Chapter 39: Learn To Let Go

Sharon woke up the next day, hungry and hungover. She sat up on the bed and tried to recollect the details of the previous day. The memories were foggy in her mind, but she remembered that she had a great time yesterday.

It wasn't the kind of birthday that she imagined having but it was great nonetheless. She remembered when she told Pedro, Julio and Juanita that it was her birthday and how excited they were, causing them to take her dancing and drinking to celebrate her special day.

She smiled at the recollection and then, it hit her.

*Hector was upset with them last night.

She had to go apologise to him for her unruly behavior. She might be an adult and they may have business together but she was still living in his home and drinking out late with his little sister, though fun, was also irresponsible.

She went downstairs and found Hector already giving a lecture to Victoria about her wild habits. Sharon tried to sneak back up to avoid being scolded as well but was seen before she could sneak away.

"Good morning, Sharon. So nice of you to join us. Please take a seat," Hector said to her and offered her a chair.

Sharon walked downstairs with her head bowed in embarrassment. She took the chair and sat down.

"Hector, I just want to say that I'm..," she began but he cut her off with his index finger in the air.

Sharon stopped talking and waited for him to speak. She was remorseful and regretful about yesterday, unlike Victoria who looked unmoved and unremorseful, having already been expecting this from her overprotective brother.

"First of all, I'd like to apologise to you Sharon for not being able to celebrate your birthday with you. I had to go handle some things, some very important things so I'm sorry for missing the fun day I'm sure the both of you had. Now that that's out of the way. What the hell!? You two are grown women and you're both allowed to drink and go out and have a good time..," Hector began saying.

"If that's the case, then why are we here right now and about to get a lecture from you?" Victoria said with her eyes closed and her hand on her temple.

She was still hungover and was having a headache.

"Don't interrupt me, Vic. I've had enough of your irresponsible behaviour. It's almost like you have

two entirely different personalities. One minute, you're this sweet, kind, considerate, and helpful girl and the next, you're this thrill seeker that makes bad decisions and lacks even an atom of prudence. What is wrong with you? It's those kids you hang out with that's making you act like this. Can't you see that they're a bad influence on you. Why can't you make new friends who'll be able to change you for the better and not for the worst?" Hector said, visibly upset but his voice calm and mellow.

"What do you know about my friends anyway? You've never met them. You've never spoken to them. I only ever invite them over when you're out because you specifically forbade me from bringing them here," Victoria said, annoyed at her brother's opinion of her friends.

"So you do bring them here?"

"That's not the point, Hector. The point is that you've already judged them and you haven't even spent a minute with them."

"They all have reputations, Victoria; bad reputations. Like that Pedro..,everyone knows that the reason he lives with his uncle is because his parents kicked him out of the house. After all, he stole money from them," Hector pointed out.

"He needed the money desperately and he's already paid them back," Victoria defended her friend's actions.

"Still doesn't change the fact that he stole from his own family. And the twins, Julio and Juanita, have a reputation for being a burden to their

parents, always sneaking out and coming home late, defying their parents, and refusing to go to school," Hector said.

"Julio and Juanita are great kids. It's their parents that are the problem. They don't even know their children. Julio has problems with reading books and Juanita is a free spirit. They love dancing and they're so good at it but their parents forbade them from chasing their dreams," Victoria said defensively.

"Then, they should listen to their parents instead of being a burden to them."

"Would you do it, Hector? If our parents were still alive and they asked you to abandon your dreams and live a mediocre life, would you?" Victoria asked, her eyes already wet. "What about you, Sharon? Would you give up your passion to paint for anyone in the world?"

Sharon had been silent and side-lined this entire time. She wasn't sure what to answer.

"No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't stop doing what makes me happy for anyone," she answered.

Hector gave up on trying to dissuade Victoria from being friends with Pedro, Julio, and Juanita. There was absolutely nothing he could say that would change her mind about them so he stopped trying. He instead turned his attention to Sharon.

"What about you, Sharon? Is this how you are as well? I thought you were more mature than this. I actually thought that you would be able to

positively influence this wild child but instead, you encourage her."

"She didn't encourage anything. I took her to El Palacio, I took her to the bars. I'm the one you should be yelling at and not her," Victoria came to Sharon's defense as well.

"No! Hector's right, Victoria. We were very irresponsible last night, drinking so much and coming home so late. We aren't children anymore so we need to start acting more mature."

Victoria wasn't happy hearing Sharon agree with her brother. In her mind, they didn't do anything wrong. They didn't hurt anyone and were just having a good time out with friends and she saw no harm in that.

"Hector, my life hasn't been easy. It's been years since I was able to let loose and have a good time without worrying about what society might think or being caught by Addicus. I just wanted to have

fun but I took it too far and I'm sorry. I really want to be a good influence on Victoria and I promise that this will not happen again," Sharon said apologetically.

"You are a good influence on me, Sharon," Victoria said with a smile and moved her seat closer to Sharon and held her hand.

"You are brave and strong and talented. Sometimes I look at you and I can't believe that you're real. You've been through so much, enough to break your spirit but you keep going. In just a few days, you've become a role model and an inspiration to me. I just wanted to help you forget about your problems and have the best birthday ever. I'm sorry, Amiga."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Vic, nothing at all. It was the best birthday I've ever had. I felt your love and the love of your friends. You all made me feel so special and important yesterday. And I did forget about all of my problems in the past because I was surrounded with joy that only made me think about the future."

Hearing Victoria say these things about her made Sharon's heart melt. They embraced in a hug and cried on each other's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, brother. I don't mean to be a burden to you," Victoria said to Hector, already covered in tears.

"No, chica. You could never be a burden to me. You're the only reason why I wake up every morning," Hector said and moved closer to her and held both her hands.

"I love you so much, Victoria, and all I want is for you to be happy...and safe. I don't want to hold you back and make you give up your dreams. No! I want to see you soar higher than myself. I want you to be successful in whatever you do. You know this, don't you?" Hector said, also in tears.

"Of course, I know, Hermano. Of course, I know."

They hugged themselves and Hector gave her a light kiss on the forehead.

"I wasn't even angry with you for yesterday. I wasn't angry that you went to El Palacio. I wasn't angry that you got drunk or that you came home late. I wasn't angry at all. I was scared and worried because I didn't know where you were or if you were alright," Hector made her aware.

"I'm sorry, Hermano. I didn't mean to make you worry. I'm sorry."

Watching Victoria and Hector say these things to each other and seeing the love they had between them made Sharon wish that she also had had siblings while growing up. It would have been an incredible experience to care this much for someone other than yourself. But unfortunately, it was something that she could never have.