Rising Above

Chapter 7

Tomorrow is the day they decide their fate. Maria sat silent in her uncomfortable chair with a rosary in her hands. She prayed. ". . . And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. . ."

Diego and Sonia walked in.

Maria fell silent and looked up solemnly. "Sit please," she asked.

They sat in front of their grandmother. Tears swelled in her eyes and she clenched her hands around her rosary. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Diego and Sonia's faces both froze with worry and they looked at one another. Diego quickly went to his Nana's side and held her hand. His mouth sat agape, trying to find words he couldn't speak. Maria looked into his mouth and saw only darkness. The little light from the candles that did dare enter his mouth glimmered against his saliva. She whimpered and moved her hand to his face. "I wish I could've saved you," she whispered with streams down her rugged cheeks.

She looked away from her grandbabies and stared down at her rosary. She sat silent in the vague candle light.

Sonia and Diego didn't dare disturb their Nana's silence and so they waited, exchanging worried glances. Sonia inched closer as quietly as she could so she was right in front of her Nana. She hesitantly reached out and laid her hand on top of Maria's hands. "Nana," she whispered.

"I brought you here to escape war, to escape violence," Maria whispered before wrapping her hands around Sonia's.

She slowly looked up into Sonia's stern, yet loving and sincere eyes. "Now I'm dragging you all into war," Maria whispered with sobbing eyes that burst with silent rivers.

"Nana, we are freeing ourselves. You are guiding us to a better life. We're going to war for Ava, Edgar, Carlos, all of our family. I'm. . . I'm scared too," Sonia admitted, her voice cracking after her last words.

"I've stayed up praying and praying that this will all be over soon. I prayed we find better lives, that none of us get hurt. I still do pray for it, but we need to liberate ourselves or else no one will," Sonia replied.

Maria nodded and squeezed Sonia's hand. "I. . . I've watched six of my grandbabies die here. I live with the fact that my babies are dead. I miss mi mamá y mi papá. I live knowing my brothers and sisters are dead," she said before looking at Sonia, then at Diego. "No puedo perder mas de mi familia."

Her tears fell like sorrowful rain from the heavens. Her head dropped and she whimpered in mourning. She clenched Sonia's hand and cried. "Promise me you'll be careful."

Sonia's eyes dimmed. "I can't."

Maria shook her head. "Then promise me you won't die tomorrow."

Sonia looked over at Diego. He was hesitant. His eyes cried out for help but he sat still with his arms out, ready to hug his Nana. He looked at Sonia. She saw the fear glimmer against the yellow light of the candles; soft tears fell from his eyes. They were engulfed in an ugly chaos which tore his innocence from them. His eyes screamed when he couldn't. He slowly moved to cover his eyes.

Sonia's own tears fell, soaking the cross on her cheek. She went in and hugged her Nana. Her whimpers calmed only for a moment. She hugged her grandbaby, holding her like it was all she got. Sonia reached out and put her hand on Diego's shoulder.

He looked up with red eyes and jumped up to hug them both. They only whimpered, worry drenching their hearts, making them heavy with fear. Sonia listened to the deep sighs and attempted to calm her unsteady breath. Her mind told her one thing and one thing only. Everything is gonna be fine. Everything is gonna be fine. She held tight to her Nana and listened. Silence.