"She wouldn't have wanted that."
"Remember how she always said she was gonna be a popstar? And when people said she was too old she would just start singing dramatically in their face until they admitted she wasn't too old.", I laughed at the picture of my mum singing in the middle of the supermarket because someone had said she would never make it. A little tear rolled down my cheek but the smile stayed on my lips. "Oh no. C'mon, happy thoughts. I'm not here to make you cry.", Marcus said and hugged me from the side. "I miss her.", I whispered and closed my eyes.
"I know. Me too.", he whispered back and rested his chin on my head.
When I pulled back I saw that Liam and Tyler and even Jackson had paled and for a second I thought I saw a little tear in Jacksons eyes.
"I missed you, too. I miss everyone at home. How's Roberta? And the little seagulls? And do you know if Pablo got out of prison?", I asked, suddenly realizing how many people I had left behind.
"Prison?", Jackson asked concerned.
"Don't judge him. You don't know what it's like for people like him", after a short pause I added "people like us."
"What, you went to prison too?", Tyler mocked.
"Can you even for one second stop being the asshole you are?", I grit my teeth.
"Calm down, it's not their fault. People that haven't lived a life like ours won't understand the choices one has to make.", Marcus looked me in the eyes and I nodded slowly.
"And to come back to your questions, Aunt Roberta is fine. She made enchiladas for the whole house last week", he snickered "That women is crazy. Has no money but somehow enough food for a village."
"Oh her enchiladas are the best. Remember my 11th birthday? We had to eat them for days because she made so many!", I laughed remembering how my mom hated enchiladas after that week.
"And the kids are fine too. They miss you, wait a second they actually gave me something to give you.", he pulled his suitcase open and took out a brown envelope.
"Here", I opened it and took out the little kids' paintings and letters "They heard that I was going to visit you.", he smiled at the chaotic paintings.
"Oh they're wonderful.", I sobbed "Thank you." I laid my head on his shoulder again and looked through the drawings.
"We have a great community at home, you know", he explained to my brothers "We are like one big family. We take care of each other. Even if some don't live there anymore.", he petted my hair "She's still important to all of us. I hope you understand."
Jackson nodded in understanding.
"I always took care of the younger kids", I explained, my voice still wobbly from crying "Like they always took care of me when I was younger. Or like they still do."
I smiled at Marcus.
"Like I said, we take care of each other. That's what family is all about.", he smiled.
"I wanna visit them. I haven't talked to any of them since I left."
"I'm sure you can arrange for that.", he looked up at Jackson who nodded hesitantly.
"If you want we can facetime Diego, he has an iphone now."
"That little seagull? Did he steal it?"
"Noo! He won a competition at school and with the prize money he bought a new phone."
"I'm glad. I didn't want to have to yell at him.", i snickered "Yeah let's call him."
I wiped my tears away and straightened my hair a little.
"Hey Diego, how are you buddy?", Marcus had the camera turned on him only. "I'm outside with the boys, what's up?", the 14 year old boy answered. "I have someone here who wants to speak to you guys, can you get the others?", we heard him scream some names and soon 6 kids looked at Marcus through the camera expectingly. He slowly turned it so I got into view. "KENNAA!", Mariana yelled excitedly. "Heyy!!", I answered already near crying again "You guys look so big! Stop growing up!", I smiled sadly and listened to the kids talk about their day, sometimes accidentally switching into Spanish without realizing it.
"Te extrañamos.", Diego said sadly.
"Yo también, los extraño.", I answered.
"We gotta go, Diego. I'm sorry.", Marcus said after a while.
"Wait! You, stay in school. All of you actually. If I hear anyone fucked up I'll come over there and drag you back there myself! Me entienden?"
"Sí.", Diego nodded "Byee.", he waved at the camera and ended the call. "God Imma fuckin cry.", I wiped my eyes again. "Why are they so big?? I'm away a month and suddenly they grow an shit. AND HIS VOICE. He sounds like his brother! So deep an grown up n all"
"I know. He's almost as tall as me now."
"What?? Can't be he's a little seagull yesterday I swear!"
"Why do you call them seagulls?", Liam asked amused, I had totally forgotten their presence. "They're loud, noisy and steal your food If you're not careful. Seagulls.", I shrugged and laughed.
"I didn't know you speak Spanish.", Jackson admitted slightly impressed.
"Well I grew up in a Spanish neighborhood. At the beginning it was really confusing because people just start speaking Spanish around you. But I learned fast.", I smiled.
"She also speaks german and french. What the hell is going on in that brain of yours?", Marcus shook his head.
"Yeah, they made us learn french from toddlers age. You hated that when you were little.", Jackson remembered. "Yeah, I did. I still don't really like speaking french but it's good for school i guess."
"And why did you learn german?", Tyler asked confused. "Extra curricular. I had a scholarship to this school back in Detroit so I had to get perfect grades and speaking multiple languages made it a lot easier to be honest."
"And we thought Liam was the brain of this family.", Tyler laughed and boxed Liam in the side.
I smiled at the compliment but didn't say anything.
YOU ARE READING
The secrets we keep
Teen Fiction[Discontinued] After the sudden death of Kenna's Mother, she is forced to go back to Los Angeles to live with her father and brothers. And after not seeing the rest of the family for years she has to see that she is not the only one who has changed...
