One Cold Moment

chapter 3

Marina Navice was exactly what anybody would wish for. At 23, she looked like your average girl. Fair skin, full succulent lips, sloe eyes, adorned with her long wavy black hair which she always kept down.

Growing up with the only family she ever had, she had learnt in the past years to look out for her grandmother and cousin sister.

First, growing up in Alaska was tough. At the age of 12, Marina felt responsible for the constant her grandmother went through. Determined to ease her pains, Marina had started taking jobs at such early stage. And as time progressed, she continued to work hand to hand, making her numerous works, her family and school her only priority.

As fate would have it, after moving to Mexico at the age of 15, she'd continued to juggle jobs so as to meet ends meet. There was always the rent bills, light bills, the emergency safe and her schooling cash.

As months passed by, she realized Joana was getting older and could no longer be stressed about their well-being so she took it all upon herself to make sure they met every ends.

Marina was used to juggling jogs right from time, even during University, from sales girl to waitress, to a dish washer, to a cook, to a bartender.

Marina had taken almost every per-time job in Mexico by the time she turned 20. And after then, she found her current job which paid alot and gave her enough time to study and actually be with her family.

With the good money being paid, she needn't manage another job. She was contented with the Coco plantation she worked at.

On the night before her graduation, she had taken permission from the manager, Angelo,who had permitted her immediately and told her she could take the whole day off after her graduation ceremony.

After the ceremony, Marina had taken her family out to eat. Something they did only in a blue moon. It was a beautiful moment for her, just sitting there without having to think of anything but the happiness that radiated off them as they chatted.

By the time they returned home, it was late in the evening. While Reina settled down to rest on the couch along their narrow living room area, Joana decided to put some dinner together.

All the previous fun and laughter's forgotten, Marina settled down on the bed she shared with Reina. She knew this was the time to start looking for a real job. A job with less stress and more money. Today, she became a graduate of accounting. She was sure there were many jobs waiting for her at the numerous companies all over Mexico.

She had thought of leaving Mexico for good after graduation to get a job, give Reina the best medical attention and improve her grandmother's health but she knew now that she had to take things slow and leaving right away isn't going to help just yet.

Mexico was a gigantic city, getting a job wouldn't be that hard. She smiles to herself. She couldn't believe this. She was going to start working at an actual company and start earning real money. She will finally be able to put Reina into surgery and sponsor her education.

With a smile on her lips, she falls back on her bed and watched the ceiling with great focus, her mind drifting away, picturing several scenarios that had happened in the past. All the struggles, all the fears, all the paranoias, all the pains, all the sadness and how all these came to be.
Her mother.

'huh' she thinks 'she never did come for me, did she?'

Shutting her eyes, she let her mind think back to that awful day. The day she saw her mother ....for the last time.

Through out her childhood, growing up, she'd forgotten what her mother looked like, then again her images springs up on her mind like wild fire each time she'd thought she'd forgotten her.

She wasn't to be forgotten. Never.
Deep inside, Marina wished she knew her father but some part of her wished she could stop thinking of him.

Right from the day she was born, when she could actually recognize faces, she’d never seen her father's face. Not even once. She had not the slightest idea what he looked like, just pictures saw of her Mum and someone she thinks is her.

Once during her 11th year of age, she'd asked her grandmother, Joana, who and where her father was but as usual, her reply had broken her tender heart.

'you have no business with your father, girl' she had replied 'and you are not to ever go finding him. He doesn't want you, don't you see Marina?'

That was the same reply she got Everytime till she finally gave up and stopped asking.

But still, she couldn't help wonder what had happened to her mother that night at a certain mall or where she was.

She was only a kid then but she knew when things were wrong.

She could still remember the night Anita had brought her to her grandmother, Joana.

'where is Beatrix?' Joana had asked, evidence of fear edging her words.

Once Anita whispered something into her ear, Joana's facial expression had changed into a sad one. She knew something was going on and it wasn't good.

She had met Reina sitting down quietly in Joana's house. She was 5 at that time and she could talk. She had welcomed Marina well and embraced her every single night that she'd cried for her mother.

Joana would often look at them sadly when they weren't looking.

Joana would learn about Anita's death four days after bringing Marina to her and the following morning, she had packed up and fled with her two granddaughters.

Later will Joana tell Marina about her two daughters who had slipped through her fingers while she watched 'helplessly like an idiot'
Beatrix was her first daughter.

According to her, Beatrix had fled with a rich man she called the love of her life. Soon after Beatrix fled, her second daughter, Steph had gotten pregnant out of wedlock and lived with her. She had died giving birth to Reina and ever since then, she’d been taking care of her and had loved her like she'd loved Steph.

Most of the time, Marina took great pity on Joana. It must have been hard loosing two daughters.

Marina always wanted to fill the space. She and Reina were like her two long lost daughters.

Marina blinks hard, and heaved a sigh before rising from the bed and strolled outside to help Joan with the cooking .

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A/N: hey loves, if you enjoyed reading this chapter, please like and comment ❤️ and don't forget to invite your friends to check it out! 😍.