Hopes Of Anna

Chapter Twenty-Two: Mama loves Pedro.

     Keira, my six-year-old sister from another family, another reason Dad and Andre can meet eye to eye and the sweetest child with dimples. I loved Keira the most after my brother and my Mum. These days, I was not sure about Dad. The suffering he was causing my Mom and brother was far more than the love I had for him. I wished he did not do this to us. I wish I was legitimate and used his surname but he never understood that. He thought he could give us a random surname and then add the name to his as a middle name. I wanted more than his name; I wanted my rights as his child but I could not get it because I was not the child society saw as his. I was his baby mama's child. More like his mistress's child. I wondered how Mom got so used to being the other woman. Was she not a bad person for sharing another woman's husband? Why did she make the mistake after making the first by giving birth to Andre. Yes, I was a mistake because they had tried not to have another child; not to make another mistake but then they did. I had to live with all of this and handle it all.
      Keira and my brother sat side by side making videos of funny faces for his vlog. Lucky Keira, my brother preferred her on his vlog than plain nerd me...Plain nerd me that was not just "a friend" to Caldwell! Oh, that was the sweetest confession of love I had ever heard. So indirect but sweet. I was deep in love and it was all because of Caldwell. What a guy! I had more dreams of him these days, dreams that involved a lot of kissing and sometimes sexual activities. Not that I'm proud of having such dreams, but I could not help it. I was in love with the hottest guy in school. Nobody would go a day without fantasizing about him alone with me especially after all those crazy beautiful words he told me last time. I was in love with the word "friend". I found myself writing it on every book and on my arm.
      Keira's father arrived with Andre's car dad had borrowed with permission from me to take to work.
       'Mr. Pedro, why did you let him use my car?' Andre groaned taking the keys from Keira's father who was playing with his daughter.
      'I don't have your keys. Anna gave me, she said you didn't take it with you to college.' Mr. Pedro said.
       'Well next time I will.' Andre said rolling his eyes. Mr. Pedro knew all about our family's complications. He was basically family and Dad's most trusted worker. Some would even say they were friends. Keira was just like my Dad's daughter too!
       Mr. Pedro played with his daughter a bit while Andre was video chatting with Molly. I guess they were officially a "thing" now. A cute couple. I have grown to like Molly who actually shares some similarities with me; she loved science and my hair and my brother.  Andre even told her about our mystery group. I still don't know if they have done "it"  but I know she never had a boyfriend for real until Andre.
       Mom came into the house and Mr. Pedro immediately went to help with her bags.
    'Oh thanks. That's so nice.' She said with a lovely shy smile. Something was happening. Their conversation was weird.
     'You must have had a really hectic day.' Mr. Pedro said.
     'Yeah, it was hard. I'm literally able to eat an elephant right now.' Mom said and though it was not a real laughable joke, Mr. Pedro was laughing hard which made Mum amused herself.
      'Maybe I could go whip up something.' Mr. Pedro offered.
      'Don't bother, thanks a lot though. I bet the kids' already made something.' Mom said smiling at us.
       'No we didn't.' Andre shouted with so much ethusiasm for what I could not even figure out.
       'Then I insist.' Mr. Pedro said.
        'How nice. I'm gonna help. We can cook together. Lyon (Dad) and I do it all the time.' Mom said raising up her sleeves.
     'That will be fun.' Mr. Pedro and Mom went on to the kitchen and now that was over, I continued my fantasy but Andre still had a mischievous smile on his face as he watched Mom and Mr. Pedro cook together. I saw the look on his face and I began to fear what Andre could be thinking of.
                    *********
     I never noticed but it seems Mom's behavior with Mr. Pedro was nothing new. It had been going on for so long Andre began to ship them. I did not see any "Sparks" like Andre did. I only saw sparks with Mom and Dad, not Mr. Pedro. Even Keira noticed the annoying magic.     
       Mom kept talking about how much fun they had and how nice Mr. Pedro has always been. It disgusted me but Andre was more than interested.
      'I bet he's also real flirty.' Andre said hugging Mom from behind. Mom held on to his arms quite confused.
      'Flirty? I don't think I needed to notice that.'
      'Pedro is so handsome. Talk about ditching this driving job to be a male model. Success!' Andre said. It was true though, Mr. Pedro was really handsome but so was my Dad!
      'You've been talking about Pedro in a different way you know.' Mom said looking at Andre who tried denying his motive.
       'It's just, he's such a great guy and he obviously likes you and you like him.' Andre said. Mom got up shaking her head.
       'Where do you get these crazy ideas from? Andre, there is nothing for Pedro and I!'  Mom sure was pissed off.
        'Why isn't there? You guys are so cute together.
        'Andre we've been over this. I am with someone else.'
        'Where can you say that? You think I don't know you tick single when asked your relationship status?'
          'What if I do Andre? You have to stop acting like your Dad ain't there.' I did not want to get into this but I won't side my Dad, though I knew Mr. Pedro would make Mom happier than Dad ever made her.
       'Come on Mom. You would know what a free open relationship feels like and Keira would know what having a good mother feels like.' Andre argued following Mom down the stairs. I followed wanting to know how all these would end.
        'And you will finally know what hard living feels like.' Mom said relating to Mr. Pedro's financial status.
         'I would also know what having a real father feels like.' Mom could not argue with that. She knew how hard it was to have a father without being able to talk about it.