Navarro Familia Foreign Blood

New Beginning

Rosa Sanchez Teliana arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, United States with her three children and brother. Her eldest son, Sebastian Navarro Sanchez, her daughter, Elena Navarro Sanchez and her youngest son, Manuel Navarro Sanchez. Rosa was one month pregnant. Her husband who served as an officer in the Blue division during the siege of Leningrad died three days before Rosa arrived in the United States on January 21st 1944. 

Just like any typical immigrant, she hoped to find a better livelihood. She wanted to stay back in Spain with her parents but she thought it might not be enough. Rosa's brother got her a place to stay, it's not that big for Rosa but she was fine with it as long as they got a roof above them. He also helped Rosa in times of needs. 

"Brother...would my children have a better life here?" Rosa asked. 

"We'll get through this together, Rosa," Her brother replied. 

After some months, Rosa was going into labor. Her brother immediately rushed to the hospital and brought Rosa to the delivery room where she could give birth. Then she finally gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Rosa cried in happiness as she got another son. At the patient room, everyone was happy to see a new family member. 

"No way, we got another little sibling!" said Elena, 

"Does he have a name yet?" Manuel asked curiously. 

Sebastian lightly smacked Manuel's head. 

He said, "Of course he does not." 

"I was just asking!" Manuel replied. 

Rosa said with a chuckle, "Quiet down children, how about we name him "Noelia"."

"Wow! Noelia, that's a nice one, mama!" said Elena. 

"Sounds feminine but better than having no name," Rosa's brother commented. 

He approached the baby boy and asked if he could hold him. Rosa allowed and her brother held Noelia. Her brother lift his newborn nephew and looked proudly to the newborn with pride. He hoped greatness upon his nephew.

"Look at you...my nephew, I'm sure you will grow to be a strong man and a good father just like of yours," said Rosa's brother. 

Rosa worked in a local restaurant to make a living, she worked until she got enough money to have her own bakery. Rosa came back to Neizan's house and felt exhausted from work, Neizan's wife greeted the tired Rosa. Rosa greeted back and apologized for troubling them with her condition. 

Neizan's wife told Rosa that she didn't need to apologize, she understood Rosa's condition and if her husband was willing to help then so would she. Rosa thanked and expressed her gratitude by helping Neizan and his family in return.

She finally opened her own bakery in 1947, she named the bakery as "Navarro Bakery" in honor of her late husband. It was hard for Rosa as a widow and a single mother but for the sake of her children, she would do what it takes. Her brother would often visit the bakery and help Rosa around. Rosa would also teach her children how to bake and cook so it would ease both her and her brother. 

Rosa wanted a good future for her children so he searched for a decent school that could give her children proper education, since the other three children were already attending school months after Noelia was born. 

Rosa couldn't afford a kindergarten school for Noelia, the tuition from the three older children was already challenging for Rosa. Noelia was taught how to speak, read and write at home by Rosa or his three older siblings, sometimes by his uncle. Noelia often played with his uncle, his uncle would give Noelia piggy back rides. Noelia liked the piggyback rides, he could see everything since his uncle was very tall. 

"Alright, I think tio Neizan wants to rest, mijo." said Rosa. 

The young Noelia grabbed his uncle's head and shook his head. "It's fine, maybe he wants a bit more," said Neizan, both of them continued playing until Noelia fell asleep. 

"Oh, looks like he's asleep." said Neizan quietly. 

Neizan carefully handed Noelia to Rosa without making a sound then Rosa brought Noelia to her bed. After putting Noelia, Rosa told the rest of her children to go to bed which all of them did. Rosa sat down in the living room with Neizan. 

"Brother...I really want father to see my children, he would be so happy. It's too bad we have to move..." said Rosa, Neizan just nodded. 

She suddenly said with a faded smile, "Brother...why do you have to leave home earlier. Father and mother were worried."

"I...don't want to talk about it..." Neizan replied.

Suddenly an unfortunate event happened in 1949. While Rosa was finishing closing up, Rosa was so exhausted from the work that she didn't have time to clean the entire bakery. Rosa went up to sleep but the stove was still left on. The stove overheated and caused a fire, everyone didn't notice at first because all of them were asleep. Rosa was sleeping peacefully in her bed but she smelled smoke. She woke up figuring out what the smell was, she checked outside and saw fire. She immediately barged into her children's room, waking them up and told everyone to evacuate as fast as possible. 

Rosa evacuated her kids first, Rosa asked Sebastian to take Noelia too as Rosa hurriedly called Neizan for help, Rosa was almost hit by a falling plank. Neighbors from around the area rushed in to help, they poured as much water as they could to put out the fire. Neizan came at the nick of time to the location and saw the flames burning. Neizan saw the kids outside then he went to them.

"Where is your mother?!". Neizan asked panickally

"S-she's inside!" Elena said while huffing. 

Neizan rushed into the burning building to search for his little sister. Neizan hastefully ran upstairs and saw Rosa lying down on the floor coughing and was about to run out of oxygen to the flames. Neizan cleared all the burned planks with his fist, destroying every obstacle in his way. Neizan called out Rosa's name and Rosa was still conscious, 

"Brother?" she said. 

"I'm here, Rosa. I'll get you out!" Neizan replied. 

Neizan helped Rosa up and together they escaped the burning building. Suddenly a large burned wood collapsed but before it could collapse, Neizan pushed Rosa out through the door and then the object dropped blocking the door. 

"Neizan!" Rosa yelled for her brother. 

Neizan was trapped inside the burning and another wood dropped but Neizan caught it. It almost crashed into him but Neizan used his strength to lift it and threw it away. Seeing no way out, Neizan clenched his fist hard and smashed the obstacle that was blocking the door to pieces then he finally got out. 

"Neizan!" Rosa called out.

She and her children rushed to Neizan who was huffing from lack of oxygen. Rosa asked about his condition, Neizan looked at his fist and saw a burned mark. His clothes were covered with ashes and dust but Neizan told his little sister that he was fine. They looked at the bakery with sorrow as they lost their bakery. Neizan felt sympathetic to them so he offered his place for them to stay, they would stay at his place until the bakery was rebuilt. After a year of rebuilding the bakery, the family felt a new hope for them as they saw their new bakery. Rosa thanked Neizan and the people who helped rebuild the bakery as she was deeply grateful.