Chapter 33

ÁNGELA

I could tell Gabriela was too thoughtful, and I know that no matter how much I asked her, she wasn't going to tell me, not at this moment. What is clear to me is she's worried about something and that made me worry too.

I was seeing Gabriela a little and paying attention to the conversation at the table and as soon as Sergio mentions Alex, Gabriela doesn't realize it, which is weird until I remember she's not hearing too much, so María hits her on the arm to make her pay attention. When her father asked her again, she remained calm the entire time. I don't understand how she has problems with anxiety if in situations like this, she controls it like a charm.

Gabriela and Sergio were having an argument since she didn't want her father to do anything to Alex or get into trouble when she put her hand to her ear and shortly after collapsed to the floor. This wasn't normal.

Immediately we all got up to where she is and me and her mother got down. "Gabriela.... Come on Gabriela, react... What's happening to you now?" Gabriela didn't react and Sergio ended up calling the ambulance, which wouldn't take long to arrive. A couple of minutes later, the paramedics arrived, and as soon as they saw her, they examined her, deciding they're going to take her to the medical center and let them decide what to do.

Once there, they changed her pills because apparently, she may have had an allergic reaction, but she should go to the hospital to do some tests because of her hearing. When they finished checking her we went home and didn't let her do anything in any case.

The strange thing about that is she didn't protest, she seemed down and I have no idea what's happening to her. When everyone is doing something, I sit next to her and she doesn't even notice, it seems to me. I touch Gabriela's arm and it's at that moment she notices I'm next to her, but soon looks straight ahead again, so I touch her arm again so she can see me, I have to make sure she knows what I'm going to tell her, although I suppose she already know it.

"What's the matter?" She just shakes her head and that makes me worry more, in her eyes I could see something is worrying her. "Don't tell me nothing, something's wrong with you." I insisted, "Grandma, I'm fine, really." She tried, but I'm not convinced. "I don't believe you Gabriela, something is wrong with you."

"I'm just tired." She admitted, "Are you sure?" I asked even though I'm not entirely convinced she's telling the truth. "Yes, don't worry anymore." Gabriela wasn't going to tell me anything. I know she isn't well, it reminded me of that time after Alex left her, I didn't like seeing my granddaughter like that, I had to do something to make her get better, but I don't know what.

"Come on guys, set the table we're going to eat." At that moment it occurred to me to call Marcos and Carlota. I'm sure Gabriela would talk to them, or at least I hoped she would, and if not, I'm going to have to play my last card, call Alex.

During the meal, we all tried to get her to talk, but she didn't even finish eating, she went up saying she was tired, but I didn't believe her and right now we're all worried about her.

"Do you know what's wrong, mom?" Lara asked and I denied, "I have no idea, but she's weird" I stated, "Is she like this because of what happened to her?" she asked, worried about her daughter. "No, it has to be something else." I said, thinking what could have bothered my granddaughter so much she fainted. "And it couldn't be because you named Alex? She gets a little bad when you talk about him."

"I don't know Maria; I don't think so." I said, because if they knew what's really happening, they wouldn't say that "No, it could be and it makes sense. Didn't you notice how she started to get short of breath when you were going to argue?" Mario asked "I think we would have realized she's having an anxiety attack."

"Grandma, now we all know it's not easy to see what Gabriela feels, and right now she's not well. I'll talk to her." María said, getting up from where she was sitting. "Don't go María, I already tried and she didn't talk to me, she just told me she's fine, which we don't believe. We have to call them."

"Do you think Gabriela will talk to them?" asked my son-in-law, "I hope so, otherwise I don't know what to do." I picked up my cell phone and dialed Marcos, who didn't take long to answer, much to my relief. "Hi Angela, how are you?" Marcos asked happily.

"Can you come to Gabriela's parents' house?" I asked "Sure, what's going on? I hear you pensive" He observed, "It's Gabriela, something happened to her." I answered honestly, "What happened to her? Is she alright?" He asked worried "I don't know, and that's why we need you and Carlota. Do you think you can come?"

"Yeah, I'll tell Carlota. Until now Angela." He said "Until now." I hung up and told the others they would be coming. That made us relax a little, the two of them knew all of Gabriela's secrets and were the people she trusted the most, that's why I hope she talks to them. I don't want to go back to the Gabriela of years ago.