07-02-2025, 06:30 PM
Marta let herself cry for a bit. She allowed herself to feel sad. Emma said it was okay. It was good to hurt. Maybe it was all she needed. Marta reached for her wallet, thinking to send Hayden a message. Emma might be right. Maybe he would know why this suddenly came upon her. But she didn’t even unlock it before putting it down and clinging a little tighter to Emma. It was late and Hayden might be sleeping. She could ask another time.
Emma offered to let her talk about her parents, and Marta smiled through the tears. ”Its hard to remember a lot, but I remember some. Mostly feelings. papá would sing me songs when I was sick. And Mamá made the best tamales. She always made them for my birthday. She was teaching me how to make them before…” Marta smiled as she remembered. The pain was still there, but her memories of her parents were happy ones. ”Mostly I remember good things. Feeling happy and safe. I didn’t really feel safe again until Ricky took me in. And moreso when I met you guys.”
Marta’s eyes looked at her parents pictures on the computer screen. The words came to her unbidden. ” Adiós. Te extraño y te amo. Espero que estés orgulloso de mí.”* She didn’t know if Emma spoke Spanish, but she didn’t mind if Emma understood. It was good to not be alone when saying goodbye.
The tears feel harder then, and Marta let it happen, not feeling embarrassed. She wiped her eyes, feeling a little better even if it still hurt. ”Thanks for being here right now. Do you think Nox would let me cook for you guys one night. I’d like to make you all tamales. Seems right.”
* Goodbye. I miss and love you. i hope you will be proud of me.
Emma offered to let her talk about her parents, and Marta smiled through the tears. ”Its hard to remember a lot, but I remember some. Mostly feelings. papá would sing me songs when I was sick. And Mamá made the best tamales. She always made them for my birthday. She was teaching me how to make them before…” Marta smiled as she remembered. The pain was still there, but her memories of her parents were happy ones. ”Mostly I remember good things. Feeling happy and safe. I didn’t really feel safe again until Ricky took me in. And moreso when I met you guys.”
Marta’s eyes looked at her parents pictures on the computer screen. The words came to her unbidden. ” Adiós. Te extraño y te amo. Espero que estés orgulloso de mí.”* She didn’t know if Emma spoke Spanish, but she didn’t mind if Emma understood. It was good to not be alone when saying goodbye.
The tears feel harder then, and Marta let it happen, not feeling embarrassed. She wiped her eyes, feeling a little better even if it still hurt. ”Thanks for being here right now. Do you think Nox would let me cook for you guys one night. I’d like to make you all tamales. Seems right.”
* Goodbye. I miss and love you. i hope you will be proud of me.