The Herrera sisters

Part 20: family disappointment

Gabby and andy were going to meet up with their tio and tia.
Gabby was on edge both excited and nervous. "What if they don't like me?" she exclaims in the passenger seat of andy's car. Her legs fidgeting and she was biting the inner parts of her cheeks.
"Well they like me and you and I are a copy past of each other. You will be fine they will love you." andy says trying to calm her down.
They get to the park
And are greeted my tia Sandra who quickly gives both a quick welcoming hug
"Ohhh god you guys look like twins.." tia Sandra exclaims
They both chuckle as they didn't see the resemblance everyone talks about.
Gabby's pov
I sat down in front of Michelle who was the sweetest. She complimented me a lot about my hair and outfit. Tia Sandra started asking questions about me. Where I went to school, about my career and answered happily. They asked where Robert was and andy made up some excuse but the truth was he wanted us to bond as a family so he went with Ben and Miranda out. At first, I was happy to answer tio and tia's questions but they soon became intrusive to me. They didn't like that I didn't speak Spanish which was fair enough but I just found out a week ago that my whole damn identity was a lie. I felt unconnected to them. They would speak Spanish and I wouldn't understand a thing andy would translate as best as she could also they would mention their culture which I was happy to adapt to but it didn't do much but make me feel even more distinct to them. Andy and Michele were close they grew as sisters basically until her mom or I guess my mom abandoned her.
Speaking of my mom. I knew tia Sandra meant well but she kept nagging me to give her a chance and all I could say was " yeah sure I would love to stay in contact with the woman that abandoned me like 1 day old and is responsible for  99% of my current trauma" yacks very sarcastic and defensive. What added salt to the wound was andy not telling them the whole truth about me. She gave them a vague story about how I was adopted and given away to then be adopted again by a couple not mentioning that the couple was a prostitute and a sex trafficker so when tio asked to met my adoptive parents. My response was "one is in Seattle county jail and the other is in the ground somewhere in New York" the look of horror they had on their face was unforgettable. Sully was lucky to not witness this awkward ass interaction.
The topic of Robert comes up and again I'm asked if I have a significant other or seeing anyone and I reply with a simple "no not really"
Andy says something about me saving myself for marriage. But the truth was I didn't see myself marrying anyone but nonetheless, Tio and tia praise me for this choice until they find out I'm not really doing it for Jesus but Allah since "I'm Muslim" and with that, I could feel them be even more disappointed and a string of new questions began.
"But you don't wear that thing over your head," asked tio
"Yeah the hijab is not there yet spiritually" I answer
"But don't you like Jesus?" asked tia confused
"I love him peace be upon him but I believe he is a prophet," I answer
I guess my answer either satisfied them or confused them even more. Michelle and andy were horrified by the interactions that were taking place. I get really quiet. I can feel myself screwing everything up. I wanted to impress them but I feel like I can't. I excuse myself to the bathroom. While I'm in there sully calls. "Hey just checking in how's everything," he says
"Horrible I wanna go home" I complain.
"What happened they thought you were too perfect or something" he mocks me
"No andy didn't really tell them the whole truth about my dad and mom and well when the questions were asked. I answered. And they couldn't hide the disappointment and I guess andy was ashamed of the truth too since she didn't tell them" I say
"Hey, andy is proud to be your sister. She did it to protect you"
"Yeah right"
"When I got demoted because of the drugs she didn't tell them either and it wasn't because she was ashamed or embarrassed but because they could well quite judgy and she wanted to give me a chance to tell them on my own terms" he explains
"But sully I can really tell they hate every aspect of my existence. They were disappointed to know I don't speak Spanish or know their culture which happens to be my actual culture or that I didn't wanna have a relationship with Elena or my religion. They..." I confess
"So screw them andy and I will always love all those things and accept them... Anyone who is disappointed because you are different is a lost cause" he says
"Man I love you... Thank you I needed to hear that" I say,
And I guess that's all I needed to hear because when I go back I didn't feel the urge to please them. Andy was going off telling them about my badass moments on shift. I could feel the pride in her voice and hand gestures.
And they looked impressed for once. Michele and I took a walk around the park where she apologized to her parents. She narrated how they don't ask her coming out and her girlfriend and how they're very traditional Christian in nature but that I was amazing either way and that she really enjoyed meeting me which I exchanged the feeling of.
I couldn't help but ask her about my biological mother. "Like what is she like... I saw some pictures and videos but I wanna know how she was like because right now I hate her so much and I'm so angry...I wanna hear something good about her" I say reluctantly
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