Mi amor ~ Camilo Madrigal x oc~

2

"Mami! Valentina's stupid friend wants to know if we will go to his brothers gifting event." Maria's voice carried threw the small home. Nearly tumbling down the stairs I yipped, "That ungodly son of a bitch is not my friend." Camilo stood in the doorway trying to contain his laughter. Abuela huddled out of the kitchen tossing her apron at me. Cursing under her breath about my own cursing. A strange woman really.

Stopping before the door she messed with her hair in front of a small round mirror. A small photo of my father hung in between the glass and it's golden rim. Abuela was beautiful. Sofia was the spitting image of her when she was younger. Unlike Sofia, Abuela knew her beauty. And she took pride in it in every way she possibly could. Pushing her way past the much short Maria she exclaimed, "Dios mío (my god), we would have loved to but my sweet daughter has come down with a cold and we surely couldn't risk that."

"Ay mami I already told you I got over that days ago." My mother's raspy voice carried from the dinning room. She had smoked for as long as I could remember. Never in the house or around her children. But occasionally late at night you could hear the steps creek. Listen as the back door slowly opened. She purchased them always from the same man who lived down the road. Resting a hand on her mothers shoulder she laughed, "We would love to come."

Mamá always said I looked like her. Whether it be her long light brown hair or her thick lips. I had my fathers nose and tan skin by far. Really out of all of us I thought I looked the most like my father. His grey eyes that had fallen to me. Abuela says that's how she first knew. When all my other siblings had the deep brown eyes of her family. And I left with a memory of my father I couldn't get rid of. Pushing past my mother Abuela didn't utter a word. Camilo nodded quickly a wide smile on his face, "Thank you so much Señora Isa."

He looked past her his eyes meeting mine, "I'll look forward to seeing you there...all of you." I looked around for a second to be sure that I was out of Abuela's eye sight. Giving him the finger I scoffed mouthing the words, "Trip and fall you ugly rat." He contained his laughter, barley, giving his goodbyes to my mother. She gave hers gladly knowing that the moment she closed the door all hell would break loose. Closing the door she motioned for me to take Maria, "Go get Ana and take the girls upstairs. Get Sofia to help you keep busy." Lifting up Maria who for her age of six was much smaller then she should have been.

Peeking into the kitchen I eyed Sofia. She had one hand on Abuela's the other lightly running threw her hair. She whispered in Abuela's ear trying to get her to calm down. You could hear the older woman's soft tears. This time of year made her emotional already add in a gifting and an invitation she didn't originally want to accept. I spoke lightly, "Sofia, ven a ayudarme a llevar a las chicas arriba. (Sofia, come help me carry the girls upstairs)" Sofia looked up at me for a second whispering something to Abuela. Shuffling out of the kitchen she made her way to the dinning table.

Grabbing Ana's hand she mumbled, "Come on chica let's go play cards upstairs." Ana unlike her younger sister was tall for her age or eight. She was reluctant for a second before gathering her cards letting Sofia lead her up the stairs. The four of us filed into mine and Sofia's small room. Slowly in silence we made our way into the center of the room sitting in a makeshift circle. Ana set her cards down starting to deal. As the noise from down stairs Sofia started to sing. At first a hum and then it grew louder. I peeked at her for a second trying to understand what was happening. Then I heard it the at first soft angered whisper later turned into an enraged yell. I sang along with her finally soon our two younger sisters joined in humming along.