No Name

Chapter 6

I spent the 25th a bit glued to Jenni's side, she didn't complain. She had planned to see Lola and Carmen that day and was on the phone to tell them that she couldn't come. I heard something from her phone but I didn't pay more attention until she looked at me without saying anything and then she said to the phone that she needed to check something and she would call them back.

-Nemo I would like for you to meet my best-friend, Lola is the greatest and she will keep it under wraps. And I don't feel comfortable lying to her. Will you accompany me to hers ? ... oh and Carmen is an angel and won't say a word either.

I nodded and grabbed my clothes to go take a shower while Jenni called Lola back to ask that we stayed at hers instead of meeting elsewhere like they had planned.

In the ride over Lola's, nerves settled in my stomach, she was the first person who wasn't family or a teammate of mine that would know. Jenni parked the car, squeezed my hand reassuringly and got out of the car. I let out a breath and followed her to the apartment, she rang and was let in. We were welcomed at the door by an open door, Jenni just let herself in like it was a common occurrence which to be fair probably was. When they heard the crutches Lola and Carmen came in the hallway worriedly and looked at me confused.

-We should sit down, I have things to announce, said Jenni, obviously trying not to laugh at her friends' faces.

Once we were installed, Jenni opened her mouth and closed it and smiled wickedly.

-Lola, Carmen this Nemo she is a player at PSG, she is fifteen. And she is my ... daughter.

You looked at her a bit surprised at the wording. Carmen's jaw was on the floor and Lola wasn't faring much better, Jenni couldn't help but laugh this time. I felt obliged to rectify what she just said.

-She is fostering me, I am an orphan and I have dual citizenship, I am Franco-Spanish. I am not biologically her daughter.

-Yes, but it doesn't change how I feel about you. In my heart you are mi hija. It's just not official yet.

This time you were the one looking at her in shock, well the other two weren't back to normal yet.

-You go to France and you come back with a child ? Well okay. Hola, I am Lola, your new favorite aunt, she winked.

That seemed to snap Carmen out of it, who greeted you too. Lola and Carmen got to know you and catched up with Jenni even though Lola and Jenni called each other pretty often. You were looking at them when Carmen put down a mug in front of you.

-It's chocolate, can't go wrong with it right ?

-Nope can't go wrong. Since when do they know each other ?

-Youth team I think, wondered Carmen, why ?

-I want a friendship like that, someone who will always be here to hear every stupid thing I did and laugh at me and if I do something bad be here for me even if they think I am in the wrong. For now I have Mama.

Carmen smiled and looked at me.

-You call her Mama ?

I blushed and looked down while nodding.

-Well welcome to our crazy Spanish family, Nemo, exclaimed Lola. So she said you are fostering her, is she gonna be a Hermoso soon ?

-Yes the paper was sent the day I took her in.

-What ?!

Everyone turned to me, shocked by my outburst.

-You were there, said Jenni. You should know you helped me fill them.

-I didn't realize it was adoption papers, I just thought there was more paper than usual because you were Spanish. Wait, you want to adopt me ?

-Yes obviously, I want to pequena. I love you and I will be the proudest when you will finally get to say "Hola I am Nemo Hermoso".

I wobbled over to her and threw "has best as I could despite my foot" myself on her to hug her. I buried myself in her front to hide my tears. After two minutes, Lola couldn't take it anymore and dramatically joined the hug, which made us laugh and lightened the atmosphere. Carmen broke the moment by bringing my crutches, that I dropped, and ushering me to sit back down.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing, after having been destroyed at Fifa by Lola, Jenni and Carmen successively; they took pity on me and switched to Mario Kart where I fared way better ... after I figured out first (I was the big person and didn't kill Jenni when she laughed at me after finding out) where I was on the screen and second how to throw/use the objects (Thank you Lola). We stayed for dinner and watched a movie, Black Widow and Hawkeye are the best duo. Fight me! Well wait till I am not injured anymore but fight me! 

Riding back to Abuela's house, I was deep in my thoughts.

-Thank you. For loving me and wanting me. Mamà.

-Don't say that. My job as your Mama now is to make sure you always know that you are loved and wanted and to never doubt it. I am not the only one, mi Mamà, Rafael, Leire, Lola and Carmen they love you and I saw Lola gave you her number, even if I had already put it in your phone. You are not alone anymore. I love you and your awkwardness, your bright smile, your bluntness and I want to help you grow into the amazing woman you are gonna be. But for now I really enjoy our cuddles days after matchday, your trash talking the Disney movie even if I know you secretly love a lot of them. I absolutely adore the way you get scared in front of movies and play it as a "I need to go pee" kind of time.

You smiled in the peaceful silence wrapped around you after her confession. You looked at her, she threw a smile before looking back at the road.

-I love you, Mamà.