She was eager to learn more about her family’s rich history. Until then she’d take the time to get to know her father and the rest of the family, especially her anxious little cousins. She’d be in Puerto Rico for a very long time if she tried to do it all in one trip. Thanks to modern technology she’d manage to keep in contact via social media.
“Sorry, I ran off, mami. The pinchos are ready.” Victor nibbled on the remainder of his chicken kabob.
A curvy woman with curly hair similar to Victor’s approached them. Tears pooled in her eyes. She reached for Victor’s hand. Unprepared for so much emotion, Torri wrung her own hands. She simply planned to meet her father and get it out of her system. Her plan didn’t include standing in her grandmother’s backyard surrounded by family.
“She’s beautiful. She has your eyes, hermano.”
“Torri, this is your aunt, Tia Danya, my big sister.”
“I’m so happy to finally meet you.” Her aunt nearly squeezed as if she would never let go. “I’m not sure if your father told you, but I’m the reason he never went back to New York.”
“Danya, please…”
“No, hermano. She should know.”
“Victor, what is she talking about? Your letters to my mother weren’t very clear.”
“Princesa, it’s complicated. After you were born, Tia Danya’s husband left her. He fell for a woman on his job. Her devastation prodded my guilt. I stayed here to console her and to give your mother a chance to save her marriage. You had a home and a family. I didn’t want to take that away from you.”
“But, you did exactly that by staying away.”
“I know.”
“Believe me, I was so angry that he kept you a secret for so long.” Danya wrapped her arm around Torri’s shoulder. “I’m glad to see you’re not as stubborn as your father.”
Another woman that shared her father’s hazel eyes joined them. “Stop talking her ear off. Victoria, I’m your Tia Helena, your father’s little sister. I hope you’re hungry because we prepared a feast in your honor. Lechon, pasteles, arroz con gandules, tostones, flan and arroz con dulce for dessert.” Her aunt looked toward the table arranged behind her. “We typically only prepare a lechon for Christmas, but this is an extra special occasion. Your father never thought this day would arrive.”
Behind her aunt an entire pig roasted on a spit. Wow.
A young lady carrying a bottle ran in. “Is she here?”
Torri timidly raised her hand.
“Prima! I bought coquito. Let’s celebrate.”
“Ramona to the rescue.” Tia Helena grabbed the bottle.
Victor watched from the grill. His mother stepped beside him.
“She’s home, mi hijo. She’s home, son.”
Later that night
Torri fumbled for her phone in the dark. Her head pounded from the tons of coquito she consumed with Ramona and her Tia Helena. She caught a glimpse of the illuminated red numbers - 3:28 AM. Her phone rang again. Her father’s picture radiated from her cell. This can’t be good.
“Papi ésta en el hospital.” A female voice cried out.
Torri didn’t need a translation; hospital was all she needed to know. The girl rambled off the address before hanging up. Torri’s legs wobbled. She called the front desk, requested a cab and quickly dressed. Torri had not idea what to expect, she only hoped she’d make it on time.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
There wasn’t any time to dwell on the fearful thoughts that swirled in her head during her ride to the hospital. Torri needed answers. She stormed through the emergency room. Her heart pounded with each step.
“I’m looking for my father. I got a call that he is here. Where can I find him?” Although her lips trembled Torri’s words flew from her mouth at a fast and steady pace.
“Nombre?”
“El nombre es Victor James Caldwell.” She managed in her best Spanish.
“Un momento, por favor.” The nurse checked the computer. “Your father’s been admitted. Room 204.”
“Admitted? Why?”
“You’ll have to speak to the doctor. The elevators are on the left.”
The elevator doors opened. Suddenly Torri wasn’t sure she wanted answers. When the doors opened on the second floor Torri clutched her arms closed to her chest. waiting area. Her gaze locked on her mother’s tear-filled eyes. Lynette stood. A lovely young lady rushed over to Torri before she could react.
“Torri?”
She recognized the voice immediately. “Thanks for calling me. How is Victor? What happened?”
“Papi’s very sick. The doctor’s coming here soon.”
It didn’t slip by Torri that the young lady called Victor ‘Papi’ more than once. She noticed they each shared the same honey-brown eyes, button-nose and mouth as Victor. The young lady even smiled like Victor.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, I’m Rosa. We’re sisters. This isn’t the way I wanted to meet you.” Rosa looked toward Lynette. “Your mother called me. She was with Papi when he started having pains.”
Torri wasn’t sure she heard correctly. Her mother was with Victor?
“Did he have a heart attack?”
“I don’t know.” Rosa’s lips quivered.
Torri wrapped her arms around Rosa. She trembled as she established an instant bond with her sister. “He’ll be okay. I’m going to see what’s keeping the doctor.”
Lynette sat in the corner wiping tears from her nose and eyes. Her mother cried over a man that she didn’t want any contact with. The same man she kept out of Torri’s life. Disgust bubbled in Torri’s stomach and burned her eyes. Lynette looked up into her daughter’s eyes. Her gaze didn’t waver.
Torri’s pace was quick and deliberate. With each step, she played out what she’d say. Her throat burned and she was sure the moment she opened her mouth her words would scorch her mother. Yet when she stood toe to toe with her mother, everything she rehearsed seconds before fell between the cracks and raw emotions emerged.
“Why are you here?”
Lynette moved closer to her daughter, but Torri stepped back. “I came here to make things right.”
“You had that chance thirty years ago, mama. You had that chance when I asked you what happened to my father. Whenever the phone rang my heart wished it was him. You knew the pain I felt and you selfishly kept Victor a secret.”
“You’re right, Torri. I was blinded by my feelings and I can’t give you back those years. I didn’t mean to hurt you or Cliff. But, you weren’t the only person I needed to ask for forgiveness.”
“It’s not fair, mom. This is what I’m left with? A couple of days with him and now this?”
Lynette wiped her own tears away and took a step toward Torri.
A nurse interrupted. “Miss Torri. Your father is asking for you.”
Lynette walked along with them. The nurse halted. “I’m sorry, but he only asked for his daughter.”
“Sweetie, wait. If I could go back and undo it all, I would. You mean the world to me. I’m so sorry.” Her eyes watered. “You needed your father and I deprived you of that because of my pride. Now, your father needs you. Go to him.” Lynette lowered her head and sat down. “I love you.”
Torri refrained from responding, but her mother was right. Victor needed her. She trudged toward the room. Each step heavier than the last. Not sure what she’d say to him, she continued forward. Everything around her moved at warp speed. The cacophony of beeping monitors, doctors conferencing and family members buzzing reminded her of the final moments she spent with her grandmother. Torri stopped. Once her breathing returned to normal, Torri lifted her shoulders and eased into his room.
Victor’s sweet brown skin appeared ashen. His eyes matched the dullness of his skin, but his smile still brightened the darkest day. Torri couldn’t resist retu
rning his smile, although she felt her heart breaking. Her mind automatically played out the worst case scenario.
“Mi hija. Why are you so far away?”
Torri didn’t realize she stood grounded at the doorway of his private room.
“H-how are you?” She tiptoed along his bedside avoiding the tubes and nerve-racking monitors.
“I’m better now that my sunshine has entered the room.”
Torri felt five years old. She leaned over to kiss her father. Her lips lingered on his forehead. She wished her kiss contained every bit of what he needed to conquer his ailment. Her father weakly brushed his hand across her rustled curls. Torri sank in a chair beside his bed and held onto his hand.
“I don’t want you to worry.”
“I’m not leaving here until you’re out of that bed.”
“What about your gallery? Your students?”
“The only thing you need to be concerned about is getting better. Besides, you’ll be out of here before you know it. You probably ate something that didn’t agree with you.”
“M’ija, I have my family. You can go home. I don’t deserve this extra attention.”
“Victor, it’s done. I’m staying.”
He clutched his side near his ribs and struggled to catch his breath.
“Dad?” She raced to the door. “Nurse!”
A medical team rushed into the room and Torri found herself on the other side of the threshold. Rosa grasped her hand and stood beside her.
Twenty minutes later the family was called into the room. Victor’s condition worsened. His kidneys were failing. The only choice was to place her father on Dialysis. Jolted by the news her abuela dropped into a chair in the corner of the room. Torri replayed the news from the doctor in her head over and over again. Dialysis. She’d just met her father.
The man in the bed appeared to be half the man she partied with a few hours before. there must be something she could do. Lynette stood alone beside Victor in the bed. Her arms were squeezed so tightly across her body as she forced the tears to stay in, otherwise she would’ve ruptured like a fractured dam. Torri looked at Rosa, her half-sister. Her new family filled the room. If Victor died, where would she fit in their lives?
Torri pulled the attending doctor aside. “Dr. Moreno, I just met my father and I can’t lose him like this. What are his options?”
“The truth is his best chance is a transplant. There’s a long waiting list.”
Torri breathed in. Victor deserved a second chance. She longed for a father. The last few days gave her a taste of what it would be like. She teetered on angry and could surmise that he contacted her because he was dying. Yet, deep inside she felt another reason existed. She glanced at her family gathered at Victor’s bedside. She believed he reached out because she could save him. Not just for her, but for all of them.
“I don’t know much about this but can a family member be a kidney donor?” Torri led the doctor out of Victor’s room.
“Of course. If someone in your family is a match for the transplant your father wouldn’t have to wait.”
“What about my aunts, his sisters — my sister?”
The doctor shook his head. “Sorry, we tested them when we thought this may become an issue.”
“Oh.” Her voice shook. “Can I see if I’m a match?”
“Well…”
“Doctor, please. Tell me what to do.”
“We’d have to run some tests. If you’re a match, I can assure you, our doctors and nurses will be with you and your father every step of the way.”
“Let’s do it.” Torri caressed the gold locket around her neck.
Dr. Moreno glanced at her hand. “Is there someone special you want to call before you decide?”
Torri warmed at the doctor’s comments. She missed Antonio more than anything at that moment. She hadn’t heard from him since she left him in Boston. But, she didn’t have time to think about Antonio. She needed to make a decision about her father’s life.
“What’s the process? When can we begin?”
“This looks like a serious conversation. Care to fill me in?” Lynette stood near Torri, and looked at the doctor.
Torri’s response to her mother wasn’t so sweet. “Mother, I have this under control. There is no need for you to worry.”
“Torri, in my experience it would be best that you include the family in on your decision.” Dr. Moreno suggested.
“What decision, sweetie?”
Lynette grasped Torri’s hand. Warmth spread through Torri’s body. Her mother’s touch comforted her. It reminded Torri of how close they were before Lynette revealed the details of her secret affair. Lynette tightened her grasp. Torri didn’t mind; she missed her. If Torri were to go through with the transplant, her mother was the best person to have by her side. Victor was a part of her life now and Torri wasn’t ready to let that go. His health took precedence over any issues she had with her mother.
“I’ve decided to undergo tests to see if I’m a match for a kidney.”
Lynette squeezed her daughter’s hand and glanced over at Dr. Moreno. His nod confirmed what Torri just shared with her.
“What will happen to my daughter?”
“We promise to take the absolute best care of your daughter and her father.”
“Torri, your father should be a part of this decision. When he wakes up and the doctor gives us permission, we’ll talk to him.”
Rosa and her grandmother appeared to hear the end of the conversation. Rosa covered her mouth with her hand. Their grandmother gently pushed past Lynette and squeezed Torri.
“Gracias, mi amor. Gracias.”
Their demonstration of gratitude let Torri know she’d made the right decision. Victor’s mother should not have to bury her son nor watch him suffer. She promised to speak to Victor about her choice, but she didn’t need or want his permission. The rest was in God’s hands.
“Dr. Moreno, I’ll ask you again. When can we begin testing?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
New York City
Uncharacteristic for September, humid air weighed on her chest, heavy as her heart. Her steady rhythm in the rocking chair supplied a slight breeze. A worn leather-bound bible rested in her lap. Gail’s behavior had been unacceptable in her own eyes. While her pain was insurmountable, it wasn’t hers alone. She sobbed for hours after Antonio invaded Grace’s bedroom. She tossed Faith and Ben out behind him and locked herself in the room for the next two days.
After the first day, her grandchildren begged her to open the door. They left a tray of food by the door, just as Antonio did for his mother when her days were bad. And, like her daughter, Gail didn’t touch the food. Amidst the tears, she reflected on her children and how she failed each of them. There wasn’t any other explanation for it. One son suffered in jail. Another spent more time on the road more than with his son. And, her only daughter struggled with life. Next, she did the only thing that made sense to her. She pushed Antonio away before she ruined his life any further. It broke Gail’s heart, but she thought he was safe. She imagined he would do well and come back for the twins. But, he had spiraled in the opposite direction.
On the second day, when her sobbing turned to a whimper and a sniffle, she noticed the worn bible on the nightstand. It’d always been there, but she never truly regarded its presence. Gail wiped her damp cheeks and opened the bible. She read the scripture bookmarked by her daughter.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
After reading the passage, Gail laid her hand over her heart as a calm washed over her. All this time, Grace left her a message. She didn’t want Gail to worry. She lifted her head and found the strength her daughter wanted her to have and left the room.
> Antonio shoved a few articles of clothing into his carry-on bag along with a few essentials. He kept his promises to Torri and rid himself of the heavy baggage he’d been toting for years. He replaced Delilah at November Rain, reconciled with his father, confronted his past and as an added bonus he got his ex, Rita, some help. After Jasmine took care of things with Rita, she shared that Torri went to Puerto Rico. It looked like Torri had turned the tables on him and she was the one playing the disappearing act. Antonio understood, he knew what it was like to need a little time away from the madness. For him, it was back to business. First, he needed to make a stop before he ventured to wrap up things at November Rain in Boston.
“Pull up here. I’ll be right back.”
Alone, his grandmother rocked on the porch and sipped on a glass of iced tea. From a distance, Antonio could tell she had not been eating. Her clothes draped her frail structure. While they hadn’t been getting along, he couldn’t let her waste away. As he drew closer, he noted the ashen-tone of her olive skin. Grateful his cousins weren’t around, he rested on the steps beside her.
“Hi Grandma.”
Gail fixed her eyes on the old oak tree and continued to rock.
“I’m on my way out of town. I couldn’t leave without apologizing to you.”
He watched his grandmother caress the bible he’d seen his mother read many times. Tension escaped in a puff of air from Antonio’s lips and he glanced at the tree. He shifted closer to his grandmother and cleared his throat. “I miss mom, too.”
“Do you? All you care about are your restaurants and that girlfriend of yours.” The rocking stopped.
“I could open fifteen restaurants and not one of them will bring my mother back.” He stood. “Part of me died with her that night. But, it’s how I’m surviving without her.”
“Surviving? You’re trying to forget her. That’s why you moved out and stopped coming around.”
She wasn’t completely wrong. Antonio left to avoid walking past his mother’s bedroom everyday. He’d hoped his absence would wipe away the vivid memory of the medical examiner carrying her lifeless body out of the house. He needed to blot out those final moments and focus on everything special that he remembered and adored about his mother. The way she smelled like flowers in the springtime; all the time. Her cute laugh. The sound of her humming when she brushed her soft, dark hair before she turned in each night.
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