2

"Aw papi, I missed you so much!" I say as I hug my dad tightly.

"I missed you too mija." He says. "Now what's the surprise that you have for me?" He asks like a little kid.

"Okay, stay here." I nervously say as I move back a little and pull the stroller from the side. "Papi, this is your granddaughter, Mia."

My dad looks at me shocked. He looks at me then at my gorda.

"You're babysitting. She's not yours." He says laughing.

I roll my eyes and push the stroller inside the house. I take my sleepy gorda out and carry her.

"No, papá. She's really my daughter." As I say that, Mia squirms in my arms and opens her eyes. Thankfully she's not a crier. She looks at me and smiles. She then looks at my dad and smiles at him too.

"She's so beautiful." He says as he reaches over to hold her.

"Right?" I say.

"How though?" He asks.

I sigh and walk to the living room with my dad behind me.

"You gotta sit down for this." I say.

*

"That's why you left?" He asks with tears in his eyes.

I nodded.

"I didn't want to, but I had to for her." I say.

"Where did you get the money? How did you make a living?"

"Being a stripper." I smile.

My dad gave me a glare as I laugh.

"No cierto! I had money saved up from when I was working at the taqueria since I was 15, I found a small job and had a roommate."

"You're staying here for good then?" He asks with hope in his eyes.

I give him a small smile.

"If you let us?"

"Mija, of course!" He says. "You know how devastated I was when you left and never FaceTimed me so I knew you were okay?"

"I called and texted though." I say.

"It wasn't the same." He shakes his head.

"I know, I'm sorry." I say.

"It's okay, you were scared. But I hope you know you can count on me with anything." He says. "Are you planning on telling him?"

I sigh, scratching my forehead.

"I don't know. I want to, but I feel like he won't believe me."

"Why not?!" He yells.

"Because I left him out of no where when things were going so well!" I say.

"You need to talk to him Ellie."

"I know and I will. I just need a couple of days." I say as I look at Mia.

"You're gonna have so much fun with your abuelito." My dad says with a baby voice as he hugs Mia."