At this time, Tia's face was exactly the kind of red that comes from drinking alcohol and it made me furious to see it.
"Why are you yelling at me? How was I supposed to know this would happen? If I knew, I wouldn’t have drunk anything!" she yelled back.
Back then, my mother never let me take any exams. The moment she noticed me preparing for one, she would do everything in her power to stop me and now, at over thirty years old, I didn’t even have a driver’s license.
However, we were in the middle of nowhere and of course, I couldn't get a taxi.
Who hadn’t been drinking? It was The Day of the Dead Festival, after all. Who did not drink but could drive?
It was Mateo!
Mateo had driven here in his brand-new car today, just to flaunt it in front of me. He wouldn’t have been able to resist showing off when I was at the house. This meant he definitely hadn’t been drinking.
I shoved my daughter into Tia’s arms and sprinted back into the dining room.
Mateo was currently cradling his girlfriend while pampering her like a spoiled child. When he saw me storm in, he barely spared me a glance before quickly looking away.
I knew he wouldn’t agree easily to help me, so I begged, "Mateo, can you please drive me to the hospital?"
He frowned. "Huh? Can’t you go yourself? I still have to take my girlfriend home later. Her family is very strict so I can’t be late."
He knew I didn’t have a driver’s license.
I clenched my hands together in front of me. Pride meant nothing, not if it could save my daughter.
"I don’t have a license… You haven’t been drinking. Please, I’m begging you .... please, help me just this once. Help me, okay?"
However, before Mateo could respond, my aunt stepped between us, blocking my way.
"Santiago," she said, patting my shoulder like she was comforting me. "It’s not that Mateo doesn’t want to help you."
You know how important his girlfriend’s family is. If something happens because he’s late, who’s responsible? We have to think ahead and avoid trouble whenever we can, right?" she asked.
My daughter’s worsening condition made me feel like I was going insane. I tried begging to Mateo one last time, "Mateo, please. I’ll find someone else to send your girlfriend home. Your niece, she’s been coughing up blood. Just this once ... please, have a little heart!"
Mateo just stood there and leaned lazily against the edge of the table.