HERNAN AND GABRIELA BOOK 2

CHAPTER 61

Later in the evening,

At Antonio's house,

Gina is sitting in his home office, using his laptop. Antonio knocks and enters. She looks up at him and, he asks her what she was doing. She tells him that she was just looking up for possible ideas as she begins to think about what gifts she can give Aranza. Antonio doesn't understand why and asks her. She tells him that Adrianna told her and Emma, that Aranza's 18th birthday was coming up soon. Gina asks him if he had forgotten. Antonio smiles but admits he had. He says that they should all work together to give Aranza the best birthday ever. She agrees.

Meanwhile, Aranza is in a room in Clara and Ramon's house. She is thinking about her upcoming birthday. She then goes to her bag and removes a framed picture. It is a picture of her father with her two older siblings when they were five. It is old but it is one of her most prized possessions. She runs one finger over the picture and says she wishes things had turned out so differently, and that she would do anything for even a day with them.

On Sunday, Adrianna wakes up before Hector. As she is walking to go to the kitchen, she steps on something. It is Hector's trousers. She turns to look at Hector and he is still sleeping. She picks up his trousers and looks in the pocket. In it, is a thick blue band. She remembers (through a flashback) seeing Gina with a pink one. Adrianna asks herself what it all means. She then returns it and walks on.

Later on, they all meet at Clara's house. Gina asks to see Clara alone. When they are alone, Clara pets her forehead and calling her princess asks her what's wrong. Gina says there is something she has wanted to ask her ever since they found out who Juan Patricio was, but wanted to wait until the initial shock had begun to wear off. Clara asks her what it is. Gina asks her if she knew who's grandson Antonio was in the beginning when she first met him.

Clara takes a deep breath and says she did. Gina asks her why she didn't say anything. Clara replies and says it was because she loves her so much, and just wanted her and Antonio to be happy, without baggage from the past. Gina feels bad, now knowing what turmoil her grandmother must have been going through seeing Antonio so often. Reading Gina's mind, Clara puts a hand on her and tells her, not to feel guilty, and then hugs her. Gina then asks Clara if she has ever told anyone else at all.

Clara keeps quiet and Gina looks up at her. Clara says that she has rarely talked about it over the years even with her ( Gina's ) grandfather. She then admits that she told Aranza. Gina is shocked and asks her about it. Clara explains and says that it was to help her get through her ordeal with the people who assaulted her. Gina is still bothered that Clara told Aranza first. Clara tells Gina not to be jealous that she told her sister first. Gina denies she is.

Back at the mental institution, John is in his room. He has spent most of his day drawing. He goes through some newspapers. He sees a picture of Carlos, and stops and stares at it. He then says he feels like he knows him from somewhere.

Later, Gina and Antonio are at the park. She tells him about what Clara admitted earlier. Antonio says that it just goes to show what a remarkable woman her grandmother is. Gina agrees. Antonio then asks her if it bothers her. Gina pretends not to know what he is talking about and asks him. He says he has grown to know her quite well over the past few months, and he can tell she is jealous that Clara told Aranza before she told her. Gina folds her hands and rolls her eyes at him. She says that he sounds like her grandmother, and denies she is. He holds up her chin and says that she looks beautiful either way and leans in and kisses her and she kisses him back.