Another Hospital Stay
Chapter 4
"Alexia? Is it really you? Mija, I haven't heard from you in five years, como estas," my grandmother asks, clearly delighted that I had called.
"Abuela, I know everything now. I know why my mother left me," I say automatically.
"Teresa finally explained, verdad? She finally told you," she says, her voice changing.
"Yes, she finally did. After much begging and pleading on my part, she finally told me," I say, sitting on the window seat and looking outside, noticing that it was cloudy and that more than likely it was going to rain.
"Is that why you called me? Just to tell me that," she asks.
"Yes and no. I also wanted to see how you and abuelo are doing. And I also wanted to know if you would do me a favor," I reply slowly, closing my eyes.
"We're doing fine, mija. But what is it that you need? We'll help you however we can," she says.
I quickly tell her my plan and she reluctantly agrees, after much begging from me. We talk for about an hour and I finally decide that I had to hang up. We say goodbye for now and I turn off the phone. I get up and walk over to my dresser, where my grandmother's phone book was lying open. I close it and pick it up, heading downstairs with it and putting it back from where I had gotten it. I then go into the kitchen, where both my grandmother and grandfather were at, talking in hushed voices. As soon as my grandmother sees me, though, she nods in my direction and the both stop talking. I walk over to my grandfather, whom I haven't seen in a few days and brush a kiss onto his forehead.
"Hi, abuelo," I say, standing up straight and smoothing the wrinkles on my skirt.
"Hi, mija. How are you doing? I haven't seen you for awhile," he says, grasping my hand and gently squeezing it.
"I'm fine, abuelo. I just needed some time to think, that's all," I explain, pulling out a chair and sitting. "Umm…was I wondering…can I use the car for the afternoon? I need to go get a few things from the city," I add shyly, looking from one to the other.
They look at each other and I see my grandmother nod slightly. My grandfather turns to look at me and says, "Yeah, go ahead. Just be careful, okay? Take my phone with you." He hands me the car keys and his cell phone. I take them, getting up and heading towards the door.
"I'll be back soon, okay? Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I just need to get a few things. Oh, and don't be calling me every five seconds, like you normally do when I'm out. I'll call you," I say, smiling.
"We just want to make sure you're fine, mija," my grandmother says, smiling.
"I know. But you calling me every five seconds to see how I'm doing is going a little overboard, isn't it," I ask, stopping at the door.
"Fine, we won't do it again. Now, hurry up and go before it gets dark," my grandfather says, looking over at me. I smile and walk out the door, heading up to my room to get all the money that I needed. A few minutes later, and I'm on my way to city. Within a few minutes, I arrive at the airport and quickly park the car, getting out. I walk inside and head to the desk where they sold tickets. I waited in line for about twenty minutes until I finally reached the clerk.
"How may I help you, miss," the guy sitting behind the counter asks me with a smile.
"Umm…I need to get a ticket to Trenton, New Jersey," I say, looking around, expecting my grandparents to all of a sudden pop out of nowhere.
"Abuela, I know everything now. I know why my mother left me," I say automatically.
"Teresa finally explained, verdad? She finally told you," she says, her voice changing.
"Yes, she finally did. After much begging and pleading on my part, she finally told me," I say, sitting on the window seat and looking outside, noticing that it was cloudy and that more than likely it was going to rain.
"Is that why you called me? Just to tell me that," she asks.
"Yes and no. I also wanted to see how you and abuelo are doing. And I also wanted to know if you would do me a favor," I reply slowly, closing my eyes.
"We're doing fine, mija. But what is it that you need? We'll help you however we can," she says.
I quickly tell her my plan and she reluctantly agrees, after much begging from me. We talk for about an hour and I finally decide that I had to hang up. We say goodbye for now and I turn off the phone. I get up and walk over to my dresser, where my grandmother's phone book was lying open. I close it and pick it up, heading downstairs with it and putting it back from where I had gotten it. I then go into the kitchen, where both my grandmother and grandfather were at, talking in hushed voices. As soon as my grandmother sees me, though, she nods in my direction and the both stop talking. I walk over to my grandfather, whom I haven't seen in a few days and brush a kiss onto his forehead.
"Hi, abuelo," I say, standing up straight and smoothing the wrinkles on my skirt.
"Hi, mija. How are you doing? I haven't seen you for awhile," he says, grasping my hand and gently squeezing it.
"I'm fine, abuelo. I just needed some time to think, that's all," I explain, pulling out a chair and sitting. "Umm…was I wondering…can I use the car for the afternoon? I need to go get a few things from the city," I add shyly, looking from one to the other.
They look at each other and I see my grandmother nod slightly. My grandfather turns to look at me and says, "Yeah, go ahead. Just be careful, okay? Take my phone with you." He hands me the car keys and his cell phone. I take them, getting up and heading towards the door.
"I'll be back soon, okay? Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I just need to get a few things. Oh, and don't be calling me every five seconds, like you normally do when I'm out. I'll call you," I say, smiling.
"We just want to make sure you're fine, mija," my grandmother says, smiling.
"I know. But you calling me every five seconds to see how I'm doing is going a little overboard, isn't it," I ask, stopping at the door.
"Fine, we won't do it again. Now, hurry up and go before it gets dark," my grandfather says, looking over at me. I smile and walk out the door, heading up to my room to get all the money that I needed. A few minutes later, and I'm on my way to city. Within a few minutes, I arrive at the airport and quickly park the car, getting out. I walk inside and head to the desk where they sold tickets. I waited in line for about twenty minutes until I finally reached the clerk.
"How may I help you, miss," the guy sitting behind the counter asks me with a smile.
"Umm…I need to get a ticket to Trenton, New Jersey," I say, looking around, expecting my grandparents to all of a sudden pop out of nowhere.