e

ighbor, Mrs. Rodriquez, I could already hear the faint h

" she greeted, her smile crinkling the corners of her eyes. Mrs. Rodriquez was a kind older lady who lived alone in t

was a kindness I would

Natalie," I spoke,

turned her head. "

at my uniform, silently judging me. Knowing what was

that family? Isn't there any other way?"

to pay the bills somehow, Mrs. Rodriquez, and the diner just wasn't enough,"

but I wanted Naty to grow up without a co

of that family, Jimena," she didn't mind giving her opinion. "You must be oblivio

conversation, I waved my h

e leaning in closer. "It's so bad they've even run the auth

shed the thought aside, focusing instead o

itement. Her dark brown hair was not quite as neatly braided as I left it in the

the spitting image of me, from her long brown hair to her warm brown ey

inner and taken a showe

u, Mrs. R

rming on her lips. "Awh, but I didn't eve

ehind her ear before offering Mrs. Rodriquez a final smile. The

eached to pull a drawing from her backpack

ed landscape, perhaps a bit too adva

took the paper in my hands, bu

a private elementary academy, with a special art program, in the city. Unfortunate

el guilty as it was a harsh reminder of the opportunity I

, attempting to shift the

she sh

day?" I asked further, looking fo

giggle. "Whatever it is six-y

gh. "Okay, Miss Smarty

entical to mine. The only difference was that she always spoke her mind wh

ew job? Are the people nice? Is the house

s too young, and I didn't want her to bear the weight of my decisions, esp

Fanucci maid, the mothers at school would

ring stories about the Fanuccis, I believed her. People were to

n between a family member, associate

l very nice. And the house? It looks like a pa

ie's eyes wi

e. I hated cleaning, the job was terrible, the brothers seemed like spoiled entitled brats. It had only been day one, b

gs, Mommy. But once Daddy is here, you won't have to feel

ing to Naty. She believed that her father would soon join us. In

oal for the future, I decided to move in

and was not who I thought he would be. Anson

work in construction, and take care of me and Natalie-he ha

cal abuse over the years, and I had lost cou

e for my apparent misbehavior, was t

idn't

Naty that her belove

. You better get to bed

in a small voice

er to her room. Not long after, I tucked her under a warm, flu

y body cried out for sleep, I refused to let it win. I wouldn't let my li

the phone jolted me. Puzzled, I looked at the sc

but I picked i

?" I g

d was heav

eating out my chest. Once again, t

ldn't. I felt sick to my stomach and the anxiety t

f it w

so

d found my

close all the curtains and ran to the door to make

s, each exhale worse than be

real... this

the floor, with my back a

ruggling to catch my breath. "It's nothing,

st've b