The next day was uneventful.

I woke up at around 8 AM and started getting ready to go out.

Out where you ask?

I went to clean up the venue! Because my guilty conscience can't handle leaving it to the staff! Hooray!

Curse you conscience!

When I got there everyone asked me what I was doing here and were surprised to know I came to help them out.

They started saying things like it's not necessary and how they're just doing their job but I ignored it.

An hour later everything was packed in a box and the place looked bland and spotless, just the way it was before I decorated it.

That's depressing...

Anyway I thanked everyone one more time for all their hard work and spent the day lazing on the couch watching TV and working off the weeks exhaustion by doing...

Nothing!

Now let's skip to the very eventful present in which there will be a whirlwind of emotions going through not only mine but also my family's mind.

I'm standing in front of the mirror seeing if I looked okay.

I was wearing a little bit more than the usual since I'm going to the city outskirts and it's a little bit more chilly where my mom lives.

She's never been the type to live in a big city like New York, she grew up in a small town back in Spain.

Which I only visited once, and that was when my grandmother wanted a family gathering.

Because as I said before I am Hispanic so half of my family lives in Spain while the other half live in America but I did spend eleven years of my life in Spain and thirteen in America.

I was pulled out of zoned out mode by my phone.

I looked to see it was a text from Leo.

Hey sis, I'm outside your apartment, come out.

I didn't need to answer because he'll know I got the message the second I walked out.

But apparently not because a second later he sent me a message.

Are you there? Julie did you forget we were going to visit mom?

I sighed and practically ran out the door and outside.

"You know there is something called patience?" I said out of breath when I got in the car.

"Sorry I have no idea what this word means, care to tell me?"

"It means you're an ass, now get on the road!"

"I'm a businessman, patience is not in my dictionary"

"That is probably the dumbest thing I've heard all day" he laughed and slowly his expression changed to a serious but worried one.

"By the way, are you sure it's okay to go this early in the morning? Isn't she only expecting you for lunch?"

"I always go this early, besides it's only 10 AM and it's a half an hour long drive, I go early to help mamá out with lunch"

"You really are the model daughter"

"My mamá raised me to be an independent woman! I make her proud" I said in a mighty voice.

My brother laughed and said

"But you were always a daddy's girl which reminded me, I never got to ask about your relationship with dad"

"It's fine, I only call about once a month to check if he's okay or not, because even if he left, he's still my dad"

"I wish I can be as forgiving as you sis, I still resent him"

"Why waste my time thinking about my feelings towards him when I could be doing something else? Move on Leo, he's not worth our time"

"I'll try, for your sake"

"Don't do it for my sake, do it for yours"

We kept quiet after that and I decided to turn on the radio, if my brother really hasn't changed, then he wouldn't mind some music.

The first station was airing Cool For The Summer by Demi Lovato, I wasn't quite up for it so I changed it to something else.

The next station had one of my many favorite songs and that was Perfect Places by Lorde.

It's just so accurate to real life especially the part where she says 'What the f*ck are perfect places, anyway?'

I left it at that and my brother didn't seem to mind since he didn't turn it off or change it.

We ended up karaoke-ing to various songs including Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran and This Is What You Came For by Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna.

After half an hour we were in front of the familiar looking house my mom lives in.

My brother had never seen this house because we moved to America about a month after he left, my mom didn't want to leave because she thought he'll come back, but a month later, she lost hope.

I looked at my brother to see he was staring at the steering wheel.

I put my hand on his and he looked up.

"I'm fine..."

"You're going to have to face them someday" I said trying to provide some sympathy.

I got out first giving him a bit of time to collect his thoughts.

I took out the spare key from my bag and unlocked the kitchen door.

I knew my mom was cooking the second the smell of home cooked Pisto crossed my nostrils.

I softly knocked on the kitchen door to grab my mom's attention and it worked as I was engulfed in a huge hug.

"Mamá" I hugged her tighter enjoying my mother's embrace.

"Novio" (sweetheart)

"Julie" my brother's voice rang from the doorway.

"Did you bring a man?" My mom asked.

"Is it the man that interrupted me on the phone?! I need to teach that man some manners!"

"Mamá! That was my boss! This is someone else..."

I looked towards the door and said "you can come in now"

And Leo walked in the door.

My mom looked at him and her face turned blank.

"Mamá..." Leo finally said.

My mom just turned around and walked into the living room and sat down on the couch.

We went after her to see her head was in her hands, Leo walked towards her and kneeled down in front of her and took her hands in his.

"I want to fix my wrongs" he said genuinely, looking in her eyes.

"How?"

"By saying I'm sorry and I understand if you hate me"

My mom raised her hand and started stroking her fingers in his hair.

"Oh mi niño, ninguna madre puede odiar a su bebé, te extrañé desde el fondo de mi corazón"

(Oh my boy, no mother can ever hate her baby, I've missed you from the bottom of my heart)

"¿Me perdonas?"

(Do you forgive me?"

"It takes more than that to earn someone's forgiveness but you coming here is more than enough" she chuckled.

My brother had tears in his eyes and he opened his mouth to say something but instead a sob escaped.

"¡Gracias! ¡gracias! yo no merecen su perdón!"

(Thank you! thank you! I don't deserve your forgiveness!)

My mom stayed quiet and just let him get all the pain and frustration out in her embrace, that always helped when we were younger, it's obvious Leo missed mom a lot.

After Leo calmed down my mom spoke up.

"Leo, I need to know what you were doing until now, how you were able to pay for college? How did you find Julie?"

My brother smiled and looked at me.

"She found me"

"Now that needs an even bigger explanation"

"I'll explain the rest, everything"

"Now while all of you are doing that, I'm going to make some Greek Salad, is there anything for me to do mamá?"

"Yes, please check the pisto for me and make a bit of the broiled mackerel, I'll come and help you later, also keep an eye out for your sister, she's also going to be here"

"Yes mamá"

I made my way to the kitchen and my mother kind of reminds me of Mr. Reid...

They both give me orders.

I checked on the pisto before I forget and inhaled the smell to get me riled up for lunch.

I started with the Greek salad because the broiled mackerel needs to be served immediately and this can last for awhile.

I took out the vegetables and cheese and a knife.

I began chopping the onion, olives, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and cheese.

And dressed the salad with olive oil, lemon juice and black pepper.

Feeling satisfied I put it on the fridge and started on the broiled mackerel.

First I preheated the oven and lightly greased the baking dish.

Then I rubbed both sides of each mackerel fillet with olive oil and seasoned each fillet with paprika, salt, and pepper.

For finishing touches I placed two lemons on each fillet.

When I was almost done the living room door opened, mom and Leo came out both with smiles on their faces.

"Did he tell you everything?"

I asked already knowing the answer.

They both nodded in response and mom came to inspect my work, as always.

"You did good, novio"

"Thank you mamá" I smiled.

"MAMÁ!"

Came the voice of no other Nina Downs herself.

"Mamá! Julie-"

She stopped screaming when she saw Leo.

"Hi sis" Leo waved.

"Get the hell out of my mother's house! I don't want to see your face! You bastard!"

"Nina! ¡mira tu lengua! ¡Muéstrale respeto a tu hermano! ¡Él es más viejo que tú!"

My mother gasped.

(Nina! watch your tongue! show your brother some respect! he's older than you!)

"Él no es mi hermano! ¡Él nunca lo será! ¡él no merece un gramo de mi respeto! ¡salió! ¡El eligió irse!"

(He's not my brother! he'll never be! he doesn't deserve an ounce of my respect! he left! he chose to leave!)

"Nina, listen to him before you make any rash decisions"

I said after watching insult Leo, which the opposite of what I did when I first saw him.

She turned to me with rage filled eyes and pointed.

"You of all people should hate him! He left you to fend for not only yourself! But for me and mom as well! He knew you were sick! He knew dad wouldn't even care about us after he divorces mom so he left! You are nothing but a coward!" She finished looking at Leo.

"That's enough!" Mom boomed.

"Nina go cool yourself down, Julianna set the table, Leo, come with me mi hijo" (my boy)

He didn't say a word but followed after my mom.

I set the table as fast as humanly possible then went to look for Nina.

"Nina?"

I knocked on our old room, I miss sleeping in the same room as my sister, our late night talks, our midnight snacks and especially our night walks while mom is still asleep.

"Nina? It's Julie, I won't say anything, only listen"

She always got provoked whenever I tried to give her some advice so I always tell her I'll listen but won't speak and she'd open up to me.

She opened the door and I pulled her into a hug.

"Why did he come back?" He voice came out muffled but I still understood.

"He wants to be with us again"

"And you trust him?"

"I do, I know he won't leave again"

"I'll give him a chance" she said pulling away and looking at me.

"But don't expect me to be nice"

"I know you wouldn't"

I dragged her downstairs and made her sit at the table as mom placed the pisto on the table along with my broiled mackerel.

I took out the salad I made and went to look for Leo.

"Hey" I said finding him sitting on the porch swing.

"Hi" he said not meeting my gaze.

"Don't let what Nina said get to you"

"How can I not when every word she said was true"

"It's only true if you want it to be"

He looked up.

"What do you mean?"

I sat down next to him and said

"if you don't come have lunch with us, you're going to lose your chance at making amends"

"Okay" he smiled.

We both walked to the kitchen and I took a seat beside Nina, while Leo took one beside mom.

"Wow, mamá! This is amazing!"

"Thank you"

"I haven't had a home cooked meal in so long"

"Don't worry, you come and visit me every week, I'll put some meat on your bones in not time"

"Mom, if you keep feeding me food like this I'll get fat" he laughed, but me and Nina gave him warning looks.

"You call me mamá when you come here!" She shouted, startling the three of us.

"Yes mamá"

Mamá hates it when we call her mom, she wants to be more in contact with our Spanish side.

As I was going to say something Nina cut in.

"So where have you been my dear brother and what's with the name Peter Sanchez? Did you come up with that on a whim?" Her voice on the not too friendly side.

"I decided to change it myself after working with a man that looked after me better than my own father did" he said, his voice equally as cold.

"How come we never saw you on TV, Mr. Millionaire?"

He chuckled and replied

"The media think I'm too boring, I was famous in the first few years of my career and when I met a woman named Natalie, but when they found out I would never leave her and I was just doing normal no drama business, I was considered old news"

"Who's Natalie?" I said playfully, trying to relieve the tension a little bit.

"My girlfriend" he said proudly.

"When can I meet her?" My mom piped in.

"Mamá, I don't even live in New York, I'm from LA, which means she's in LA"

"Then let her come to New York"

"Mamá if it was that easy to come to New York she would've come with me"

We fell into a comfortable silence and for once I felt content.

I knew it was good decision to bring my brother along.

"I'm sorry for my outburst earlier" me and mom had a look of shock on our faces, Nina never apologizes.

"Nina..."

"I just hate how all of a sudden you decide to be a part of my life again, I finally got used to the fact that two people in my family don't want us, now if you leave I don't think I can get used to it again"

"Novio, no one left because of you, me and your father were just not meant to be"

"Nina, I didn't leave because of you, I left because I was too afraid to be a family without a father, so you were right, I am a coward"

Leo got up and walked to her side opening his arms in a 'if you'll let me' gesture.

She smiled and walked to him, she hugged him but said

"This hug doesn't mean I forgive you"

"I know"

And that's how the day was spent, all of us together, gearing more stories about Leo and suddenly Nina got a message on her phone.

Her eyes widened and she turned the phone to me and my eyes grew equally as wide.

Can't I just have a normal day with my family?

⭐️💬

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