We come up and Yuma is standing in front of the half-open kitchen door. He's watching the scene inside while eating popcorn like he is at the movies.

- What's up? Gabrielo asks as he comes closer.

- Mila and James," my brother replies, swallowing a handful of popcorn. They've been like this since they arrived. I hope they don't break all the dishes there are. Otherwise, I'll have to figure out how to find another dish to eat off of.

- You and the food, I sighed.

- Leave me alone. Besides, as long as I don't get fat, that is the main thing.

- If you say so. What are they fighting about?

- Because of what happened at the party. Ignore them," he says, wrapping his arm around my neck. Right now, I have something to tell you.

He takes me into the living room where Gabrielo follows us. We sit on a couch in the middle of the room.

- Christian... .

- Slept with James. Yes, I know. I don't necessarily blame him because I know the circumstances under which it happened.

- What circumstances? Yuma asks with a frown.

I lean against Gabrielo, feeling a pang of exhaustion. He takes me in his arms and I continue my story. Yuma decided to wait for my explanation before going to see our cousin and I am grateful to him. He already didn't go to assault him without knowing the truth.

- "We were all at a party that night. It was Meavy's brother who organized it. I think you remember it," I said, seeing that he was widening his eyes. There was a lot of booze, and they gave out ecstasy and other drugs to the guests. Enough to last the whole night.

We were all there, Meavy, Amber, Christian, Mila, James, you and me. The party was in full swing and everyone had scattered. I stayed with Meavy and we were playing the bottle game and truth or dare. I drank so many shots of vodka that I started to feel sick.

Meavy walked me upstairs to sit for a few minutes. I wanted to walk around the floor and started opening random rooms. At the end of the hallway, I opened the door slowly and met Christian's eyes, in bed with James. They were having sex.

I walked out quietly before heading back downstairs to the living room. Meavy found me and I told her everything. Christian came in shortly after and pulled me aside so he could talk to me. I still remember what he said to me.

- I'm sorry! he exclaimed, fiddling with his hair. I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have slept with James. It's just that...

Tears were streaming down his panic-stricken face. He was starting to pull his hair and I could see handfuls of it falling to the floor. A sob shook him before he fell to the ground, his head in his hands.

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he chanted, sobbing. I can't stop this. I'm sorry. I just can't do it. I can't help it. I need him.

- I noticed," I said, leaning against a door. I saw the way you looked at him, but I thought I was wrong. Could you just leave me alone for a few moments?

- Alma, please.

- No, not this time. Do you realize that you think you need him?

Christian lowered his head in shame.

- Go away. "

- That's how I knew what was going on between those two, I concluded.

- And you've stayed with James all this time? Yuma asked as he stood up.

- Not really. This all happened a week before I left. I was going to end it with him and his affair with Mila made it easier.

- Alma, I. . . . I don't know what to say.

- Then don't say anything. As of today I have a stable, well-paying job, I'm married and I'm having a child. I don't blame him because he opened my eyes to what kind of person James was. I just wish I had known before I wasted so much time on him.

I am seriously starting to feel the fatigue coming on. This day has already been full of twists and turns. Gabrielo speaks, but I can't concentrate on what he is saying. My eyes keep closing until I can't stay awake anymore.

__________

When Gabrielo said that my mother had gathered my entire family, he wasn't kidding. There are even people I haven't seen since my junior high days. Not to mention the heavy atmosphere in the room. It almost feels like someone has died.

- The reason we are all here today is to talk about the events that took place yesterday. Photoshopped images were shown at Mila and James' engagement party," my mom continues, turning to me. Don't you have anything to say?

- Like what? I saw the video like everyone else, if that's what you want to know.

- You should apologize to your sister. Making such a montage for revenge is not right.

- What's next? Don't you want me to kneel down too? If I had so much free time, I would spend it doing something else. If you didn't want people to be suspicious, you should have raised her differently. Who steals their sister's fiancé to begin with?

Whispers cross the room and eyes turn to my mother.

- I will not allow you to talk to me like this! she shouts, getting up.

- I do allow myself," I object. "I will apologize on one condition.

- What is that? Asks my mother more calmly.

- Where is the baby?

My mother's gaze flickers silently. Mila glances at James without daring to speak. The room has fallen silent again as we wait for my mother's answer.

- What are you talking about?

- When I broke off my engagement, you told me that Mila was pregnant. And then that she had a miscarriage. Except no one has heard anything about this pregnancy, let alone this miscarriage. So I would like an explanation. Why did you lie to me?

__________

So an early but shorter update !

Sorry but it was way longer in the original in french.

Take care