After a hardworking morning, the Montoya family gathered for a homely breakfast at the dining table.
Diego was famished from the mental strain of trying to piece together his situation.
He sat quietly at the table, lost in thought, while the chaos of his family blurred around him.
Apart from accepting the impossible fact that he had traveled almost four decades into the future, Diego was maddened by the new reality that came with it.
He had not one, not two… NOT THREE, but FOUR SISTERS!
"Urghhh…" he groaned inwardly, burying his face in his hands.
It hurt him just thinking about it.
Apparently, he was the only son, and the middle child of the family.
He had two sisters older than him and two younger.
They were all seated around the table, chatting and laughing as food was served.
Mercedes was the oldest, pretty tall enough, with the darkest skin among the siblings, and a nonchalant aura as expected for the eldest daughter.
Yazmin came next, a carbon copy of her older sister in looks, whom she also mimicked in every way.
But unlike Mercedes, who didn't seem to care about anything, Yazmin did, and for Diego, that made her his worst nightmare.
His younger sisters were Paloma and Olalla.
They were as mischievous as they came.
In this loud house, Diego's mental health was already hanging by a thin thread.
"After breakfast. Yazmin, you'll do the dishes. After that, everyone's free to go play or visit your friends, whatever Mercedes decides for the day."
Mrs. Montoya said to her children over breakfast.
That was good news for Diego.
Finally, he could bolt away from this household and maybe return by midnight if it suited him.
"Except you, Diego. You're going into the city to pick up your father's toolkit from Señor Valdez's repair shop. He said he needs it first thing tomorrow, so don't you dare forget it!"
"But—"
"You'll also buy groceries."
Diego sighed and went back to eating while his younger sisters snickered at him.
It was clear he was the black sheep of the family.
In his previous life, he had been an only child, and despite his notoriety, his parents had showered him with love.
As Diego ruminated in thought, still eating, one of his sisters tapped him back to reality.
"Diego! You're being asked a question!"
Diego looked up, disoriented.
With everyone's eyes fixed on him, it was hard to tell who had even asked the question.
"Aaron's anniversary is next week. I hope you've prepared something for your brother?" Mrs. Montoya said, eyeing him suspiciously.
At the word "brother," some life returned to Diego's eyes.
"I have a brother?!" he beamed with joy to the complete surprise of everyone at the table.
That was the best revelation so far. A brother in this madhouse of women? That was hope, an ally, a lifeline!
"Where's he?! Abroad?! In college?!" Diego asked eagerly, leaning forward with excitement.
But his cheer was met with silence. The girls around him froze, staring at him with dread and disbelief.
'Is this a prank?'
'Is he joking? Why would he joke about something like this…?'
'Diego, I hate you for saying this.'
Diego had stumbled into an unfortunate situation. The mood of the Montoya family that day was spoiled.
Sadly, while he did have a brother, it was only in the past.
Aaron, his older brother, was dead. Next week marked his fourth DEATH anniversary.
Every year since his passing, each family member would prepare something heartfelt, such as a crochet piece, a painting, or a letter, to place beside Aaron's grave.
So for Diego to suddenly smile and speak of him as if he were alive… it was beyond shocking, and it was painful for any family.
The innocent boy, however, remained clueless. His smile was still genuine.
But that smile soon faltered as he watched everyone quietly rise from their seats, setting down their cutlery without a word, and retreating one by one to their rooms.
Only his mother remained, and the look on her face made Diego wish she had left too.
Mrs. Montoya said nothing at first.
The uncomfortable silence stretched before she eventually rose from her seat and disappeared into the kitchen.
The woman returned a moment later and dropped a folded grocery list in front of him.
"Are you sure you're my son?" she asked dead into the boy's eyes before she turned and walked away.
Seated alone at the dining table, Diego slowly sank into his chair with a heavy heart.
He felt both guilty and confused at the same time.
Even if it was a prank, though he was innocent, that was not something anyone should ever say to an eight-year-old.
~~~~~~
~churp! chirp!
Two lovebirds fluttered away as Diego shooed them from the shade of a tree where his bicycle rested.
It was a sturdy bicycle, clearly original, but a little bigger than his frame.
It must've been Aaron's bicycle once, now passed down to him.
Thankfully, Diego still remembered how to ride. Bicycles hadn't changed much in thirty-six years, so he effortlessly mounted it.
Leaning forward, he pedaled off the grass and onto the quiet road to begin his errand.
Diego didn't know his way, he didn't know anything, but that didn't matter. He was just happy to be pedaling in freedom on the empty road.
He'd decided not to ask any questions or speak to his family for the rest of the day. He'd already caused enough emotional damage to last a month.
He even overheard Yazmin muttering that she'd tell their father what he'd said when he returned.
The only way to soothe everyone was to ace his errands perfectly.
When he finally reached the city, Diego wasn't shy to ask for directions to Valdez's repair shop.
Fortunately, everyone in the warm, little town loved to help a cute, polite boy on a red commuter.
After getting the toolkit from the hairy man, Diego put it into his bicycle's basket and began pedaling toward the supermarket.
He couldn't help but glance around in awe, looking at one marvel after another.
The world had changed drastically for him. Everything looked so different from the tone of the sky, to the technology of transportation, the architecture of buildings, and the dress of people.
'Wow… girls can wear trousers!'
It was an incredible feeling that Diego never thought he'd experience.
He loved it. He loved being in the future!
"Wear a nose mask… it is mandatory," he read aloud at the supermarket entrance.
Diego stopped his bicycle and squinted at the faded poster glued to the glass door.
Since he was in the future, he was learning to be cautious and observant, thinking twice before acting, unlike his impulsive past self.
"Any problem?" a lady asked softly from inside the supermarket.
"I can't come in," Diego replied innocently. "I don't have a face mask."
The woman burst into a melodic laugh at the little boy's seriousness.
"Neither do I," she said as she pushed the door open wider. "Come in, young man. We'll take down that poster soon. It's been there since forever."
If she said so, Diego complied.
The kind woman not only helped him find every item on his mother's list but also guided him through the payment process like a guardian angel.
After thanking her profusely, Diego pedalled back home, the basket filled with his family's items.
The morning breeze brushed his face as he rode, and that was when he believed he could truly enjoy this new life.
But that feeling didn't last long.
He passed a group of boys loitering around a lamppost. They were about his age, maybe slightly older.
Diego didn't recognize them, of course, but from the grins that spread across their faces, they definitely recognized him.
Moments later, the sound of bicycle tires screeching filled the air.
When Diego looked back, he saw the four boys chasing after him on their bikes!
Sadly, he couldn't outrun them because he feared spilling the groceries, and his riding skills weren't as deft as these modern kids'.
They caught up to him in seconds, one of them giving his back tire a cruel shove.
Diego lost control instantly.
His front wheel twisted, and he went crashing down onto the hot tarred road.
"Urgh!" he groaned as the groceries scattered across the asphalt to the bush.
His attackers jumped off their bikes and began helping themselves to his groceries, stuffing their mouths with his family's bread and fruits right in front of him.
"DIEGO THE FIERCE!" one mocked.
"HAAAHHHHHAHA!" the others joined.
A sharp kick landed on Diego's stomach, forcing the air out of him before the group decided they'd had enough fun for one day.
Hopping back onto their bikes, they sped off down the street, leaving Diego sprawled helplessly with tangled legs and a concussion.