“No way,” I snatched her wallet, “that money was given to me by a very kind man; I hid it because I need some personal hygiene things, and I am not going to give it to you for your men.”

I ended up taking the money out, so I kept it in my bag. Lina tried to take it out, but the moment she couldn't do it, she started to hit me repeatedly. She threw me to the floor and kicked me until she was tired.

“You are the worst thing that ever happened to me,”  she said. “Damn, the time I gave birth to you.”

A pool of blood formed where I was. Carlos came to where I was, and the moment he looked at me, it was as if he hadn't seen anything, so he just went to his room. 

“¡Lucia!” shouted the chaparrita “but what happened to you, my child.”

She together with my nani helped me to get up and took me to bed, Lina the moment she looked at me it was as if she had seen a garbage bag that was just waiting for the toilet train to be thrown away.

“I don't want to sleep here anymore,” I said. “This place is disgusting to me.”

I ended up hiring two men who took my bed along with my things out of the room I shared with Lina. Every bone in my body ached and I couldn't tolerate moving even the spoon I was going to eat with.

Years later

I began to study professional nursing, and then I continued with my degree, being one of the best in my career. All this was thanks to the little girl, who had paid punctually all the monthly payments of the career. Lina was still Lina, so I tried to avoid any contact with her because if I did, I ended up arguing to unusual levels where everyone was surprised, and even on one occasion, the neighbors had to call the police to intervene. 

During this time she had remained single, something that was not new, as she was simply not the option for anyone, not even for sex.

I went to where I slept, which I couldn't say was my room because I didn't even have a curtain to give me a little privacy, while I was there the chaparrita arrived to ask me how things had gone, I told her about things and she smiled thinking that everything had really gone well.

I continued studying on Sundays and sometimes I found a job so I could afford to pay for my studies, but unfortunately I stopped working because I had to take care of my nani and I could not find a part time job because Lina demanded that it was my obligation to take care of her.

Due to the time I spent closer to my nani the bond was much stronger, she gave me all the love that I did not receive from Lina, I thought she was a sensitive woman, but she was not and she proved it to me when she realized the ways of her youngest daughter.

Some time later 

The months went by and we were already in the month of April, I liked this month for a reason I did not know.

That day I went out alone to distract myself a little and the night I returned I found the little girl extremely anxious about my nani who had fallen a few days before and also had a strong cough that worried me, but in spite of this I did not want to go to the hospital.

“My mom is sick” she told me “she couldn't get up to eat.”

“Don't worry, with the vitamin and the injection I gave her today for the pain she will get up, she is an extremely strong woman” I told her in an attempt to reassure her “go to sleep, it is already late.”

“Well, will you give her the vitamin tomorrow?”

“Yes, go to sleep now.”

She went to sleep and so did I, the next day when I got up I found the little girl crying so I asked her what was wrong.

“My mother is in bad shape, she is dying of hunger and thirst, I am afraid she will die.”

When I heard the last words my blood boiled, I was exaggerating on many occasions and I was starting to get tired of it.

“Shut up and stop crying, problems are solved with actions and not with tears.” 

I was hard of character because I had no other choice, life brought me so many problems that it was the only way I could survive.

Lina as always did not miss the opportunity to take the opportunity to contradict me so that we ended up arguing as on other occasions, however, I did not pay attention because for a discussion it takes two people, and honestly I did not plan to please her.

I went downstairs where the toilet was and being there I decided to go to see my nani, when I entered the room I looked at her in bed extremely bad.

“Good morning nani” I told her waiting for an answer that never came, when I looked at her I was afraid of a stroke because her face was sideways and when I touched her it was boiling “we have to go to the hospital” I told them.

“Mom wants to go to the hospital,” asked Lina and I was surprised to see her bland attitude.

“I am saying that we are taking her to the hospital, not if she wants to go or not, so hurry up” I told her with authority and a firm position “ let's hurry up and go.”

She looked at me extremely annoyed, but I didn't care, I wanted my nani to live and that here was definitely going to be impossible to make possible.

Seeing the circumstances we decided to look for someone, but we could not get a private vehicle so we had no choice but to wait for a cab and take her to the hospital, because her room was in the lower part of the house we had to take her up with the help of some men who were passing by.

When we arrived at the hospital we took her to the ward and there the doctors started to do some tests, she had high blood sugar, low oxygen, fever and severe pneumonia.

When the doctor approached me to tell me that they were going to intubate her I gave the authorization, but this did not help since she was not his daughter, but his granddaughter, they asked Lina and I knew she was going to object to this.

“If it is for her to get better, do it.”

The doctor told her that there were risks with the procedure and that's when I squirmed because of the rules, Lina didn't know, but I did, intubation has certain risks, however, it is rare that it presents a complication.

“Intubate her” I said almost begging.

“I have to consult your aunt” she told me and I became desperate.

“Please listen to me” I said begging her, but she left to call the house.

My nani was delicate and honestly I wanted to be strong, however, inside I was extremely worried, I didn't want her to die and the idea of her passing away hurt me.

“Let's move her”  the doctor told me.

“Where,” I asked him. 

He told me the hospital and luckily it was nearby, about 15 minutes away by bus, Lina arrived and gave the authorization for the intubation.

“They are going to transfer her”  I told him

“¿Where?” she asked me and I told her “this lady really loves to make trouble, I had things to do today.”

She wanted to get upset, but I restrained her, we could not get into that plan at that moment and we had to think with a clear head.

They transferred her to the other hospital, but the ambulance only had enough room for Lina, so I took a minibus, when I arrived they moved her to a ward and then transferred her to intensive care.

I was in the corridor and a tear slid down my face, I had treated my nani very badly in the previous weeks because she became more stubborn than usual, now the remorse of conscience was too big and I only wished she would come out of this to ask her forgiveness on my knees if it was necessary...