This Love

Best Friends Forever

Two posts in one week?! Whaaat? But I finished this and couldn't wait to share. 🤭

This one's for Hopelessangelxxx who requested to read about Angela and Lino's first meeting! I did my best with the kiddo's perspective, but I don't interact much with three/four year olds, so I apologize if they're a bit advanced. I did my best based on my friend's kiddos. ;)

I had a LOT of fun writing this though! :)

~'~'~'~

Graciela held Angela's little hand as she led her towards the little Church where the grief meeting was being held. Her older sister had forced this on her, insisting it was time for her to get out of bed and start moving towards healing. She didn't want to heal, though. She felt like her heart was torn in half, like a piece of her was missing. It hurt just to breathe. Victor was gone. His passing had been slow, tortuous. Watching the cancer eat away at the man who had always had such a vibrant spirit had been hell. And now she was left with his little girl who had that same spirit. Every minute she spent with the little girl reminded her of her husband. Every minute made her heart just ache with longing for the man she lost. "Where we goin', Mama?" she asked, looking up at her curiously.

Thankfully, Angela had inherited the dark eyes from her side of the family instead of Victor's hazel eyes. It was her smile that was Victor's. Her smile that was like a punch to the gut every time it spread across her sweet little face. And it was often on her face. Angela was a happy little girl. Always skipping about, singing and laughing with her aunt and cousin. A little chatterbox within the safety of their own home. Most days Graciela couldn't even look at her. "I have to go to a meeting and your Tia and your primo have to work, so you get to go to this little day care." (Aunt and cousin)

"Oh," Angela said, her voice cautious. The only day care she had gone to was the one at the hospital when her father was sick. At three, almost four years old, her best friend was her sixteen year old cousin. God bless Happy for that, though. He was so patient and good to his cousin. Graciela didn't know what she'd do without him.

She led Angela to the little day care attached to the church, peeking inside to see a teenage girl reading a book in the corner. In another corner was a small boy making motor sounds while playing with some Matchbox cars. There were no other kids there. "Hello?" Graciela asked, making the blonde teen look up.

"Hi," she greeted with a sweet smile as she stood. "You here for the daycare?"

Graciela nodded, well aware of how Angela had let go of her hand and was holding onto her leg. "Is this the right place?"

"Yeah. 'm Judy. We only got one other kid tonight. Sorry," she said gesturing over to the little boy. She leaned down to Angela, a big smile on her face. "And who are you?"

"This is Angela," Graciela said, peeling Angela's arms from around her leg and giving her a gentle push. "Go. Be good."

Angela's dark eyes grew a little wide as she hesitated. "But you come back?"

Graciela breathed in deeply trying to keep her patience and nodded. "Of course," she said, pushing her again. "Go."

She knew she should've hugged her daughter, kissed her cheek, told her everything would be okay, but she didn't have it in her. Instead, she pushed her towards Judy and turned to head to the meeting without so much as a second glance.  Taking another deep breath, she pushed open the door to the grief meeting.  There were a surprising amount of people there. She took a seat in the back next to a woman who looked just as tired as she felt and just as skeptical.