Spain's Brightest (Patri Guijarro)

Whole Again

Patri's POV:

I sat on the couch. "Thanks Leila." Carla hung up. "You are going out with Leila tonight."

"No, I'm not."

"I wasn't asking." She patted my shoulder. "Also, Lola dropped this off yesterday."

It was the envelope that said Patri.

"You can toss that." I looked away.

"Patri, stop being a child and read it." She sighed. 

I opened the envelope and took the letter out. I sat there and read it. As I finished I looked up.

"Well?"

I nodded. "Well."

Jessica's POV:

I heard the door open and looked up.

"Can I help you?" A woman asked.

"Yes. My name is Jessica Torres? I'm your daughter." 

"Go home kid. There's nothing for you here." She started to shut the door.

I put my hand on it and stopped her. "I came here from Madrid. Please. I need answers."

"You think you'll get them from me?" I nodded. She sighed. "Fine. Come in."  I walked in and she led me to the kitchen. "You thirsty?" 

"No thanks." I sat down. 

She sat down and stared at me. "You must be like what? 24 now?" 

I nodded. "Yeah. Just turned 24 a few weeks ago." 

"I hope you didn't come here expecting a gift."

"If I came here for a birthday gift, I'd ask for 24 of then. Since that's how many birthdays you missed." 

"I was 16 when you were born." She said. "I had to do what was best.

"I know. I'm not upset that you did that. I understand completely." 

"Then why are you here?"

"You left me with a neighbor. Don't you wonder what happened after you left?"

"They raised you and here you are."

"No." I shook my head. "That's not at all what happened. Maybe that's what you told yourself to help you sleep at night. They passed me to another family. They did the same thing. I didn't have a stable home until I was 5 years old." I looked at her. 

"I didn't know." She looked down.

"How could you have known?" I leaned forward. "How could you have known that the family that finally gave me a permanent home after 5 years, would end up being hell. That when I turned 8 years old,  they'd start abusing me just for existing. That they'd start starving me.

"They did that to you?" She looked at me. "I'm so sorry." She whispered. "Are you alright now? Are you safe?" 

"Pretty much." I told her everything. Leaving for Sevilla, Javier, the crash, running to America. Everything. 

"What answers do you want from me, Jessica?"

"Did you ever wonder about me? About what happened? Did you even care about the child you gave up? You gave me up so I could have a better life, but I didn't."

"I did." She nodded. "I thought about you. I actually," She got up and grabbed a photo album. "after you were born the nurse took this photo." She put it in front of me. "I didn't want to hold you when you were born. Because I knew I'd get attached. Your father wasn't even there when you were born. We went to London together, I went back to Madrid alone with a newborn. I knew that if I kept you, I would never be able to fully take care of you. My parents kicked me out when I told them I was pregnant. I had nothing. And as much as I loved you, Jessica, I had to give you up. I couldn't even put a roof over your head."

I held the photo in my hands. 

"It was the hardest decision I ever had to make." She whispered. "A decision I thought about every night. I heard about you once. Sevilla was talking about this up and coming player. Jessica Rodriguez." She smiled. "And the minute I saw your face, I knew. That was my baby. My baby girl, all grown up. And I just assumed you were fine because there you were! On the TV. If I knew the truth, I would've reached out. I don't know."

I looked away and wiped the tears from my face. "Why don't you live in Spain anymore?"

"Ah, we're speaking Spanish now." She nodded. "I wanted a change of view." She said. "I lived in Spain my whole life. When I came to London, I enjoyed it. So when I turned 20, I finally saved enough money and moved here." She looked around. "I'm happy here. Jessica," She sighed. "I'm sorry your life turned out the way that it did. If there was a way to see into the future, I never would've given you up. But the one thing that makes me happy is seeing you now. A strong woman. Who went through all of that and came out on top."

I nodded. "I still ran though. This second time."

"This Patri person will understand. From what you've told me of her, she'll come around."

"You don't have a problem that I'm gay?" 

"I just met my daughter who I thought I'd never see. I'd be an idiot to turn her away because of who she loves. Love who you love, Jessica."

"You really think she'll come around?"

"I've had a lot of love lost in my life," She nodded. "There was one, I lost him. Thought I'd never see him again. We had a fight. Years went by, and I ran into him. Those feelings came back."

"What happened?" I asked her. Suddenly I noticed the ring on her finger. 

"I married him." She smiled. "How long are you in London for?"

"As long as I want." I sighed. "Kind of just packed up and ran."

"Well, if you're ok with it," She stood up. "I'd like to get to know my daughter. Maybe give her that family she deserves?"

"Let's start with getting to know me. See where it goes."

She nodded. "Let's start. You came here for answers but aren't upset that I gave you up. What kind of answers are you looking for?"

"I just want to know who I am." I looked at her. "Besides all the pain and abuse. I want to know where I come from. So maybe I can get back on track to becoming whole again."