La Tienda (Joel Pimentel)

El Final

3 years later

"Selena por favor let me put on your shoes" I beg.
"No!" my goddaughter yells.

She gets off the chair and runs around with room laughing.
"If you don't put your shoes on you can't go to your party" I say.

She stops running and looks at me, "no lie."
"I'm not" I reply.
She huffs but walks over to the chair.
"Thank you" I say, letting out a sigh of release.

"Joey" Selena says.
I have someone come to understand a three year old.

"He's coming" I reply.
Seconds later the door to her bedroom opens, "there's my favorite girl!"

Joel walks in and picks her up. He lifts her as he spins around. She's giggling and smiling.
"Joey!" she yells.

"You're putting her shoes on" I say, holding out the other shoe to him.
"Selena are you not letting Anitta put your shoes on?" he asks.

"I no like shoes" she screams.
"I don't like pants either, but I have to wear them" he replies.

She huffs then says, "put shoes on."
"Esoooo" Joel cheers.
He takes the shoe from my hand and puts it on her other foot.

After he puts it on he sets her down on the floor.
She runs over to her toys and begins playing.

"Hey" he says, holding his arms out.
"Hey" I reply, hugging him.

In case you're wondering, after Mexico Joel and I decided to just be friends and work on ourselves. Everyone could see how toxic our relationship was. We're still the best of friends though.

"Donde está mi hija?" Christopher yells, walking up the stairs.
"Papá" Selena yells.

When he walks into the room she runs over to him and hugs his legs.
"Hola mija" he says, placing one hand on her back.

"Is everything ready?" I ask.
"Mhm, Laura told me to come get you guys" he replies.

We all walk out the room to the backyard of Laura and Christopher's house.
When we walk to the yard the rest of cnco, Selena's friends, and some neighbors yell "happy birthday!"

There's a bouncy house, a clown, and lots of food.
Selena looks at everything with wide eyes.
When she's done taking everything in she smiles and runs towards the bouncy house.

"Espérate" Christopher yells, running after her.
"She's so cute" Joel says.
"I know right" I respond.

"Want to go in the bouncy house?" he asks.
"I don't think we can go in that, we're 26 Joel" I reply, laughing.
"Y? You're never too old for a bouncy house" he replies.

"Okay fine. Don't crush any kids though" I reply.
"I'll try not to" he replies with a smile on his face.

We walk over to the bouncy house and take our shoes off.
Joel goes in first, holding his hand out for me to take.
He pulls me into the bouncy house.
We go over to a corner where there are no children and begin bouncing.

"This is so much fun!" I yell.
He nods, "told ya!"
He launches towards me and throws me down.
"Hey!" I whine.
He laughs and claps his hands.
"You're going down" I reply.

I get up and chase him. He runs around the perimeter of the bouncy house making sure to any children.
I finally catch up to him and jump on his back.