After

The Love of a Mother

I feel like this is a very personal chapter to me because I used to write on paper where no one could see but now I wrote where people can see so if your could respect that.

Alejandro's POV:

I woke up the next day in the same clothes as yesterday which were damp from being in the water.

I looked at my phone to see a text from Heather sent yesterday. I didn't respond because I couldn't do anything, I felt numb and achy.

"Knock knock". I heard a familiar voice from my door.

It was a man with light brown curly hair on his head which looked like it hadn't been combed. He had light green eyes and my same skin tone and stood just about 6'2. He wore what looked like a soccer jersey with a number 2 on the back.

"Carlos". I smiled trying to get up but it was too much.

"Hermano, the twins and I will come over to you". Carlos said leading two waddling babies just about 1 years old.

"Aiden, Clementine!". My eyes lit up.

"Mama". Aiden said.

"No, that's uncle Alejandro, remember, I'm sorry all they have been saying lately is mama". Carlos rolled his eyes picking the two up and putting them on my bed.

It was silent for a few minutes besides Aiden and Clementine babbling to each other until Carlos put the two on the floor and hugged me. I was caught off guard by this and hugged him back. "I can't tell you how much I missed you Alejandro, we all missed you, well almost all". Carlos mumbled the last part.

"What do you mean by almost all?". I quirked an eyebrow.

Carlos was silent and sighed. "You know who I'm talking about Alejandro". Carlos frowned.

"José". I replied.

Carlos nodded before speaking. "When we first found out about what happened José didn't speak to us for almost a month, Vanessa, the twins, and I stayed with mama and papa because they needed us. But even Rosa nor his kids came over, Rosa didn't talk to us, and even when we started calling José he always said he was okay and we always asked him to come over with Rosa and the kids and he kept making up excuses that they were all busy with college and work and with the kids which made mama sad, she missed her grandchildren. But after almost a month and a half Rosa came over with the kids and explain everything. José was a wreak, he was worried about you, he started shutting people out of his life, isolating himself from family and friends, not taking care of himself most of the time. Deep down José cares about you Alejandro, when he doesn't want to look weak or feel like he cares he isolates himself instead". Carlos finished leaving me in probably the biggest state of shock I have ever been in.

"When mama found out about this it broke her completely, it was like her world was falling apart at the seems, like the control of her life was all gone, she broke down right in front of all of us. We didn't know what to do, even papa didn't know what to do. The day after Rosa told us about how José was a wreak Rosa dragged José to mama and papa's house and tell mama and papa about how he was a wreak and after José talked with mama which is something José was hesitant about, and still it's been a year and mama is still worried about José even though he acts completely like himself, something with her motherly instinct knows he's lying and truth I know he is". Carlos continued.

I was shocked about José but My Mother was a genuine surprise. It wasn't like she didn't cry, but I never had heard about her completely giving up and breaking down, that wasn't like her. "I'll leave you alone now, come on mis mijos". Carlos picked both of them up as they both giggled and Carlos walked out the door with Aiden and Clementine in his hands closing the door on his way out.

I checked the time after Carlos left and saw it was 11:30. I jerked up screaming in pain, luckily my door was closed and no one heard me or so I thought. My mother came rushing in. "ALEJANDRO". She screamed.

"Mama it's fine just a little pain". I shook it off.

"No Alejandro it's not fine, why does everyone keep saying it's fine when it's not!". She walked out in anger.

I slowly got up and followed her to the bedroom she shared with my father. She sat in silence for a minute until walking to the bathroom to draw a bath. I always remembered when she was angry or a rainy day she would always draw a bubble bath. She said it calmed her down and left her alone to be in her thoughts. But the one thing different she did that most people did when having a bubble bath was only use one kind on bubble bath. I never knew why but all I remember I would hug her and she would always smell of vanilla and coconut. I knew it was her favorite scent and would wear it everyday.

I watched as she grabbed a towel and sat down on her bed, I was going to walk away when I suddenly lost balance and fell screaming. My mother heard this and came running. "I knew you would follow me, and I knew you weren't okay". She said sternly as I fell in defeat.

She sat down next to me running a hand through my hair. "Do you know why I never use any other scent?". She asked.

"Because you've always liked it or your Abuela used to use it". I responded.

"Well yes but that's not why I always started using it. That was only scent that would calm you boys down, especially you, it was your favorite thing in the whole world". She fidgeted with her rings.

"Alejandro, something is wrong and don't lie to me, I'm your mama, and I know you better than anybody". She frowned.

My eyes looked down at my aching body. "I'm in pain, like a lot of pain mama, and I didn't want to tell you because well I didn't want you to worry anymore about me".

"Alejandro, your my son, I could never stop worrying about you even if you were perfectly fine". She replied.

"Well I'll leave you to have your bath". I struggled to get up when she put a hand on my shoulder stopping me.

"I think you need it more than I do, baths help relieve pain, even if it won't take all the pain away it's still helps. Besides I have been just waiting to unknot your hair. So I'll finish running your bath and then I'll come in when your done to brush your hair". She smiled.

"Wait but". She put a finger to my lips.

"No buts". She got me on my feat and led me to the bathroom.

********

I was laying in my bed when I got hungry and walked downstairs to get something to eat and to my surprise my mom had laid food out for me. "For you mi hijo". She kissed my head and went around the kitchen cleaning up. But while she was cleaning she kept yawning and I wasn't the only one who noticed my father suddenly walked in and kissed her. "Fernando". She rolled her eyes. "Maria, come with me". He led her upstairs which left me in total confusion.

20 minutes passed and I decided to see what they were up to. I was walking upstairs when I saw Cartia just standing there. "Hola hermana". I smiled as she turned her head.

"Papa went to run mama a bath, if you wanted to know". She replied and walked in her room closing the door.

I walked down the hall to my room and smiled at my parents door. "I really missed being home" I thought.