"I said you're not going anywhere Gabriela!"
I scowled at my friend who was standing at the foot of my bed with a very amused Vanessa at her side.
"I'm feeling better!" I tried to stand up from my bed, only to be pushed back by Nessa.
This morning I woke up feeling slightly dizzy and with a high fever, I spent most of the day in bed, missing a day of classes at the university. Actually, I was forced to stay in bed by my two best friends, and now that it's time to go to work they won't even let me get ready.
"Listen to Sofi, Gabbs. You're still looking a little pale" Nessa leaned in close inspecting my face. "You might scare away the customers."
"Haha, very funny"
They walked out of the room and gave me a last wave before closing the door, just as I was about to stand up and run into my closet Sofi stuck her head back in between the door.
"Don't even try following us. I'm going to call every two hours to check up on you. Got it?" she raised an eyebrow.
I rolled my eyes at her obsessive mother behavior. "Yeah, yeah..."
"C'mon we're gonna be late!" Nessa yelled at her sister from the living room.
"I'm coming!"
As soon as was alone I couldn't help but laugh at my friends crazy behavior. Sofi can be a bit over dramatic sometimes, she's always been the responsible and calm one out of the group. I don't know what Nessa and I would do without her, if it weren't for Sofi we'd probably be in jail right now for all the crazy things we do.
A few minutes later I pushed myself out of bed and walked shakily out into our living room, I refuse to stay locked up in my room all day. It makes me feel even worse.
When I walked into the kitchen I went straight up to the fridge and poured myself a glass of apple juice. Back in the living room I turned on the T.V but after looking for something interesting to watch I finally gave up and decided to turn it off, leaving me in total silence.
There was nothing good on TV. I couldn't do anything to clean around the apartment because then Sofi woul know I got out of bed. I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
Just then there was a loud knock on my door.
I went over to the door and tried to see through the 'peek hole'. Nothing but darkness. The person on the other side must be covering it with their finger so I can't see who it is.
I yanked the door open and gasped in shook at the sight of the person standing in front of me.
My brother, Alejandro.
Alex laughed at the shocked expression on my face, he opened his arms widely. "Aren't you gonna give your big brother a hug?"
Even though I should be angry at him for showing up at my door after all these years, I couldn't help but feel glad to see him. Glad to see he hasn't been killed by the cartels. I ran into his arms and gave him a tight hug.
"Alejandro! It's been years! I'm glad you're okay!"
He stepped back and gave me a funny look. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"
I narrowed my eyes and punched his arm. "You know why you dumbass!"
"You worry too much sis" he said. "Same old Gabby"
I pushed the apartment door wide open. "Get your ass in here"
He closed the door after himself and we walked together into the living room, he took a seat on the large red couch while I went to place my cup into the kitchen sink
"Where's Sofi and Nessa?" he asked
"They're at work" I said taking a seat next to him. "Sofi made me stay because I was feeling sick this morning."
"Really? Well, then I'm glad I'm here to take care of you" Alex grinned.
"I'm feeling much better now" I leaned back against the couch.
"Good"
"What are you doing here?" I asked, curious as to why he decided to visit me.
Our father doesn't usually let him come visit of the risk of exposing themselves. It's been three years since Alex's last visit.
"I haven't seen you and mom in three years, I wanted to make sure you both were doing okay."
"Make sure we're okay?" I asked in disbelief. "Alex, mom and I aren't the ones risking our lives everyday."
My brother laughed loudly. "We know how to take care of ourselves, no worries."
I bit back my annoyance at his careless behavior. He doesn't even care about his life, but I didn't say anything in case he gets all defensive. I don't want to fight with him.
"How is dad doing?" I asked lamely, this is something I ask every time he comes. He's already used to it.
"He's fine, he was feeling sick a few months ago but he's feeling a lot better now. He misses you and mom...as always. You're all he talks about when he's not busy with work."
I sighed "He knows the reason why we left him and he just let us go, now he has to deal with the consequences."
"He begged me to ask you and mom to come back" Alex takes my hand gently. "He's never stopped caring about you guys. You're his baby daughter."
I jerked my hand away. "Well you tell him he lost his daughter after he chose his work over us."
"Don't be so cold. He only did what he though was best for us"
"I don't care" I said harshly.
"But he just wants you too--"
"Can we please stop talking about him?" I interrupted before he could continue on.
Alex shook his hand angrily and slumped his head against the couch. "You're so stubborn...everyone in this damn family is fuckin' hard headed, I'm always stuck in the middle."
He's right. He's the only one who gets along with all of us so he's caught in between. Always trying to get us to make-up.
"I'm sorry"
"S'okay" he mumbled. "I guess you and Martin got your stubbornness from mom and dad"
"Oh, how is that crazy big bro of mine?" I smiled. "I haven't talked to him in a while."
Martin is our oldest brother, I got along with him very well but after our parents divorced we became more distant.
"He hasn't changed at all" Alex said, laughing. "He's still stuck to dad's hip like a little kid. He looks just like dad and acts like him too...it's weird"
"He's still a daddy's boy"
"I almost convinced him to come along with me, but he chickened out at the last minute."
I frowned remembering why Martin refuses to visit. "Does he ever ask you about mom?"
"Every time I come to visit he asks about her. At first he always tries to act like he doesn't care but he always ends up asking me about her...just like you do with dad."
I smiled, glad to hear my brother still cares about mom. He's always taken dad's side for everything, so when mom left dad he refused to talk to her, just like I did with dad. Mom cried a lot after Martin stopped talking to her and she tried to fix their relationship but he always pushed her away. It makes me very mad to see how much he hurts mom but I can't really say anything to him, I'm doing the same thing with dad.
I'm no hypocrite.
We continued talking about random stuff and after a while he helped me clean around the apartment a bit. Meanwhile he told me about the big drug war going on in Tamaulipas, the one I heard about on T.V. He said all I heard on the news was true, my father got help from the Sinaloa Cartel to help him defeat the new formed cartel of hitmen, Los Zetas, a new group of criminals that don't go by the same rules the older cartels have always followed. Los Zetas kill and abduct innocent people to get what they want. That's the only reason why they've gotten so far.
The Sinaloa Cartel and Gulf Cartel hate them.
The girls arrived back home from work at around Eleven o' clock. I had already cooked some enchiladas for all of us with the help of my brother, so we were all sitting around small round table that we have in our kitchen.
"You've got some serious guts, aren't you afraid the police might come looking for you here?" Nessa asked as she takes a bite of her enchiladas.
I looked up to see my brother shrug with no worries. "I'm not afraid...because I'm used to it already."
Sofi scoffed. "Dude, you're the son of a famous drug dealer in Mexico. If I were you I would be scared shit less."
"Gabby's also his daughter" he pointed out.
"Yes, but I'm not involved in the business like you" I threw back at him.
"Good point"
"How long are you plan to stay?" Sofi asked, sitting up straighter in her seat and trying to keep a blank face...which she failed at completely.
"I'm leaving tomorrow night" he anwsered. "Is it okay if I crash here for the night?"
"Fine with me" she smiled weakly, the dissapointment in her eyes very obvious.
They dated a few years ago, but keeping a long distance relationship didn't work for them and my brother though it was too dangerous for her to be dating the member of a cartel. He broke up with her claiming that he didn't like the long distance.
"Are you gonna visit mom before you leave?" I pushed my plate away after I finished.
"Yes, you should go to her house with me tomorrow"
"Sure thing"
I haven't visited my mom in a while. And it'll be nice to spend some family time with both my mother and brother, just like the old times.
An unfamiliar ringtone blasted around the small kitchen and we all turned to look at Alex.
He pulled out his phone from his coat.
"Yes?" he anwsered. "Umm, Yeah she's with me right now, dad."
I immediately looked away from my brother and picked up my glass of water with trembling hands.
He's talking to our dad.
I bit my lip hard to keep myself from asking my brother to let me speak to him, to let me hear my father's voice just for a little bit. It's been five years since I last spoke to him. Five long painful years.
"Gabby your lip is bleeding!" Sofi's loud voice pulled me away from my thoughts.
I touched my bottom lip with the tip of my fingers and saw the crimson blood.
I licked my lips tasting the metallic-rusty flavor. Gross.
"Are you okay?" Nessa handed me a napkin.
"I'm fine" I wipeed the blood from my bleeding lip.
"Gabby" Alex called my name softly. His hand stretched out, holding his cell phone towards me. "Dad wants to speak with you"
I stared at the black mobile on his hand with wide eyes.
My father wants to talk to me?!
Should I take the call?
No...It'll only bring more pain. And what am I supposed to say anyway? 'Hey dad, how you been? Sorry for not wanting to talk to you in five years'.
As if.
I pushed myself away from the table and stood up quickly. "I don't wanna talk to him"
And before I can change my mind I ran to lock myself up in the bedroom.
Dad knows what he has to do to get us back, but he won't do it.
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