Fried Chicken For Hector

After washing their hands, they immediately prayed and began to eat their food. Hector eagerly devoured his two pieces of crispy chicken, and Helena finished her burgers without leaving a single bite. Meanwhile, Maia hadn't touched her food at all. She sat silently, lost in thought while toying with her meal. Her eyes were vacant.

She wondered what her husband was doing here and who he was with. Her thoughts were filled with questions, and she couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer. "I'll be right back, dear. I need to go to the restroom," she said.

Getting up from her seat, Maia walked back inside the restaurant. Once inside, her eyes scanned the room, hoping to glimpse her husband. It was empty when she reached the table where she had seen him. They had left. She looked around frantically, trying to find Sebastian. Maia hurried to the exit, looking left and right, hoping to spot him.

Her steps quickened as she headed to the parking lot next to the restaurant. She looked around but couldn't find Sebastian's car. They must have left while she was busy paying for the food. Disheartened, Maia walked back inside the restaurant and went to the table where she had seen Sebastian. She was confused, and her eyes searched for someone like her husband.

Maia was unsure whether she had seen Sebastian or just someone who looked very similar to him. Her thoughts were in disarray, filled with questions about her husband. Maia wanted to call him and ask where he was and if he had eaten yet—simple questions that are normal between a husband and wife. But she didn't dare because Sebastian forbade her from showing him attention.

Poor Maia... She has yet to communicate with Sebastian. They never talked or had a conversation. Even just to say hello or ask something, Maia was very scared. If she said even a single word, Sebastian would get angry and attack her with harsh words. This led to arguments between them, so Maia preferred to stay silent.

In her silence, Maia held a thousand questions, and she still held a deep love for Sebastian. Maia hoped he would return to her despite his bad behavior and harsh attitude. While standing there, Maia suddenly felt dizzy, and her vision darkened. She felt weak and almost fainted, but she managed to grab the table and steady herself. She slowly sat in the chair where she had seen Sebastian talking to someone.

Maia took a deep breath, trying to calm her heartbeat. The incident had made her heart race, cutting off the oxygen flow to her brain. Her breathing became regular again. Maia left the table and slowly returned to where her children were waiting. She grabbed onto objects around her to steady herself in case she felt dizzy again.

When she reached the table, she immediately drank the orange juice she had bought. The cold drink relieved her thirst. Then, Maia started eating the hotdog she had ordered. She was very hungry after the long journey, feeling both thirsty and tired. Because she had seen someone who looked like Sebastian, she had forgotten her meal and almost fainted from exhaustion and hunger.

She ate hungrily...

"Mom, where did you go? Why did it take so long?" Helena asked.

"Uh... I just went to the restroom, dear," she replied. Maia had to lie to her children to prevent them from thinking anything strange about their father and the earlier incident.

Maia continued eating her lunch. All the food on the table was finished, with not a single piece left. They ate heartily. They planned to continue shopping for the month's supplies with their stomachs full.

They left the table, quickly got into the car, and fastened their seat belts. Maia started the car engine, and they prayed for a safe journey. Fortunately, Maia felt better. She was a strong and resilient woman. Her dizziness had passed, and her heartbeat was normal again.

During the drive, Maia couldn't stop thinking about her husband. Her puzzled presence at the restaurant earlier heavily influenced her thoughts. Was it Sebastian? she wondered.

Hector and Helena were very excited on their way to the Tijuana Mall. "Click, click," they kept saying. They never stopped taking photos with their cell phone cameras, capturing beautiful objects. Besides enjoying nature, Hector and Helena also loved the tall buildings, preserved ancient structures, shopping centers, and all the beautiful sights.

"Mom, how much longer until we get to the mall?" Hector asked.

"Uh... about five more minutes, dear. Why?" she explained.

"Okay, Mom. I can't wait. I want to buy bubble tea," he said.

Smiling, Maia glanced back at him.

And sure enough, it was only a short time before they arrived at the Tijuana Mall parking area. The grand and luxurious building had seventeen floors.

"Wow, it's so beautiful," Helena admired.

"Yes, it's very big," Hector agreed.

Maia looked for an empty parking spot. The first level was full, so they moved up to the second level, but it was also full. Maia drove to the third level, but it was still full.

Suddenly, a car was about to leave.

"Thank goodness, we found a spot, kids," she said.

Maia waited patiently for the car to leave. She turned on her tail lights to signal the car behind her to wait. Once the car left, Maia parked her car.