A little extra.

Kathy sat on the large leather sectional and sighed her hand absently stroking the cool leather.

The black couch was a gift given by her brother Ricardo. The youngest of four and only boy. This small stout Mexican man loved and cherished his mother.

He joined the United States Marines and came home a war hero with a metal knee. Now he was a construction worker. For a small mill company installing cabinets and countertops.

"Are you coming to say good bye to Tio Micheal tomorrow.?

Kathy took in a deep breath as her eyes watered sadly at her mother. Her lips pursed. A tight pained look melted into one of resereance

"Yes."

"My poor bother, I feel so bad for him, I was telling Pat my poor bother. He turned his whole life around and got clean and sober. To just get sick and die."

Kathy day up and hugged her mother as she cried.

"He never got to get married or have kids."

"I know mom. It's ok he's made his peace with god and now we can say goodbye."

Micheal Munoz.

A man who came from Mexico to have a better life. Who graduated high school number one in varsity and never applied himself. He turned to drugs, and alcohol and drank for 22 years. Had relationships with older women who couldn't have kids.

After Anita died he was devastated, she was his goddaughter.

After a year of mourning and lying in the bottle. Micheal gave up drinking and drugs for Cuaresma* a tradition he did every year for the lord.

Micheal on Easter when His promise to good was over Micheal drank one beer and became so sick.

"Oh hell no!"

He Exclaimed and never drank again. He attended Mass every Sunday and Saturday and turned his life around.

After comforting her mother Kathy set the couch up for her to sleep.

Francine has given up her bedroom to her oldest daughter. She needed it. It was what mothers did.

Kathy sighed making the couch. Something she had done often throughout her life. Kathy has her own bedroom. While her Francine and Ricardo slept on the couch. Anita slept clinging to her mother on the opposite side of the large one.

While Pat. Had the only other room. At least this time they had two bathrooms much better than the one tiny bathroom growing up.

Kathy sighed

"Have you found a job?"

"I've been applying everywhere. Grocery stores gas stations, all the local food places. I even applied to Wally World."

It had been six months since Kathy and husband got into a very verbally abusive argument. After a year of rocky and colorless marriage They had taken things too far. Both of them.

Now Kathy didn't have the nice apartment, she shared with her ex husband. She didn't have her dog. Benny and the Jets. Nor her adopted black cat merline. Named for his long white whiskers and the white coating on his chin.

Most importantly she didn't have security.

"Why don't you post some of the furniture, and cabinets and old tv. Sell it to get a little extra money."

Kathy sighed nodding

"Maybe."

"Why not, I haven't been working because of my health and that asshole isn't paying you child support or alimony. You need to get a car."

"Tio Romeo said he will give the Impala."

"He hasn't had time, I don't want to bother him."

"He promised he would do it, I know my brother. Brittney doesn't want it, and Eric won't put money into it."

Kathy sighed she loved her cousins. She had 11 first cousins. And her uncle had taken care of his family even with 11 kids.

"Tio Angel said he will fix it but he can't fix it over at there because every time he goes over your Tia Terry Gets crazy."

"Why is she even over there I thought they kicked her out?"

"You know how your Tio is. That is his wife, he made vows to god and he is keeping them."

"I think god will understand."

"It doesn't matter. Marriage is a covenant."

"God still thinks she's a whore."

Francine was used to the foul crude things that her daughter said. But she was still a lad and shouldn't speak that ways

"Regardless she's your Tia."

Kathy said nothing else. In truth Tia Terry was a very good and loving mother. The only problem was she had a disease.

Addiction.

Meth was Terry's drug of choice. She stole for it. Had been addicted for many years. She bore 11 children and only 3 actually belonged with her husband.

The oldest Boy.

Romeo Jr. he had the handsome looks of his father, bronze skinned a strong stature. 5foot four Short But agile.

Nathan The second born. He took on a mix of his mothers Polynesian and fathers Mexican looks. He was the tallest. Standing at 5 feet 9inches. Nathan was the most accomplished of all the children. He graduated valedictorian. With a full ride to LVU for basketball.

Nathan majored in business and went to trade school to become a barber. Now owned a ship in Las Vegas.

Tiana stood at 5'4 a Polynesian goddess with curves. Married with three kids. Tiana became a house wife and married a great man after her sons father convinced her to sell her body. Stole all the money and left Tiana for dead.

Tiana survived only for the hope to see her son one last time. She survived.

The fourth child of the Junkie birth factory was Nicholas. A calm natured male who suspiciously resembled Caths baby brother Ricardo. In fact the both looked like they could be twins.

It was a rumor that Nicholas was fathered by her own Father Ricardo. He was knock to be a horn dog and obsessively cheated on Francine.

Kathy knee in heart heart this was possible. She also knew what a terrible person her Father was.

Ricardo Esteban Oreaga was 29 years old when he Died. A hard working loving father who was truly al alcoholic horn dog.

That man will stick his dick in anything.

That phrase was heard growing up when her mother and father would separate. Ricardo was an amazing dad. He provided for his kids. Made sure they had everything and he was always there for them. He cheated on his wife constantly and drank away most of their money. Ricardo was a terrible person.

Ricardo Esteban Oreaga was An amazing father. A resourceful man. If he didn't have a job he made money always. He would buy fruit and sell it on the side. He would do odd jobs jumping from place to place. A regular jack of all trades. He was always doing something to earn a little extra.

Kathy knee her father would never just sit ideally by. Kathy sigh and began preparing a photo shoot.

* Tio means Uncle Tia means aunt.

* Full ride: doing well academically that a school will provide a scholarship to pay for most college expenses.

*covenant: a promise made between someone of deep faith with their personal god.

*cuaresma : lent in spanish the 40 day period that precedes Easter.