Page 59 of Entangled With You

“What happened?” I ask, and Mati takes a deep breath before answering me.

“Remember my friend, Esteban?” I nod because I remember him well from our failed attempt at getting our piercings. “Well, apparently he knew about the threats and bet his tattoo shop on you guys losing. When you won, he lost everything. I don’t know all the details since the investigation just started, but he was able to pass all the police checkpoints because he’s a family member of an Alumnas de La Plata player. When he saw the mafia dude speaking with you guys, he lost it and started shooting up your locker room.” I close my eyes, reliving the pain of seeing Stefa go down like a rag doll. And then the pain I felt on my leg before the world blacked out for me.

“Stefa?” I ask next, and Mati simply closes his eyes, confirming the worst. I start crying, I can’t believe Stefa is gone. What the fuck is wrong with this world?

“Cattleya, you need to calm down. You lost a lot of blood, you’re still very weak, mi ángel.” The monitors attached to my body start beeping, and nurses come rushing into the room, removing Mati. I extend my arm, not wanting to lose his touch but it’s in vain. My man is gone in the blink of an eye. Tears wet my face and my world goes dark again.

This time it’s easier to wake up. Somehow, even before opening my eyes I know Mati isn’t here.

“Hey, Mom,” I say, not even sure if my mom is going to hear me.

“Mi amor, you’re awake.” Mom rushes to my side after opening the door, and shouting, “¡Despertó! (She woke up!).” I laugh at my mom’s antics, but immediately wince in pain, so I take a couple of deep breaths trying to calm myself down. A throng of people barrels into my room, making me feel like I’m in a Colombian novela when the entire family comes to visit whoever is a sick relative. The only thing we’re missing is the pot full of sancocho and a couple of hens flying around. I close my eyes trying to avoid laughing at the image in my head, but my action only causes a massive panic and everyone hurries to see what’s wrong with me.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. I was just thinking how hilarious this scene is, everyone coming in like in the novelas back home.”

Dad is the first one to laugh, and everyone joins in, making me feel a little bit better about scaring. Mom and Dad stand on one side of the bed, and Sofi and Franco on the other, while Mati is near the door.

“What are you doing all the way over there?” I ask him, this time being able to give him a smile.

He smiles back at me and shrugs. “Just giving the family a chance to talk to you. I was the lucky one who saw you awake the last time.” I wonder how long I’ve been sleeping.

“When was that?” I look around, but no one speaks.

“It’s been three days, mija,” my mom says, and I’m stunned.

“Three days? How long before I can walk then?” Again, my questions are met with silence. “Mati?” I ask him because I know he won’t lie to me. Releasing a deep breath, he makes his way closer to me. Sofi and Franco make room so he can stand up next to me.

“The doctors need to run more tests. Everything is going to depend on how your leg heals and how physical therapy goes, but they think it’d be around six to eight months,” Mati says in a low voice, almost afraid to scare me.

“You mean weeks?” I ask, not believing what I just heard.

“No, mi ángel. Months,” Mati says, confirming my worst nightmare. I won’t be able to play for the next year. I start crying, feeling my dreams slipping out of reach.

“But we will be with you every step of the way,” Sofi says, and everyone nods their agreement.

“I don’t want to stay here, I need to leave. Now.” I shout the last part, and the monitors start beeping frantically again.

“Mi ángel, you need to be strong enough for the doctors to release you from the hospital. We are in no rush. You’re getting great care here.”

I can’t believe I need to say this out loud, but I guess no one sees things like I do. “You don’t understand. I don’t feel safe here. I don’t want to fall asleep again and wake up a week or a month from now. I want to go home, my real home.” I look at Mom and Dad, who are struggling to keep their tears at bay. When I look at Mati, I see hurt in his gaze. “I didn’t mean to say anything against you, bae. I just want to go back home. To Colombia.”

Mati nods his head as he releases a deep breath.

“As soon as the doctors give us the okay, we’ll take you home, mi amor. I promise.” Dad is the one who speaks up this time.

“What happened to Esteban?” I ask even though I’m scared shitless to hear what they have to say about him.

“The police shot him once they saw him with the gun in the locker room. He was brought to the hospital, too, and is under police custody now.” I wish I could say the news makes me breathe a little easier, but I’d be lying. I’m still terrified that I got shot, that Stefa is gone. All that blood on the floor, the panicked screams, everyone trying to seek shelter. And all because someone was irresponsible enough to bet their livelihood? How is this fair?

The shrill ring of the hospital phone jars me out of my thoughts. My mom is quick to answer, and her face immediately hardens.

“Who is it?” I ask, still reeling from my grief.

“Romina the journalist? She wants to speak to you. I’ll just hang up.”

“No, let me talk to her. I need it.” I need to direct my grief and rage to someone deserving. If she hadn’t targeted me and the team, maybe the mafia would have never decided to bet against the Golden Warriors and all this could have been avoided. But we cannot live on the what-ifs.

“Hello?” I say as I feel my blood boiling in my veins just by hearing her voice and reliving all those nasty comments she wrote about me.

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