We know what we are // But know not who we may be

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

"You can't just drop out of school!" Valentina shouted as she stumbled through the open doorway of her pharmacy. She stormed past the bright neon sign hanging in the window, its teal glow visible even in the high afternoon sunlight, displaying the shop's name to passersby.

Doc's, it read. The name affectionately given to her late husband when he had first opened the pharmacy on the corner of the bustling Manhattan street all those years ago.

Stomping into the store itself, Valentina glared forward at the young girl with stark, black hair who had deposited herself behind the register counter.

"Actually, I can. And I did." the child fired back very confidently. "Abuela, you need help around here. You can't run the store on your own...and it's not like I was learning much there anyway." she explained, adding the last part in mumble that was barely audible.

Valentina sighed heavily, folding her wrinkled hands in front of her face as she made her way over to the counter.

"Erin, mija-" she started. "I won't let you sacrifice your future-"

The girl slammed both of her palms down on the wooden surface in front of her. Their argument had been going in circles for the better part of half an hour. As her eyes shot up to meet her grandmothers with a purpose, Valentina immediately fell silent.

Their crystal blue shine seemed to burn a hole straight through her thoughts. She had her grandfather's eyes...her mother's too. Strong, yet delicate eyes that had been the first to draw Valentina to this family in the first place. In them, they held so much strength and wisdom that it was hard to imagine this girl as just barely halfway through middle school.

She was forced to grow up far too fast. Losing her parents at such a young age had taken its toll on her in ways that were somehow even hard for Valentina to imagine. Despite her having lost her own child in that same accident.

"I'm not sacrificing anything." Erin argued, keeping her voice steady. "You and abuelo took me in, even though you didn't have to. You kept me from ending up on the streets. It's the very least I can do to help out around here." she said, gesturing around them with her hands.

Valentina continued to stare forward at her, her eyes growing a bit misty at the notion that they would've ever entertained the idea of not taking in their granddaughter.

"Abuela...you can't keep doing this on your own." Erin repeated.

Finally, the old woman sighed, reaching across the counter to shakily cradle the side of the girl's face.

"Mi vida..." she whispered.

Erin managed a small, but genuine, smile. Leaning further into her grandmother's warm palm.

"Plus, none of the kids in this neighborhood go to school anyway." she added jokingly.

Valentina lightly tapped the side of her face.

"Aye!" she vocalized. "You are nothing like those delinquents out there on the streets."

Erin giggled softly, rolling her eyes as she finally stepped backwards from the counter. Reaching down, she snatched up a rag from the shelves underneath and began to wipe down the display cases around her.

Valentina watched her work for a moment before heaving another heavy sigh, and resigning herself to the menial tasks she had left for the day.

As the hours passed them by, she would often peer back over her shoulder, watching as Erin, who had since turned on the jukebox, absentmindedly danced around with the broom she was sweeping the floor with.