VALERIE
"Why are you using your hand to eat?" Regina questioned Skye.
Skye groaned. "Mom please. Don't make a fuss."
Regina's expression turned ugly. " Shut up! You are a lady so behave as such. You're only being influenced by these people."
Abuelita frowned, her eyes glaring at Regina. " What do you mean to say Regina? Answer me!" I shifted in my seat, the tension in the room almost palpable. Please don't fight. I didn't like where this was heading. These constant arguments made me feel helpless. The thought that I couldn't do anything but to watch this go on helplessly made me despise myself.
"Is this how you talk to the mistress of this house? You could get fired!" Regina threatened. By now the whole family had appeared into the kitchen. I was sure the guests had already left. I stared at her in shock. How dare she threaten to fire my family? That too in my own home? This house was mine.
Acio rose from his chair, his height towering over Regina. She backed away, frightened, as he spoke. "You have no right to fire us. As far as I'm concerned you didn't hire us. Mistress of this house? Who gave you that privilege? Mi amor owns this house. She's the only one who can fire us. Not you."
"José!" Bennett Kinsley, the patriarch of the family, my estranged father, barked, enraged. He marched towards Acio and was both stunned and angry when he smacked him hard on the face. The sound made me flinch.
"How dare you disrespect my wife? You dare to speak to her in such a manner?" Pack your bags and get out of my house!" He ordered as if he owned this house.
"Dad!" Skye screamed. "Where'd he go? You can't possibly ask him to leave."
I was shaking with anger in my seat with my fingers clenched. Enraged, I stood up abruptly, causing everyone's attention to fall on me as I signed. I was stared at like I was an idiot by everyone with the exception of my adopted family who were the only ones who understood sign language and I felt really deflated. My cheeks burned in shame as I fought hard not to cry but to remain strong and firm so Acio wasn't kicked out.
"What is the girl saying? Oh I forgot. She can't talk." Dexy sneered. I felt my chest tighten painfully as I blinked back tears.
"Since you're already incompetent and ignorant as well as extremely foolish, I'd be happy to translate for you." Acio shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Dexy scowled and before she could retort, Abuelita cut in. "She says no one leaves her house."
Regina turned to me, glaring at me with hatred. My heart stopped. " What did I expect?", she began with teary eyes. Who was she pretending for? "How could I think that for once you'd be on my side? He insulted me and you allow this vermin to stay? How cruel? Is it because I'm not your mother and -"
"Regina! Mom!" Abuelita and Skye cut in but the damage had already been done. My whole body stiffened and my chest felt heavy with a stinging sensation I wanted to be rid off. My eyes burned with tears at the mention of my mom. The pain was so unbearable and stifling.
"- and I'm glad I'm not! Your mother must be so proud of you." Regina, who wasn't deterred, finished heartlessly.
I gasped in shock and hurt by the cruel things she spat at me. I turned around and fled from the kitchen through a side door as the dam broke. I was blinded by tears but since I'd used this route so often I could walk through blindfolded. I ran up the flight of stairs ahead of me and into my bedroom which was on the first floor of the mansion along with Acio and Abuelita's rooms. The others lived on the last floor.
I couldn't stop the tears that gushed out like a river as I laid on my bed. I looked at the photo of my mom that sat on my drawer and reached for it. I stared down at her face as my heart clenched painfully. Abuelita said I was the exact replica of her and it was true. My emotions were choking me and I felt suffocated as my memories of her assaulted me.
I remembered her smile. I remembered how she used to play with me after I had come back from school. I remembered how she'd comb my hair every night before she tucked me in bed or the way she'd pinch my cheeks softly when she thought I'd said something silly or the way she'd wink at me in conspiracy whenever we pulled pranks on everyone.
A lump formed in my throat and my heart ached with the loss of her. A sudden knock on the door dragged me out of my thoughts. It was probably my little family coming to check up on me. My tears became uncontrollable. They cared for me. They loved me. They were my everything and even though they couldn't fully fill the void my mom's demise left in my heart, I loved them. I loved them because they loved me, because they chose to stand by me when the world had given up on me. I loved them because they were family; my family.
The knocking became insistent and I placed the photo back onto the drawer. I wiped my tears with a hankie I fished out of my pocket and blew my nose. I went to the door and opened it. I was immediately engulfed in a hug. My eyes met the worried eyes of Abuelita and Acio behind Skye who hugged me. I flashed them a smile. I'm okay.
They smiled in return, looking relieved.
Skye on the other hand sobbed on my shoulder. " I'm sorry Val. It was all my fault! If only I'd eaten with a fork, mom wouldn't have said all those hurtful things." I patted her on the back to console her.
I caught Acio rolling his eyes." Tsk. Tsk. You're the one supposed to do the comforting not the other way round. Ugh, you're such a crybaby." Skye released me to glare at him. I smiled at their childishness.
" I did it! I made her smile!" Acio announced with a gloating look as I stepped back for them to enter my room.
"Did anyone tell you how irritating you are?" Skye asked him and he shrugged.
"Stop arguing and sit down. The tacos might get cold if we should wait for the two of you to finish with your nonsense." Said Abuelita as she sat on the huge violet carpet on the floor beside my bed with a plate full of wrapped tacos in tissues on a large silver tray. I chuckled. Abuelita was obsessed with hygiene.
We all sat on the floor and Acio grabbed a taco. " Let's eat and forget about that vile..." He trailed off when he spotted Skye's embarrassed look. We sat in awkward silence for a moment.
"Everyone dig in!" Acio said as he took a huge bite, causing us to shake our heads, forgetting about the awkward moment a while ago.
"Who said they'd eat with a fork a while ago ?" He scoffed, looking at Skye. The latter scowled. "Oh shut it. I said I should've eaten with a fork not that I will eat with it. Big difference blockhead."
They launched into another round of argument as Abuelita and I watched on in amusement. I was content as we sat on the floor, eating and conversing. I glanced at the photo of my mom and smiled.
I am happy. I am not alone.
