The Ties that Binds Us

Chapter 23 "Lost in You"

“Stacey can you please bring me the contracts that you revised? I need to change some of the conditions written on it.” I pushed the call button on the intercom.

“Right away ma’am.” After a few seconds, Stacey entered my office carrying a folder of the contracts that she revised two days ago. After placing the documents on my desk she stepped away and headed towards the door. “Anything I can get you from the coffee shop across the street, ma’am?”

“Coffee please, Stacey and a doughnut. Here,” I took money from my bag under the desk and handed it to her. “You can buy anything you want too.” I gave her a sweet smile and she nodded.

“Thank you ma’am. I’ll be right back.”

I turned my attention back to the computer screen and started to revise the contracts. My phone suddenly alarmed from my jacket pocket telling me that I have a new text message. As I opened my phone, there was a text message from my adopted mother.

*Sydney. I just want to tell you that I’m out from the center. I’m staying at your abuela’s apartment. Come and see me as soon as you can dear. I miss you!”*

I hit reply immediately and told her that I’ll be visiting her later this evening with Luke. He, Tristan and my mom were all very close given that they used to always hangout at our house back in Madrid. I dialed Luke’s number after sending the message to my mum.

“Hey Syd.”

“Hi. My mom’s out of the center. I think we should go and visit her later. She’s staying at abuela’s apartment.”

“Yes of course! I’ll come pick you up later then we can go there together.”

“Sure. I’ll see you later then.”

“See you later! Love you!” I smiled at his farewell and I felt a blush coming on my face.

“Love you too Luke. Bye.” I heard a grin from the other end.

“You know, it’s really nice hearing you say that Syd.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Hang up the phone.”

“Okay. Bye! I’ll see you later.”

I turned off the call; I immediately immersed myself in work. Stacey suddenly walks in my office once more carrying cup full of coffee and a small brown paper bag containing the doughnut that I asked her to buy for me. I offered that she eat with me in my office so that we can also discuss my itinerary for the next few days.

As scheduled, there was the annual beneficiary ball for all the drug and alcohol rehab centers in Manhattan, which I host every year. Everything will be given to the rehab center all over Manhattan, which is a great deal for me, knowing that my own adopted mother goes to one of them.

It broke my heart when I first learned that my mum was going away for a long time not because she had some work to do or she had important places to go to, but she went away because of her drinking problems. This was something that my papa never tolerated when they were still together. My papa would used to fight with her every time he would come home to my drunk mother. She would provoke him to a shouting contest and my papa would always lose his patience with her.

I papa is a very patient man especially when it came to my brother and me. We would always get into trouble and still our papa remained calm and patient with us, but not with my mother. I think time just took a toll on his patience that when every time my mother would cross the line, he would lose all his patience.