Chapter 29

GABRIELA

We spent about an hour more at Marcos and Carlos's house. They had invited us to stay for dinner, but my ear is starting to bother me and I preferred to go home to rest and take a pill.

This afternoon was one of the best, apparently Alex and Carlos were once again the friends they were a long time ago and I'm really happy. I'm sure they missed each other, they did a lot of things together and whether they like it or not, it remains marked.

Alex decided he's going to walk me home, which I wouldn't say no to this time. I'm half deaf and you could say I'm not hearing the noises on that side. "Things between you and Carlos are fine, right?" I asked and it didn't take long for him to nod with a smile on his face. "Yes, he told me to forgive him for what happened and we caught up more or less."

"I'm glad to hear that, I know it was important to you." I responded "He was like my brother, I really missed him." He admitted "You will see how things will go back to what they were a long time ago." I answered, "As long as I'm with you, I'm happy. What I didn't know was they had a sister."

"Yes, it's strange you didn't hear it, everyone knows." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Maybe, but I was just looking out for you and what I could do to find you, you should know." I said rolling my eyes "I can get an idea." He laughed. "You looked happy this afternoon."

"I was. You and Carlos are friends again, Carlos is becoming himself again, I can't ask for more." I assured and he denied "But that's not what I mean." He assured and I frowned. "What are you referring then?" I asked curiously "When you were with Ana. At that moment it was like you didn't pay attention to anything but her. When I went to you it seemed like you were her mother because of the way she was holding your jacket."

"That's impossible." I laughed, but he denied, because anyone who saw them without really knowing the relationship, they had would confuse them without a single second's hesitation. "I know it's impossible, but that's how it looked. I'm sure you will be a great mother." I stated, "I'm not so sure about that."

"I do. I don't think I've ever seen you as happy as you were this afternoon." My boyfriend confessed "Well yes I am, I stopped not being happy a long time ago I think." I muttered with a small smile on his face. "I'm glad to hear that, but it's time for you to go home so you don't get cold."

I hadn't even realized we had actually arrived home, so as soon as he said that, I turned to look and it's true. Apparently, there's no one at the windows or anything. It doesn't take long for him to approach me and put his arms around my hips.

"I will miss you beautiful." He whispered, "We'll see each other tomorrow, there isn't that much time left, after all." I responded even though I would miss him too. "I know, but with one second without you being by my side, it feels like an eternity."

"Exaggeration is what it does." I laughed and he rolled his eyes. "Maybe, but it's the truth." He assured, "I'll believe you, more than anything because I do it too." I admitted, "Is that why you believe me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, that's why." I said half-jokingly "Don't you see how much I love you my, queen." He said "I see it and I love you too"

We kissed and hugged. After a few minutes he left, mostly because I insisted, he leaves, I'm sure they would start looking out the window at any moment and I didn't want them to see him standing there with me. I stayed waiting until I lost sight of him, it was at that moment I enter the house and I noticed my ear is getting worse.

I entered the dining room, which is where everyone is, and sat down. I'm really quite tired, so after a few minutes and having some dinner, I went to bed. I don't know what time it was when I woke up, I only know I woke up because my ear hurt too much, it seemed like it's going to explode at any moment and it felt like it's burning, so I got up to go to the bathroom and pour water on it to see if that would work.

I had been in the bathroom for a couple of minutes and it didn't take long for my mother to come over, I'm sure it's to check on me, more than anything because I didn't leave the room at night at all. "Are you ok?" My mother asked, "Yes, my ear hurt but I'll take a pill, go to sleep." I respond "Are you sure?" she questioned and I nodded.

My mom started to turn to leave and when she's about to ger out she turned in my direction again with a scared face. "Gabriela your ear." She whispered and I frowned. "What's wrong?" I asked, but at that moment I noticed a liquid running down my neck, so I put my hand to my neck and see its blood.

"Shit" I protested, "I'm going to call your father, we're going to the doctor right now." She goes to her room to tell my father, but not before giving me a towel. It didn't take them long to get dressed and come for me to take me to the doctor. When we arrived at the medical center they treated me, they said that we should go to the hospital, that they could better see what's happening to me and we spent about an hour in the emergency room waiting for them to treat me.

When they treated me told me I had otitis media closer to low-level severity, that I was going to have to take care of my ear and tomorrow I shouldn't go to college to avoid temperature changes, I should be like this for three days. I know mom wouldn't let me leave the house at all. I will go crazy these three days, honestly.

We would get home around six thirty in the morning and they told me I should go to bed, which I don't dispute, because I'm sleepy. When I woke up it was about eleven in the morning, too late for my liking, but at least my ear doesn't hurt so much anymore, that's the only good thing.

I went down to have breakfast and my mother told me my grandparents would come tomorrow instead of us going there, since I shouldn't expose to the sudden changes in temperature. Tomorrow would be the day I would tell everyone I'm with Alex, partly this thing of staying home is great for me to think about what exactly I would say to them.

When I finished breakfast, I went to the studio to draw, that would help me think and decide what I would say to my family, and I was really thinking until apparently my siblings arrived from college. "Thinking about something important?" Marcos asked behind me, making me jump in the chair, frighting me. "Marcos, please don't scare me like this."

"Sorry, but since you didn't hear me, I decided to come in." My best friend said, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm sorry, but I'm half deaf, sometimes I don't hear anything." I admitted, "Yes, your siblings already told me what happened to you. It sounds painful." I nodded, because it's true. "It is, but it's nothing serious. The only serious thing about this situation is I'm going to be locked up until Monday, they will not let me leave the house."

"It can be bad." He nodded, understanding what I meant. "I'll go crazy." I assured, "If you want, I'll come and keep you company." He responded and I quickly nodded "Please, I'll go crazy if not." I assured, "I don't think so, but I understand what you mean. I leave and come back later. I'll bring Ana and Carlos if you want" he said and I raised an eyebrow. 

"Of course, you're going to bring them, you're not going to leave your sister alone with Carlos. What if something happens to him?" I asked, "I'm sure nothing will happen to him, but I'll bring him if it stops you from worrying."

"You'll do it." I confirmed "Then I'll see you in a while. And your mother told me to go down to eat." He said, before walking out the door. "I will, tell her I'll be there in a couple of minutes." I asked him "I'll tell them. See you in a while Gabriela." He said "See you in a while."

He left through the door and I came down a few minutes later. While we were eating my ear started to hurt again and luckily for me, we had finished eating when it started bleeding, so I went to the bathroom, followed by my mother until I convinced her she could go, that it was fine.