Espanol

Capítulo uno

“Bernita, me gustaría conocer Mike y su hijo Jack. Ellos se viven con nosotros de ahora en adelante. (Bernita, i'd like you to meet Mike and his son Jack. They will be living with us from now on.)”

“No me diga nada más¿verdad? (You don't tell me anything anymore, do you?)” I continued in Spanish.

“Bernita, please be nice?” My mother told me behind gritted teeth.

“Cualquiera que sea (Whatever (Sigh…)) Hola, mi nombre Bernita. Usted mejor ser amable con mi Koi Panda, o de lo contrario i personalmente, te fuera de esta casa! (Hello, my names Bernita. You better be nice to Koi my Panda, or else i will personally, throw you out of this house!)”

“Okay, I have like no-o idea whatsoever of what you just said. But you sounded like a right old cow, saying it.” Jack told me.

“Soy español usted idiota! (I'm spanish you idiot!)” I said lunging at his face.

Mike caught me before I had a chance to hit him. “Looks like you too got of to a bad start. Niza, que lo va Bernita. (Nice to meet you Bernita.)”

“Adulación no funciona. No se puede pensar sólo paso en ella y actuar como si su mi papá, y en caso de que no sabía si estaba muerto!

(Flattery doesn't work. Don't think you can just step in her and act as if you’re my dad, and in case you didn't know he's dead!)” I shouted as I stormed upstairs.

In my room I stared at a picture of my dad, with tears streaming down my eyes. “¿Por qué i le obligan a salir ese día¿Por qué? Y entonces ... Y, a continuación, que acaba nunca regresó ... Mi papá. Mi papá ... ¿Por qué usted ... ¿Por qué usted ... (Why did i force you to go out that day? Why? And then... and then you just never came back... My daddy. My daddy... Why you... Why you...)”

Knock Knock.

“Ven en… (Come in…)”

Mike’s head came around the door and he walked in. He looked worried and sad for me. “Bernita, don’t cry. Jake didn’t mean what he said about you. And, and I didn’t mean to act like your dad towards you.”

“I know…” He looked shocked to hear me speak English. I understand it, write it and read it perfectly. But, since he started dating mum I only spoke in Spanish to him. I stared into his eyes and saw the tiniest glint of dad in him. He looked back at me and I fell into his chest nuzzling it with me nose. I let out a deep wail and cried for all I was worth.

“There, there let it all out.” He knew I was getting my snot and tears all over him but he didn’t move at all. He cradled me in his arms and let me cry until I fell asleep.

I woke up at about 6 o’ clock. Mike must have tucked me up in my bed after I fell asleep. Maybe I wouldn’t mind having him as a new dad. In a way… but, I would mind that stupid Jack.

I looked around my room filled with panda posters and decorations of all sorts. Something was missing though. But what? Ah ha! It was Koi! I felt around in my pockets but I couldn’t find her anywhere.

I rushed downstairs and found mum in the kitchen, preparing dinner. “Mamá, no puedo encontrar Koi? (Mum, i can't find Koi?)”

“What’s a Koi?” Jack persisted standing by the door.

“It’s her Panda. Have you seen it?”

“What, this old thing?” Jack answered holding up Koi.

“¿De dónde has sacado eso? (Where did you get that?)” I spat the words out at him.

“Sorry, I only speak English.”

“I said, where did you get that? Give it to me it’s mine? Please?” I pleaded with him.

“Sorry no can do.”

“Mamá que tiene mi último presente de papá. Díselo a él para darle mi? (Mum he's got my last present from dad. Tell him to give it me?)”

“What going on in here?” Mike asked as he stepped into the kitchen.

“El tiene Koi, mi panda y no darle la espalda. Dígale por favor? (He's got Koi, my Panda and won't give it back. Tell him please?)”

“Jack, give it back to her now. I’m sure it’s very special to her.” Mike told him in a stern voice.

“Like I care about her stupid Panda thing. I mean just look at it, all rags an’ all?”

“That quite enough now Jack? Please give it back to Bernita now? It’s very special to her.” My mum told him.

He shrugged his shoulders and threw Koi across the room, aiming for the dust-bin. I ran, jumped and caught Koi as (once again) I stormed out of the room up to my bedroom.

Down-stairs I could hear Mike telling Jack to say sorry to me now. For what he’s being doing and saying to me.