The Return-Chapter Four

Beatriz stood, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. She couldn't see anymore. The forest was shrouded in darkness. Why had she stayed here so long? She shook her head, struggling in vain to clear it. She felt so confused.
"Bea?" a voice whispered, and suddenly Rosita wrapped her sister in a bear hug. "Thank goodness you're still here!" Rosita stepped back, and Beatriz saw that her eyes were shining with tears. "I thought...I thought you had...left me."
Beatriz looked into her sister's eyes. Her breath became caught in her throat. She couldn't believe that she had done this to her. When she looked at Rosi, she could only see herself. She saw herself standing in the doorway, staring after her mom as she tossed her suitcase into the trunk. "Mommy, please don't leave," Beatriz had begged. "Please." Her mother had simply looked back, then away, and slammed the car door. The tires had squealed along the road as she drove away.
"I'm sorry," Beatriz said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I would never leave you. We're a family. And even if everyone else leaves us, like mom, and dad, and María, that doesn't change anything. We're still sisters."
"Okay," Rosita whispered.
"Let's go home," Beatriz said. Rosita rested her head on her shoulder, and together, like that, they walked home.

Caspian watched this, his eyes having that same dry feeling again. He couldn't have her. Ever. He couldn't tear her away from her sister, that would be selfish and devistating to them both. With this he realized that maybe he should just try to move on. To try and leave her, only to eventually come back. He knew he would but for now, her life was complicated enough.

"You want to eat something?" Beatriz said once they were inside.
Rosita smiled sadly. "No, I think I'm just going to go to sleep. You should too."
"Yeah," Beatriz nodded, sticking her hands in her pocket and shuffling her feet.
Rosita started up the stairs, then stopped halfway. "We should call Tía Marta tomorrow. We can't do this alone."
"Yeah," she nodded insincerely. "We should."
"Okay," Rosita shrugged, then started upstairs.

They began to run home in silence. They stayed together in the treetops and Caspian kept quiet. He was warring within himself. Should he leave and let her be normal with her sister, not complicating anything? To assume she didn't care for him in the least? Come back for her later? Or should he stay and wait until she lets her sister go on her own, keeping his feelings to himself? Could he?

"You are not going to go to see her," Anna said firmly. "Period."

Beatriz turned out all of the inside lights and sat on her bed. Her light was off. Darkness filled the room. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. She sighed. She was afraid. She didn't want to sleep by herself. She felt like such a baby for thinking that, but it was true.
There was a knock on the door, and Rosita peered inside. "Could I...sleep in here tonight?"
"Sure," Beatriz said. She patted her bed, then stood up. "I'll be right back, alright?"

He sighed. "I know that Anna. We...I might have to leave" he finally said, leaving it open-ended.

Anna said nothing, continuing to run through the treetops. She was thinking about it, about how much better it might be for him to be far from her, or how much worse it could possibly be. After a few moments of pondering over this, she said, "Yeah. We have to." Before Caspian could add anything else, she did it herself. "Just for a bit." Her tone left no room for arguments.

Beatriz switched into her pajamas and tiptoed back inside. Rosita was tucked tightly into Bea's bed, snoring softly. Her teddy bear was underneath the blankets, supposedly so her older sister wouldn't see it. She smiled. As she tucked herself in beside her hermana menor, she thought that maybe, just maybe, things could be okay again.

"No Anna, not we. Just me. You have to stay and keep up our appearance" he said quietly.

Anna didn't reply, still thinking about this. He was probably right. "Go see Carlisle," she said. "Stay with him for a while. He won't mind. I heard Ed's going through the same sort of thing."

Caspian sighed. "I'll call him when we get home" he said in a desolate tone.

"No," Anna said firmly. "I think you should go now. Ed's about your size, right? Just go. If you wait until you get home, you'll have second thoughts. I'll send you anything I think you'll need." With that final word, she sped up, until she was far ahead of him. Even he wouldn't be able to catch up.

Caspian shook his head. Why would she leave him on his own? He had to go see her again? He knew he would as soon as he started running.

In the middle of the night, Beatriz couldn't sleep. She slipped out of the bed, being sure not to stir Rosita. She tiptoed out of the room with her cellphone, easing into the living room. Once there, she dialed her mom's phone. She knew she wouldn't answer. Of course she wouldn't. Why would she? She probably had a new life with María, new kids, and a new husband. She wouldn't care about her old family anymore. She knew that was true. But Beatriz couldn't help but call.
When the voicemail came on, Beatriz swallowed, hard, and whispered, "Mamá? Por favor...es Beatriz. Tú hija. Please...come back. Everything's a mess. No sé nada...I don't know what to do, Mom. Please. Come back." Before her message could get even more garbled and become Spanglish, Beatriz hung up. She rested her head in her hands. What would she do?

As he headed to her house he realized that he shouldn't. Edward would know more than he ever could since it had been a while Carlisle said. When he got there the whole house was abuzz. He knocked on the door only for Carlisle to answer it. He didn't have to say anything because Edward began to speak to him, knowing his thoughts. Then Caspian smelled something sweet but not as good as Beatriz. He tensed while she walked to him but he didn't move. They talked all night even when Alice took Bella home. They talked for a day and a half straight since it was the weekend. Then Caspian headed home so that Edward could pick up Bella. He also mentioned they had just announced their wedding. He got home at night and went to see Anna.

Beatriz sat, stirring her tea at the kitchen table, when Rosita clambered downstairs. "'Morning," Beatriz said.
Rosita grunted in reply. She wandered over to the fridge, flinging the door open. After a moment of thought, she announced finally, "There is nothing to eat."
Beatriz shrugged, sighing. "Rose. We don't have any money right now, you know. My job at the bookstore can't pay for electricity, water, gas, and food, alright? I can't do everything!" Before she could break down into tears, Beatriz sucked in a deep breath to calm herself. She tried not to look at Rosita. By now, her sister must have figured out that she was losing it. Bea knew she needed to go back to her old psychologist. She just didn't have the money to do it.
"Are...you okay?" Rosita asked carefully. A few years prior, Beatriz had suffered from depression and other mental illnesses. She even went through a brief period of hospitalization. Usually, Rose danced around the subject of illness. She knew that it would have to be addressed.
"Yeah," Beatriz said, standing. She dumped her tea into the sink. She had mostly just stirred it around, sipping a bit here and there. It was nearly full. She nodded uncertainly. "Why wouldn't I be okay?" To change the subject, Bea glanced down at her watch. "School's about to start. Get ready."