My Bestfriend's Father (Spooky)

Chapter 19

Hermione

Sometimes I find myself wondering how I got here. How I found such an amazing best friend. How I got such a sweet Abuelita. How in the world did I manage to find good people in this horrible neighborhood. But this is my home, where I'm from. These people are mi familia. This place is mi hogar. These past few days have been nothing but pure sadness for me. It's September and I hate this month. It always brings depression into my heart to know what I know. I always skip school a lot during September, it's nothing new.

Now you may be wondering, why is September sure a bad time for you Hermione? Well let me explain with a few flashbacks.

Flashback 2011 September

I sat in the living room of my Abuelita's house as sirens went off and people screaming loudly. I wasn't aloud out of the house after I got out of school, for this very reason. Mi papá guarded the front door and refused to let me go outside. I heard a loud cry and soon after mi mamá walked through the door rubbing her bloodshot eyes. She sat down in front of me and turned off the tv so she had my full attention.

"Mija, I have something to tell you." Tears prickled her eyes as I looked up at her. "What is it mamá?" Her bottom lip quivered and she grabbed my hands kissing the tops of them a few time. "Your padre was doing some very bad things and he got caught. Which means he is going to prisión. You won't be able to see him for a long time." She held her tears back as she struggled to speak to me. I couldn't help the tears that rolled down my cheeks. "Mija please don't cry. We will figure it out, I promise." She kissed my forehead.

End Flashback

That was the last time I heard anything about mi padre. He didn't write, call, or let me visit him. He cut all ties with me and refused to have anything to do with me after he got locked up.

Flashback 2012 September

I was in my seventh grade year when I was called out of class to go to the front office. The teacher told me to grab my backpack because I wouldn't be coming back for the day. When I got there my papá was standing there waiting for me with a sad look in his eyes. He took me to the park and pushed me on the swings for a long time. After we ate some snacks he sat me on the park bench and sighed sadly. "Mija, I have bad news to tell you." I didn't understand why a man so strong could look so weak at this time. He grabbed my hands making me look at him. "Bisabuela." He sighed again. "She's sick papá I know." I spoke calmly knowing the truth that no one wanted to tell me. "Si, she is. Well after you left for school. Bisabuela, she passed away. She's in heaven with Jesús now." Tears welled up in my eyes and pain struck in my heart like lightning. "She's at rest mija. No tears for the lost, only smiles because now they are found." He spoke wiping the tears from my reddening cheeks.

End Flashback

On that day I lost someone else I loved most in the world. We used to watch Dateline together and laugh about anything. She told me stories of her lover, Chico. How he loved her more than the moon loved the stars. Anytime she said his name her eyes would light up and a smile would form on her face. For the last few months she always said she missed him, I didn't know she missed him enough to leave us.

Flashback 2015 September

My papá laid in his hospital bed smiling at me deliriously. Tubes stuck in his arms but the smile never left his face, I knew he was in pain. He complained to the nurses about his bedpan bothering him again. As the nurses push mi Abuelita and I out of the room I looked over my shoulder and I smiled at him. He winked at me for the last time and I couldn't help but let the tears fall. Soon enough the nurses let us back in the room with him. He talked and laughed with Abuelita and I for a long time. He finally told us he was in pain and he was ready to go home. The nurses slowly started to decrease his oxygen and morphine levels little by little throughout the day. As time carried on he cried and struggled to talk. The clock struck 5:50pm and the nurse walked in the room. "Is he gone?" Abuelita asked quietly as I held papá's cold hand which was never cold when he held mine. "I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry for your loss." Tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked at mi papá.

End Flashback

I lost the foundation of my whole life that day at 5:50pm. The time burned into my brain forever. I could never find myself after that. I still find it hard to see who I am these days. Looking at myself in the mirror is torture. I know it's me but in my eyes, all I seen is a trapped little child scared of who she became.

Flashback 2017 September

I was home with Abuelita when there was a loud knock on the door. I opened it to see two police officers standing there with sadness written on their faces. I hate seeing sad faces because it usually meant death to me. "Is your Abuelita home?" The officer in front asked. I called out to her and she looked a little worried. "This is she." She spoke to the men nicely before inviting them inside. We all sat around the table and the officers looked in their notepads before speaking. "I'm sorry to be the one to inform you both. But Mrs. Cruze has passed away." Abuelita cried as the officer continued. "A witness came forward saying she was gunned down by three men in green who stole her purse. I'm sorry for your loss." The officers left a little while later that night.

End Flashback

My mother was shot six times in the chest and three times in the head. We later found out that it was three young prophets trying to earn their strips on the street. So all I have left now is my Abuelita and Tez, which I'm very lucky to have.

Edited October 5th, 2021