May 16, 2016.
The tears she had been struggling to keep in for days now suddenly burst open like a broken dam the moment she was requested to throw the black earth enclosed in her fist on the closed coffins of her favourite people in the world. Her young mind seemed to realize that it would be the last time she would see any of them, alive or dead.
She clenched the front of the black gown she had worn in disbelief, as she let out a heart wrenching sob, then turned to her Dad who pulled her close. He was still supressing his own agony at the event playing out before his eyes. It still felt like a dream. Wasn't it just yesterday when he tried to look his best for her? Wasn't it just yesterday when she had teased him about being a woman who spent a lot of time while dressing?
A gentle hand squeeze brought him back from his thoughts before he would drown himself in them. It was Mateo Emiliano, the father of his daughter's best friend. "Stay strong, man. I'm sorry it happened."
Sighing, Damian Huerta straightened. "It's going to be fine with us. How's your wife taking it?"
The man shook his head in a sad manner as he stared at Dolores who gazed on absentmindedly. Oblivious to them, her mind was playing a funny trick by choosing that moment to recall the incident that preceded the accident.
Flashback...
May 12, 2016
"Shotgun!" Dolores yelled to her best friend whose back was turned to Dolores's Mom, as she raced all the way to the entrance of their five bedroom duplex. The woman who was plaiting the girl's hair in a french braid to match hers, chuckled at her daughter's amusing antics.
Adelina sighed wearily before she responded. "I should not be bothered about you sitting shotgun today. Your Mom and I are going to be driving together to the carnival. Aren't we?" She craned her neck to look at the woman whose facial features matched the frowning girl standing by the door.
Mrs Carmen Huerta gave a slight smile as she nodded cautiously, not willing to be caught again in the middle of their petty fights over who first called dibs on the passenger seat. She soon finished and stood back to admire her beautiful craft on Adelina's dark mass of hair. "How do you like it now, Lina?" She walked her to the vanity in the reclining area of the spacious living room.
Excitedly, she clasped her hands together in glee as she turned her head to see what had been done on it. "Oh, is that a heart I see? It's beautiful. Thank you."
Carmen smiled at her then added in a conspiratorial whisper which Dolores was bound to hear anyway. "I bet Dolores is gonna be green with envy when she sees what I did with your hair." The both of them hid their giggles behind their palms as though they just shared an inside joke.
The person in question let out a loud snort. "I heard that and it's so ugly looking. By the way, who adds a heart to their hair these days? Such a baby." She concluded with a tsk ignoring the jealousy eating at her from within. Although sometimes she felt left out whenever Adelina came around to visit her, she loved her best friend to a fault and so did her parents. She was a cutie no one could ignore.
"Who is calling who a baby? You're just thirteen, what do you know? Have you ever had any license in your life?" Adelina bit back sounding a bit offended at her best friend's words.
Dolores grinned as she tossed her long ponytail behind her. "Ask yourself same question. But soon, baby, soon, I'll get to drive Dad's car when I become fourteen."
Adelina gave a hissing sound and made a clawing motion with her fingers at her friend and the latter reciprocated the action before both burst into fits of laughter. Mrs Huerta straightened from the sofa after looking at her watch as she proceeded to pick her car keys from the metal key holder attached to the wall. Her mind wandered off to what her husband could still be doing hours after he mentioned going upstairs to freshen up. "Damian!" She called out.
She thought she heard something along the lines of 'just a minute!' and being familiar with her husband's usual routine, she decided it was what she heard. A tall muscular hunk soon appeared from the top of the stairs clad in a denim jacket and trousers, a black body hug top and white sneakers. He looked like one of those models who just stepped out the pages of a fashion magazine when he finally arrived at the bottom of the stairs.
Carmen groaned aloud, "Let's hit the road people." To her husband, she added, "I don't know what you do baby but you take too long getting dressed."
He pulled her by the waist, leaning down to plant a kiss on her head. "I was trying to look perfect for you, sweetheart. Do I take your breath away now?"
She ducked her head shyly, muttering, "you know you always do." He inclined his head to properly hear her but she shoved him away, biting down on her bottom lip.
Placing a firm finger under her chin, he tugged her lip free from the captivity of her pearly whites. "We're running too late for that now."
A sudden gasp brought them out of their world prompting them to look at the bewildered teenagers who had their hands over their ears. Amused, Damian had to ask, "what's the problem, kids?"
Red-faced, they shook their heads and disappeared out the door. The adults watched amusedly at their funny actions, smiling knowingly at each other before stepping out as well. Right before he climbed down the porch, Damian activated the alarm system then shut the door.
°°°°°°°°°°
"Mom's been spending so much time with Lina these days and leaving me behind often." Dolores started to whine to her Father the moment he got behind the wheel. Carmen and Adelina had earlier chosen to drive together in one car to the carnival while they drove in another. To Dolores, nothing could be worse; that was until they both chose identical attires for the carnival.
She knew she was not putting on her big girl panties and sucking it up but she felt a tad bit neglected by her Mom since her best friend had been staying over for the short two weeks break. Adelina's parents were on a business/pleasure trip on a ship cruise for a deal they have been trying to seal on behalf of their company which resulted in them dropping their daughter off at the Huertas for the period they would be away. Not in a manner of neglect but because they were on official duties. They usually let their daughter accompany them as they traveled around the world for the fun of it. Of course, Adelina enjoyed the company of her parents who knew when to draw the line between work and family time.
"Dear Dolores, I think your friend is starting to miss her family already. The break would soon be over anyway." He spared her a look before focusing on the road before them.
She sighed long and hard. Just then, her mom's car came to be side by side with theirs. Her eyes twinkled with laughter as she saw Adelina sending her a silly look all the way from there.
"Race ya!" She shouted before Carmen picked up speed, leaving them behind.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
"I'd like to pay with this black card, please." She requested as she stood in line to pay for the bags of chocolate chips, sweets and extra goodies she had purchased for their time at the carnival. Her Mom's car had driven past them to secure seats for each of them at the carnival but not before warning each to get snacks. That was about twenty minutes ago, she thought, as she handed the black credit card to the cashier.
Dolores' Dad was in the car waiting for her to be done with her purchase so they could continue on her journey. She turned around to walk back to the car when she spotted commotion outside and people staring at a truck which had on it, a vehicle involved in a terrible accident. For a while she paused to also pay attention and couldn't help but be sorry for the victims.
Something caught her eyes the moment she made a move to continue back to the car. The vehicle's plate number although which seemed scorched by fire to some extent, closely resembled...
All alarms went haywire in her head and she dropped the bag she had in her hand in shock. An ambulance with a siren whirring drove past with speed. Her legs moved before her brain thought, running after the ambulance and screaming.
"Hey! Wait up!" She yelled furiously, still running after the moving vehicle. A lot of passersby and spectators thought the young girl had gone raving mad at first until they realized the reason for her sudden outburst. Someone grabbed her from behind, jerking her around to face them.
It was her Dad.
"Dolores, what's the problem with you?" Worry filled his eyes as he trained them on her face. Sorrow made her heart clench and her mouth dry as she sought words to explain that her Mom's car was involved with an accident. Suddenly, she felt cold wind caress her skin and she shuddered at the odd feeling.
With a parched throat from all the yelling she had done, she spoke, "it's Mom and Adelina. They were the ones in the ambulance." That was all it took to shake her Dad into her reality.
Present time...
She gave one last look at the names inscribed on both graves.
Carmen Huerta
Beloved wife, mother, daughter and friend
July 24, 1983-May 12, 2016
Rest in peace
Adelina Emiliano
Our lovely daughter and bestie
July 22, 2003- May 12, 2016
Forever alive in our hearts
Her eyes watered once more at the sudden painful realization that she would no longer be able to feel these people within reach. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest causing her to double over, wheezing. Alarmed, she put a hand to her chest which felt like her lungs were on fire and closing so tightly together she couldn't breathe.
"Dolores, baby, what's wrong with you? She's gasping for breath, Mateo. Get the car!" With a shuddering sigh, she gave in to the crooning of the darkness that surrounded her.
~~~{•}~~~
This is one genre I'm trying out despite my uncertainty but I'm sure I'd be able to pull through.
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~~Tequila~~