Chapter 7

MARCOS

Today I woke up early, or at least earlier than usual. Today my siblings and I were left alone because my parents were going to a friend's house and we didn't want to go, we didn't know them at all and staying at home we could distract Ana, my little sister, a little. Carlos, my older brother, had gotten up and was making breakfast for Ana.

"Hey, how strange you are up at this time Marcos" my brother said, surprised to see me awake. "Maybe, but there has to be someone who plays with our sister, since you are more aware of the phone than of her."

"I know, but I promise you today will be a day of siblings, no phones," he assured and I rolled my eyes, because it wasn't the first time, he promised something like this, and in the end, Ana and I spent the day alone "Don't promise something you won't be able to fulfil."

"I will. I'll turn it off right now." All said and done, it looks like today would look good. A sibling's day like we haven't had in a long time. I'm not going to deny I missed those days, so I was quite happy.

"Listen Marcos, I know I've been leaving you and our sister aside lately, but I want to contribute something to the house." he assured, and I nodded, because I knew why he was doing it. "I know, that's why you're looking for a job so desperately."

"You should have a little more patience, Carlos. You finished your degree a few months ago, don't get overwhelmed," I said, and he denied "It doesn't overwhelm me, honestly. I'm going to wake up our sister to come over for breakfast." With that, he walked out the door to go find our sister. She was only eight years old, and she was the soul of this house and the one who always encouraged me and Carlos. 

A couple of minutes had passed when I got a call. I looked at the screen and when I saw Lara's name, I was already surprised she called me, whenever she called me, it was because something was wrong with Gabriela, I just hoped it was nothing.

"Hi Lara, is everything okay with Gabriela?" I asked, frowning and trying to understand why she's calling me "Yes, I'm fine." Gabriela replied laughing, "Gabriela? What are you doing with your mother's cell phone?" I asked, even more confused, "Mine at home."

"Where are you then?" I asked, "In the hospital." As soon as she said that I thought for a couple of seconds, trying to understand what she was doing in the hospital or if something had happened to her. "Has something happened to you?"

"Marcos, I'm fine, it's my grandmother who got sick in the early hours of the morning and we brought her to the hospital." She replied, "Has something happened to Angela?" I asked, because I could tell she was a little dull, and that didn't tend to happen with Rebecca, "No, it's not her, it's my other grandmother."

"What happened to her?" I asked curiously, "A stroke they say, they're going to do more tests, but I'd call you to see if you would do me a favour." She said, "Could you keep an eye on my siblings?" 

Just at that moment Carlos appears with our sister in his arms and I could see the poor thing is still half asleep and as soon as he sees me talking on the phone he approaches, I think more than anything because he knows I'm talking to Gabriela, she's the only one I talk to on the phone, with her and with Carlota, and Carlos has Gabriela as a sister too, we spent a lot of time together as children. I covered the microphone because I could see he's going to ask me and I didn't want to interrupt Gabriela, I'm sure it wasn't quite right.

"Is it Gabriela?" my brother asked and to which I nodded, "Yes, but give me a moment, please." I asked and he frowned, "Is everything okay with her?" he asked, and I rolled my eyes, "I'll tell you now." I affirmed, "Okay." I uncovered the microphone to answer my best friend, because of course if he had a look at her siblings, being alone they ran the risk of arguing and ending up fighting and it wasn't something that anyone wants to happen.

"Okay, I'll go check them as soon as breakfast is over." I assured her "Thank you Marcos, I owe you one." Gabriela thanked "It's nothing, don't worry." I replied, because the last thing I cared about was that "Now I'll let you go, a doctor is coming." she quickly said, "Okay, anything, don't hesitate to call me, okay?" I asked even though I could almost claim she wouldn't, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

And as usual, she realized where the shots were going. I know very well Rebecca isn't her favourite grandmother, mostly because of the hate she had against her brother, it was the moment when her head began to go a little and started with the disease. She had been like that for about fourteen years and well, despite what he wanted to do to his brother, I know she has a certain affection for her.

"Okay, but now go and talk to the doctor, I'll take care of your siblings." I said, "Thank you Marcos" she replied, "There's nothing to be thankful for, really." I insisted, "As you want, bye, Marcos." she said, "Bye Gabriela and take care of yourself." I plead "Always" She assured me and with that we hung up and I thought for a while about everything he had told me. I hope her grandmother would soon be released from the hospital and recover, at least to the way she was a couple of days ago.

"Marcos, what's wrong with Gabriela?" my brother asked, with a worried tone "Nothing, she just asked me to go to see her siblings." I said simply, "That's weird in her, that's what she does."

"Yes, but she's not at home, that's why." I blurted out, "And where is she?" he asked curiously, "In the hospital with her grandmother." I replied, "With Angela?" he asked, and I shook my head "Not with Rebecca." I said, "Oh well, I hope she gets better."

I don't know why I had the strange feeling that Carlos didn't like Rebecca at all. I've had that feeling for years and whenever we crossed paths with her, he would become more serious, and I had no idea what was wrong with them.

"Hey Carlos, a question," I said, sitting in the chair, "What?" he asked without looking at me, "Is there something wrong with Rebecca?" I asked and he glanced sideways in my direction.

"Rightly so." he snorted, "And what is that?" I asked again, "I'm sure Gabriela told you, you don't need me to tell you" He said, but I frowned, because I had no idea he's talking about.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I assured and this time, he did look at me with raised eyebrows in surprise "Didn't she tell you?" he asked, and I denied, "I just don't know what you're talking about, Carlos."

"Well, I'm not going to tell you anything, it's something that will remain between her and me." he said in a buffet "I want to know what you didn't tell me." I insisted and he denied "If you want to know, let her tell you, I'm not going to do it. But where are her siblings?" he asked, settling the subject, "At home, so I have a look at him."

"Go get them and bring them here, we will take care of them," he said with a big smile on his face. "And our sibling's day?" I asked confused, "Come on Marcos, they are family, we will spend a day as siblings and with our other siblings, but without her. If so, I can go to the hospital later to keep her company."

"I don't think it's necessary, you know what she's like and she likes to be alone in moments like these." I said and he rolled his eyes "Maybe, but she shouldn't be alone." he said "I know, but it's Gabriela and we can't show up there, besides, if you go, I'll go, and we can't leave Ana alone or Gabriela's siblings." I said "You're right, but you'll see how we'll have a great day, really. Now go to their house and get them." he insisted "Ok." 

I took a jacket because it was bitterly cold, and I went to their house. Of course, I took the car because if I didn't, I would die of the cold, luckily Gabriela was in the hospital and it wasn't cold there, because I'm pretty sure I'd see her walking around the house with a blanket over her, and not exactly the thin ones.

When I arrived, I rang the bell and María came out, looking sleepy. She invites me in and I'm happy to do so. "Hi Marcos, Gabriela isn't at home if that's what you're coming for." she replied "I know she's not home, I came for you." I told her, which made her wake up a little more than she is "Why?" she asked, frowning "Your sister told me to keep an eye on you and well Carlos said you could come and spend the day with us, we're also alone."

"We're not little children to be taken care of," she protested, and I nodded, because that was true at least "I know, but you fight, that's why I'm here." I said pointing at me "Gabriela shouldn't have asked you." she protested once again "Gabriela just told me to keep an eye on you, I told you it was Carlos who came up with the idea of spending the day together. Are you going to tell me you don't want to spend a day with us?"

"I didn't say that, but it's weird that we go to your house without Gabriela being there," she said, and I laughed, because it could be true, but that had nothing to do with it. "Maybe, but you know you're like family to us." I said, "But Gabriela is the most important." she pointed out and I denied "We didn't say that at any time."

"You may not have said it, but your sister likes Gabriela because she plays with her, and you and your brother love her as if you were siblings." Just at that moment Mario comes down, he stares at us with a face that doesn't understand what I was doing there, you could see he's annoyed.

"I don't know why Gabriela left her phone at home, she could have taken it to see if it stopped ringing." he growled and I frowned, "But your mother knows she doesn't have the phone with her." I muttered and he shook his head, "It's not mom, it's someone else."

"Do you know where she has it?" I asked, realizing it could be Alex, but I didn't understand why he was so insistent. "In her room." he said, pointing toward the stairs "I'm going to see if it's something important or not."

"Okay, we'll have breakfast and we'll let you know when we're done. I don't think you need me to show you the way to my sister's room." replied Maria "No, you don't, thank you guys."

"You're welcome," they both replied at once. I also have to say her siblings looked at me as they all look at us in general, with that face on what we were doing in their room, and the truth is I don't understand why they thought we had sex, I loved Gabriela, but I had nothing to do with it in that sense. We only talked, she lies in bed sometimes with her feet against the wall and me on the couch nearby or in the desk chair, because her room was huge. I remember how long she was insisting to her father they tear down the wall with the other room, after all, she was the only one who used it.

The thing is, by the time I got to the room her phone had stopped ringing, but it had like eight missed calls from Alex and a few messages. I was going to call him to tell him, but it seems he had the same idea as me.