Chapter 71
The days flew by after that whole mess. It was college entrance exam season, and I had three brutal tests back-to-back. Mariana only hit me back five days later, the same day I got the eye patch off. She sent "yes," "no," and "okay." Said she'd come over so we could talk and didn't show. Told me she needed more time to process what she saw and that she was disappointed in me. Fine, I get it, but I just wanted her to forgive me so we could move on. It wasn't even about her, after all.
Didn't even have time to dwell on it—life swallowed me whole.
I turned into a machine: class–home–class and nothing else. Kids from the prep course started showing up here after school and sticking around till late studying. Yeah, I have friends there, but I hardly ever talk about them 'cause they're all loaded and I'm on scholarship. They plan hangouts in spots I don't even know how to bus to, so I've never been that close. And since you all only care about who I fuck, screw their stories.
Mom took me off all chores as long as I kept my nose in the books. I did. I didn't even grab water—she'd bring me a full glass so I wouldn't waste time fetching it. No drama; she saw my effort and jumped in with me to snag that college spot.
Diana tried to make an appearance during this, bringing up entrance exams. The blonde had ghosted me and popped back up inviting me to "study" at her place. After the blowup with Cletus, she must've been scared shitless of you and started treating me like a leper. Fuck off now, I don't want to chat with that slow blonde anymore—I do, but not right now.
The biggest thing was with my deadbeat stepdad. He got sick and ended up in the hospital. I swear to God I never wished him harm. Lie, I did, but not this bad. He's been bedridden almost a month recovering. They said he had some issue down there and the docs fucked up his kidney with the wrong meds. Now he needs help with everything, and they don't even know for sure if he'll pull through.
December rolled around, results came out, and I passed. Pleasure to meet you: the newest future lawyer in this house. It was pure fucking joy when the first result dropped. My dad showed up, even set off fireworks in the street. We had barbecue, feijoada, a party, and humiliating my cousins as a bonus.
"See? Your cousin studied and made it, she's gonna be somebody in life. And you?" my aunts, always so classy, said to my cousins.
From then on, I became "the cousin who made it," the official go-to for shaming anyone who hates studying.
Who got saved from that was Mariana, but since the course she picked wasn't as cutthroat as mine, I kinda overshadowed her win. She wanted to be a doctor, but with her mom broke, she settled for nursing.
But the party wasn't complete 'cause with the deadbeat sick, Mom had to juggle two jobs. So we switched roles: when I was in the final stretch, she handled everything alone; now, with him worse, I took the reins at home and did the chores. My aunt came to help, my brother handled groceries, and my dad drove the stepdad to sessions. And he did it from the heart, no complaints, even though he hates the guy.
The house doesn't have that much to do, the problem is people always showing up. To fix it, my aunts banned their kids from coming to bug us. Visits turned into "social calls": come, grab coffee, and bounce. Of course, that screwed Mariana too; even if she wanted to, she couldn't show up without catching hell.
The kitchen was quiet, just the low static from the little radio and the dry clatter of beans dropping into the bowl. The smell of garlic and cold oil hung in the air. Mom was there, hunched over the beans, her gaze kinda lost, the way it gets when her mind wanders far off. I sat next to her, not to help, more to keep her company, you know?
"So, Mom, Christmas—how's it gonna go?" I asked, just to start a conversation.
She sighed deep, without looking up.
"I don't even know, Jully. I'm feeling down, you know?"
The radio crackled with an old Roberto Carlos tune. I knew she was sad, but I decided to do it my way: bug her till I got a smile.
"Jully, not Mom. It's 'Doctor Julia' for you now, please."
She looked up over her glasses, with that pissed-off face that's basically her default, and laughed without engaging.
"Tomorrow I'll set up the tree and check with the aunts. We'll handle everything; you just need to show up looking pretty for the dinner."
"Thanks," she said, pausing a beat, then adding with a little smile, "Doctor Jully."
"'Julia,' Mom! Doctor Julia!" I corrected, tilting my nose up.
She poked the sieve and shoved the beans at me.
"So, Doctor, since you're so special, help pick these." Her dry tone almost felt comforting, the most common way she showed love.
"Uh-oh, you're feeling better already," I teased, laughing.
She shook her head, but the corners of her mouth gave away that she was less weighed down.
"Nah. I was thinking... you know Katia, that rich friend of mine?"
"Yeah, Aunt Katia who gave me those cool dolls. She vanished, huh? What happened to her?"
"She's needing someone reliable to stay at her house, watching her kid for two weeks. Pays well."
"Whoa. How old's the boy?" I asked, pushing a broken bean to the side.
"A bit younger than you, I think. They're going on vacation, but the kid didn't want to go. Wants to spend break playing online, those games you kids do."
"'You kids' nothing, Mom," I replied, lifting my chin. "I just study. That's why I'm successful in life."
Even I laughed after saying that. But I've never been big on gaming.
Her "uh-huh" came with a gentle sting, and she kept picking beans like she was counting coins.
"I could use that money, but I can't be stuck there because of your stepdad. And I don't want to leave Katia hanging. She wants someone trustworthy," she said, blowing a black bean off to the side of the pile.
I propped my elbow on the table and watched the sieve go up and down, the radio crackling some dumb ad.
"Huh, but won't the kid be alone?" I asked, spinning my chair. "He gonna burn the place down?"
"That's just it. She's scared. He's scatterbrained."
"Have to cook? Laundry? Cleaning?" I was already hooked on the idea; I could feel it.
"Nope. Just hang out there. They have a maid. Just make sure the kid goes to bed, eats, and showers. He's on break. They'll be back for Christmas."
Steam started rising from the rice pot. I thought fast, my brain doing the math. I could do this, easy.
"So it's babysitting. I'm in, Mom."
She sized me up over her glasses, that look that cuts right through clothes.
"But that money was for fixing the pool. You gonna work for that?" Her face said she doubted I'd do something selfless.
"Gonna blow it all on the repairs?" I asked, half impulsive, half already regretting it.
"Won't even cover half. Gotta replace the pump, drain it, redo the tiles. Your dad was gonna cover the rest."
The rice popped. The wooden spoon clacked against the pot bottom. I let out a short laugh.
"The pool was Dad's dumb idea. You've always hated it. Costs a fortune, nothing but hassle, and nobody helps."
She set the sieve down, washed her hands slow.
"I do hate it," she said, but her voice was tired instead of mad. "But since it's there, it needs fixing."
I pulled the bean bowl to me.
"I'll watch the kid, save the money, and we'll cover what we can. It'll lighten your load. And I've trained for years making my cousins shower. And I'm your daughter, right? Just copy your face and yell twice, and it's all good."
She rolled her eyes, but her mouth betrayed an almost-smile.
"I'll talk to Katia then. If she agrees, you're on. And don't embarrass me, hear?"
"Me? Embarrass you?" I saluted playfully. "Doctor Julia, ma'am, you oughta charge more for this."
I was gonna be a babysitter!
It was kinda like a teenage dream, like in those American movies, you know? I was thrilled as hell, ran up the stairs to tell someone, sat on the bed, and when it hit me, I remembered Mariana wasn't talking to me.
And I cried alone.