Memories of a Life That Never Happened

Chapter 107 - Noble Men

Jacira's entire upper body convulsed as she coughed. One hand gripped the sheets, the other started writing on air. Grasping what she wanted, Escobar fetched pad and pen from the nurse's isle a few feet away. 

A few scribbles later, Jacira turned the pad to them.

Cannot let Mica go. 

"Good Lord, woman!" Nicholas brushed his eyebrows, but only once. "May I ask why not?" 

Some quick jot on the paper followed before she showed it to Nicholas.

Too far.

"But what did you expect, really?" Nicholas snapped. "Do you know any top grade education facilities in Buriti? In the country, for that matter?"  

Thanks to Nicholas' caustic remark, Jacira's receptivity was gone.  

He swatted the air. "Well, I guess the issue warrants a family discussion. I truly believe this is what your daughter deserves. Moreover, I daresay it's also what she wants. But the call is yours, of course." 

Nicholas headed to the door but doubled back before he reached it. "Oh, and Mrs. Ortiz," he said in a milder tone. "My secretary will get in touch to schedule an appointment with your new doctors next week. If you have any questions, Ishikura will be at your service. Good night everyone." 

"Does he even care where we're going to sleep tonight?" Mica asked to no one in particular. Jacira seemed to share her worries, because she looked up to Escobar inquisitively. 

"Don't worry. We have a place to stay tonight," he assured them.  

A young nurse came in to inform they were free to go as soon as they liked. Though she was very polite, Mica had the impression that the nurse was practically rushing them out.  

Jacira hauled the weight of her body in her trembling arms and propped herself up. Her pained smile hurting Mica more than the effort seemed to hurt her mother.  

As accustomed to this hospital routine as the one at home, Jacira tucked her feet into rubber slippers and snatched a plastic bag from a wall hook by her bed. It contained the clothes she had on when she arrived at Mary's House.  

When Jacira pulled out the hospital gown and put on her dress, Mica could not help but noticed that it was now at least two sizes too large.  

Alarmed with her mother's fragile state, Mica whispered to Escobar on their way out, "We can't sleep in the church again." 

"We will not," he promised and knelt next to Jacira, who was having trouble putting on her shoes.  

"Cariño," he told Mica over his shoulder, "please get your mom some water." A blink of his eye hinted that he wanted some time alone with Jacira.  

Mica stepped outside and stood put behind the wall close to the door.  

"Please, don't be mad at me." Mica heard him say and there was a pause. Probably her mom was writing something down, which certainly made eavesdropping a challenge. 

"Because there is something I did not tell you. I did not want you to worry and-the important thing is that all is fine." 

Silence again. 

"Our baby has been a real hero."  

Mica heard bits of conversation where Escobar told her mother a version of the happenings suitable even for Julian's ears. Then some other patient in the room started moaning loudly, bringing a squad of nurses into the room.  

Next thing Mica heard was Escobar saying, "You do. You met her on Mica's birthday. She is a foreigner and she was there with her brother. Anyway, she could have died on the fire. Her family is very grateful to Mica. They are rich people, friends with the Chusters. That is one of the reasons why Nicholas will pay for her studies." 

There was another pause, this one longer than before. 

"Switzerland. I know it is far. But Cariño, soon Mica will make her own choices. She will want to know what is out there. You know that. She always longed to cross the city borders. Are you going to forbid her forever? It will only drive her away or make her resent you." 

It was too hard to listen because Mica's heart insisted in jabbing inside her ears like a heavyweight boxer. 

"She will never have another chance like this. Can you deny that to her? All because of a promise you made when she was not even born? How will you explain to her that she will have to stay because you vowed to your father that you would live here and carry on his legacy until the day you died?" 

Mica heard her mother sobbing between coughs. 

"I know it is hard for you to let her go, but you are keeping her from her dreams. This is her chance. I know you are afraid. I am scared too, but we are not cruel. It is cruel to take a dream away from a child." 

To keep listening was torture, so Mica decided to go fetch that water. When she returned to the room, Jacira and Escobar were locked in an embrace. Upon seeing Mica, Jacira reached her arm out to Mica and the three of them stood there in an emotional family hug.  

Cheeks were wet as Jacira pulled a strand hair away from Mica's face. 

"You're so brave," her mother spoke in a hoarse voice and swallowed to keep the cough away. "I'm so proud of you." 

Mica hugged Jacira and rocked her as if she was the child.  

"Yeah, I know who I got my bravery from," she said, planting already nostalgic kisses all over Jacira's face. In turn, her mother held her with all the strength she could muster. 

"You go. Make me even prouder." 

Incredulous, Mica eased away to examine her mom's expression. "Are you sure?" 

Jacira nodded and offered a smile so sad that Mica could feel every bit of the weight of her mother's sacrifice.  

"I will, Mom."  

Carried out of the room on a wheelchair, Jacira held tight to Mica's hand across hallways and toward the exit. An expensive black car, large as a cargo ship and with dark tinted windows waited for them on the street. The polished door glimmered, reflecting street lamp light as they popped open. 

Jean-Pierre jumped out of it onto the sidewalk looking like a storybook prince with a more comfortable mean of transportation. 

"Your friend." Jacira looked up to Mica. 

"Good evening," Escobar said.  

"Bonsoir," he replied charmingly foreign. He kissed Jacira's hand and then did the same to Mica. 

Escobar crouched to be eye-levelled with his wife. "I met Miss Joana this afternoon," he murmured. "Do you remember her?" 

Jacira acquiesced. "Stiff girl."  

The description had Escobar chuckling. "That she is, but she is sweet underneath that pose. She invited us to stay at her place." 

Jacira moved nervously in the wheelchair.  

Capturing her uneasiness, Escobar planted a tender kiss on her forehead and said, "It's just for a while, Cariño. She has lots of rooms and we have nowhere to go. I know she looks snotty, but she is a nice girl. Trust me." 

Jean-Pierre put the plastic bag that Escobar was carrying in the trunk, and moved to the door, holding it open while the tree of them got in the car.  

Joana was not the only one who was nice, Mica thought. Not that she was attracted to Jean-Pierre. He was certainly not the love of her life. But there was something undeniably appealing about him. He was, after all, the embodiment of a gentleman.