Chapter 12

What do you mean she is out with Michael and Kiara?" I asked Sylvia as she sipped her coffee she had a weird nac of drinking coffee at any hour of the day. I was practically seething as I placed back and forth in the kitchen How dare he let my child be around his girlfriend?

"Michael wanted Bria to get some fresh air to help with her asthma." She stated as she looked at me as if I were overreacting.

My ears roared and my finger tingled. I wished I was with them instead of Kiara. I hated her. how dare she go on an outing with my child. How dare Michael too. We were in each other's arms just hours ago.

He confessed he loves me! I can't I cannot deal with this. I feel so trapped in this house and even passing day I feel like I am losing Bria to him and now Kiara.

"She is falling in love with him isn't she?" I asked Sylvia how could she not?  he doted on her. He gave a big pink princess room with a figging doll house.  She will forget about me and it will shatter me to pieces.

"Yes," she replied with a smile plastered on her face although I know she wasn't aware that her answer would hurt me. I wanted to cry to her and tell her that Michael wanted to sever our bond. He wanted Bria all to himself so he can get rid of me.

"Hunny, are you all right?" I turned to Sylvia, her face forming a question.

"I'm just afraid I am going to lose her." I told her

"Nonsense, you are her mother she talks about you all the time. She misses you so much. I know Michael is trying to keep you guys separated but it's only for a while." She said as she carried her now empty coffee mug in the sink putting on the faucet washing it.

"What makes you think it's for a while?" I asked her perking my brows up at her. Did Michael mentioned something to her I thought

"Michael is still in love with you. I mentioned this to you several times so far and I think you know that as well. But he's hurt and he wants you to feel the same way too. He wants you to feel abandoned."

"He told me he's still in love with me last night." I confessed to her and she smiled.

______________________________________

I touched the deep brown soil. It has been several hours since Michael had taken Bria with Kiara and I was still so angry. My fingers trail up to the blooming rose bush and I pressed one of the sharp thorns until I saw blood. It stung and I brought my injured finger to my mouth sucking the metallic tasting crimson drop. The garden was my calm place always since Michael had the landscaper built it for me.

"Tell me it isn't so!" A familiar voice made me turn around. I got up instantly from my kneel position. I stood there frozen.

 "Mami," I turned slowly to face the voice behind me and there my mother stood with her curls of blond hairs that fell on her shoulders like pine shaving a more beautiful replica of mine. I had not forgotten about her. I swear I just had a lot of things on my mind. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked at me as if I were a ghost, trembling in utter disbelief. 

"Valentina, how dare you?" she zipped closer to me sending a sharp slap across my face with lightning fast swiftness. I clutched my burning cheeks, afraid to move in the presence of my mother.  How dare you rininged in my ears. She started wailing now big ugly tears fell from her eyes as she continued to strike me. I just stood there taking it all; it was my punishment for leaving my mother. For having her think I was dead and from keeping her only grandchild from her. Which I am sure Michael informed her of 

The hitting stop as I felt someone pulled her away from me and I opened my eyes. Micheal had her in his arms as she sobbed.  He looked at me staring at my pink flushed cheeks.

"Why were you hurting my mommy?" Bria's small voice asked Micheal she came in front him and kicked my mother on her shin.

"No," I gasped and pulled her to me although I felt happy she wanted to defend me.

"She is your grandmother." I told her as my mother stooped down and tried to hug Bria who only pulled away clinging on more tightly to me.

"Mija please," my mother said, opening her arms to her only for her to hold on to me tighter.

"No you hurt my mummy. I hate you." Bria said, causing my mother to get up and walk to the side of us clutching her chest as she continued sobbing.

Kissing Bria on her cheeks and handing her over to Michael I followed my mother wrapping my arms around her shoulders. As Michael and Bria left the garden.

______________________________________

"He never stopped taking care of me." My mom said as we sat on the garden white wooden chair. A cup of warm tea in both our arms. The sun was already setting and the sky was filled with shades of dark orange and red.

"He treated me as if I were still his mother in law. He paid all my bills and visited once a month so we can catch up." She continued as she sipped her tea making every attempt to avoid my face which was now swollen with angry red marks from her assault.

"He loves you mami, you were the one who convinced me to marry him. He once told me he was forever in your debt." I informed her causing her to turn to me now

"I don't know what caused you to leave like that and fake your own death. Michael told me what he did to Nate. I'm sorry he was a good man for saving you back then. I know Michael's temper, I pray  you wouldn't receive the same fate and you know I am powerless to do anything." Tears were welling up in her eyes again causing mine to do the same.

"I promise you I will do everything I can to not let that happen. I have to stay alive for Bria. I promise you mami you will never lose me again." I started crying as I placed my tea on the floor and hugged my mother tightly. I missed her scent, feeling her in my arms. I missed everything.

"I can't not again , it will break me." She said as she kissed my sore cheeks

We sat out there for hours and we talked until we could talk no more. I told her about the day I gave birth to Bria and her asthma and she told me old traditional mexican medicine to help cure her. I promise her that Bria didn't hate her and told her she would forget about this incident soon enough as children always do. When it was close to midnight Blondie came and took her home to her apartment before she left. I hugged her and whispered her ears.

"You will never lose me again, I promise."