章節 50: WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

(Flashback to sixteen years ago)

Debbie sat around the dinner table with her family, feeling a mixture of nervousness and excitement. She knew that what she was about to bring up was taboo, something that her conservative parents would not condone, but she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Mom," she began, "I want your permission to date Pablo."

Anthony, her father, looked up from his plate and raised an eyebrow. "Who's Pablo?"

"He's a guy I've been seeing," Debbie said, taking a deep breath. "We've been hanging out for a few weeks now, and I really like him. I want to start dating him officially, I felt like telling you guys and I wanted to know what you guys think."

Silence fell over the dinner table as each member of the family processed Debbie's request. Finally, Rosa, her mother, spoke up. "Debbie, you know that's not a good idea."

"But why not?" Debbie asked, frustration beginning to bubble up inside her. "Pablo is a good guy. He's kind, he's funny, and he makes me happy."

Robert, Debbie's younger brother, rolled his eyes. "He looks hungry and he is extremely thin beside he doesn't have much money and worst of all he is a junkie, Deb. You're better off without him."

Debbie bristled at that. She knew that Pablo had struggled with addiction in the past, but he was clean now. He was working on bettering himself, going to meetings, and doing everything he could to stay sober.

"I don't care about that," she said, her voice rising. "I like him for who he is. I don't care about his past mistakes."

Rosa shook her head. "We're not saying he's a bad person, sweetie. But we're worried about your safety. Relationships with addicts can be dangerous. We just want to protect you."

Debbie sighed, feeling defeated. She knew her parents were just trying to look out for her, but it was frustrating to have her feelings dismissed so easily. She pushed her plate away and stood up from the table. "I'm going to bed," she said, her voice strained. "Thanks for dinner."

As she made her way to her bedroom, Debbie couldn't help but think about Pablo and their relationship. She wondered if her parents were right, if she was putting herself in danger by getting involved with him. But she couldn't shake the feeling that he was worth it, that what they had was real beside her father was the mafia boss who sold drugs to those so called junkies and after selling it to them and they become addicted, they are called a bad name and the society sees that as nuisance.

She made a decision then and there, a decision that would shape her future and her relationship with her family for years to come. She was going to date Pablo, with or without her parents' blessing. She was going to follow her heart, even if it meant going against everything her family believed in.

And she was going to do it with her head held high.