Prologue: Mariana
6 years old Mariana Vega POV:
Mami sits on the bathroom floor with a needle sticking out of her arm. I'm not sure what's wrong with her but she looks like she's sleeping. She told me we were going to get ice cream after she used the bathroom but she was in here for a really long time so I came to check on her.
I walk over to here and shake her shoulder "Mami are you okay?" I ask and she doesn't respond so I keep shaking her.
"MAMI! MAMI!" she's still not moving or opening her eyes and she's scaring me.
"Mami porfa wake up, me estás asustado." I tell her while tears stream done my face.
(translation: "Mami please wake up, you’re scaring me")
I go get her phone that I was playing on before I came to check on her and call my Tia Mary. If I'm not with Mami or Papá then I'm always with her. She's Papa's sister.
I walk back to Mami whose still just sitting on the bathroom floor while the phone rings. Tia Mary picks up on the 4th ring.
"Hola Isabel, q paso?" she answers happily.
Is he saying Mami died? I don't want to believe that but if Papa is crying it has to be bad. Papa never cries.
"W-What do you mean?" I ask as more tears stream down my face.
"Mariana tu Mamá se murió." he says with a sigh and more tears fall from his eyes.
Mami sits on the bathroom floor with a needle sticking out of her arm. I'm not sure what's wrong with her but she looks like she's sleeping. She told me we were going to get ice cream after she used the bathroom but she was in here for a really long time so I came to check on her.
I walk over to here and shake her shoulder "Mami are you okay?" I ask and she doesn't respond so I keep shaking her.
"MAMI! MAMI!" she's still not moving or opening her eyes and she's scaring me.
"Mami porfa wake up, me estás asustado." I tell her while tears stream done my face.
(translation: "Mami please wake up, you’re scaring me")
I go get her phone that I was playing on before I came to check on her and call my Tia Mary. If I'm not with Mami or Papá then I'm always with her. She's Papa's sister.
I walk back to Mami whose still just sitting on the bathroom floor while the phone rings. Tia Mary picks up on the 4th ring.
"Hola Isabel, q paso?" she answers happily.
(translation :"Hi Isabel, what happened?")
"Es Mariana titi. Mami isn't w-waking up and I don't k-know what's wrong." I stutter out.
"Es Mariana titi. Mami isn't w-waking up and I don't k-know what's wrong." I stutter out.
(transaltion: "Its's Mariana.")
"What do you mean she's not waking up bebe? What happened and where are you?" she asks in a hurry.
"I'm at Mami's house. She came to the b-b-bathroom and t-told me to wait for her p-pero she was taking too long so I came a-a-and found her on the floor with a needle in her arm and now she isn't w-waking up-p!" I tell her as fast as I can and try not to stutter as I start to cry harder. "I-I-I don't know what happened!"
"Okay mi amor I'm on my way! I'm going to call you right back I have to call for help first." she tells me quickly.
"O-okay please hurry!" I hiccup and she hangs up.
I sit across from Mami and try to see if she moves or opens her eyes. She doesn't look like she's breathing and I'm really scared. All I can do is cry and wait for the people to come help my Mami.
I'm not sure how long I sat across from Mami just watching her to see if she'd do anything - she didn't - but eventually Tia Mary came along with other people who I think are here to help Mami. I've stopped crying and my tears have dried up. I can't hear anything around me anymore but I know the people are talking because I can see their mouths moving but I can't hear them.Tia Mary is trying to get my attention but I just stare at Mami. I just want Papa to come get me so I can hug him and he can make me feel better.
I don't know how long it took but eventually I tuned back in and heard Tia Mary ask if I had called Papa and I just shook my head. Papa is at work and him and Mami aren't together anymore. I live with Papa but I spend a lot of time with Mami when he's working and I sleep at her house sometimes.
The people took Mami to the hospital and I wanted to go but Tia Mary told me I couldn't and that we had to wait here for Papa.
After some more time passes I finally see Papa's car through the window of Mami's house and run outside. As soon as I see him I crash into his body and hug him really hard and start crying again.
After some time he pulls away and crouches down to me level "Mi vida" he says sadly with a tilt of his head.
"P-Papa que le pasó a M-M-Mama?" I ask crying.
"What do you mean she's not waking up bebe? What happened and where are you?" she asks in a hurry.
"I'm at Mami's house. She came to the b-b-bathroom and t-told me to wait for her p-pero she was taking too long so I came a-a-and found her on the floor with a needle in her arm and now she isn't w-waking up-p!" I tell her as fast as I can and try not to stutter as I start to cry harder. "I-I-I don't know what happened!"
"Okay mi amor I'm on my way! I'm going to call you right back I have to call for help first." she tells me quickly.
"O-okay please hurry!" I hiccup and she hangs up.
I sit across from Mami and try to see if she moves or opens her eyes. She doesn't look like she's breathing and I'm really scared. All I can do is cry and wait for the people to come help my Mami.
I'm not sure how long I sat across from Mami just watching her to see if she'd do anything - she didn't - but eventually Tia Mary came along with other people who I think are here to help Mami. I've stopped crying and my tears have dried up. I can't hear anything around me anymore but I know the people are talking because I can see their mouths moving but I can't hear them.Tia Mary is trying to get my attention but I just stare at Mami. I just want Papa to come get me so I can hug him and he can make me feel better.
I don't know how long it took but eventually I tuned back in and heard Tia Mary ask if I had called Papa and I just shook my head. Papa is at work and him and Mami aren't together anymore. I live with Papa but I spend a lot of time with Mami when he's working and I sleep at her house sometimes.
The people took Mami to the hospital and I wanted to go but Tia Mary told me I couldn't and that we had to wait here for Papa.
After some more time passes I finally see Papa's car through the window of Mami's house and run outside. As soon as I see him I crash into his body and hug him really hard and start crying again.
After some time he pulls away and crouches down to me level "Mi vida" he says sadly with a tilt of his head.
"P-Papa que le pasó a M-M-Mama?" I ask crying.
(translation: "P-Papa what happened to M-M-Mama?")
He looks up at Tía Mary with tears in his eyes and then looks back down at me and says "Mi amor I'm so sorry pero Mamá didn't make it." and a tear falls from his eye.
He looks up at Tía Mary with tears in his eyes and then looks back down at me and says "Mi amor I'm so sorry pero Mamá didn't make it." and a tear falls from his eye.
Is he saying Mami died? I don't want to believe that but if Papa is crying it has to be bad. Papa never cries.
"W-What do you mean?" I ask as more tears stream down my face.
"Mariana tu Mamá se murió." he says with a sigh and more tears fall from his eyes.
(translation: "Mariana your mom died.")
I can't do anything but hug him around his neck and cry. He picks me up and hugs me until I fall asleep.
I can't do anything but hug him around his neck and cry. He picks me up and hugs me until I fall asleep.
