The year is 2004. Araceli is 10 years old. The evening is just like most Araceli has known.. Mom and Dad are fighting again. Dad's been drinking.. Mom's been drinking. Neither one of them knows that Araceli is in her room crying. She's trying to silence her tears. Truth be told Araceli doesn't even know her younger siblings are crying, until her bedroom door opens ever so slowly and she sees them. Tears are running down their faces, just as they are hers.
"Come in here." She says through her own tears.
All three come in quickly. Four year old Erica, followed by eight year old Carlotta, holding baby Damien. They all huddle together in the middle of the room as cursing and screaming can be heard far off in the house.
But as for the kids? They continue to cry together silently. Baby Damien has no idea what it means to scream or curse, but he sits in the middle of the huddle looking from sad face to sad face and he, too, knows something isn't right. Araceli silently curses the situation.
'Even Damien?!'
The yelling abruptly stops... silence for 1 second, 2 seconds. Oh, sweet silence! Araceli is soaking it in. Then..
BAM against the wall. BAM BAM. Mom is crying.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Dont.."
BAM
He is hurting her.. he's never hurt her before.. Araceli's siblings look up at her with fear in their eyes. She needs to do something... She needs to protect them.. She crawls quickly to the television and pushes the power button. Wrestling is on. Two men she has never seen before are grappling in the ring. She motions for her siblings to come close to the TV and they do. Now the four of them are huddled around the TV, ears as close to the speaker as possible so as to drown out the sound of mom being beaten.. As the commentary vibrates their eardrums Araceli breaks the thick silence between the siblings that has been suffocating the roomed of yet.
"I'm going to take care of you."
PRESENT DAY
It is Tuesday evening. Araceli is in the three bedroom apartment she shares with Erica and Damien. Carlotta and the newborn baby are joining them or supper tonight, though she moved out a few years ago when she got married. The siblings have just finished eating and are gathering in the living room to watch TV, except this time it's not so close to the speaker. The energy is quiet and cheerful.
Araceli uses this time to excuse herself and walks into the restroom. She is careful to make sure the door is fully shut behind her before she gazes at her reflection in the mirror over the sink.
Tomorrow evening.. it's the night she has been desiring since she was 10. The night she's been officially perusing since she was 20. Is she nervous? A bit. Is she ready? Absolutely. Araceli turns 180 degrees from the mirror.
"Azurine.. I see you do your homework.."
An impressed look appears on Araceli's face.
"I'm a grown woman and I can admit when I'm wrong and, well, I underestimated you girl."
She chuckles as the reality of the words she just spoke absorb into her.
"But, as great as your daddy is, was, or ever will be, he must have forgotten to teach his little girl manners."
Now the impressed look in Araceli is gone as a seriousness has swept over her.
"You see, Azurine, it's not polite to go around airing other people's personal childhood trauma. Nevertheless, what's been said has been said and what's done is done and now I get to tell my story. "
She pauses for a moment before continuing.
"It's true.. I come from a broken home. And I'll admit, I'm almost tempted to envy you. I never had a good father. Never had a good mother either. But when it's all said and done, I don't envy you, Azurine. Not a bit. Because if there is one good thing that has come from living in a broken home, it's the fight that has been built in me. Every time my home broke a little bit more, my resolve to fight, to overcome was being built stronger."
Another pause.
"I don't like that it has to be this way. My first match at MHW and your first match at MHW. One of us has got to win and one of us has got to lose. And I'm not going to be the one to lose, Azurine. Because I have more to lose...
The fight in me.. it is for them!"
Araceli's finger is pointing toward the door she was careful to shut just minutes earlier.
"If I lose, they lose Azurine. And I made the decision a long time ago that I would do anything to take care of them. Anything! And you aren't getting in the way of that."
Her finger slowly drops as she straightens her posture.
"Like I said.. I underestimated you girl.. You're going to give me a tough fight, no doubt about that.. But I'm ready for the fight.
So come tomorrow it looks like you've set up two possible scenarios.. You defeat me with a Pearly Gatekeeper, or I defeat you with a Chupacabra... My hypothesis?
Araceli Martinez walks out of Magness Arena victorious. May the best man win."
Araceli turns around and walks out the door, again shutting it behind her. Her voice can be softly heard from the bathroom.
"Who's ready for dessert?!"
