This Is Me Trying

Chapter Twenty-Five

Betty

"No!"
"Yes!"

"What is going on out here?" Danielle asked as she walked back into the living room.
"Jaina won't let me pick the movie!" I pouted.
"We've seen 'Angels in the Outfield' a hundred times!" Jaina argued.
"J, how old are you? Let Betty watch the movie." Barrett rolled her eyes playfully.
"Fine." Jaina handed me the remote.

I smiled and stuck my tongue out at her as the movie began to play.
"Betty Dorothea Spampinato-Savre, how old are you?" Danielle laughed out.
"Seventeen."
"Wait, your middle name is Dorothea?" Jaina stifled a laugh.
"Yeah Jessica, what about it?" I teased.
"Oh, hush. Itty biddy."

I gasped as all the memories of my Dad came rushing back. Him showing up in my dream, him telling me everything.
"Betty? Betty? Are you okay?" Stefania shook me gently.
"The ball is the key." I tried to get off the couch and everyone rushed to me trying to keep me sitting.
"Mija, what are you talking about? You need to sit down."
"The ball is the key! My Dad told me!" I shouted.
"Kid, what do you mean?"
"My Dad told me 'The ball is the key.' I don't know what the hell he meant but I gotta find out." I tried to get up again but Stefania held me back.
"Betty, tell me what you need and I'll get it." Barrett said gently as she held my hand.
"The ball that we always played with is in my room." My eyes filled up with tears as she walked away.

"Betty, what do you mean your Dad told you?" Stefania asked gently.
"I saw him. I thought I was in heaven, but he said it might be heaven. He didn't know. And he kept saying 'The dirt isn't real. The ball is the key.' And-And he said it was too soon and I wasn't supposed to be there. He told me..." I trailed off.
"What bambina?"
"He told me I had to come back to you guys. The said that you need me as much as I need you."
"Oh bambina..." Stefania sighed and stroked my hair.
"You don't believe me do you? You think I'm crazy."
"Kid, you were under a lot of drugs and-"
"Aurora Taylor!" I shouted.
"What did you say?" Danielle asked.
"My Dad said, 'Tell them I said Aurora Taylor, and that it'll happen in less than two years.'"

Stefania looked at Danielle with tears in her eyes.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"Stefania and I... we were talking about giving you a sibling."
"What? Is that what he meant?"
"One of the names we talked about is Aurora. And the other one was Taylor." Stefania sniffled with a smile.
"We wanted to talk to you about it at a better time but-"
"Just do it! Of course I want you two to have a kid!" I said excitedly.
"Another kid. You're ours too bambina." Stefania quickly corrected.

"I got it!" Barrett came running in with my baseball.
She handed it to me and I turned it over in my hands, smiling at the memories.
"What are you thinking mija?" Jaina asked.
"I don't know. But it's got something to do with how he died."

*One month later*

"Hey kid! You ready?"
"Coming Mom!" I pulled my jacket on and walked out of my bedroom.
"You ready for your first day back?"
"So ready. I was going stir crazy." I laughed nervously.
"C'mon. Let's go kiddo."

"You told them no welcome back party, right?"
"What? What welcome back party?" Danielle asked as we walked onto set.
"Barrett can't keep a secret."
"Just act surprised, okay? Your Mamma worked hard on this."
"Deal. But only because it's her."

"Surprise! Welcome back Betty!" Everyone cheered as we walked into the room.
I gasped and plastered a smile on my face.
"Do you love it? We got all of your favorite foods and-" Stefania started to ramble.
"I love it Mamma. Thank you." I cut her off with a hug.
"There's my girl! Welcome back mija!" Jaina ran over and picked me up in a hug.
"Jaina! You can't be picking her up like that." Danielle exclaimed worriedly.
"I'm fine Mom. I'm not that sore anymore. The doctor cleared me for everything."
"I just worry about you."
"I know. But I'm okay. As long as I have my family, I'm okay."

I quickly walked into the bathroom and leaned against the sink. My whole body was sore. I should've listened to Danielle and taken it easy.
I reached in my bag and pulled out the pills the hospital had given me to help with the pain.
"Fuck." I only had one left. I quickly popped the pill in my mouth and dry swallowed it.

I walked out of the bathroom and ran into Jaina.
"Shit!" I dropped my bag and all my stuff went everywhere.
"Shit I'm sorry Mija!" Jaina knelt down and started picking up my stuff.
"I got it Tía. Don't worry about it." I got down on the ground, trying to hide my pain.
"I'll help Betty it's really my fault." Jaina picked up the medicine bottle and looked at it.
"What's this?"
"The hospital gave them to me to help with the pain. I just carry them around just in case." I took the empty bottle from her and put it back in my bag.
"Why does the date say two weeks ago?"
"I gotta go Jaina. My Mom's waiting. I'll see you later." I picked up my bag and quickly walked away from her.

Danielle

"Hey kid! You ready to go?"
"Yeah." Betty walked past Stefania and me and got into the car.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked.
"She was fine earlier. We'll give her time to come to us." Stefania squeezed my hand and we got into the car.

"How was your first day back?" I asked Betty as we walked into our house.
"Fine. I'm gonna go to bed, I'm tired." Betty walked off and went to her bedroom.
I started to go after her but Stefania gently grabbed my arm.
"She's just tired. Don't read too much into it. We have to let her learn to come to us when she needs us."
"She's our baby, Stef. I don't like seeing her upset."
"She's our seventeen year old baby. She'll be eighteen soon. She's gonna be an adult." Stefania wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close.
"I don't wanna think about that." I buried my face into her neck.
"I know, I don't want to either. But we have to."

"Enough talking about our baby growing up. I'm hungry." I pouted.
"You're always hungry. Come on? I'll make lasagna." Stefania laughed.