Page 31 of I Survived and will rise again

Her cries turn into laughter. "I can't help it," she says. Her lips tremble, and Tia, noticing the change, grabs Shorty's arm and pulls her toward the car.

"We're leaving now. Call her when you get to Tennessee, Donnie," Tia instructs me, and I nod in response.

"Hold up!" Ash quickly rushes over to Shorty and gently lifts her off her feet, holding her tightly. When he sets her back down on her feet, he leans in and places a soft kiss on her cheek. As he walks back to me, Shorty's face starts to fall apart, and she bites her lower lip.

"It will be okay. We’ll be fine,” I say to Shorty, my heart hammering against my ribcage at the thought of my new reality.

"I know,” Shorty replies, tears streaming down her face as she struggles to keep her composure.

"Wait, just...just wait, and let us leave first," I plead with them, but Shorty shakes her head.

"No, please. Let us leave first. I can't see you drive away," she croaks. “Not again.”

"Okay, okay," I whisper brokenly, taking a step back as I watch my love, the mother of my child, drive away from me. And that's when I break down, my emotions getting the best of me, leaving Ash to pick up the pieces and put me back together.

CHAPTER 11

Sadie

A month later

It's been one month since Donnie and Ash left for college, and since then, I've felt a massive void in my heart. I miss their laughter, their company, and their presence. Knowing where they are is comforting, and so is the fact that I can contact them whenever I want.

We've been working in the kitchen for over an hour, and the tantalizing aroma of a mouthwatering medley of spices and herbs has enveloped the entire house.

As Mom fries the chicken in a pan, I cut up the fixings for the salad at the table, humming along to the catchy salsa tune as Sophia sits in her booster seat and bangs her empty plastic cup on the table, keeping up with the music.

Abuela grabs my hand and pulls me up from my seat with a cheerful "¡Vamos!" She starts spinning me around in the cramped kitchen, and a laugh escapes my mouth. The rich smells of sofrito and garlic from the pot bubbling away on the stove fill the air. We twirl and laugh, my feet slipping over theworn tiles in my fuzzy socks while Abeula moves gracefully in time to the catchy beat.

As we dance, I catch Jo leaning against the doorframe, a smile spreading across his face. He’s wearing a stylish long-sleeved shirt with jeans and a hat turned half to the side.

"Am I missing the party?" he jokes. Sophia hears his voice and immediately spins around in her chair to catch a glimpse of him. She starts babbling and gesturing excitedly, using her hands to make her point.

"Oh, yeah?" Jo pushes off the doorframe and crouches down to her height and engages with her as if they are having a meaningful conversation, eliciting giggles and smiles that are only for her Tio Jo. He places his hand gently on her head and gives her a tender kiss on the cheek.

"Don't just stand there, mijo!" Abuela calls out in her raspy voice, beckoning him with a wave of her wooden spoon.

I start to laugh. "I don't know if Josiah here remembers any of the moves you taught us, Abuela."

"My memory's just fine," Josiah says.

Abuela grins, her wrinkled face glowing with pride and mischief. "This kitchen needs more dancers!” she says in Spanish, her voice full of energy and enthusiasm. “Josiah, turn up the radio. Claudia, take Sophia out of her chair. Sadie, push the table aside and make space."

As salsa music fills the warm, spicy air, Josiah sets Sophia down, holding her tiny hands as he guides her in an awkward, tottering dance. She giggles wildly, her soft brown curls bouncing. I scoop her up, kissing her cheeks as we spin in clumsy circles, and Jo holds his hands out for Mom to take. We laugh, sing, and dance until the music ends and we can finally catch our breaths. Jo and I move the table back to its original spot, and I securely place Sophia in her booster seat so we can resume working together to finish preparing dinner.

We haven't had this much fun as a family for a long time, and it was long overdue. The memories of our day spent at the apple orchard with Papi come flooding back. That one day we spent as a family was filled with laughter, love, and happiness, creating a cherished memory that will stay with me forever. The brightness of that day from years ago seems to have faded away, leaving behind a sense of darkness that has only grown with time. However, moments like these make me believe our happy ending is still on the horizon.

Jo's phone goes off as I finish making limber de coco and placing the cups in the freezer. He quickly pulls out his phone, and his face lights up upon reading the text.

"By the smile on your face, I take it it's Elisa," I jest.

Still grinning from the message, Jo happily nods before tucking his phone back into his pocket. When he looks up, his eyes gleam with excitement. He meets my gaze and wears a playful grin.

Jo and Elisa have been spending a lot of time together lately, and their bond seems to grow stronger with each passing day. Elisa has finally started to open up to Jo, which is a huge step forward. They’ve been inseparable, spending almost every minute together, as if they are making up for lost time.

"Are you still staying for dinner?" Abuela asks in Spanish.

A huge grin spreads across Jo's face as he replies, "Claro que si."

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