Por amor al arte (Julieta x F!Reader)

Part 5

Songs: Tanto amor and Si no te hubieras ido

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"Mirabel" Julieta sighed as her daughter took the basket of food from her hands.

She had prepared different snacks for her family and some extra for the people who were helping. She was hoping to see how the reconstruction was going, but her youngest daughter had come between her and the door as the rest of the family left. Again, they wouldn't let her get close.

"I can carry it myself, mi amor" she tried one last time

"It's not necessary, mom, really" replied the girl "Just, stay here, and have a-"

"-rest" finished for her. It was a phrase that she was already getting tired of.

The young woman with glasses looked at her mother worried that she had made her angry. Everything had been so difficult for her and her sisters since they were left without a home or a father. She and Isabela had spent nights hugging Luisa's strong but trembling body, not knowing how to comfort her when they themselves were heartbroken. They needed him so much.

She couldn't imagine the pain their mother was feeling. They had been married for more than 26 years. 26 years waking up with each other, laughing, crying, loving together. She, her sisters, and everyone with functional eyes could see the great love they shared. Her mother must have felt that a part of her was dying with him.

Therefore, the family had decided that she wouldn't return to the house until it was finished. The first day of reconstruction had been terribly difficult for everyone, but she herself, Luisa, and Isabela had collapsed as they passed through the pile of rocks where they had lost their father. They weren't going to hurt mom like that. They just wanted to protect her.

Julieta saw the conflict on her youngest daughter's face and decided it was better to stop fighting, if only for Mirabel's sake.

"Are you sure you can carry it?" she asked with a sigh.

"Yes! Don't worry, you just relax, we'll be back in a few hours" the girl smiled, inwardly happy that her mother wasn't upset, just worried.

"...alright. Thank you mi vida. I'll see you at lunch."

Mirabel nodded and let her mother plant a firm but tender kiss on her cheek before leaving with the basket in her arms. Julieta sighed in defeat as she turned and closed the door behind her.

There was a mirror in the hallway and the woman frowned as she caught sight of her reflection. She looked tired. There were large bags under her dull eyes, her hair looking disheveled even when she had done her best to style it into her usual bun. Her skin no longer had that healthy glow, instead, she looked a little paler and sicker. No wonder her family thought she needed to rest.

But the house, although cozy, was becoming more and more suffocating for her. She knew that she was not forbidden to go out, but that was how she felt. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if you and Eliza were in the house, but you had left early that morning, you hadn't even had breakfast with them. Karim had said that you had only taken a rest from the workshop.

She liked him, he was a good man. He had been with her in her grief that night she lost her husband, but he hadn't smothered her. He fell silent a few feet behind her, allowing her to be with her pain, but didn't really leave her alone, and as he escorted her to your house, he hadn't tried to get her to talk or made the typical condolence speeches. He was just a quiet but comforting presence.

He was also kind to everyone, especially the younger ones. He was a few years younger than you and older than Isabela, but his sun-tanned skin from his work in the fields made him look older. He had no problem playing with Antonio, quickly becoming one of the boy's favorite people. God knew the poor five-year-old needed someone to distract him from all the pain in his family, and since his older siblings had still been in shock, Karim was a good option.