Find Yourself

Chapter 18

Victor

     As Benji and I walked up to my old apartment building, I ask Benji, "So, mom came to Brasstown to ask us to come to dinner tonight?" Benji scrunches his face and replies, "Ya, she came in to talk to you, but it was the other day when you had off, and I was working." I mutter to myself, "I wonder why they just didn't call me?" Benji stops me and sighs. I ask in a worried tone, "Benji, is everything ok?" 

     He takes a deep breath before saying, "They have some news, and I was asked not to tell you." I ask, "Benji, what is it?" I feel myself start to go numb as I ask, "Not to tell me what?" Benji's wrapped his arms around me to hug me as he said, "I'll let you ask them when we get inside, ok?" I push away and say, "Fine. I guess I can wait a bit longer." His face has a solemn look on it as he opens the door for me to the apartment building.

     After the silent walk up to the second-floor apartment that I once lived in, I take one look at Benji as I knock on the door. Within seconds, Abuela opened the door, with Adrian running up behind her. "Nino!" She says as she gives me a tight hug. Adrian pushes her out of the way and yells, "Victor, I missed you!" He hugs me tight, and then he says, "Before you ran away, you promised we would play Frozen."

     Worried about what Benji wanted to tell me but couldn't. Benji must have noticed the look on my face, because he says, "Hey, I'll play with ya bud." I look at Benji as he is drug off by my little brother and laugh slightly. Abuelo comes walking from my old room down the hall, says, "Victor! Abuela has been cooking all day." I hug Abuelo and say, "Abuela, it smells great!"

     I look over to the kitchen table, mom, dad, and Pilar are all sitting down. I feel my stomach churn at the sight. Something about this scene gave me a bad feeling. I say, "Hey, guys!" Mom looks at me with a half-smile, and dad does the same. Mom says, "Hey, Mijo, sit. We need to talk." She pulls the chair out next to her and gestures for me to sit next to her.

     I take the chair cautiously as I notice that Benji is trying to keep Adrian busy. As soon as I sit down, mom looks at me and says, "Mijo, I am glad that you are here. We need to talk." Adrian comes running out of the living room and asks, "How come I cant join?" Benji runs up behind him and says, "Hey, little dude, let's go play-" Adrian yells, "I want to talk with Victor and Pilar!"

     Abuela and Abuelo pull out two extra chairs and set them next to Pilar and me. After they sit down, Abuelo pulls up a chair for Adrian. Dad looks at him and says, "Papi, not right now." I sharply ask, "Mom, Dad, what is going on?" Mom takes one look at dad, and then dad says, "So since it looks like everyone is here and wants to join us, I guess we have to tell everyone."

     Mom takes a deep breath after closing her eyes and says, "Ok, here it goes. So, you all know that your father and I have split up." She grabs dad's hand, and they look into each other's eyes. Adrian giggles and says, "You two are back together?" Dad closes his eyes and says, "No, Mijo."

     Time stops after he says that. I feel my world falling apart. My family is crumbling around me, and there is nothing I can do. I look at Benji, and I instantly knew why he didn't want to tell me. I look at him, and under my breath, I say, "You knew." Benji starts to cry, and Abuela says, "Mijo, what did you say?" I yell, "You knew, and you didn't say anything?!"

     Dad says, "Victor, we asked him not to say anything to you." I snap, "Why did you tell him first and not me, or Pilar, or Adrian-" Abuelo interrupts, "Or Mami or me." Mom looks at all of us and softly says, "We tried to make it work, but sometimes love fades." Pilar looks forward and coldly snaps, "You mean we left Texas, I lost my boyfriend, and now we are all living in this hell because mom screwed dads old boss?"

     Mom snaps, "Pilar, language! We have been off since before my affair." Abuela interrupts loudly, "No, you are giving up on your family when they need you most. Abuelo and I have fought a lot over the years, but we never gave up." Dad looks at her with tears starting to stream down his face, "Mami, we aren't giving up, Isabel gave up when she went to Roger-" Isabel snaps, "EXCUSE ME!" She slams her hands down on the table and then says, "Good thing, my sister is in town, because I won't be here to listen to you tell me how I ruined this marriage when you wouldn't even notice me.