Don’t Give up on Me

By C. Victorya Grace

Miguel walked into the house and didn’t smell the aroma of his mother’s cooking. He didn’t hear her humming as she cleaned, or his siblings playing loudly and running through the house. He stood at the door and listened for anything, any noise at all. He could not escape the feeling that something was wrong. He stood quietly and listened. Finally, he heard a plea in the kitchen, a small voice too afraid to speak louder because of what might happen if she did. Miguel knew that it was his mother and that she was in danger. He slowly moved toward the sound, his body against the cold concrete walls of his home. He knew he needed to not make a sound if he wanted to help his family. When he finally rounded the corner, the sight was horrifying. There, backed into the corner of the kitchen, was his mother crouched on the floor, cradling all seven of his brothers and sisters as they shook in horror. She was silently pleading as tears fell from her cheeks, her face wet, her dark hair sticky with blood and matted to her face. He saw the pan and what looked like oil and rice covering her bare feet. What he would remember most from that day was the terror in her eyes and plea from her lips to this man who stood over her with so much anger. She pleaded for him to leave the kids out of it, just leave her babies alone. She never understood why he did this to her. Miguel felt so much pain and anger in that moment that it blinded him, and his bravery took over.
He immediately grabbed the only thing close, a butcher knife, and pointed it at the man who stood so tall and controlling over his mother—his father. He swung and attacked until his dad gave up and ran out the back open wall of the house. Miguel chased after him and screamed, “Don’t you ever come back here! We don’t need you! I am the man of this house now, and you are not welcome here!” From that moment on, he vowed to take care of his family, even if that meant leaving his home country and going to the United States of America. He had a dream, and he had a promise to keep to his family, himself, and his mom.
Grace was facing something big. It wasn’t her first encounter with such a risk.
She was surrounded by all her loved ones. She knew this day was coming, and she had dreaded it ever since her last doctor’s appointment. She also knew that she had to be strong for her sisters and brother. Unexpectantly, the nurse called her name. With great dread, she slowly stood, turned off her portable CD player, and lowered her headphones. She started to shake from anxiety as she went around the circle of her loved ones to hug them and tell them that she loved them. She would never forget the pain that she felt as she embraced her siblings; she couldn’t speak, couldn’t get the words out. When she finished with the goodbyes, her parents walked her into the pre-operating room to get her ready for the operation. Even when she was sedated, she still turned around on the stretcher as they wheeled her through the doors to stay looking at her mom and dad for as long as she could. Though her vision was blurry, her heart was lucid, and her emotions were high. She yearned to be anywhere but the hospital and wanted nothing more than to come back from this. They told her to count back from ten as they placed a mask that smelled like bubble gum over her face. She tried so hard to fight it but felt her eyes closing and her mind slipping away. Slowly, she counted, her eyes drooped, and she gave in.
Two totally different worlds come together to form one in this novel that is based on true events. This is the love story of Miguel and Grace, one that shows a huge appreciation for life and the hardships that come with it. Love brought them together, and love will tear them apart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728339580

C. Victorya Grace

C.Victorya Grace was born in 1988 in a small town in Tennessee. Growing up, she had nothing but the love of a family and that was more than enough to get her through. She is a heart disease survivor since the day that she was born and continues to fight strong. She attended school in Tennessee, graduating with honors in 2006 with a full scholarship to college. While working, she met her husband. It was an instant connection, and things moved quickly. She married him at the age of nineteen, and a year later, they started their family together and have been together for twelve years. C. Victorya Grace started writing at the age of thirteen while facing a traumatic life event. She wrote a poem for a project at school and it was published in an anthology. From then on, she never stopped writing. She wrote in her journal almost every day and has always enjoyed writing to inspire others. Her favorite genre is fiction based on true events. Her first novel, Don’t Give Up on Me, was written over a period of six years. She worked in numerous different roles during that time, taking each life experience in and using it as a steppingstone in her journey. She enjoys helping others, one small kindness at a time. It is her hope to use real-life events to help and inspire others through any struggles they may be facing.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Grace prepared for one of the biggest days of her life. She was no stranger to pain or fear, but she needed her husband there; she always felt safe and peaceful when he was by her side. She changed into her hospital gown, put all her belongings safely in the closet, and stood to leave the room. She felt so alone with him gone. She didn’t want to face death alone, and more than anything, she wanted to be there for Miguel while he was going through his battles in Mexico. There was nothing left to do but pray and hope for the best. She didn’t know what was killing her more—his absence or her fear.

Miguel made it to the embassy for his interview early in the morning. He was alone and had no way of communicating to check on his wife back home in the United States. It would be a day to remember for both of them. How was he going to get through this alone? Grace had always given him strength. He could do anything with her by his side. Her love had always been enough for him, but now he was alone. The only thing that he could do was trust, to be still and know that it was in the hands of someone bigger than he could ever be.

CHAPTER 1

Miguel

Growing up in a small city in a big country was not easy for Miguel. There were several hardships that he would face, but he would always use them as life lessons and make himself stronger. Miguel was part of a big family. He had four sisters and three brothers, all very close in age. His sister Tealia was the oldest of the eight. Next was Miguel, then Abe, Sam, Fera, Anne, Caria, and finally Pete. Their mother, Aria, was a strong woman who knew how to raise a strong family. She worked long hours at the hospital during the day, taking care of the sick, and long hours at night, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her children. Miguel’s dad, Jon, was in and out. When he was around, the atmosphere would change at home. In his absence, they were happy and laughing. Upon his return, they were immediately quiet and felt like they couldn’t do much of anything. Emotional abuse was the start of it. The drinking added to it.

One afternoon, Miguel and Tealia were running through the house playing hide-and-seek with their brothers and sisters. They were all excited and laughing, and none of them heard their father come home. After his shower, he walked into the kitchen and sat at the table to start his first drink of the night. He didn’t realize that Tealia and Miguel were under the table, hiding from the other kids in their game. Miguel and Tealia grew very quiet suddenly and didn’t know what to do. They feared their father and tried to keep quiet when he was around to avoid any anger or outbursts.

Jon had just opened his beer when Abe and Sam came running into the kitchen, hollering, We found you! You both are out! Jon was enraged that his time was disturbed and rose from the table, slamming down his fists. Abe and Sam ran out and hid. Miguel pushed Tealia out from under the table and made her go too. He stayed to catch his father’s wrath. At first, Miguel didn’t come out from under the table because he knew he was about to get it. Jon reacted by kicking Miguel. He wore hard boots and kicked Miguel right above his eyebrow, splitting the skin. Miguel got out quickly, covering his face and running as fast as he could to avoid any other hits. He took his brothers and sisters with him, and they went outside until they saw their mom walking home. Miguel always wondered what his mother ever saw in his father.

They say that love is blind, that love has no language, and when you fall in love, it just happens unexpectedly. Miguel could never imagine his father loving anyone. He couldn’t even remember a time when he felt loved or accepted by the man, and he grew up loathing his father. He used the example of his father and made it a goal never to be like him.

Walking home from school, eight-year-old Miguel would watch people. He loved to play with his friends and run wild until the day turned into night. Any chance he got to be outside and away from home, he took it. What he loved more than playing with his friends was a challenge. He loved being busy and learning new things, but school was not his favorite thing. He found it boring and uninteresting. He wanted more, and he sought out challenges—or they would come looking for him. Often, Aria would find Miguel on the top of the house or at the top of a tree, and she would just shake her head and laugh.

The town of Irapuato, Mexico, was small, but Miguel loved living there because everyone knew everyone. Every day on his way home from school, Miguel would watch Carlos, the owner of a nearby glass business. He would watch the workers carry big glass windows off the glass truck, taking extra care not to rush or hit anything because the glass could break so easily. They paid attention to details as they installed the glass in the windows of local stores. They would always clean up and make sure that the customer was happy. It was good, quality work that kept their business going, along with the push and desire to seek out customers.

Carlos saw Miguel stop and watch and would always nod or wave, thinking that maybe he was a bored kid looking for something to do. He never paid much attention to Miguel; he had work to do and didn’t have time to mess around with a kid. But there was always a reason why people crossed paths, and soon Carlos would find out why this kid crossed his.

CHAPTER 2

Aria

Raising eight children in a country known for its poverty was not an ideal life for Aria. She took pride in her country and nationality, but like every mother, she always wanted what was best for her children. Knowing that there is something better out there for your children and preparing them for it is a goal of every parent. It was not selfish for Aria as a mother to want more for her kids; on the contrary, it was selfless.

Because Aria fiercely wanted to give her children everything that she could, despite the circumstances that she had been given, she worked heavy hours. She took on so much just to get them at least one good meal a day, which normally consisted of tortillas, rice, and beans. She always made sure that they were clothed not with the nicest or most expensive attire but with clothes that would keep them warm and dry. She made sure that they had shoes for their feet and that they were clean and taken care of and they had shelter, a roof over their heads. They had only one bed, which they all shared. One by one, they would pile in that bed and sleep soundly together as a family. Seldom did their father join them in their bed, he preferred his space and slept in a chair most nights. They had the opportunity to get an education, and Aria made it a point to see them off to school every morning on her way to the hospital.

She tried her best to be enough for them. She told them she loved them every day. When she would come home, exhausted from a long day of work, she would leave her shoes at the door and go straight to the kitchen to start dinner. One by one, her children would come in and hug her. She’d listen to them chatter and remind herself that this was why she worked so hard. At the end of the day, she had her children, and that was enough for her.

An hour after she got home, Jon would come in and expect his meal to be ready. She would have it waiting for him, but he would always complain about the meal being undercooked or overcooked, though it was the same thing every night. Saturday night was their one different meal of the week. While it still consisted of the usual rice, beans, and tortillas, Aria added pollo and ensalada. They loved the Saturday-night feast; it marked the end of another long week—a symbol that they had made it through the week.

As Jon ate, Aria would leave him alone to complain to himself as she took the kids to do their bedtime routine. Miguel, his big brown eyes filled with admiration, would look at his mom as she was combing his hair. Ma? he would ask.

Aria would answer calmly as she ran the comb gently through his hair, Si, mi hijo?

Then Miguel would proceed with anything that was on his mind, mainly questions like Why do you work so much? or Is it hard to work a lot?

And her reply would always be the same: I work for you and your brothers and sisters to have a good life, and it is not hard when you work with your whole heart for the right reasons. Be motivated to do the right thing. One by one, she gave her children time to talk as she listened.

The children loved their time with their mother. The girls lay there and giggled; they just loved having their hair brushed and pampered. Aria was a very clean person and tried her best to make sure that her children understood the importance of good hygiene and cleanliness. How are you going to find someone to marry you with your hair crazy and out of place and smelling like a dead cow? she would say. The kids always giggled at this last comment; it tickled them to think that anything could smell that bad.

She slept among her children. That was where she preferred to stay. But Jon got upset if the attention was not on him, and eventually he would take his frustration out on her. She tried to make things work with him for the sake of her children, and she stayed strong for as long as she could. Every day ended with Jon trying to make her feel that she was doing things wrong or that she wasn’t good enough. Still, she would rise each morning with a good heart, a big smile, and determination to take on the day and win.

CHAPTER 3

Never Come Back

Miguel walked into the house and didn’t smell the aroma of his mother’s cooking. He didn’t hear her humming as she cleaned, nor did he hear his siblings playing loudly and running through the house. He stood at the door and listened for anything, any sign of his family. He couldn’t ignore the feeling that something was wrong. He finally heard a plea in the kitchen, a small voice too afraid to speak loudly because of what might happen if she did. Miguel knew that it was his mother and that she was in danger. He slowly moved toward the sound, his body against the cold concrete walls of his home. He knew he could not make a sound if he wanted to help his family. When he finally rounded the corner, the sight was horrifying. There, backed into the corner of the cocina, was his mother crouched on the floor, cradling his seven brothers and sisters as they all shook in horror. She was silently pleading as tears streamed down her face and fell to the floor, her dark hair matted to her face with blood. There was a pan on the floor, and what looked like oil and rice were strewn across her bare feet.

What he would remember most from that day was the terror in her eyes and the plea from her lips to that man who stood over her with so much anger. She pleaded for him to leave the kids out of it. She never understood why he did this to her. Miguel felt so much pain and anger in that moment. He was so angry that it blinded him, and the bravery in him took over.

He immediately grabbed the only thing close, a butcher knife, and he thrusted it at his father. Aria stayed hudled on the floor with the children cradling them in her arms, she wanted to help Miguel but felt it would only make matters worse. Miguel swung and attacked until his dad gave up and ran out the back open wall of the house. Miguel chased him to the edge of the corn field and screamed, "Don’t you ever come back here! We don’t need you! I am the man of this house now, and you are not welcome!"

He watched his father disappear quickly into the cornfield behind their home. He waited a few minutes to be sure his father didn’t return. Miguel was ready for a fight. He stood there, small but huge on the inside. His body shook with indignation as he clenched the knife in his fist, still pointing it toward the field. Inside their home, his mother, still in the corner spoke softly to the other children through their cries. It’s okay. Stay here. I will be right back. I need to check on your brother. She feared the worst. She knew Jon could do major damage when upset, and she was horrified that things may have gotten ugly.

Walking to the back opening with slow caution, she saw Miguel and gasped. She couldn’t believe that her little eight-year-old son stood there, breathing heavily with a huge butcher knife in his right hand, pointed toward the field, and his father was nowhere to be seen. She clasped her hands over her mouth and sobbed, at the noise he turned quickly.

Ma, are you okay?

She held out her arms, and dropping the knife, he ran into her embrace. He felt her warm tears hit his soft hair. Breathing heavily, he made her a promise. Ma, I will take care of you and our family. We don’t need him. We will be okay. I will help you work, and we will be okay.

Aria felt a sense of calm and peace, though she was still slightly shocked at the events of the evening. She squeezed him once and said, Let’s go eat, Mijo.

CHAPTER 4

Miguel

He lay in bed with the warmth of his brothers and sisters around him, snuggled and sleeping soundly, peacefully. It had been a month since their father left. As hard as he tried to join them in their dream-filled sleep, Miguel’s mind was too busy and loud to let him drift into dream land. He knew there was more to the world than what he was living and seeing. He heard stories about something better when his