The Mess We Made

Getaway Car

Reina's phone was ringing. It was her WhatsApp, meaning it was her dad calling. Reina sighed. She always had to brace herself for his calls. She loved her dad, she loved that he still tried to have a relationship despite not having seen him in person for seven years, despite being a country away. But talking to him on the phone still hurt to this day. It hurt to know they were drifting apart despite their efforts not to. But Reina's dad didn't know the truth about their life. According to him Rodrigo never returned his calls, and Reina didn't have the heart to tell him Rodrigo never called her either. But he did send her money for tuition and rent every month without fail. Reina didn't tell her dad what Rodrigo did to support the family. She also never told her dad how her mom was exhausted from working all the time, that she was lonely with her and Rodrigo out of the house. Reina visited when she could, but both her mom and her brother insisted that her doing her best in school was her sole responsibility she had to worry about.

"Hola, papi," Reina waved to her phone camera. Her father's image was blurry and would freeze every now and then, but they could hear each other.

"Buenas mi tesoro," her father's warm voice greet her back. She was glad technology allowed her to see her dad growing older. His hair was starting to whiten at his sideburns, peppering the stubble of his beard and mustache. His skin was sunbaked with fine lines, but he looked healthy. Her dad asked her about school, as always. Reina reported her grades, talked about the research she was assisting her professor with on how the school to job pipeline is dependent on HR training. Her dad didn't understand what that even meant, no one in her family understood what communications majors do, but they were all proud of her nonetheless. As long as she graduated college and got a job, she would be their pride and joy.

It was a lot of pressure to shoulder for a family she barely saw, but she didn't complain.

"How's Vero?"

Reina smiled. Her parents loved Veronica, always said befriending her was the best decision Reina made in her life. Reina couldn't help but agree. Every time her dad called he asked how Veronica was, where she was, what she was doing. Reina didn't always have the answer, but she would tell him Veronica was doing great, getting good grades as always, and that she would tell her that he said hi. Veronica appreciated the sentiment, but Reina had the feeling that it didn't warm her heart the way it warmed Reina's whenever her parents asked about Veronica.

Reina knew Veronica had issues with parents, so she didn't let it get to her personally. She obviously never expected Veronica's own parents to reciprocate, when they talked to Veronica even less than Reina's family talked to her.

"Next time call me when you're with Vero," her dad continued, "I want to ask her and make sure you're telling the truth about how you're doing in school."

He was teasing, but Reina let out a single, dry, fake laugh. As if Veronica wouldn't have Reina's back and lie if she needed to. But Reina didn't want Veronica around for these conversations. It was exhausting enough to fake niceties by herself. Having Veronica around would just make the pretending all the more real, and Veronica was her best friend who knew all of her, but Reina just wanted the drifting relationship with her dad to be something she carried alone.

The rest of the call went on for another fifteen minutes. Reina was faced with the conflicting emotions of being happy she got to talk with her father, being drained from all the small talk, facing the glaring fact her relationship with her dad was more and more superficial, and then guilt for feeling all of these emotions.

When her dad had nothing left to say, he told her he loved her and would call sometime soon. Then the video blinked out.

Calling Veronica afterwards was instinct. She answered Reina's phone call after one ring, "Hey, what's up?"