Mindful Beauty

19) His Friend

"Mija, listen to me," Elizabeth, Ella's mom, pleaded. "Ever since we left, we told you to please go with Fransisco. After the attack, we almost moved back there if it weren't because of your aunt Ortega's ulcer; that woman can just snap her fingers and a disease will appear." Elizabeth began ranting as Ella entered the lobby of the law office. "Honey, please. Your dad is over here calling me crazy, but I feel weird. I just.. just please, move in with Fransisco while this trial is over." (My daughter)

"Mamá, I know you are worried; I would be too, but nothing happened. That man is behind bars right now-"

"What about the guy in charge? Is he in jail? No. He's not. Listen, Ellie, I know-"

Ella walked forward, heading straight for Jihye's office and knocking briefly before entering with narrowed eyes.

Muting her mom temporarily, Ella got Kim's attention. "You told my mom about the trail?"

Kim winced, giving Ella a sheepish smile. That only made Ella narrow her eyes more.

"- permanent, just while things settle. What do you think?" Elizabeth was still talking on the opposite line, and Ella walked further into Jihye's office, setting her purse down while taking a seat.

"Mamá, can I call you later? Let me see to a couple of things, and then I'll answer everything you want me to." Ella chewed on her bottom lip, messing with her hair on one hand.

Elizabeth gave out an exasperated sigh. She wanted to talk about this now because otherwise, Elizabeth would just feel even more uncomfortable. She just felt it in her motherly instincts that something was off. To top it off, neither one of her kids were listening to her.

"Fine, but you're calling me tonight. No ifs or buts."

"Si, mamá. I love you." (Yes)

"I love you more." Elizabeth candidly stressed before they hung up.

"She didn't agree?" Timotheo, Ella's dad, appeared from behind Elizabeth, a mug of coffee in both hands.

"No," Elizabeth ran a hand through her messy auburn hair while accepted the steaming mug from her husband.

"Relax, my love." Timotheo kissed her head, bringing her closer to him. "You've been very worried these past days-"

"How can I not when our daughter was attacked, Timotheo?!" Elizabeth snapped. Instantly, her face fell.

She didn't mean to snap at him. She wasn't even frustrated with him, rather the circumstances. She and her husband absolutely adored their motherland, but their children had already established a life in the states. The Cortesa parents were not about to become selfish and ask them to move back. It was killing Elizabeth to be so far from her kids when she knew they needed her, even if they said they didn't. She especially knew that her baby Ella needed her the most.

Out of all her kids, she could proudly and truthfully say that she didn't love one more than the other, but she also couldn't deny that she had a soft spot for Ellie. Ella was just... more delicate, which made her momma bear instincts come out more often. Finding out Ella had been attacked... Elizabeth couldn't remember the last time she had cried so much.

"Lo siento, Theo. I didn't mean to be so aggressive," Elizabeth blinked back the tears as Timotheo shook his head compassionately. (I'm sorry)

"I know your pain, Eliza. They're my kids too, love." He wrapped his arms around her cuddling figure. "I was just going to say, what if we leave to Georgia?"

Timotheo had seen the toll that this situation was taking on his wife. She was no longer properly sleeping through the nights due to her constant nightmares, nor was she eating right just worrying about how Ella's case was going. Even when Timotheo was persistently on the phone with Mr. Kim, Elizabeth still felt like she needed to be there.