching for her grimoire and flipping through its pages, searching for something specific, but still said nothing even as she entered her room and locked it
A/N: Well hope you enjoyed that. It's rather short but hey at least we now got Camila's pov right?
I'm not familiar with medical and hospital stuff so apologies for inaccuracy.
Anyways see you next chapter again everyone. Wonder what Bluz is up to hehehe.
