22. Believe me or believe me

CARLA'S POV

I can understand why Sofia reacted that way. She always loved Jessica so much and when we told her she died Sofía had a hard time like everyone else, but different in the sense she lost the person she had for whatever she needed, whatever the problem, so I ended up me taking Jessica's place.

I always considered her as my little sister too since the three of us practically spent time together when we were children and teenagers, we stayed at her parents' house when we had to take care of her, that's why I consider her as my little sister.

At this moment, Jack is taking Sofia inside the house, because I'm more certain than I'm going to get her to believe me. I'm also a little angry with her, because I'm more than sure it affected her, and I'm not going to allow Jessica to suffer because of Sofia's stubbornness, that's more than clear to me. Before entering the house, I sent a message to Santi to tell him I would let him know when Sofía came to her senses. I just hope Jessica wants to come back.

I didn't even wait for him to answer me, because I know at this moment he won't. I entered the house and found Sofía's parents and grandmother trying to make her calm down a little, but apparently, she won't make it that easy, while the guys were sitting on another sofa watching the scene, I get the impression a little scared and not knowing what to do.

"Sit down and listen carefully to what I'm going to tell you." I said, upset with the whole situation, but especially with Sofía, "I have nothing to listen to." She assured "Of course you're going to listen to me, you have no other option."

"Of course, I have." Sofía protested "No, now sit down." I said, pointing to the chair in front of me. "Sofía, listen to Carla, at least let her explain what she has to say." Her mother asked, "Are you really going to want Jessica back home after everything we went through these years?" She asked without believing what she's hearing. "Jessica will have her reasons, Sofía."

"Well, I don't really see it, I don't even believe she saved that boy, because if so, she would be dead like they told us." She responded, snorting, "She saved me." Miky whispered, but loud enough for everyone to hear and turn towards the children, processing what Miky said. He looked a little scared, but despite that he hadn't hesitated to say what Sofia had said wasn't true.

"What?" Camille asked. "This boy you see here is the child Jessica saved four years ago, and she's with him and his mother all this time." I informed, but without taking my eyes off Sofia. "And where's your mother now, little one?" Rose asked kindly. "My mother died a year and a half ago."

"I'm sorry." everyone said except Sofia "Don't be sorry, Jessica has been taking care of me since then. She's my older sister, after all." he said, shrugging his shoulders "See? This is not our Jessica." Sofía protested "She's looks like her, Sofía. How can you doubt she's your sister?"

"Because Jessica wouldn't have abandoned us like she did, that's why." She insisted, "Listen to what the boy has to say and then make an opinion." said Rose, assuming it would be better for her to listen to Miky's story than to me. "But grandma..." she began to protest. " But nothing, she's right." I said "Come on Miky, tell them about Jessica."

"Jessica saved me four years ago from dying there and everyone thought she was dead, but one day my mother and I were walking down the street and found her... She didn't have the slightest idea who she is, I didn't even know what her name is, so we took her home with us and told her everything we knew, which wasn't much more than her name. We tried to find the woman who was with her and we even went to the police station, but they said she wasn't that girl they asked about." He began, shrugging his shoulders. "So, she doesn't remember anything?"

"Nothing at all. My mother and I tried to look for the woman, but we never found her and that's why you didn't know anything about her all this time." From the look on Sofía's face, I knew that Miky's story hadn't convinced her at all. Sometimes I really hate the stubbornness they can have, in that they're alike, but Miky's story did. "Miky, leave me your cell phone for a moment." I asked "What do you want it for?"

"To convince the stubborn Sofia about Jessica." I said and he frowned. "And why do you need my cell phone?" asked confused "Eric" I said simply and it's at that moment he handed me his cell phone with his contacts open and I left, because I had to talk to him before putting it on speaker before her family heard about Jessica's tumour, not today at least, is what Jessica wants and I agreed with what she thought.

"Miky? Is something wrong with Jessica?" asked the worried voice of a man. "Hello sir, I'm sorry to call you from Miky's cell phone, but I didn't have your number and I need it for something." I said "Who is this?" she asked "I'm Carla, a friend of Jessica's and I need your help." I asked "What am I good for?" He asked kindly. "I need you to tell them everything you did to Jessica the moment she arrived at the emergency room because of the storm."

"Okay, I'll tell it, but why doesn't Jessica tell them?" He asked again. "Because she's not here right now, and I need these people to know that." I responded, "Okay, I'll do it." He accepted "There's something else I want to ask you." I said before going to the living room "What?" He questioned, "Don't say anything about Jessica's tumour, she doesn't want them to know right now."

"Very well, I won't tell." He responded "Thank you, now I'll put it on speaker so you can tell the others." I went back into the house to tell them, and the truth is it wasn't something pleasant to hear, I must admit. Thank goodness Santi isn't here, because I'm sure he wouldn't have liked to hear it at all. And now, finally, I could see how Sofía believed it. When I hung up, everything is silent, looking at each other. I took advantage of that moment to send a message to Santi telling him he could come with Jessica, to which I did receive a response and I replied everything is fine and going to be the moment Jessica walked through the door of the house.

"I told you; you should listen to the story and understand why Jessica never said anything." With that Sofia went out to the back garden of the house and a little later Jack went out to check on her, because it's obvious she would start crying at any moment, so we let her go outside to relax before Jessica came back home. "Will she come home?" Camille asked with tears starting to gather in her eyes. "They're coming" I reported with a smile on my face. "She doesn't remember him either?"

"Nor, but the feelings are there, in fact, they're together again." I confessed, "How long have you known Jessica is alive?" Rose asked with a frown. "Pretty much since we got to Los Angeles." I admitted, "Why didn't you tell us anything before?" Jess's father questioned, "Because if Santi had called, you would have thought he went crazy, and it's not something that should be told over the phone."

"Thank you for bringing her home again." thanked her mother, "Don't thank me for anything. Jessica didn't want to come back; it was this dwarf who convinced her." I said, ruffling Miky's hair with my hand. "Thanks, kid, but how come she didn't want to come back?" They asked, "It's a long story she herself will tell you at another time. Better focus on the fact she returned and is fine." I said "We will do that. Do you guys want something to drink?"

They nodded and Camille told them to accompany her to the kitchen so they could get whatever they wanted. They seemed a little shy, so I went with them to the kitchen and while we were there, we talked about everything.

SANTI'S POV

"Let's see, repeat the names again." She asked for the third time since we started going to her parents' house, "You already know, I don't need to tell you again." I responded, laughing, "I don't want to screw up Santi, so you repeat it to me." My girlfriend insisted, "Okay, your sister's name is Sofía, and she's the one you had that little problem with. Jack is your sister's fiancé and the one who was putting up with her so she wouldn't go after you. Then there's your mother, Camille. Your father's name is Charles, and lastly there's your grandmother Rose, you look like her I must say."

"I think I have it." she said, with a small smile on her face "You got it, I can assure you. Now stop worrying. They will understand if you don't know who they are." I responded, because I'm more than sure of it. "But I don't want to screw up, so no, it doesn't matter no matter how much they understand."

"Whatever you want." Once we got home, I noticed she's more nervous than a couple of minutes ago, mostly because she's biting her lower lip and playing with her fingers, so I stopped her and made her look at me. "You shouldn't be worried, Jess. Everything's fine." I assured, "You say that to calm me down." Jessica protested, pouting. "Yeah, and because it's true."

"What if my sister reacts the same or worse than before?" She asked in a worried tone. "If that had been the case, Carla wouldn't have told us we could come." I assured, because she wouldn't. "What if she changed her mind on the way while we were coming?" Jessica insisted "She hasn't changed her mind, I assure you. "Stop worrying honey, everything is going to be okay."

"I still can't believe I have a family." She murmured more to herself than to us, "Everyone has one." I said "It could be, but I thought I haven't. I had been alone for four years, my only family was Miky, Wisky, Madison and Miky's mother, I had no one else." She answered, "Well now you have a big family and you have me." I said with a big smile on my face "I like that, especially the last bit." Jess responded, returning my smile. "You don't see how long I've been waiting for this moment, to be able to have you in my arms again."

"I'm sorry for everything I've put you through." My girlfriend apologized and I denied, "You weren't at fault, so you don't have to apologize." I responded, "Maybe, but that doesn't mean I'm not grateful you found me." She answered, "I would find you a thousand times, now let's go inside before Carla gets impatient."

I took her hand and intertwined our fingers. I could tell she's nervous, and I honestly understand her. It must be complicated to lose your memory and after four years find out you have a completely different life than the one you led, but what I know is that she'll never be alone again, not even once, I will be with her when she needs me and not as it happened four years ago. I will be there because I love her more than anything in the world.

The moment I ring, her grandmother appears at the door and hugs Jessica and sheds some tears of emotion. "I thought we would never see you again." Rose says with a big smile on her face. "Well, I'm here." Her granddaughter responded, with a shy smile, "Luckily for everyone. Come in, everyone is waiting for you."

"Thank you." She thanked her and Rose laughed in denial. "Don't give them, dear. Welcome home. They're in the living room." We entered the house and I took her to the living room. I could see everyone and Sofia's face wasn't the best, but I hope she doesn't do anything. I don't want Jessica to feel bad about anything. "I thought you got lost along the way." Carla said with a big smile on her face. "Well, we haven't."

"It wasn't you I was worried about De Luca." Our best friend assured and I couldn't help but laugh as it reminded me of the relationship we had before Jess left. "Thank you for your appreciation." I thanked "You're welcome."

Jessica stayed standing and then her parents came to hug her. They were hugging for a couple of minutes, and during that time I noticed Sofía is watching the scene with her fiancé next to her. He's saying something in her ear, but it's as if she isn't paying attention. "She still doesn't want to see her, right?" I whispered to Carla without taking my eyes off Jess. "Of course, she wants to see her, she's just shocked. You know how stubborn she is."

"I know, as does Jessica." I said, "They are sisters for a reason. But how is she?" She asked, pointing in my girlfriend's direction. "Nervous and thinking Sofia hates her." I responded, "Sofía doesn't hate her." my best friend assured instantly, "That's what I told her." I responded "And she didn't believe you."

"I doubt it, as you said before, she's as stubborn as her sister." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Someday these two will kill us with a heart attack, and you will have her as a sister-in-law, you will have to put up with her stubbornness and the arguments they have." She said with a small smile on her face. "I will gladly put up with them, but you will have to do that too."

"Me? Why?" She asked, shifting her attention to me. "We both know since we thought Jessica died, you were the one who acted as big sister." I said and she denied "But now she has Jessica." Carla responded and I denied, because apparently, she didn't understand what I meant. "Now she has both of you. You may not be their blood sister, but you are her sister, keep it in that crazy head of yours."

"I will" She assured, "I'm sorry, but I can't." As soon as Sofia's words leave her mouth, Jessica looks at her sadly, because she knows it's because of her. Sofia had gone to the back garden and it doesn't take long for Jack to do the same. "I think it's best we go." Jess said, looking in my direction. "No, she'll get over it."

"I don't want to bother her any more than she is." Jessica insisted, "She's not upset, just shocked, nothing more. Just stay." her mother asked and Jess ended up nodding. We talked for an hour and shortly after Jack enters the house, but without Sofia, apparently, she wanted to be alone. He sits next to Rose and starts talking, but Jessica doesn't take long to get up.

"You're leaving now?" Charles asked and Jess shook her head with a small smile on her face. "No, not yet, I'll be back in a little while." And with that, she left the room, leaving us all in the room and without understanding anything, but I can assure ninety-nine-point nine percent she's going with Sofía. I just hope they don't kill each other and fix things. Sofia has to get back to her old self and Jessica has to get her sister back.