Hermosa

Hi, my name is Gabriella O'Hara, but my family and friends call me Gabby, or Gabe if they're lazy, I don't mind.

I'm 9 years old, I come from a Mexican household, I have a mother and a Papa, and one dog, Tigre, he's a pitbull with brown and orange stripes all over him. The name suited him perfectly.

My mother and Papa put a lot of work into raising me. Making sure I stay active in sports, like soccer, my Papa wants me to be a national soccer legend like the greats; but my mother on the other hand wants me to have a normal career, like an office worker, or a doctor, or some boring job really.

But, I want to make my Papa proud, so I'll be the greatest soccer player ever. Just for my Papa.

My mother always works, she wasn't a stay at home mom like the rest of the kids mothers, my Papa had a lot of free time, he worked from home. So, Papa and I had a special bond.

Papa was all I really needed.

"Hey mija," my Papa had just walked into the kitchen, with eyebags and a cup of coffee, the mug said "number 1 dad," I bought it for him.

"What are you writing?" He said as he shuffled over, his slippers gliding on the tile floor. I was seated at the round kitchen table, writing my first entry in my diary.

He stood beside me looming over me, looking at my scribble worlds of dry ink. "Didn't I buy that for you when you were five? And you're just now using it?" He raised an eyebrow looking at me. Brown eyes meeting each other.

"Yeahh, I'm about to be a teen Papa, I should document my life as much as possible!"

He laughed and ruffled my hair, taking a sip from his coffee mug standing straight again. "A teen mija? You'll be a tween, hermosa."

"Ok, yeah, yeah, double digits. But close enough."

"Nooo-" he dragged as he corrected me with a smile; at least I made him smile. He looks at a screen all day writing who knows what on that computer, I should break it or something. It clearly gives my Papa a headache.

"Did you eat breakfast?" He walked over to the coffee machine. "Yeah, I had cereal." I turn to face his back as I see his head move to the sink to not see an empty bowl, then he looks to the ground by my feet, seeing Tigre finishing the leftover milk I had left. That was Tigre treat for the day.

Papa brought his attention back to the coffee machine, he pressed the on button as the bowling water inside began to make some type of noise, a swirling loud sound, it was almost calming.

I turned back to my dairy and began to scribble drawings of coffee mugs. I smile as I try to draw my Papa, he was just a circle with four strands of hair and scribble for a smile and dots for eyes.

I heard my Papa scoff, I turned my body to where I would face him, well his back. He was scowling at his phone as usual. He had one hand on the mug handle and the other holding his phone to his torso.

My mother probably texted him that she would be late or that she was staying at some motel. She's never home. I would lie if I said I didn't miss her, but never really had the chance to know her. Messed up that a daughter doesn't really know her own mother.

The bubbling sound of coffee meeting a mug had taken me out of thought but not my Papa. "Ah!" He swung his hand back, taking the mug with it, smashing it to the ground, a shatter took over the kitchen.

I jumped at the shatter and Tigre barked continuously. I see my father shake his hands as soon turn the faucet to the sink, setting it to cool water. I rushed over and watched as my Papa hand had reddened all over the foreskin of his thumb and pointer finger.

"Are you ok hermosa? Did it get on you?" He was concerned as he looked over my exposed skin, just my forearms and feet.

"No, I'm ok Papa."

"Good. Could you clean that up Mija?"

I look back and see Tigre sniff at the shards of ceramic clay, his nose was too close. "Tigre! Get away! ¡Ven aquí!" I point by my feet. Tigre left the broken mug and moved my way, sitting by my feet. Thank goodness my Papa taught me how to train him.

"Put my slippers on before you step over there." He slipped his slippers off. I step into them, and it's roomy.

"Stay, Imma clean it up, ok?" I pet Tigre head as I went to pick up the shards of a broken mug with a broom and dust pan. I mop up the rest of the coffee stains. As I finished I saw my Papa bandaging his burn wound and soon put ice on it.

"Does it hurt?" I say as I follow my father into the living room, Tigre following both of us. He lump onto the middle part of the couch. Tigre jumped on as well, taking his left side.

"Nah, your dad's a champ."

I frown as his injured hand is all that I can see. I step over and grab his hand with care and ghost a rub over it. "Sana, sana, colita de rana. Si no sana hoy, sanará mañana." I set a butterfly kiss on it to make it better.

"Aww, I raised you well." Papa ruffled my hair as he smiled, and I smiled just as bright. I crawl beside him on the couch. And resting my head on his left shoulder, he turned on the TV. I stare at his injured left hand.

"I'm sorry about the mug. I didn't mean to."

"It's ok Papa, as long as you're ok, then it's ok."

"I have the best daughter in the world!" He stood up fast and soon grabbed my arms pulling me up and soon swinging me around in circles, Tigre got excited and chased me around barking and howling, jumping too.

My Papa still has strength in him to play with me even with his injured hand. I laugh as he did as well. It was a good day.

We soon calmed down as the day went by, my father still had the bandaged hand as the day went on, he said it should be healed in three days, a week at most.

As dinner went by, we were eating menudo. As well as Tigre. He always had human meals. He's my best friend, him and my Papa.

"Hermosa, I have to run errands tonight, can you watch the house while I'm gone?"

"Of course papa! You can count on me!"

"There's my trooper!" He laughed and patted the top of my head. "What time are you leaving?"

"When the sun goes down."

"So, 8?"

"Yes, smart Alec, 8."

I giggled as he rolled his eyes. "You're too smart."

"Be lucky I'm not dumb!"

"I am."

Soon 8 o'clock had arrived. My Papa was getting ready by the apartment door, putting on a plain brown zip up jean jacket that would compliment his blue jeans and white t-shirt, sneakers that were black.

"Where are you going?"

"An errand."

"Well duh, but what's the errand?"

He chuckled at my attitude and I smiled, but not one he saw because he faced away from me. "Just a quick stop at the grocery store."

"Oh! Can I come!?" I go to grab my shoes by my Papa's feet. "Ah-ah, it's a me time type of errand. But I can bring you something. Make a list and I'll get it."

My eyes brighten up and I rush to my diary, ripping a page out and grabbing my pen.

What I need: candy, redbull, chips, treats for Tigre, more milk.

I rush over to look at my father and look at him looking at the house keys and petting Tigre, "here you go!"

He read it over, and squinted. "Really? Redbull?"

"I'm a growing girl Papa!"

"You're already too energetic, I can get you a jumex."

"That works too!"

He smiled and folded it up and placed it in his jacket pocket. "Alright, don't open the door for anyone, maybe for your mother. Ok?"

"Yes Papa." He smiled and leaned down to my level, and kissed my forehead. "Bye hermosa, see you later. Te amo."

" Te amo papá. Vuelve a salvo!"

"Si, si." He laughed as he opened the door. I followed after him, "lock it."

"Yes Papa." He gave me one last smile and walked out. I double locked the door. "Well, it's just me and you Tigre, what do you wanna watch?"

He huffed a sigh, acting as if he just worked hard for the day. "All you did was bark," I mumbled as he walked to the couch to his usual spot, waiting for me to join him. I hopped beside him as he leaned into my space.

I pat his head lightly and take it all in. My eyes on the TV screen. I wonder what time papa will be back? I look at my diary on the coffee table and lean over and grab it. And soon I doodled in it and written of the rest of my day into my diary.

Soon slumber took over me. I had woken up to the sounds of the TV as the blue glow painted the living room and small chatter coming from it; Tigre snored loudly as he changed his position to the opposite side of the couch, leaving me alone. Jerk.

I looked at the house clock that sat above the TV, it read 11 o'clock. I looked over to the apartment entryway and saw no signs of my Papa's shoes.

That's weird. "Tigre, Tigre wake up." I shook Tigre awake as he looked over at me. "C'mon, let's go check Papa's room." I nudged my head towards the hallway that would lead me to my Papa's room, Tigre understood well and jumped off the couch as I slipped out of it. He walked in front of me as I stepped to my Papa's room and grabbed the doorknob, slowly creeping it open. Tigre walked straight in and sniffed around.

"No signs of Papa." I took the room in, made a bed in Papa's room, closed curtains, and his dresser closed shut besides one, the top drawer. He always had cash in there just in case of emergencies when he's not home and a burner phone for me to grab as well.

Papa was always paranoid of a break in when he's not home.

"C'mon Tigre, let's go check his office." Tigre came and followed me to his office, I opened the door and Tigre walked in first again. It was empty. His desk was untidy and three bottles of water sat on the floor beside the desk. "Where is he? ¿Dónde está mi papá Tigre? ¿A dónde fue el? ¿Qué le está tomando tanto tiempo?"

Tigre looked at me and huffed, walking away, clearly annoyed with my search for my Papa. Then soon a knock was heard. Tigre ears had perked up and he soon barked, he was aggressive. That's never happened before, even when strangers knock.

Then another knock happened and another that followed it, soon a rapid fire of knocking occurred. I panic, my heart sinking. A robber? I can see the door shake with how violent the knock was and Tigre just barked louder. Amounts of saliva and slobber dropping from his mouth and spit flying from his fangs.

I grab Tigre by his collar and yank him back taking him to Papa's room in a rush. His barking continued, then it all stopped before I could get my hand on Papa's door. The knocking had stopped, but Tigre kept barking. "Tigre, shut." I say calmly but worried still. He came to a stop but still growled.

"Gabriella."

It was my Papa's voice. Then I heard a click.