Page 79 of Game Changer
“Oh, bambina.” A strangled sob works its way up her throat, and although crying is what I want to do, too, I refuse to let my tears fall. I need to be strong. I’ve turned this over and over in my head on the way here, and I won’t leave this house until they agree to my terms and conditions.
But still I take a brief moment to nuzzle my head into my mother’s fluffy robe before I pull away. I’ve never fought with my parents, and leaving them with no way to contact me wasn’t the wisest decision on my part. “Is Papí here?”
“Yes, but . . .” She rolls her lips together. “Let’s sit for a minute.”
“I don’t want to sit, Mamí. This is important.”
She nods. “I understand, but it won’t take long. I have something to share with you.”
Despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins, I sit beside her on the couch, unable to help the nervous jitters as I bounce my leg. She places her hand on my knee and squeezes gently before sending me a teary smile. “When your father and I were younger, we came from different backgrounds. My parents owned a successful farm in our village, and his—” She shakes her head. “He didn’t have the greatest influences around him. Born into a family of criminals who created a bad name for themselves around town.”
“Why didn’t I know this?” I’ve heard plenty of stories from their younger days, but I was never told about my father’s childhood.
“He didn’t want you to, but I think you need to hear this because . . .” She sighs. “Your father and I fell in love quickly. I caught him trying to steal an apple from our stand in the farmer’s market in town, and after finding out he was just hungry, I gave him a bag of fruit for free and continued to do so for the next few months until he finally offered to take me on a date.” She smiles at the memory, and it’s so bright that it lights up her entire face. “The more I got to know him, the more I discovered how charming he was, and it didn’t take long until we made things official.”
My heart clenches as tears spring to my mother’s eyes. I can’t help but wrap an arm around her shoulder and hold her close, giving her the reassurance to finish.
“I got pregnant with you shortly after, and when I told my parents”—she frowns, a crease appearing between her brows—“they kicked me out.”
“AbuelaandAbuelokicked you out?” I can’t hide the shock in my voice.
She smiles grimly. “We had no money or future in Mexico, so your father convinced me to come to America, and it was many, many years before I spoke to them again. Your father thought we could have a better life here, one free of judgment and away from his family, which was no good with him.” It’sforhim, but I don’t correct her. “Papí promised we wouldn’t struggle here. He always dreamed of having a big house. One that had one of those pretty . . .” She searches for the word. “Porches?”
I nod, swiping a few stray tears.
“It was harder than we thought, but what Papí didn’t realize until you left a few nights ago was that I didn’t need a big house or a pretty porch. We created afamily. It wasn’t easy, but we had a roof over our heads and food on the table. Most importantly? I hadhim.” She searches my eyes, regret shining in them. “Your Papí thought I was unhappy with our life, so he was scared for a boy to do the same to you.”
“It’s true.” My father’s deep voice rumbles, surprising us both. He joins us on the couch before kissing my mother on her cheek. “I couldn’t forgive myself for taking Mamí away from a family with money only to throw her into a life of hard work.”
She nudges his shoulder. “And I’ll tell you again, I’d choose to do it all over if it meant being with you.”
I’m caught up in their pure adoration for one another, almost forgetting why I came here in the first place. Their love is one I’ve already found with someone else, and if my mother is saying they had a long conversation after I left, I can only pray that it means they changed their minds.
But first, my conditions.
Sitting straighter on the couch, I roll my shoulders back and say, “Ethan is the man I want to be with. He’s the man I’mgoingto be with. You’ve raised me to be a strong woman who only deserves the best, and he’s exceeded all my standards. I love you both more than life itself, and the last thing I want is my relationship to come between us.”
Mamí frowns. “We don’t want that either, bambina.”
My brows lift, and I’m desperate to ask what they mean, but I have to get all of this out while I’m on a roll. “And I have no problem graduating from business school. I understand education is important to you, and it is to me too.However, I’ll use my business degree to open my own salon. It may not rake in six figures a year, nor will Ethan’s coaching job, but we will behappy. And just like you and Papí, any struggles we might face down the road will be worth it to me because I’ll have him by my side. I love him, and if you give him a chance, I know you will too.”
With it all out in the open, I hold my breath and wait for the backlash that never comes. Instead, my father nods thoughtfully and says, “I was harsh, and I owe him an apology.”
“You do,” I agree.
“And I’m sorry if I made you feel you couldn’t chase yourpasión. I’m still nervous, but we came here to give you a chance, and we’ll support you.”
Mierda. My heart is racing.
This is everything I’ve wanted to come out of this conversation and more. I bite my lip to keep from smiling because as much as I want to celebrate, I need this last piece of my life to click into place.
“And Ethan?” I prod.
Papí leans back on the couch with his arms folded across his chest. “I’ll need to meet him,” he says, “but the last thing we want is to treat you the way Mamí’s parents did to us. We’ll give him a chance.Pero—” He holds a finger up. “If he so much as looks at you wrong . . .”
I don’t bother to hear the rest of what they’re saying. I tackle them both on the couch and hug them close, happy tears tracking down my face. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I squeal. “Te amo.”
Papí kisses the crown of my head. “Te amo, princesa. Now, I have to get to bed. I have to be at work at four. Will you be here tomorrow?”
