There’s been an accident. Those were the only words Akiza heard when her mother answered the phone. She noticed the way her mother’s stoic pose faltered slightly as she continued to listen carefully to whoever was on the other line.
“Entiendo. Muchas gracias.” She said as she ends the call.
When she turned to face Akiza, Akiza froze in fear by the sight of her mother. Her entire body was pale and began to tremble.
“Mamá...” she tried to coax her into telling her what was wrong.
It was almost as if the sound of Akiza’s voice brought her back momentarily, there was finally some sign of life in her eyes.
She explained to Akiza that her aunt and uncle had gotten in a car accident and are at the hospital right now. The doctor who was on the phone with her told her the odds of them making it were slim and they needed her to come over as soon as she could. And so, they both rushed over to the hospital neither really thinking at the moment. But something finally occurred in Akiza’s mind and she couldn’t keep it to herself.
“What’s gonna happen to Zaina?”
Her mother’s hands gripped the wheel tighter than she thought possible. Her hands were practically transparent now. She sniffed as a tear fell off her cheek.
“No sé” was all she could have said, she didn’t want to think about anything except to get to the hospital as quickly and as safely as possible.
They didn’t need another accident in their lives. As soon as they entered the hospital Akiza spotted Zaina sitting in the waiting room dressed in a black ballerina outfit, wearing her hair in a perfect bun and painted beautifully in makeup. It suddenly dawned on Akiza that she had a performance tonight. She went straight to her cousin as her mother went towards the receptionist. Zaina’s skin matched the same paleness as Akiza’s mother and her eyes were just as blank, she didn’t even notice when Akiza crouched down to look at her at eye level. Didn’t even flinch when she placed a hand over her own cold ones.
“Mrs. Rosario?” A voice came from the other side of the room
They all looked up to see a man in a white coat with a solemn face. Zaina’s parents didn’t make it. They took Zaina to their home and prepared themselves for the next day, or just the day that it would finally sink in just what exactly happened. It took Zaina that same night around 3 am. It took Akiza’s mother three days, when she had to go through the will and realized that she was now Zaina’s legal guardian. Akiza decided that day that she couldn’t have the time to break down and cry, her cousin needed her. Hearing that her mother was now Zaina’s guardian frightened her, in the state that Zaina is in she couldn’t handle being neglected.
That idea in Akiza’s mind was sealed when her father came over for the funeral. When was the last time she saw him? Maybe five years ago? He had tried to contact her sporadically throughout the years but they were really just feeble attempts in her book. He came over and sat next to her mother, his ex wife, gave her a hug of condolences and kisses the top of her head. After the funeral was over, he came over to the girls and offered Zaina to go with him to the US and live with him. The idea didn’t sit well for Akiza, in fact it infuriated her.
“No,” Akiza sternly said, causing both her parents jaws to drop.
“She isn’t going anywhere because we all know that you’re not going to take care of her.” She continued.
“Mi amor...” her father tried
“No! She is staying with me! I am going to take care of her the way aunt Adelita took care of me when I needed you guys. Neither one of you are fit to actually pay any attention to her, if you can’t even do the same with me.”
“Akiza, things are different now. I have a good career now, I can take care of her and can take care of you both.”
She scoffed at his response.
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you will. You’re first priority will always be your music papá. She is staying.”
Akiza took her cousin’s trembling hand and walked away from her parents. They walked for who knows how long, but the moment Akiza found a bench in a random park they sat down. Zaina began to cry once again and Akiza held her close whispering to her that everything would be ok in the end.
“I’ll be here for you, understand? I will never leave your side. I will do anything to make you feel better and to help you get through this. I promise.”
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