Another Part Of Me

Chapter 10

It was now August 1st of 1989, Luciana's birthday. She was back in her own home with Marcia, Paul, and her brothers and sisters as well.She had nothing planned for the day, but her boss let her take off work because she was always working so hard. She and Michael hadn't been talking as much as they'd had in a 5 month gap, and she felt they were drifting. She missed him, and she honestly thought seeing him on her 23rd birthday would make her feel  better, but she knew she didn't have it like that. She received a phone call from her grandmother at about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. She was in the middle of cleaning when she called, so she dropped the vacuum and ran to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" Luciana said in a sad, low voice.

"Why so sad,chica? It's your birthday!"

"I'm spending my birthday cleaning , Abuela. There's nothing to for me to get excited about."

"Come on over here and bring the kids then!"

"I don't want to bother you abuela. I'll be fine."

"No, no, no, you're not turning down my offers anymore missy. You come here and I'll cook for you okay?"

Luciana laughed. "Okay, abuela."

"Love you!"

"I love you too." she said hanging up. "Julio, drop the broom, were going to abuela's."

"Good, you need to go out. You've been cleaning all day, so let me see your smile."

She flashed him a big grin. "Like my kool-aid smile?" she said laughing.

"It's perfect. He laughed. "I'll get the kids ready."

"Okay." she went up the stairs and entered her room. She opened the drawer where she kept a picture of her and Michael. She picked it up and stared at it for a while. She smiled a bit and put it back in the drawer, trying not to depress herself.

By the time they got to their grandmother's house, it was about 5:45 in the afternoon. Luciana had a key to her house, so she opened the door and called for her name. "Abuela?"

"In the kitchen!" the kids ran past Luciana and Julio and into the kitchen.

"Grandma!" they all shouted in unison.

"Aw, look at you all getting so big!" she said kissing their foreheads. She held her arms out when she saw Luciana coming into the kitchen. "Hello there, birthday girl!" she said hugging her.

"Hey, abuela." she said kissing her grandmother on the cheek. "You look great."

"Me? Look at you!"

"I try, I try." she said laughing.

"Come, come, sit sit! Make yourself at home, food's almost ready. You could turn on the TV for the kids!"

"You guys can work a remote,here."she said tossing the remote to them sitting down on a chair.

"Okay, I get to pick!" Julissa said.

"Whatever, it's my turn next." Marco said pouting.

"No mine!" Daniella said.

"Hey, hey. Cut it out. Or I'll take the remote altogether, you hear me?"

"Yes." they all said together.

"So, tell me Luciana. How are you? We need to catch up!"

"Well, I've been fine, I guess."

"How's work?"

"Great, as always. Still love working there."

"That's good. How's your mom been doing?"

"You mean your daughter? An ignorant and selfish woman,same as always."