FAMILY SWING

Elena’s POV

I have always disliked waking up early, but at my parents' house, you must be out of bed and ready by 7. Breakfast was always a time for family. Dad wanted to catch up on our daily activities when we were younger, but since ha couple ofouple ofouple ofouple ofouple ofouple ofad to leave for the office early and return late, he couldn't do that. So, mom decided that since dad always had breakfast at 7 am, we should join him, ensuring he wouldn't miss anything at all. That's how breakfast became our family time.

I hurried down the stairs, fifteen minutes late for breakfast. I finally reached the table and quietly took my seat, trying not to attract the attention of my ever-complaining mother.

"How do you manage to keep your home in order, tell me, Elena, when you can't even wake up on time? This is why all the diet plans I sent you in college never worked; you were too busy sleeping and eating all day. I still wonder how you eventually found yourself a man."

Once again, she gazes at me with inquisitive eyes, while I divert my focus to my meal; disregarding her has become my source of happiness.

"Come on, Mom, you behave as if you are unaware that my beloved sister cannot control herself. In my opinion, the man who managed to get caught has acknowledged his errors and left her here."

I cast a disapproving glance at Eloisa. What on earth is she doing here? Shouldn't she be at her apartment or even at work?

"You are merely envious, Eloisa. I do not foresee you finding a partner anytime soon, given your constant dieting and remarkable skills and beauty."

Indeed, I refuse to allow her to speak to me in such a derogatory manner.

She glares at me with fury; serves you right, you unpleasant person.

"Do not address your sister in that manner; she is worried about you. When was the last time you heard from your husband, by the way?"

"Always favoring her preferred side, why is Father late for breakfast? They would not dare disturb me if he were present. My mother fears my father, perhaps due to the fact that they did not fall in love; their marriage was arranged by their parents."

"No, mother, she should be the one to speak. At least I did not marry a man only to be deserted by him after some time. How long have you been here? Four months, correct? You know, if I were in your position, I would remain in my husband's home and conceal the fact that he is already weary of me."

Aargh, I despise her; I truly despise her. How can this spiteful bully be my own sister?

"Eloisa, at least I am married. I am not waiting for a man who will never glance at me in this life or the next. A piece of advice for you, dear sister: move on before you grow old alone, still hoping that one day Lorenzo will marry you. Oh wait, he does not even notice you; my mistake."

I smirk at her; I refuse to allow her to intimidate me as she did during our childhood. Her flushed and scowling face indicates her immense anger, ready to erupt, but before she can utter a word, father enters the room. She averts her gaze and mutters.

"What’s happening in here? I can feel some tension in the air," he says.

My dad glances around at all of us with a curious expression, but I’m keeping quiet.

He sits down and looks directly at Mom, waiting for her to respond. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"Elena wasn’t being nice to Eloisa; she said hurtful things to her and is only focused on Elena’s marriage," he states.

Eloisa shoots me a grin, clearly enjoying the moment. Look who’s defending her favorite! She’s got wassssssys done this since we were kids, blaming me for every little misunderstanding.

"If Elena said anything unkind to Eloisa, it’s because Eloisa provoked her. My angel could never be mean. Besides, Eloisa should focus on finding someone for herself and let Elena handle her own marriage, as it’s a private matter."

It’s my turn to smile; my dad always has my back. Eloisa turns away, her eyes filled with tears, before she stands up and walks out.

"Eloisa, Eloisa, please don’t go! Look at what you’ve done. You shouldn’t have said those things to her. She wanted to spend this morning with us, and you both just had to ruin it. What’s so wrong with caring for her own sister?"

My dad gives her a disapproving look, a clear signal for my mom to stop talking, and she seems to catch on.

"I only spoke the truth. Eloisa isn’t getting any younger; she’ll be 29 next year. She needs someone in her life and should stop holding out hope for that Lorenzo Martinez."

My mom glares at both of us in anger before excusing herself. Well, there goes our family time. This has been the pattern since high school: either I leave the table and dad storms off in anger, or it’s mom and Eloisa. I often wonder why we even bother trying to eat together. What surprises me is how Dad knows about Lorenzo; he looks at me and smiles.

"Don’t give me that look. I may not understand your sister completely, but I know what she’s up to. She’s my daughter, after all, and I love her and want her to be happy."

My dad never fails to amaze me. I shake off my surprise and continue eating with him.

After my dad leaves for work, I retreat to my room. I really need to figure out my situation here; I’ve been here for four months. I grew tired of staying at Diego’s and my own house since I was alone.

After we got married, Diego and I were together for a year and three months before his business trips began. He rarely came home, and when he did, it was only for a day or two before he left again.

I know Diego would never cheat on me; he loves and respects me. But his business trips are straining our marriage and our lives. I arrived here four months ago after spending a month in our house. We’ve only been married for two years, and I’ve only had my husband to myself for a year and three months.

I need to take action; I know many women are interested in my husband, and I can't allow them to get close to him, I just can't.

I grab my phone and call Diego, after four attempts, he finally answers on the fifth try.

"Hello, my love, I apologize for not answering your calls earlier. My trip has been quite exhausting."

He does sound stressed; perhaps I shouldn't bother him.

"It's alright, love. I was just worried about you and missed you so much, that's why I was calling. Forget that for now, when will you be back home?"

He sighs, and I can sense that he doesn't have good news to share.

"Elena, I won’t sugarcoat it, love. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’m currently stuck in California, and my business here isn’t going well. The investors aren’t being very helpful either."

My poor baby is really struggling.

"I’m so sorry, darling. I miss you and want to see you desperately. It feels like ages since we last met, and we just got married, Diego. Can’t you at least try to come visit me, even if it’s just for two days? I would be thrilled if you could make it."

He stays quiet, as if he’s contemplating the idea. Please say yes.

"Darling, how about we plan this meeting for next month? I’ll be home during the second week and can stay for an entire week. Please agree to this; I can’t leave right now because there’s so much happening here, Elena. I need you to understand my situation."

"No, that’s what he mentioned last month. I need to come up with a solution; I can’t accept this decision. I must fight for what I want. Think, Elena, I’ve got the perfect plan!"

"Diego, why don’t I just come to California, my love? I’m not busy at the moment, and I’m not even going to the company with Dad. I can come and stay with you, and we can tackle your stress together while I deal with my own issues. It’s a fantastic idea, my love; this way, neither of us will miss the other."

"I’m so clever; why didn’t I think of this sooner?"

"I’m not sure, Elena. What if my work bores you and makes you unhappy? I never want you to feel that way, and our living situation isn’t ideal; we can’t stay in a hotel for a month."

"Bore me? Never!"

"Listen, sweetheart, I love you so much that you could never bore me. I’m always happy when I’m with you, and my dad has an apartment in California. We can stay there. I’ll book my ticket right now. See you tonight, baby. Bye!"

"I ended the call before he could come up with another excuse. That’s how you reel a man in. California, here I come! I hurried downstairs to ask Dad for the keys to his apartment in California. I found him sitting with Mom and Eloisa in the garden."

"Dad, I need your apartment in California. I’m going to meet Diego, and we might stay there for up to two months."

He gazes at me in astonishment, while my mother stares at me in disbelief, and so does Eloisa; why is everyone so taken aback?

"You are going to meet Diego in California, as he has invited you," Dad inquires, visibly shocked.

"Well, I grew weary of you all, so I contacted him and arranged for our living conditions to be improved," I respond.

My father looks at me in surprise before breaking into a smile.

"Well, my dear, I will send you the caretaker's number once you board your plane; she possesses the keys. I told you, my child, that you could make things happen."

I glance at all of them, who exchange glances among themselves; my father is the only one who appears genuinely pleased for me.

"In any case, I need to pack my bags and book my flight immediately; thank you, Dad."

I prefer not to know what they were discussing, as it might only frustrate me. I quickly jog upstairs to prepare.

I finally pack all my bags and secure my flight from Los Angeles to California; I take a swift shower and get ready in my walk-in closet.

I enter my room to find Eloisa seated on my bed, gazing at me with a faint smile, which feels unsettling. What could she possibly want?

"What do you want? I lack both the time and energy to engage in an argument at this moment."

I swiftly move past her and grab my bag from the table, as I truly wish to avoid becoming irritated before my flight.

"I am not looking to argue, alright? I merely want to know if Lorenzo is with Diego. I haven't seen him in months. I visited his house, but all I get is that he is unavailable."

I should have anticipated this; she is only pleasant towards me when she is inquiring about Lorenzo, given that he is Diego's closest friend.

"I do not know, Eloisa. I did not inquire. Why do you continue to pursue that man? He does not even acknowledge your presence."

She meets my gaze briefly before looking away.

"I owe you no explanation. I did not ask you what attracted you to Diego when you chose to marry him, so do not provoke me."

Here we go again. I hastily exit my room, and she follows me. What could she possibly want now?

"What do you want, Eloisa?"

I turn to face her as she smiles at me. Why does her smile feel unsettling?

"What! I merely wish you a safe journey, and if Lorenzo happens to be in California, please give me a call. I would love to accompany you on your little trip."

I return her smile and nod. I quickly jog down the stairs to find Mom waiting for me at the door. Goodness! What is going on with these women? Let's just get this over with.

"Hey Mom, it's a bit eerie for you to be standing there with a smile, waiting for me. It's creepy."

She looks at me and frowns.

"Elena, please don’t speak like that. I know I can be tough on you at times, but I only want what’s best for you. I want to ensure that this time you return happy. Here, I have a new diet plan for you."

A new what? What is this woman scheming again? Ugh!

"Mom, I don’t need a diet plan. Diego appreciates my figure, and he doesn’t want me to lose any weight."

She gazes at me and gives a shrug

"You have gained a few pounds over the past months, and it is essential for you to lose weight to facilitate your chances of becoming pregnant, Elena. Trust me, I understand. Your father used to be involved with other women, but after the two of you were born, he dedicated himself to our family and me. The secret to keeping your man committed, dear, is not a marriage certificate, as he can choose to divorce you at any moment; the true key lies in having children."

At this moment, I am genuinely taken aback. Is my mother attempting to put on an act? This is becoming increasingly unsettling with each word she utters.

"Mom, I have not been married for a significant amount of time, and I have not had my husband to myself for quite a while. I do not intend to pursue pregnancy; I am not ready for children at this stage. Diego could still choose to divorce me even if we had kids. I trust him, Mom, and I love him, and he loves me as well. Why is it so difficult for you to accept that!"

I raise my voice slightly at her, as she is becoming increasingly annoying. She gazes at me with that serious, stern expression of hers, which she used to intimidate me with during my childhood.

"Do not raise your voice at me, Elena. Whenever I attempt to express my affection and care, you always respond negatively, and then you claim that I love Eloisa more than I love you. I am trying to manage your poor attitude; I cannot comprehend how your father can endure your childish outbursts. Children strengthen a marriage, and if you and Diego have a child, it will be difficult for him to consider leaving you or embarking on all those trips. Now, accept this and strive to return pregnant, and be a good girl."

Is she truly my mother? How did I end up being her daughter?

"Why do you not believe in me? Do you think I require a child or some form of leverage to keep my husband? What led you to believe that Diego would leave me in the first place? Is it due to my size? You constantly belittle me and undermine my self-esteem. Why, mother? Aren't you supposed to be my parent? Can't you simply love and support me as I am?"

This is incredibly painful; she consistently looks down on me. She regards me with sorrowful eyes, and I quickly wipe away the tears that are about to fall before walking out on her.

"Elena, do not behave this way. I am merely concerned for you. Let us be honest; I am expressing my concern for your well-being. You genuinely need to lose weight and work on your marriage."

She never ceases to talk; I despise her, I truly despise her.

"My marriage is not problematic, Mom! Your daughter appears to have her own issues; she cannot seem to attract a man’s attention and continues to pursue him like a desperate dog. Therefore, address your favorite child first before attempting to mend my marriage."

She gazes at me with a scowl as I enter the car; I have no desire to hear anything she wishes to convey. "Do not cry, Elena; she is merely a miserable and unpleasant individual. I am perfectly fine just as I am."

My phone rings, and I glance at the screen to see Dad calling.

"Sweetheart, are you so thrilled about your trip that you forgot to bid me farewell before your departure? I knew I should not have allowed you to marry that man; he is taking you away from me."

I cannot suppress the giggles that escape my lips; my father always has a way of brightening my spirits.

"I sincerely apologize, Dad; no one can ever take me away from you. I will always remain your little girl, and I will miss you immensely, Dad."

He exhales, and I can sense that he is smiling at this moment, that clever old man.

"Elena, my dear, your mother may utter hurtful words and frequently overstep her bounds—perhaps even all the time—but I hope you understand that she loves you and only desires what is best for you, my dear."

That is my father for you, always striving to maintain harmony within the family. I am certain he apologized to Eloisa before she returned home this morning.

"I understand, Dad, and I love her as well; it’s just that she tends to irritate me and occasionally crosses her limits."

I truly love my mother, yet she can be quite unbearable.

"I will miss you as well, my dear. I have already contacted the caretaker on your behalf; she will arrive tomorrow morning to greet you. Therefore, please spend the night with Diego at the hotel. Remember to call me twice a day, or you will have to return home immediately."

I let out a chuckle, pondering what I will do without my father.

"Yes, Dad, I will call you even three times a day, so you need not worry about anything. I love you."

"I love you too, my darling."

I ended the call and glanced outside, realizing we had reached the airport. Well, here I go; I am eager to see Diego. I quickly retrieve my bags from the trunk. California, here I come.