The Immortal Tale of Diego Sánchez
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Index
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17/02/2010
Last week, for most people, was an ordinary day. For Mina, however, it was the worst day she had ever experienced.
Fruity, her little pet hamster, had passed away after only 5 months.
She was devastated, and her parents could not console her no matter what they did all week long. In fact, she guessed that was why she was at Diego’s home once again, in an attempt at comforting her.
“Biscuit?” Diego passed over a fresh chocolate chip biscuit from a plate, which Mina took one wordlessly. Even the sweet, rich taste of chocolate couldn’t ease her mind. She couldn’t get her mind off of Fruity.
“I know Fruity was very important to you,” Mina’s father spoke with compassion – it was clear he had no personal attachment to Fruity, but seeing Mina so heartbroken was unbearable. “But life goes on.”
Mina’s mother moved her seat closer to Mina, leaning in to give her a hug. “I know he wouldn’t want to see you like this.”
Mina shifted away from her mother, not saying anything.
Both parents looked over to Diego, as if expecting him to say something. But he just shook his head, taking a seat with his biscuits.
Mina’s father was the first to speak up – or, more accurately, lean over to whisper into Diego’s ear. “I don’t know what will help her cheer up.”
Diego still shook his head. “She’s going to be upset, the best thing you can do is be there for her.” He was also whispering just as quietly.
Mina’s mother broke the hug, crestfallen as she turned to Diego and her husband whispering to each other. She shifted in closer to hear what they were whispering about.
Mina blinked, watching the mystery conversation in front of her. Both of her parents were immediately engrossed in whatever mystery conversation they had. She didn’t feel like smiling, but that’s all her mommy and daddy wanted. Did they even care about Fruity? Why aren’t they sad about Fruity still?
So she reached out and grabbed a cookie, gauging if any of them noticed. She saw Diego’s antennae twitch, but he didn’t react otherwise. They seemed engrossed in their conversation.
So when she had the opportunity, she slipped away from the dining room before anyone could notice.
Even if it was just for a moment, she needed some time alone.
But her absence wasn’t completely unnoticed. “I’ll speak with her alone?”
They both looked around and realised that Mina had completely vanished, before turning to Diego and nodding. He’s why they brought her here today.
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Idly wandering Diego’s spacious home, she soon found herself in a strange room – a room filled to the brim with books, seemingly as many as could be squeezed in, alongside two small tables with chairs on either side, seemingly for reading. She didn’t want to spend her time reading, but she still browsed the shelves she could easily reach for book titles.
“So this is where you ran off to.” She turned to see Diego at the entrance of the room, with a soft smile on his face.
“I didn’t touch anything,” Mina meekly answered back, quickly wiping cookie dust off of her hand.
Diego gently raised a hand, his smile still present as he looked over her. “It’s fine, mi sobrina, the books are for reading.” He made his way in, stopping at one book shelf. “If you want my suggestion, however, I presume this is one you’ll like.” He wordlessly passed one over to Mina, to which she looked at the title, “(Princess’s Sweet Dream)”, before shaking her head.
Diego took a seat on one of the chairs, putting the book down on a small reading table next to him. “That’s okay. I know you don’t want to talk, I just thought I could not talk here. If you don’t mind.”
Mina let out a small giggle, though her smile faded away as quickly as it came.
She took a seat near Diego, not saying anything herself.
At least, at first.
Eventually, she looked up to Diego, her eyes locking with his.
Diego met her gaze back, an antennae twitching curiously at her gaze. “¿Sí?”
“Why are you happy?”
The question caught him off-guard, his smile vanishing for the first time in confusion. “I-” He quickly regained his composure, though his smile did not return yet. “What do you mean?”
“I know Maria got sick.” Oh. “I don’t see her around anymore. I know it hurts.”
Diego closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in. “It took a while.”
“Really?”
“Sí, but do you want to hear it? It’s not a happy story.”
Mina stopped and thought it over, a hand on her chin. “… See?”
Diego nodded. “Very well, I’ll tell you. If you want me to stop at anytime, just ask.”
Mina nodded, her ears perking up as she readied herself to listen to Diego.
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17/12/1561
I still remember it like it was yesterday. The sky was clear, dazzling, and the cold wind kept an edge off of the Winter sun. It was in total contrast to what everyone felt.
It was the day of Maria’s funeral. Her friends, family, and, of course, her only daughter and I were all in attendance. I had the first opportunity to speak to the departed, but I didn’t say much. Only… “I wish we had more time…”
Shortly after the funeral ended I felt a strong grip on my shoulder. It was Mina’s father, his fur now turning grey, yet he always kept his health strong. “I was wrong about you. Maria couldn’t have made a better choice than you.”
His words should have meant a lot to me then. They mean a lot to me now. But all I could think of is how I barely had any time at all to prove it.
After the funeral I helped my daughter, Yasmine, get to home with her boyfriend, and then I made my way home. I fell asleep wishing to see dear Maria one last time.”
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17/02/2010
“I wish I could see Fruity too…” Mina interjected softly.
Diego nodded. “Sí, Fruity must have meant a lot to you.”
Mina looked back up. “Did everyone want you to be happy too?”
Diego paused, putting a finger to his upper lip as he contemplated. “… Not at first. Everyone understands how losing one’s wife could be. But eventually…”
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08/01/1562
I was in my own library – not too shabby for the time, but it doesn’t hold a candle to what I have now – doing the only thing that I found to pass the time and dull the pain.
Reading.
My eyes glued to the page, I could… mostly lose my mind in these stories. Romance, adventure, anything I could get my hands on, really.
But I’d always get interrupted at some point. One day, it was my first daughter, Yasmine, here because…
“¡Feliz cumpleaños, papá!” That’s right, it was my birthday. I didn’t want to speak to anyone, but I couldn’t say no to family. She worked so hard on bringing out the best gift she possibly could.
A lute, one with a custom engraving on the front of it. An engraving with Yasmine’s name on it. “Thank you.” How could I play it? My music was nothing without sweet Maria’s voice, and… well, this was my first birthday without her. I put it away, somewhere safe.
“I hope it can soothe you, papá.” I didn’t know how Yasmine could do it. Her mother gone, and yet she was smiling like everything was fine all over again. “Say, I know you haven’t been out of the house for a while, but I know a band’s playing this Saturday. Maybe we could see it, as father and daughter.”
She was trying to drag me away from my reading once again. Still, she’s family, so I would never be rude to her. “Sorry, but maybe another time.”
She did her best to hide her disappointment. I knew very well how much it stung. But I couldn’t just go running about. Besides, it wouldn’t be the same without Maria. “Well, the offer’s always open.”
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21/08/1562
Besides work and necessities, special events like my daughter’s birthday was the only time I got out of the house nowadays. Putting on my nicest suit, and hiding my pain away. It was for her special day, after all.
Even if it was her first birthday without her mamá to guide her.
This year she was having a party, even though it’s been a few years since she stopped having those. Definitely not what I wanted to be in, but it was her special day.
“¡Papá!” Needless to say, she was ecstatic to see me, hugging me at the door. “I’m so glad you could make it!”
“I could never miss my daughter’s birthday.” Forcing a smile as I hugged her back.
“Ah, you must be Sr. Diego Sánchez,” my attention turned to the man who was standing beside my daughter.
Yasmine broke the hug, grabbing his arm with her own. “Papá, this is my boyfriend, Armando.”
I had planned out what I’d say when my daughter would get a boyfriend for a while. But now, all I could think of was to just shake his hand and greet him. “Nice meeting you, Armando.”
The rest of the party was a blur. While everyone else was celebrating, I was just… there. I wouldn’t even remember the party if it weren’t for the end of it. Uh, I think it was the end…
Yasmine made her presence known, smiling wide. “I’ve got a special announcement…” Well that explains the party. “I’m going to be a ¡madre!”
What. My daughter was going to become a mother.
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17/02/2010
“Wait,” Mina asked out, tilting her head. “How did she know she was going to be a mommy?”
Diego blinked. “Oh! I, uh… Don’t know.”
Mina slowly nodded. “… You never got around to asking her?”
“… Right.” Diego cleared his throat, hoping that’ll satiate Mina’s curiosity until she forgot about the topic.
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17/07/1563
After the party, I got back to reading. I got more and more books, read more and more stories. What once was a little corner of my room quickly turned into its own miniature library, as I continued to read more.
My daughter was still trying to get me out of my home. But, as the months carried along, her visits got less and less frequent. At the time, I assumed she simply gave up. She’d let me know when the baby was near.
Only thing was one day, when I heard knocking on the door. I opened it up only to see Yasmine and Armando standing there, with a baby in her arms – a baby that was only a few months old. “Diego!” She called out excitedly, carefully holding her child so that they could see me. “This is your granddaughter.”
I distinctly remember how overwhelmed I was at the sight of her. A new angel added to the world, just like my own daughter. I gently took her into my arms, holding her close. “What’s her name?”
She smiled so warmly at the question, clearly eager to answer it. “She’s called Maria…”
I distinctly remember how shocked I was. So much so I didn’t even hear what she said next. I only snapped back into reality when I felt my grip on her loosening, and I held her more securely.
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17/02/2010
“Wait, but that’s the same as-”
“Yes, of my first wife.”
She didn’t answer right away, her brain taking time to think on that. “… But why?”
Diego gently pat her on the head. “It’s quite simple. She lost as much as I did that day, and she wanted dear Maria to watch over her child in some way. And so, Maria Sánchez the second was what came to her.”
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17/07/1563
I did not like that name, however.
“You can’t-” I caught myself before I said anymore. “… Is that so?”
“Yes.” Yasmine picked little Maria back up. “Is it a bad time? We can come back later if you need it.”
Why did she have to be called Maria? “No, it’s quite alright.” Why did my granddaughter remind me of who I lost? Once again, I pushed those thoughts down and let them all in.
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3/4/1570
Maria was growing up fast. Every so often Yasmine would come and visit my home, wanting me to look after her.
One day in particular, Maria and I were in the lounge room, she was busy scribbling while I was reading one of my books. It wasn’t anything out of the usual, until…
“¿Abuelo? Who’s that?” She was pointing right at a painting of my wife.
I spent some nights staring at that painting, just wishing she could be delivered back into my arms. But I couldn’t just unload that onto her. “She… was your abuela, Maria Molinero Sánchez.”
“I have two abuelas?!” Maria asked, her eyes lighting up.
I took a small breath in, focusing on just answering her question. “… You never had the chance to meet her.”
“Oh.” Maria looked back to the painting. I don’t think she understood, but she was still captivated. “What was her name?”
I had to remind myself how young she was. “… She had the same name as you, Maria.”
Her eyes lit up as she looked back to me. Like there was this revelation in her mind. “Is her favourite colour green, like me?”
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17/07/2010
Diego closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, Mina now listening intently from her seat. “She was so fascinated with her abuela that we ended up talking for hours. It was the first time since she passed away that I actually just thought about how wonderful she really was.” He let out the air he had, looking to Mina.
“So what,” Mina began, antennae twitching as she crossed her arms. “I need to just think happy thoughts about Fruity?”
Diego shook his head. “It’s not that simple. You’re going to mourn Fruity, as much as you need to, and there’s a part of you that will never let go of that pain. But there’s a part of you that will never let go of that joy, too.”
Mina nodded. “Yeah. He was really cute the way he nibbled on fruit…” There was still pain as she spoke that, but for once her smile, however brief, was sincere.
Diego nodded, reaching over to ruffle Mina’s fluff. “That’s my great granddaughter.”
Mina looked back up to Diego, looking into his eyes. “You said this wasn’t a happy story, right? How does it end?”
Diego stopped patting Mina on the head. “I’m getting to the ending, don’t worry. Where was I? Ah, yes…”
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6/5/1570
“But it was okay. Because now they have each other, forever.” I closed my book to see Maria sleeping.
As Maria’s been getting older, she’s been visiting more and more often, always asking about her abuela, and always insisting that I read her a story. Even when her mother and father stay over, she only ever wanted me reading her the story.
And I’ve found that pain at the sight of her was dying down. She must’ve seen how much I miss her grandmother, because she’s clearly been idolising her.
7/5/1570
It wasn’t long before Yasmine arrived to pick her daughter back up. “Thank you so much for looking after her again, papá.”
I gave Yasmine a close hug, breaking it only to answer her. “She’s such a kind young girl.”
Maria smiled wide. “I raised her with everything you taught me.” Then her smile softened, as she began digging through her bag for something… “That reminds me.” She held out a small letter for an invitation. “We’re holding our 8th anniversary a week from now, and I was hoping you’d be willing to play some of your lovely music there.”
My music… My mind replayed my music in my head, all at once. But my music was always accompanied by Maria’s enchanting voice… “No.” And with Maria’s voice, came all the pain of losing her once again. “It wouldn’t be the same without-”
“I know!” Yasmine called out, her voice louder all of a sudden. She caught on, lowering herself before she continued talking. “I know it’s not the same without mamá. But your music was always so calming. Please, just this once.”
That did nothing but hurt more. I didn’t even speak – couldn’t speak – just shaking my head.
“… Fine.” I knew she was upset. But I knew that I still missed her more than anything in the world.
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12/11/1585
Maria grew up to be a fine young woman, quite smart and always curious about the world. She even met other literature fans as she frequented the library, whether it was with me or without.
In fact, she wanted me to read a book she found that she was certain would be perfect for me. I read it, and we were going to meet up at a library, alongside the man who suggested the book to her.
As I made my way in Maria immediately stood up, absolutely ecstatic just from the sight of me. “¡Abuelo! It’s so nice to see you again!” She followed that up with a close hug, before she sat me down. “Abuelo, this is Jace, he’s actually been writing his own book! Jace, this is my abuelo, Diego, he’s how I fell in love with reading!”
“¿Abuelo?” Jace, the yellow-naped parrot, raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Then I must say, you’ve aged like fine wine, you look younger than me!” He raised a hand to shake mine. “Nice to meet you.”
“I get that a lot, thank you.” By this point, I still thought I was just ageing gracefully. “And likewise to you.” I met his hand for a firm shake.
“So?” Maria leaned in from the side, a wide smile. “What did you think of the story? A prince and a princess from warring kingdoms, with a forbidden love.”
I still remember what I felt from that book. “It was a sweet book, but I hated the ending.”
“¿Hablas en serio?” Jace was confused. “Their love ended the war and made peace once again.”
“Only after they both died from their love.” It left a really bitter taste in my mouth. “They suffered for their love, and they never saw the peace it created in the end. They really deserved better.”
“Sí, they did.” He was agreeing with me? “But is there not a beauty in the tragedy? That they chose love, even as the face of death loomed over them? It’s very fascinating, especially for nobles.”
I still remember clear as day that it was starting to make my blood boil. But I really didn’t have anything to argue against. “I guess so. I just like seeing it all wrap up in a happy ending.”
Jace raised a wing to his chin. I could see his eyes through those thick glasses of his, I could tell he was contemplating. “That’s normal to feel. But tragedy strikes all of us, sometimes when we least expect it. Sometimes, we just need to know that someone else feels our pain.”
It didn’t much in the moment, but that wound up sticking with me. Even when the rest of it blurred out of my mind. Why am I still in pain, when Maria’s father, her daughter, they all learned to continue enjoying life?
---
21/2/1605
One day I was in my home, attending to my duties, when there was a frantic knocking at my front door.
Normally when someone knocks like that it’s urgent, so I made my way to see Maria waiting at the door. Before I could even get out a word she spoke.
“It’s mamá. She suddenly fell over, and she’s been sick ever since. She begged us to come get you.”
That was all I needed.
---
When I arrived Yasmine was lying in bed, Armando tending to his wife. Through the pain she managed to smile at the sight of me, closing her eyes. “Papá, you made it.” She took a slow breath in, and another slow sigh, opening her eyes once again.
“Please, Yasmine, we’ll get through this.” I kneeled at her bed, holding her hand. “You’re going to be okay again.”
She took another breath in. “I wish I had your confidence…” She then forced out a weak laugh, not even lifting her head. “But I’m afraid.”
“I’m not leaving your side.” I meant it.
“I know… I hate to throw this on you last second, but I have one request.”
“Anything.”
“If I am to die now… I want to hear your music. One last time.”
A million thoughts raced through my head. My dear Maria’s passing. The arguments we’ve had over my music. The pain rushing through my soul. How rusty I would’ve been with how long it’s been. How that could let my daughter down even if I did play. But only one thought came to the surface. “Of course.”
“Thank you…” She lifted a finger to the next room over. “Maria… Please get your abuelo his gift…”
Maria nodded, practically running out of the room, coming back with a new lute. I had to tune it first, make sure every string sounded just as I remembered them.
And, for the first time in decades. I played a song. The late Maria’s favourite ballad. As I closed my eyes, I could still hear her singing with me. I’m sure the same was true for Yasmine.
“Thank you...”
I didn’t let myself look. I knew if I saw her like this, I wouldn’t be able to keep playing. Armando and Maria were dead silent as I played, just letting her listen to it one last time. Which is why I knew the moment she passed, when they both just collapsed into sobbing. I still kept my eyes closed. She may not have been of this world anymore, but she at least deserved that I didn’t leave it unfinished.
As the final strings played, and my song came to an end, I finally opened my eyes to see Yasmine laying there. It was surreal how peaceful she looked, even as she was no longer there.
While Armando and Maria continued to cry their hearts out, I found I couldn’t even muster up a word. I just stared at my first daughter, tears silently flowing from my eyes.
---
Mina was silent at the end. She wasn’t expecting her greatest grandpa to be crying like that, even if he did say it was a sad story.
In fact, it was Diego who finally broke the silence, wiping away his tears as he reached out to grab Mina’s hand. “You’re going to miss Fruity.”
She silently grabbed his hand, standing up with him. “And I don’t know how long this sadness will last. But don’t be afraid to let yourself feel sad. We’ll be there for you, through sunshine and dark storms. Always.”
Mina went to spoke, but found her voice choking. She then leaned in and hugged Diego tightly.
Diego kneeled down, picking her up (his back was going to feel that later) and carrying her back to the kitchen. “Now come on, I’m sure your parents still left one or two cookies behind.”
Mina slowly looked up to Diego. “No way, they can’t resist your cookies.” Was that a joke, hm?
Diego nodded. “Then let’s protect that last cookie, shall we? That cookie’s reserved for one very sad girl.”
She let out a soft giggle. “Hey, that’s me…!”
“That’s right.”
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