Page 24 of Hate That Blooms
Her. I’m still not ready to see her.
I wonder if they invited Joaquín?
Five minutes pass, and my eyes are fixed on the hallway that leads to the front, waiting for them to come around the corner. And sure enough, they do, hand in hand. My stomach lurches, and all I want to do is grab Reya and leave. To save us from the hurt that is bound to be coming our way.
“Thanks for meeting us,” dad says as he lets Ana slide into the booth first. “Traffic was a nightmare.”
I nod with a look on my face that shows my annoyance.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Gabriela.” Ana holds out her hand across the table. I stare at it, and she catches on and slowly draws it back, slowly, with a look of defeat on her face.
Good. Fucking bitch.
With my attention back on my father, “What do you want?”
“Should we order food first? I’m starved.” He says nervously as he picks up a menu, flipping through the pages.
I grab the menu from his hands, slamming it down on the table. “¿Qué carajo quieres?(What the fuck do you want?)”
“Gabriela, don’t use that language.” His gaze catches mine, and I don’t falter.
“I’ll ask again. What thefuckdo you want?” I say, a little louder this time and in English.
“Gabriela, your father wants to talk to you about the house.” Ana says calmly as she places a hand on my father’s shoulder.
“You mean our house, mine, and Mireya’s.” I eye him suspiciously. “The house my mother paid for, that she left for us.”
“It’s just a lot of house for the two of you, Mija. I think you should sell it.” I stare at him.Why the fuck would he care if the house was too big for us?
He clears his throat and continues. “I had no say in the divorce settlement with the house because it was in your mother’s name. And it was her job that bought and paid for it. I feel like I should get part of the revenue from the sale of it.”
This motherfucker!
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I shout, drawing the attention of other patrons. “You think I should sell the house that my dead mother left me, where I raise my sister, yourdaughter? Just so I can split the money with you and your home-wrecking whore?”
Mireya grabs my hand and squeezes.Shit. I need to calm down, or she is going to freak out, and then everything will go downhill.
“My wife and I,” he starts, and I cut him off.
“You fucking married her? Well, you're a match made in hell—two cheaters together. How rich. Wasted no time in doing that.” I snort.
My anger is bubbling over, and I can feel the stares of the other diners weighing on me. Taking a deep breath, I try to regain control of my emotions. “Look, I don’t care about your excuses or your desire for money. This house is ours, the place where I keep my mother’s memory alive, where I raise your daughter as my own. Selling it would be the stupidest thing I could ever do.”
He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, avoiding my gaze. “Gabriela , I understand that it’s emotional for you, but you need to think practically. The house is too big for just the two of you, and it’s a financial burden. Think of the taxes. You could find something more affordable—you can move on.”
My blood boils at his dismissive tone. “Move on? Is that what you did when you left us for Ana? Did you just move on from your responsibilities as a father? Well, I won’t do the same. I won’t abandon Mireya or the memories we have inourhome.”
Ana interjects, her voice surprisingly calm. “Gabriela, your father and I have discussed this at length. We believe it’s in everyone’s best interest to sell the house and divide the proceeds.”
I scoff at her audacity. “Best interest? Whose best interest? Yours? My father’s? Certainly not mine or Mireya’s. You two can go find another home to ruin, but this house is ours.”
Tears well up in Mireya’s eyes, she starts to rock back and forth. She’s stimming and I instantly regret my outburst. My hand drops to grab hers and gently squeezes it, trying to reassure her. “I’m sorry, Reya. I didn’t mean to get angry, and yell. I’m not going to let them take our home away from us.”
My father’s face softens, and he reaches out to touch my arm. “Gabriela, please, just hear us out. We’re not trying to take anything away from you. We just want what’s fair.”
I pull my arm away, refusing his touch. “Fair? Is it fair that you cheated on Mom? Is it fair that you left us for another woman? That you left me to raise my younger sister as an eighteen-year-old. No, Dad, your idea of fair doesn’t hold any weight with me.”
I turn to Ana. “I don’t want to hear a fucking word you have to say. Not only did you play a part in ruining my family, but you ruined your own. Your son is so angry, and he takes it all out on me. I’ve had to live with his bullying and the vile words he says to me all because of you two. So thanks for that.”
