Rosa Sanchez. The first word that comes to mind is always 'power'. Known as Thorn by many, she seems to be the most dangerous woman in the world. But, she wasn't always like this. That leads many people to wonder how she came to be. What made an inn...
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Trigger Warning - Mentions of Rape, Domestic Abuse. ...
We had gotten home late last night. I practically collapsed into bed.
The sun streamed through the windows and into my eyes. I had forgotten to close the curtains.
I looked at my clock. Half-past ten. Great.
I pulled on a sweatshirt and leggings and wandered downstairs.
It was quiet. Too quiet for Father or Raf to be here.
I made myself some coffee and toast and walked into the living room.
Mother was sitting in the chair by the fireplace, she looked dazed.
I sat in the chair across from her. "Are you okay?"
Her eyes snapped up at me. She must not have seen me. "I can't remember where I left my keys." She mumbled.
I took a bite of my toast. "I'm sure you'll find them."
She probably didn't want to talk about it.
I noticed she was drinking tea. She rarely had tea. She always found it too bitter.
"What are you drinking?" I adjusted in my seat.
She glanced at her glass. "Leaf juice." She grimaced.
I smiled. "Why?"
"Tea has all sorts of powers." She stirred it slowly.
She looked up at me. "You know I hate your father?"
I froze for a minute. I'd always suspected it but mother wasn't the type of person to say it out loud. "Yes," I mumbled.
She set her tea down and glanced towards the fireplace. "When I was your age, The Cartel was built differently. My family went to church with the Sanchez family."
I watched her as she stared into space. She was in a different world.
"One day Alonso approached me, at first I was flattered. Until I realized who he was. I'd always imagined that I'd be proposed to by a man I loved in a beautiful place. I imagined that it would be so beautiful and so happy I'd never forget it. I was right about one thing, I'll never forget the day I was doomed to this life. He walked up to me and my youngest sister in the parking lot after church. My sister ran away. I knew I couldn't. He looked me dead in the eyes and without hesitation said 'you will marry me, Valentina. You don't have a say in the matter.' Then he walked over to my father and presumably said I was now his fiancé. My poor parents, they couldn't do anything."
I looked down. I didn't know how to react. "I'm sorry."
"Rosa, it's not your fault." She sighed. "I know you probably don't like hearing about it, but for you, we pretended we were a happily married couple. None of my pain comes from you. You're the only one I can rely on."
I didn't enjoy hearing about it, but I was glad in some way. However, I couldn't help wondering about Rafael.
She answered my question as if I had asked it aloud.
"I can't really blame him, but I do. Your brother was not so nice. Alonso was desperate for a son, I had no desire to pretend anymore. So he took matters into his own hands. He held me down and forced himself on me."
She sniffled. "I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised when he did it again."
I looked up. "What do you mean?"
She shook her head. "When you were sent away, your father decided you needed to be replaced. I was disgusted, but I can't say I was surprised."
I looked down again. I wish I would've known. I wish someone would've told me.
It's not fair for her to pay for my actions. She always has, and it's not fair.
"Rosa, I know that look. It's not your fault and you are to change nothing." She gave me a pointed look.
"But-."
"No." She said firmly. "I don't think you understand, my life is hell, it will always be hell. You are the only thing I have and you will not waste a second protecting me. I am the mother, you are the child. I don't care how much you want to blame yourself. I've accepted that. It's time you do too."
Then it dawned on me. "Mother?" My eyes went wide. "Are you-."
She cut me off. "Like I said, tea has all sorts of powers. I refuse to have another child, no matter how much pain it causes me. I will not replace you." She sighed.
I heard Father's car approach.
Then she straightened up in her seat. "We only have a moment, so listen carefully. Rosa, I taught you everything you know, I taught you how to lie, I taught you how to evade punishments, you will not mention any of this to your father, you will go upstairs and occupy yourself in your room. I don't know how much trouble I may get myself into, but you will not be a part of it."
"But-." I started.
"No, go upstairs." She waved me away.
I ran up the stairs and reached my room just as the door opened.
I closed it quickly and leaned against it.
I quickly grabbed my phone and found Ana's number.
The phone didn't even get through the first ring before she answered.
"Hey!" I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Hi." I sighed.
"What's wrong?"
I gulped. "There's a thing, with my mom."
"Oh my God. Is she okay?"
Tears fell down my face. "Yeah, for now."
"Tell her she can come over whenever. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Um, that's the thing." I paused. "She's getting hurt, because of us- no, because of me."
There was silence for a moment.
"What?" Ana's voice broke.
"I'm sorry, I don't know when, or if I'll be back." A sob shook my body. I tried to keep my voice as even as possible.
It was quiet again. Too quiet. She must've muted herself.
"If that's what we need to do, that's okay. We can figure it out. And we have each other's numbers now too. It will be better than last time." Her voice was better.
She spoke quickly then it went quiet again. She was talking between sobs.
"Ana." I whispered.
"No." She cried. "Please no."
"Just find someone else. Please. It's better for us both." I sobbed.
"So you're just going to abandon me. Just like that?" She mumbled.
"No. Never." I'd always love her, even if she didn't love me. Whatever was better for her was better for me.
"So why are you doing this." She yelled through tears."
"Because I have to." I sighed.
"No, you don't." She cried.
"I love you." I whispered.
"If you-."
I hung up the phone.
... This chapter wasn't happy, but it wasn't this bad before.
