Chapter 36: Birthday Girl

The next morning, Sharon rose with a feeling of liberation and lightness. It was almost like she spent the night as a caterpillar that went through the process of becoming a pupa and then this morning, emerged out of her cocoon as a beautiful butterfly.

She felt free. Her anxiety was gone and so were her panic attacks. She went downstairs to prepare breakfast. It was still early and Victoria and Hector were sleeping, exhausted by the busy day they had.

So, Sharon decided to make them breakfast for when they woke up. She went into the kitchen and prepared pancakes, bacon and eggs.

She brewed a pot of coffee and put out some fruit. The delicious aroma of the steaming coffee and hot food reverberated all around the house until it got into the siblings' nostrils. They both woke up and came out of their rooms at the same time and met each other in the hallway.

"Good morning, Hector," Victoria greeted, looking like a cat out of the water, her hair messed up and with bags under her eyes.

"Morning, Vic. You look terrible. Did you get any sleep at all last night?" Hector replied.

"I did but apparently, it wasn't enough."

Just then, Hector's brain reminded his nose of the delicious aroma that filled the house.

"It seems Sharon is already up and cooking," Hector said happily.

"She sure is. I don't know about you but I'm starving," Victoria replied.

They both went downstairs and headed straight to the dining area and were welcomed by a breakfast feast. It smelled even better up close.

"This looks amazing but where's Sharon?" Hector asked.

"She's probably in her studio doing the other thing she's great at," Victoria said in a mumble, already stuffing her face with food.

Hector walked out into the shop and to the studio. Sharon indeed was there and was painting. She had a smile on her face and Hector noticed it.

"Good morning, Sharon!"

"Hector, good morning. How was your night?" She asked politely with the most enchanting smile in all of creation.

*A smile that stunned Hector, so much so that he was at a loss for words and couldn't answer the simple question.

"My night? It, umm, it was ah, good. Very good, thank you. And you? I hope you managed to sleep tonight and didn't start painting in the middle of the night again?" He asked.

"I did sleep, Hector. Best sleep I've had in months. I woke up just two hours ago. I made breakfast and decided to paint a little bit. The paintings I made yesterday are all gone so I need to start making more."

"Sharon, you do know that l don't expect you to create new paintings every day, right? We agreed on twelve paintings every month, which means you don't have to make more till, well, next month," he reminded her.

"Oh, I remember the deal. I'm just starting early. You're not going to get this or any more paintings till next month. Art can't be rushed. I paint when I'm inspired and I was this morning, so I am," Sharon told Hector.

"Hector?" She called out.

"Yes, Sharon?" He answered.

"How are you going to make any money today without having paintings in the shop?" She asked.

"The painting business isn't like selling tomatoes on the streets. The only reason why this place was packed yesterday was that I haven't had so many beautiful paintings in my shop for a long time. People were astounded and they came in to get a piece of that astonishment to take home with them.

“The money I made yesterday, in this business, was a lot for just one day. It will keep us afloat for months and by then, more paintings would have arrived, right?" He smirked.

"Right…speaking of money, where's my twenty-five per cent?" Sharon asked with her hand open.

"The agreement was that you get paid every month's end," Hector retorted.

"That's true, but you sold all of them in one day. So, it's only logical that I get paid early. No?"

"I guess you're right?" Hector said, admitting defeat.

"Great! Now hand it over," Sharon said with a victorious smile.

"My God, you are persistent. Let me just go upstairs and get it," Hector said and started walking away.

"It had better be complete, Hector," Sharon shouted after him.

"It will be. Don't hassle me, woman," he shouted back and went up.

.

.

.

"Here you go, Madame. Twenty-five per cent, as we agreed," Hector said and handed her a ward of colóns.

As she took it, she stared at him in a playfully suspicious manner, "And how do I know this is twenty-five per cent of what was earned yesterday?"

"You can take a look at the ledger if you want…" Hector said in his defence.

"There's no need for that. I trust you. Thank you," she said and continued painting when she remembered Victoria.

"Where's Victoria? Isn't she awake yet?"

"Oh, she is. She's at the dining table filling her belly and I should go do the same. Your food smells absolutely wonderful," he complimented and left.

Sharon finished the painting she was working on and decided to go have some coffee. She went and sat with the siblings and poured herself a cup.

"Good morning, Victoria," Sharon said to the young girl who was devouring the food hungrily.

"Morning, Sharon. This meal is amazing. How do you do it? You have to teach me," Victoria said and stuffed an entire pancake in her mouth.

"Like you could ever learn how to cook," Hector teased with a scoff.

"Don't be mean, Hector. Of course, she can learn."

"And I'll be more than happy to teach you," Sharon said to Victoria.

After breakfast, Hector got dressed and ready to leave to handle some of his other business. He came down and found Victoria braiding Sharon's blonde hair.

"Okay, girls. I'm off to handle some things. Do you two have anything planned for the birthday girl's big day?" Hector asked.

"Yes, brother. I was going to show Sharon around so she could know her way around here better. She also wants to meet some of my friends so I'll be taking her to El Palacio to celebrate."

"EI Palacio?! You still go to that place? I told you to stop going there, that place is dangerous," Hector said with concern.

"You're overreacting, Hector. I've been there so many times and no one has ever gotten hurt," Victoria replied.

"Not yet. Until there's an accident and one of you ends up with an axe in your head."

"Why would we end up with an axe in our heads? And what does El Palacio mean and what goes on there?" Sharon asked, feeling a bit concerned.

"You're taking her to El Palacio and you didn't even tell her what people do there?" Hector scolded with a loud tone.

"I was gonna tell her and if she didn't want to go, we would go somewhere else."

Hector stared at the time. He was getting late for his business.

"I have to go now. Sharon, have an amazing day but don't go to El Palacio

with her, ok? That place is filled with hoodlums and riff-raffs."

He left the house after giving Victoria a disapproving stare.

"Drama Queen," Victoria said right after he closed the door.

"Victoria? What's this place about?" Sharon asked.

"Forget what Hector said, okay? El Palacio is a fun place. It means **'The Palace'** and it's a spot in San Jose where young people go to socialize and have fun. It's completely harmless and I'm certain that you'll have fun there."

"That sounds great and all but what did your brother mean when he said we could end up with an axe in our heads?"

*She wanted that part cleared up.

"People go there not just to socialize but to also forget their problems by doing something extreme, fun, and liberating," Victoria said vaguely.

"You don't mean drugs, do you?"

"No, no, no. Not drugs. **Axe throwing!"**

"What?"

*Sharon wasn't sure she heard right.