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up to Lasaro. “He is really a big boy.
Kind of stocky.”
    Lasaro and Parker laugh, but not Galiana. She is still
crying.
“I am going to back to the house now to see Cyntia.”
Galiana reaches out for my baby speaking sternly.
“Give me the baby first, Pedro.” I am a little shocked, but
I hand her my son.
I walk back up to the house alone. Odd that the other
three kept their distance. I enter into the house and I see
Rosalie cleaning blood from herself. I look over to Cyntia
to see blood all around her. I walk over to her side and
speak to her. Her eyes are closed and she is not
responding to me. I reach over to her, taking her hand. I
feel the coldness in her fingertips.
Rosalie comes to my side placing her hand on my
shoulder. “I am sorry, Pedro. Her liver shut down. She
begged me to save the baby.
I stare at Cyntia not understanding what Rosalie is
saying me. “Cyntia, we need to name the baby. Wake up,
sweetie, please.”
Rosalie squeezes my shoulder. “Pedro, she is gone.
She wants you to take care of your son. He needs to be
held and loved.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “No, I do not want him
without Cyntia. I need her.” I feel the tears run down my
face.
“I will give you some time with her while I speak with
Lasaro,” she says, as she leaves me alone leaving through
the door and closing it behind her.
    Some time goes by as I sit holding my wife’s hand. I
brush her hair back from her face watching her color
fade. She never wakes, but she continues to get colder to
my touch.
    Lasaro walks back in to the house. “Pedro, you must
go with Galiana back to my farm. We will handle things
here. Cyntia’s family has refused to come. They claim that
she chose this curse and they want nothing to do with
you or the baby. We will take care of her. Go, Pedro.” He
lifts me from the side of my bed pushing me out the door
of the house. I leave with Galiana in Rosalie’s jeep.
Rosalie brings us back to Lasaro’s farm. Galiana runs into
the house with my son, as Rosalie places me in to a
rocking chair outside the door.
    “Pedro, we are all here to help you. Anything, please
just ask. You will get through this.”
I slowly move my head up to look her in the face.
“No, I will never get through this. I am cursed and so is
my son now.”
Rosalie kneels before me rubbing my hands.
“Tomorrow, I am going to take you and the baby to the
clinic. The baby is very large and fat which might be a
side effect of Cyntia’s diabetes. I want him to be checked
by the doctor. You are also going to need help. You are
strong, Pedro, but I think you are very young and this is
too much for you to handle. I will come for you in the
morning.” She places her hand on my shoulder then
leaves me.
    I sit staring out at the darkness feeling completely
despondent then Galiana joins me. She leans down
placing my baby on my lap. She forces a bottle into my
hand. “Pedro, please feed your son.”
    I look down at him squirming and moving his little
lips. I look up at her. “Galiana, I do not know what to
do.”
    She guides my hand. “You will learn, Pedro, you have
to. He needs you to take care of him. You must give him
a name. I was thinking about his grandfather and having
to raise you without a mother. You could name him after
your father, Pedro. I think he would be honored to know
that he has a grandson named after him.”
    She takes her hand away from mine as I held the bottle
to feed my baby.
I nod. “Yes, Ramón Araya is a perfect name for my
son.”
She nods, leaving me to care for my infant son.
CHAPTER 2
     
Seven years later….
    I head down to the school to pick up my son, Ramón.
As I pull up, I can see Parker playing with the children.
Parker and I have become inseparable. He is my best
friend and my rock. We are both alone here and he has
helped me cope with being a single parent. He waves over
at me to come down to him. I stroll down to the edge of
the play field as I watch the children kick the ball around.
I