JESSICA'S POV
After all the commotion made because of the press in front of the house and after my low mood, I decided it's better to go to bed for a while to have a clear mind and know what's happening and what I'm going to do, because something I'm know is I'm not going to let Santi and Carla bear all the responsibility for this, not when it's not their problem, and I had to protect the kids.
I don't know what time it is when I woke up, the only thing I know for sure is I'm not alone. Miky and Madison talking to each other and petting Wisky at the same time he's lying at my feet.
"What are you doing here?" I asked confused "Until you decide to wake up sis, I thought you wouldn't wake up until tomorrow." Miky said laughing, "I wanted to sleep, now can you answer my question?" I asked, "Well, we're afraid to walk around the house and Wisky gets anxious with those guys around here, that's why we're here."
"What guys?" I asked, frowning, "Some tall men in black suits arrived. They look dodgy." Madison answered for Miky "Men in suits?" I questioned, still confused. "Yes, if you don't believe us, go see for yourself." He said, pointing in the direction of the door with his chin, "That's exactly what I'm going to do. You guys stay here with Wisky, I'll come in a little while, okay?"
They nodded and I got out of bed to go see what these two were talking about. I opened the door and closed it so Wisky wouldn't escape, and then made my way downstairs.
As soon as I arrive, I see five tall men dressed in black suits, one of them was talking to Carla and Santi, who soon realizes I'm standing there looking at them. "Did we wake you up, darling?" Santi asked with a small smile on his face. "No, you haven't, but the kids are a little scared these men are here."
"They shouldn't worry, they're the ones who will protect us from all the press. You already know him; he was your bodyguard and then he became Carla's." My boyfriend reported, "Now he's her bodyguard again, though, I hope you're still the one in charge of these, Jackson."
"Miss Leone?" The man asked and it is at that moment a memory from some time ago comes to mind, but I can remember clearly.
Flashback (Narrator)
It was a sunny day and Jessica was going to the record company. The bosses of this record company had been at one of her presentations and when they heard her sing and they liked it, so they offered her to come by so they could tell her the details and show her the record company. Jessica hadn't told anyone, only Jackson, her bodyguard, knew, who was with her at the time and made her promise not to tell anyone.
"Miss Leone, can I ask you a question?" Jackson asked, glancing for a few milliseconds in Jessica's direction. "Will you ever stop calling me Miss Leone?" the girl asked, laughing. "I work for you, it's a way to respect you." He said, shrugging his shoulders, "I know you respect me, but you don't need to call me miss all the time. I would like you to call me Jessica."
"I'll try, but I can achieve it." He said "Well, step by step. For now, Now tell me, what was your question?" the girl asked curiously, "Why didn't you tell Santi you were going to go to that record company?"
"Because it's not at all certain, I'm just going to see and then we'll see if it happens." Jessica shrugged. "Did you ever see you as a singer?" He asked and the girl looks up at him with questions in her eyes. "No. I think I don't sing well." I said sincerely, "Well, let me tell you, if you do it, you're good." His bodyguard assured, "Thank you. You know, there's something you are good at too." The girl said with a big smile on her face. "What?" He asked with a frown. "I've seen some of your drawings and they're actually very good."
"Thank you, Miss Leone, but they can't compare to yours." He responded "I believe art cannot be compared, because everything is different and beautiful in its own way. They're different ways of seeing the world." The girl replied, "That's true." The man murmured, "Of course it's true."
"By the way, this morning the girls' manager called you to tell you they have a photo shoot, and they want you to go." He informed his boss "What girls?" Jessica questioned without understanding who he was referring to. "Miss Nelson, Edwards…" he began to list, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"
"Yes, and they said they wanted to talk business with you." He replied, "Shit, but it has to be after the trip to Los Angeles." The girl murmured and the bodyguard frowned. "You didn't tell me you were going to Los Angeles." He noted, "I'm leaving for a few days, and I didn't tell you because I don't want you to come."
"I can't allow that, miss." The man assured, "Of course you can, what I couldn't allow is for you to spend the day taking care of me and not see your daughter grow up, that's something I wouldn't allow. Besides, I don't want you to have problems with your husband." The artist reported, "He understands it's my job."
"It may be your job, but my duty is for you to spend time with your family, and that's what you're going to do." She insisted, "At least take someone with you." The bodyguard asked, "It won't be necessary. Everything will be fine." The girl responded, "You never know." The man pointed out to his boss, "Don't worry, really, I'll be fine."
"As you like." He murmured, "Of course it's going to be like that, it must be of some use to me be your boss." The girl responded, laughing, "You can say you're everything but my boss. Of all the bosses I had, you're the one who treats us like people. The guys are happy working for you."
"I'm glad to know that, but I can't treat you any other way. People should be kind, because at the end of the day you're making sure their lives are easier and with fewer problems." The girl responded, "I would like everyone to see it like that." Jackson assured, "At some point they will."
"I hope so. We're here. Do you want me to accompany you?" He asked and the young artist nodded. "I need to have someone who looks at safety and gives me feedback, so yeah, I want you to come with me." Jessica responded with a smile on her face "As you wish."
What the man did not know was that once his boss took the plane to Los Angeles, he wouldn't see her again and he would feel so bad for having left her alone that he distanced himself from his family and friends, focusing on doing his job with Carla who would become his new boss and he wouldn't let anything happen to her.
End flashback
I couldn't believe it... I had remembered something after a long time. I knew who he is and everything we talked about when we were in the car. "Jackson?" I asked, surprised I remembered. "That's right, miss."
I couldn't help but hug him. I could see he's holding back the urge to cry, but hugged me back and we stayed like that for a couple of seconds until he pulled me away to see me. "I thought you died." He said once I stop hugging him, "Luckily for everyone, I haven't done it." I said with a big smile, "I'm glad to see you're okay."
"I'm glad to see you're okay too." I admitted with the smile still planted on my face "Jess?" Santi asked near where I am. "Tell me, love." I said, turning in his direction. "We have to talk about what we're going to do with the press now they will start investigating who you are and find out that you are not dead."
"Would an interview be a good idea?" I asked curiously and everyone stayed silent, looking at me without understanding anything I just said. I know it may be a bit hasty, but I want them leave Santi and Carla alone, they have already had to go through too much in recent years to add more things to them. "Miss, I think it's hasty, considering your condition."
"My condition? What are you talking about, Jackson?" I asked, frowning. "The tumour, from what I've been told, it still has." He responded "Still? What do you know Jackson?" Carla asked, approaching where we are. "I'm sorry, but I promised Miss Leone, I wouldn't tell you unless she's the one to tell her first."
"What are you talking about Jackson? We already know." My boyfriend responded, "I'm sorry, but it was Jessica's orders." The man admitted, "What did I tell you?" I asked curiously, "Don't you remember?" He asked, surprised. "I'm sure they told you I forgot everything." I answered, "I have been told something like that." He responded, "Then tell me what I told you years ago." I asked, "Are you sure?" He asked and I nodded, because maybe I could remember something.
Flashback (Narrator)
Jessica had had a headache for a couple of days and Jackson ended up convincing her to go to the hospital. They examined her and decided to do tests in which they detected she had a tumour they could operate on and would put an end to the headaches and other consequences it could have.
Once in the car, the two remained silent, looking ahead, Jessica trying to understand what the doctor had just told her and Jackson looking for a way to comfort his boss. "I'm so sorry Jessica." He said, saddened by the situation his boss now found herself in, "It's nothing, this will be cured." The girl responded convinced.
"That's the mentality you must maintain." The bodyguard smiled. "And I'm going to do it, but you have to do me a favour." Jessica asked, "Whoever wants." He assured this without hesitation, "Don't tell anyone, much less Santi." Jessica asked and the bodyguard frowned "From my point of view they must know, Jessica. "You shouldn't hide something like that from the people you love."
"And I'm not going to do it, I just want to tell them. Could you do me that favour?" Jessica asked "Sure, I just hope it doesn't take too long because from what I could hear, Santi is starting to worry about your headaches." He informed her and she nodded with a big smile on her face. "Don't worry, I'll tell him this afternoon when I get home. Could you leave the house to myself?"
"With all the press stalking you? No way." The man said, denying, "What if they stay outside the house?" He asked, "If we can go in and check the house first." Negotiated Jackson "Done. Take me home, please." his boss asked "As you order."
The road was completely silent. Jessica was thinking about how to tell Santi, because she knew he would worry too much, and the last thing she wanted to do was worry him more.
Once they arrived at the house, Jackson entered to inspect that everything was fine and then told her if she needed anything to call him, but the girl practically forced him to go home with his family, which Jackson ended reluctantly accept.
It was six in the afternoon when Santi got home, and Jessica was determined to tell him, but he seemed so excited to tell her he had met a boy with a great talent for music, she didn't want to ruin his mood, and upset him on the last afternoon they would spend together before she left for Los Angeles. She decided it would be best to tell him after she got back from Los Angeles.
End flashback
"Why didn't you tell me earlier, Jess?" Santi asked "I... I don't remember... I don't know why I didn't tell you... Fuck!!!!" I exclaimed, frustrated at not being able to give my boyfriend an answer. "Hey, don't worry, everything is fine." He assured and I started to focus my gaze on him "Aren't you angry?"
"Of course not, I just didn't expect him to know, and I didn't." He responded, shrugging his shoulders. "I wouldn't know if I hadn't been with her when she got the results." Jackson said, "I hate this thing about not remembering anything." I murmured more to myself than to others, "Don't worry, it's okay. What we should focus on is the now and the future, okay?" my boyfriend said, and I nodded.
"Well, I'm going to start coordinating everything so you can leave through the back without being seen. Come on guys, everyone to their places." Jackson said, making the rest of the bodyguards go to wherever their positions were. "Thank you, Jackson."
"It's nothing miss, it's my job, and this time I won't fail." With that, the five of them left the house to start coordinating everything they were going to do, and the truth is, I had no idea where we were going to go. "And where are we going?" I asked, snuggling closer into Santi's chest. "To Carla's house."
"Won't the press follow us?" I questioned, worried they would. I didn't want them to scare the kids anymore. "No. I'll leave first to distract them, and you'll go there without them following you."
"Don't they know where you live?" I asked, surprised. "They don't have the slightest idea, don't worry. Go get the kids and pick up whatever you have here, you'll be leaving in a few minutes." Carla said calmly, "Miss Bastianini, we're ready." said one of the bodyguards. "I'll be leaving in a couple of minutes, thank you, Pérez."
"We're waiting for you out here." The man reported, "See you guys soon." Carla said with a big smile on her face "Be careful Carla." Santi asked, "Always, plus I take Pérez and Hamilton with me, they're the best after Jackson."
"It doesn't matter, be careful." I repeated "I will do it, so will you." Carla responded with the smile still on her face "We will." Santi said, giving me a little squeeze. "I'm going to get the kids upstairs."
I said goodbye to Carla with a hug and went upstairs to tell the kids, but when I get to the top, I see them asleep, and I feel sorry to wake them, so I call Santi to pick up one of them, while I pick up to another and to Wisky, but Jackson ends up coming to pick up Miky in his arms to take him to the car. Before leaving, I went into the studio and took the papers for the construction to continue with what I had planned four years ago, not even the journalists would be able to stop me from carrying this project forward, and I took the opportunity to take some more, I'm sure they will help me understand things about my past that not even they can explain to me, and what I want right now are answers to understand my life before and to find a way to confront journalists.