'abuelo! abuela!' says isabella running towards us.
'you're getting so big!' says sergio picking her up.
'i am six.' she says holding six fingers up.
'bella, mind abuelo's back!' says joan walking in with a suitcase.
'it's fine joan. i'm alright.' says sergio with a smile.
'hey mamá, hey papá.' he says giving us both a hug.
'how are you doing?' he asks me quietly.
'i'm trying my best to beat it.' i answer quietly.
last year i was diagnosed with lung cancer, when i found out i was heartbroken. they said i only had three months to live, a year later here i am. i know i could go at any time but i'm trying my best to spend as much time with my family as i can.
'do the doctors know anymore about how to cure it?'
'they're doing their best but there's barely any chances of me beating it. i'm just trying to spend time with my family as much as i can.' i say with a small smile.
'i haven't told the kids about it. i've only said abuela's not very well. even if i haven't told them it's cancer, i think they understand what it is.'
'when does uncle mateo come over?' asks thiago.
'they should be arriving soon.' i reply with a smile. he smiles back before running off with isabella.
'three healthy kids and seven healthy grandkids, how did we do it?' asks sergio watching our family.
'i think the abuelo has something to do with it.' i reply with a smile.
'i think your gorgeous looks helped a lot.' he says looking into a mirror.
i look at us in the mirror, forty five years on and still together. sergio still has his beautiful brown eyes that i fell in love with, his hair is shorter and grey. he got rid of his beard nearly eight years ago but being the footballer he once was, he takes care of his appearance.
myself? i look the complete opposite of sergio. i look old, tired and wrinkly. i've lost nearly all my hair, i have to wear a wig. the side effects of having cancer. my once bright blue eyes now look dull.
i look at myself and sigh.
'what's wrong mi amor?' asks sergio.
'i'm tired of looking old and wrinkly. i'm sick of having cancer. i wish i was like you and still looked amazing for my age.' i say looking down.
'where is this coming from? mila, you look amazing for your age considering you're fighting cancer. look at you seventy years old, you have three beautiful children, six grandchildren and a great grandchild all extremely handsome and beautiful all thanks to their amazing abuela. camila piqué bernabéu you are still the one of the strongest people i have ever met.' says sergio, i look at him and smile.
it's crazy after so long together sergio can still give me butterflies and make my heart skip a beat. it's thanks to him i have this beautiful family, it's thanks to him i believed in love.
all of a sudden, i grab my heart.
'mila?'
'i- i can't-' i start to say.
'mamá?' asks anna rushing over.
'papá what is happening to abuela?'
'call an ambulance!' says sergio holding my hand.
my time has come.
so real madrid won the league. as a barça stan i am disappointed that we didn't win but we didn't have the best season and lost points because of bad games. but real had a great season and deserved to win more than us.
so congrats real madrid and madristas.
