A Plea for Help and a Lesson Learned
I arrive at my parents' house and find my mother and Valéria getting out of the car with shopping bags in their hands. They look at me, not understanding why I am there with the children. I take my kids out of the car and approach them, feeling nervous.
"Is Dad home?" I ask.
"He must be in his office," my mother says as I hand Marisol and Juan to her. "What's going on, daughter?"
I enter, opening all the doors until I reach my father's office, where he looks at me, surprised. He even stops talking to his visitor, who turns around, and, of course, as expected, it's X. I approach the two and stare at X and then at my father, serious and straightforward.
"What is he doing here?"
"Hello, my daughter. I'm fine, and you?" my father demands good manners from me.
"Does this man live here now?" I ask, pointing at X.
"Not for lack of invitation," my father looks at X. "I've told him that the doors of our house are open for him, but..."
"Ramón, thank you, but the hotel has been serving me well until I find a good house," X says, taking a sip of water.
"Look at life's coincidences: You need a house, and Dália, my daughter, is a real estate broker," my father comments, pointing at me with his cigar. "Dália, could you help him find a house, what do you think?"
"If your daughter doesn't mind," X looks at me.
"Dad, I need to talk to you... alone," I say, ignoring X's presence.
"We'll talk later," X stands up and extends his hand towards my father, who firmly shakes it. X turns to me and reaches out toward me. "Dália..."
"Goodbye," I say, not taking my eyes off my father.
"What's gotten into you? How rude of you!" my father asks, irritated by my behavior. "Very disrespectful of you."
"I'm not understanding this friendship between you two. Are you trying to get back at me by becoming friends with my ex-boss?" I question my father, resting my hands on the table.
"Hija, you need to understand that my life doesn't always revolve around you," my father says, puffing on his cigar. He exhales the smoke and continues, "Well, now you have my full attention... What do you want?"
"You know I wouldn't come here if it wasn't something extremely crucial," I start, sitting in the chair. "Something that even involves the future of your grandchildren."
"What? Are Juan and Marisol okay? Do they need something?" my father asks, concerned.
"Dad... You know I would never ask unless it was absolutely necessary," I take a deep breath as my father observes me. "I don't know how to say it..."
"Spit it out, rip off the band-aid and expose the wound," my father says seriously.
"A short while ago, I found out that my family's financial situation wasn't good at all... In fact, we're bankrupt," I reveal, nervously. "I just went to the bank because we've been behind on both the mortgage and the loan for the loft for some time now... Anyway, I spoke to the bank, and due to all the delays, if we want to keep the properties, we need to pay three million euros, and we only have four days to do it."
"I warned you, didn't I?" my father asks, seriously looking at me. "I told you this would end badly and that you'd come to me, didn't I? I bet you already had problems back then, but you decided to hide everything out of pride. You two are irresponsible!"
"I didn't know anything until a few days ago. Carlos decided to hide it to avoid burdening me," I say to my father. "In any case, I put my pride aside and I'm here to ask you to lend me three million euros."
"Hija..."
"I know it's a lot, but don't do it for me, do it for my children, please," I ask, looking at my father.
"Dália, you know I love you," my father says. "However, I can't give you that amount..."
"I'm not asking you to give it to me, but as a loan. I'll pay you back," I tell my father.
"Dália, no. Loaning money to family is not a loan, it's a forced donation," my father comments.
"I'm not just a relative; I'm your daughter!"
"Yes, and that's why I always spoiled you... Look where that has led to," my father says. "It's time for you to stand on your own two feet. For everything in life, there are consequences... face yours."
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