The Wicked Mrs. Gastrell (English version)

Flashback

It’s been more than an hour since Cholo left but I still can’t stop staring at the few wads of money on the side table. He left about twenty thousand.

I’m still debating whether to take it or not but in the end, my desperation prevailed.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I stood up and got dressed. I fixed my messy hair and washed up. My body hurts especially in the lower part but I have no right to feel pain now.

The current condition of my father and brother is far worse. Dad got another heart attack for the second time so I had to rush him to the hospital. My brother Diego is now stuck in prison because the owner of the restaurant he’s working at filed a robbery case against him.

I don’t believe what they accuse my brother of. He’s probably the nicest person I know so it’s unlikely that the charges against him are true but the witnesses say otherwise so I have to come up with the bail money for him and to pay for the damage to the restaurant so they can withdraw the case.

I took the money and carefully put it in the bag before going out. I couldn’t stop myself from glancing around the room before closing the door.

This is will be my last meeting with Cholo. I have no intention of waiting for him as he told me so. I have no reason. I got what I came here for.

I walked out of the hotel with my head down and got into a taxi. I’m going home to Cerro Roca which is just across town to get my father and release my brother from jail. I’ve made up my mind. I will venture first to another neighboring area where there is more progress compared to Cerro Roca.

Yesterday, my father’s oldest brother called me to tell me about the newly opened mall there. I will apply to be a saleslady. I have passed the high school graduate qualification. At the age of nineteen, going to college was a far-fetched dream of mine. I know that will never happen.

I got home at two o’clock in the morning so I had to wait until the sun came up so I could take care of Diego’s bail. I went to the hospital first to say hello to dad. His condition is already stable and he can be discharged once I have paid the hospital bills.

“Diego!” I exclaimed when I saw my brother who had just come out of the cell.

“Karina!” He hugged me and cried in my arms. I also cried because of so much pity for him. Both his cheeks are swollen and his lips are chapped. Some blood stained his collar.

“Who did this to you? Who?” I asked tearfully. I turned to the few policemen who had been looking at me obscenely for a while. I was about to rush towards them when my brother pulled me away.

“Don’t. Let’s go home,” he stopped me in a pleading voice.

I was so angry that I just looked at my brother. I also thought that there might be trouble again and our attempt to leave would be foiled.

I gave them a sharp look before following my brother to the taxi.

When I got home, I immediately packed our bags. We only have a few clothes. Everything fits in two small pieces of luggage. We will leave the old stuff at home. Most of them are useless. Yesterday, I sold our TV and refrigerator to a junk shop.

“Are you sure about your decision? Maybe you can go there. Dad and I can stay here. I’m afraid.”

I let the suitcase fall to the floor and approached my brother who was sitting on the floor with shaking hands.

I touched his face and smiled.

“Why would you be afraid when I’m with you? It’s scarier if I leave you and dad here. Do you want us to be separated? Don’t you want to go back to school? I’ll earn more when we move so you can go to school again. You’re going back to school like I promised you. Don’t you want that?”

He slowly raised his face to me. I almost cried from the joy I could read in his eyes.

“Really? But aren’t I too old to go to elementary school? I’m eighteen. Maybe the kids there will just laugh at me.”

I shook my head. “No, what are you thinking? That won’t happen to you. Don’t think about it anymore. The more important thing is that you can study again.”

“But didn’t the doctor say I’m sick? What is it? Dyslexia? That’s why I can’t write properly?”

“That’s why we’ll leave here for the time being. When I save up enough, I’ll get you treated Diego. We’ll go back to the doctor. I’ll get you your therapy.”

I can see that he is gradually convinced by what I am saying because his face has brightened.

“How about you? When are you going back to school?”

I was stunned by his question. It has been my dream to go to college for a long time, but in our current situation, it is impossible for me to fulfill that.

“I’ll take care of that. Maybe after I get this job, I’ll enroll again. We’ll study together like dad’s dream, so we have to leave Cerro Roca. We have to work hard together to save for our dream, okay?”

He nodded even though I could read the doubt in his eyes.

“Don’t worry. We will come back here. Our land is still ours because I will never sell it,” I promised.

Before noon, I was able to discharge my father from the hospital.

While riding the taxi out of Cerro Roca, I couldn’t help but travel back to what happened last night.

Even if I stopped myself, a few tears still fell from my eyes. That will serve as my farewell to my life in this place as well as the little memory that Cholo left me.