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#15

   I hate Monopoly, stupid paper money, assets and fake banks. I know it's important to learn about money but I don't find Monopoly interesting as people say it is and dad knows this. Immediately he suggested we play Monopoly, I knew it was punishment for being rude to mom last night.

   "Lola, what's happening?, this is my third win and your mom's second but you haven't won since we started."

  What's happening?,  Dad knows what's happening, I don't like this board game, I prefer cards to this but he was mocking me. I looked up at him and almost glared but that wouldn't get me anywhere.

  "Dad, let's play something else, I'm tired of this game."

  "No, princesa, it wouldn't be fair if we quit this game without giving you a chance to win."

  Giving me a chance to win my foot, "Dad, don't worry about my losses, I'd make up for it in another game."

  Mom was smiling and it made me smile too, I always found it hard to apologise to her whenever we fight.

   "No, I have a better Idea. Since I won the highest in the game, I'd let you and your mom play, after that whoever wins gets to pick the next game."

  My dad is officially the most annoying person I know right now, he wants to put me in a tight corner to make sure I talk to Mom.

  "Manuela, Lola, excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom," Dad said and left mom and I staring at each other uncomfortably.

  I feel like I'm standing in front of the whole student body trying to solve a mathematical equation, Mom was re-arranging the game pieces and you could almost cut the tension with a knife. I hate this.

  "Okay I give up," I said as mom bought yet another asset and I didn't have anything in this game figured out.

  "Lola, I think your dad and I need to teach you about money practically, your lack of skills in Monopoly scares me." Mom's soft voice as she said this scared me too.

    I know there was an atom of seriousness in what she said but she made a joke so a smile broke out on my face, seeing my smile, mom also smiled then she started laughing. There would be no better opportunity than this to apologise.

   "Mom, I'm sorry."

Her face softened and the smile on her face now looked sad. "Lola, I know loosing your brother is so hard on you because of how close you both were, I'm sorry we weren't always home, I'm sorry we didn't spend enough time with you both, I'm sorry Leo died, Lola."

"But, honey, Leonel wouldn't want to see his baby sister sad, he wouldn't want to see this shell you've built around yourself, it wasn't your fault, I love Leo, but he made his own mistake that we shouldn't keep blaming ourselves for, I blamed myself a lot for his death too but then I realized that's unhealthy, I didn't say too much to you before because I wanted you to heal at your own time but if we continue like this, I'd loose you too while you're still alive and it would hurt just as much as loosing Leo."

   Mom was crying and I was too, she was right, I was so lost in grieving Leo that I didn't realize that I was hurting my parents with my behavior, maybe I should just live in the moment, go out more, I should probably call some of my friends from New York, call Addison, she also lost some too, model mom's cloth and be happier.

   It sounded so easy but was harder, I knew I had to try for mom and dad and for Leo because he'd want them to be happy, I wasn't going to let my sadness get in the way. I looked at Mom and she was wiping her tears away.

   "I don't want your dad to say I've turned family night teary," mom said with a mirthless laugh.

  "Come here, Lola, give me hug," she said again and smiled genuinely.