Anatomy • Eddie's daughter

The Final Countdown

26

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Maybe it's time to say goodbye
Cause I'm getting pretty fucking tired"
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"I don't think I should have to go if I don't want to, Abuela. None of my friends are going, so I shouldn't!" Josephine said to her grandparents as they tried to convince her to go to some camp in Austin, which is 9 hours away. "And I'm not some troubled teen, so this is useless."

"Josefina, it's not for trouble teens; it's for teens who could use some extra school help while also having fun," Ramon, Eddie's father, said while using her Spanish name.

The three had been going at it for about an hour and a half. Jo tried to end it earlier, but her grandparents came into her room and continued it.

Josie scoffed and slammed her hands down on the table. "I am doing just fine in school, and it's funny how you always mention this when Dad isn't here."

Her voice dips down lower as she shakes her head angrily.

"I got one B on a test and the world's fucking ending."

Ramon flips out. "Cuida tu boca, jovencita. ¡No usarás ese lenguaje cerca de nosotros ni de tu hermano! ¿Me entiendes?" (You watch your mouth, young lady. You will not use that language around us or your brother! Do you understand me?)

But he starts flipping out right when the front door opens.

Catching everyone yelling at each other.

"You're not my father or my mother, so stop acting like it."

"We are the closest thing to two real parents, so watch yourself," Helena yells out, making Eddie slam the door and rush to the kitchen to see what all the commotion is about.

"What the hell is going on?" He storms in right as Helena finishes her sentence, which causes Jo's face to drop in shock that those words just came out of her mouth.

She scoffs and looks at both of her grandparents. "Screw you"

She starts walking off but stops and turns back around. "You think I want to live here? You think I want to live by your controlling rules? Live here and be treated like a project? All because you failed at taking care of your own kids, am I your redemption or something? Is that it?"

"Josephine!" Eddie calls out to her, trying to make her stop, but all she does is swing her head towards her father.

She shakes her head quickly, tears building up in her eyes. "No, no, 'cause you don't get it. You don't know how they treat me when you aren't here."

"Oh por favor, otra vez con el dramatismo"
Helena mumbled out in exhaustion. "Just like your mother." (Oh, please, again with the dramatics.)

Eddie swung his head over to the side to look at his mom. "Enough!"

"This camp would be good for her!"

Eddie's eyes blur after that, and anger fills his body. "You can't be serious."

Ramon steps toward Eddie. "Edmundo, it would take so much pressure off of all of us. We could focus on Christopher and what he needs."

"Chris needs me and Dad!" Josephine shouts, but it gets lost behind Eddie's voice.

"Josephine is my kid, too, and I'm not having this argument again. I am fully capable of taking care of my two kids."