AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shake my head. "No."
"Good. Don't tell him."
"Why?"
"He will lose his shit."
"But he won't care…not really."
I'm not sure, but…
"He will care, Elena. You don't see what me and Alina see, but you know what…serves him right. I hope Maxim treats you like you deserve. I know he will. We will deal with Santiago's shit later." She looks me over approvingly. "You look perfect."
"Thank you. I wasn't sure if this was okay, but I brought a jacket and…"
“Elena?”
“Yes, Mami?”
"If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?"
"Of course."
"Are you cutting?"
All the air escapes my lungs. How did she know? Who…
"Did…"
"I use to do it. I know the signs. I never approached you because I knew you wouldn't take it too far. The last thing you want is your parents or anyone pointing it out. Or saying things that make it worse. Esperanza told me about the bloody towels. Your brother told her you cut yourself shaving, and he is hardly here for it to happen more than once."
"Does dad know?"
"He does."
"I told him I would talk to you and for him to not ask or pressure you. It makes it worse."
Talking about it with my mom is a relief. She cut, and she got through it. My dad helped. Alex helped.
"I'm sorry," I say.
"We all go through things, Elena. I'm here if you want to talk to me about it. If you want a doctor, that is fine too, but they medicate. They don't give a shit about what the underlying cause is. I've been there."
"Santi and Maxim know,” I tell her.
"Was it because Santiago didn't want to marry you and feel the same way you felt about him?"
"Yes, something like that, but we are in a good place. I stopped and he stopped being an ass."
"Where?"
She means where am I harming myself.
"My inner thighs," I admit.
She looks at me with tears in her eyes. "Show me," she demands.
I show her, and she cries. She tells me she is sorry and it's all her fault for pushing me to marry Santi. We hold each other for what seems like forever.
