I may be single for a long time, but I don't think that should have clouded my eyes, and blocked my ears from seeing the writing on the wall.
As the only girl child, in a family of eight with five well built brothers, and a tight security that could suffice for a politician, my childhood was miserable. I had no friends in high school, except for Laura who happens to be the sister of my brothers' friend. I think we got along quite well,because we faced the same ordeal. Living as a girl amidst boys changed my orientation about things, made me pull daring stunts, got me into trouble for punching or hitting a school mate atleast twice every week and finally got me out of the house. I tried doing a stunt that one of my brothers did with me, and ended up breaking the neck of my principal's son. My mother was furious and sent me to live with her younger brother in another town, not far from home. She couldn't afford to pay for my troubles anymore.
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"Paloma! Paloma! Palo..."
"Why are you so uncultured, Laura? There's a doorbell for a reason, you know right?" I shouted, hitting my bed with so much displeasure.
"Will you atleast stand up to open the door for me?" She said, looking into the room, through the window.
I gathered every single strength that was in me, stood up to open the door, only for me to see Laura with bags and a swollen face.
"Dios mios!" I screamed.
"What happened to your face? Why are you with your bags? What happened to you, Laura?" I asked without waiting for her to answer my questions. She stared at me for a few seconds and burst into tears.
"I hate my life, Pal. I hate everything about me, especially Rodriguez."She said amidst tears.
"Do not tell me that Rodriguez did this to you. He laid his hands on you?" My fists were burning. I wanted to hit something, but I couldn't do that to my friend or the wall.
"Come in. You need a lot of rest and good food." I helped her take her bags into the room and put some items in order, my room is always a mess.
"Have you had anything to eat? Should I get you painkillers?" I stood up to get my box of medications, but she pulled me back.
"I don't need anything. I just need a shoulder to cry on and a bed to sleep." She said and fell into my outstretched arms. I have never seen Laura in such state. Her hands were trembling, her voice distorted, and there was nothing I could do.
"It's fine, Laura. You're safe now."
"He's been cheating on me with his boss's wife, I couldn't take it anymore and I confronted him. I wish I didn't, Pal." She said.
"Well I'm glad you did. If Rodriguez could hurt you this much, I don't know what he cannot do. I thought you both loved each other, I almost gave love a chance because of you two. That scumbag. I always knew he was too good to be true."
" I thought we were happy. I thought he loved me. I thought..."
"You thought wrong, Laura. You know I don't do romance. And this is exactly why. Men are pigs. My brothers have been training me for years to expect this kind of crap.
Laura looses from my grip and wipes her nose with a tissue.
"You're not exactly helping, Pal."
" Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want me to sugarcoat it? Tell you that everything will be okay and that love will conquer all? Because, sweetheart, it won't." I scoffed.
"You're just saying that because you've never been in love." She said, looking up, eyes red.
"Maybe. But I've seen enough to know that love is a myth perpetuated by Hallmark and the wedding industry. And I'm glad I didn't fall for it. Especially after seeing what happened to you." I said, laughing a little in-between.
"I wish I could be as cynical as you, Pal. But a part of me still believes in love."
I knew I was playing too much, instead of helping my best friend out of her situation.
"I know, Laura. And I'm here for you, no matter what. But don't expect me to start believing in fairy tales anytime soon. Do you want me to go a bone or two? I can handle him alone without backup though." I said , trying to cheer her up.
"If you don't want me to get in trouble with him, I can talk to mi hermano or..."
"No! Do not talk to anybody about it, especially my brother. I'll handle that myself, I just want to rest my head, I called in sick at the office already, so I won't be going anywhere today." She said, laying on the couch.
"Let me run your bath, so you'd have a sound sleep." I was about going upstairs when she called me back.
"Yes, Paloma! I forgot to ask you the last time we spoke."
I knew what she wanted to say.
"How's Leo...?"
"Shush! I knew you were going to ask about him. Just hold it in, I'm not interested in talking about anything that has to do with Leonardo." I said, covering my ears with my hands and moving away.
"You're not getting any younger, Paloma. Aunt Maria wants to become an abuela so badly."
"Her sons did that already, you should help your mum become a grandmother to more children, because it seems your hermano isn't planning on expanding his family tree."
She laughed subtly and I was glad.