ST:END211 | "New Me, New You Part 7"

The next morning, the two conversed over breakfast.

"What are you planning to do then mija?" Sofia asked.

Gabriella shrugged, leaning back on the sofa and looking at the light coming from the early morning Colombian sun filter in through the frosted windows. "Can I come to work with you?"

Sofia smiled, gathering the empty plates and taking them to the sink, and beginning to wash them. "You're not four anymore, Gabriella,"

Brie returned the smile. "I know... I don't know, maybe I'll go out, see old friends,"

"You should go up Monserrate. Take the Pilgrimage trail and pray at the shire of El Señor Caido." Brie hesitated, and Sofia turned around. "If you want," she smiled lightly. "You used to love the walk as a young girl,"

"I'll see, mami,"

~

The walk up the mountain was refreshing. The fresh morning air was crisp, beginning to be heated up by the sun. Already, pilgrims and tourists were making their way up the mountain, though most opted to use the transporter system or the cable cars. It was only the fit and devout who walked, and Brie had joined their ranks. As she climbed, her thoughts wandered back to a more peaceful time. She recalled the spot where she had once tripped as a young girl and cut her leg. Her mother abandoned her pilgrimage and carried her back down the hill, no questions asked. Brie had always felt bad about that; she knew her mother looked forward to her weekly hikes up the mountain to pray at the shrine. But her mother never complained once.

She saw the fallen tree log that she would often try to balance across, walking up the trail. It was still there. She remembered how she wasn't able to make it across at first without slipping. She would hold her mother back for minutes and minutes, trying to cross it. Her mother, often pressed for time, wouldn't complain once. She would stand and encourage the young Gabriella to cross the log. She remembered how pleased her mother was when she had managed to cross it fully the first time. Brie lived for those moments. Those moments that made her mother proud of her. All the achievements she ever got were worthless compared to her mother's smile and hug when she found out. No matter what the achievement was, from passing an elementary test, to coming first in her bout in Judo, to graduating West Point. Every single achievement, no matter how small or inconsequential, her mother celebrated, and every single achievement Brie cherished because of that fact. Her mother sacrificed her life for her. She wanted to repay her in every single way possible. For Gabriella, her mother came before all else.

Her thoughts took her all the way up the mountain, and by this time, the sun was in full force. The mountain opened up to and Brie found herself staring at the monastery at the top of the hill. She smiled as her mind pictured a younger version of herself collapsing in tiredness on the steps. This place was so familiar to her, but those memories seemed almost a lifetime ago. It was a different Gabriella there, a Gabriella untainted by the life she had chosen to lead. Climbing up those steps, she looked into the church, and wondered if she wanted to even pray. She wasn't the praying type. She didn't like the vulnerability of trusting her thoughts to the Lord. Why waste your time praying for change, when you could spend that time working towards change instead?

"Gabriella... is that you?" Brie heard a voice calling her as she lingered on the threshold. Emerging from the darkness of the church, a young, weathered man came out, wearing worn outdoor gear. "¡Hala!, it is!" he said, bumbling out and coming face to face with Brie. It took a moment for her to recognise the man; he had shoulder-length hair, slicked back. His prominent nose jutted out from his angular face, which was lined with coarse stubble.

"Raúl?" Brie said, almost confused before she smiled widely. The two embraced briefly, and Raúl held her at arms length.

"You haven't changed one bit Chica," he said, his smile genuine and soft.

"You gained weight," Brie replied, slyly, and the pair chuckled.

"You really haven't changed," Raúl laughed. "It's been years; what are you up to now? Still in Starfleet? Working with... what are they... MACOs?"

Brie nodded. "Si, I am," she replied, and she felt the usual pride she took from that fact blossoming inside her.

"You don't change at all," he repeated. "I remember the day you left; everyone in the neighbourhood was so proud of you. My papa used to chastise me; 'Look at young Gabriella, going out and doing stuff in the world. When will you do something useful?' he used to say," Raúl smiled sadly. "He was always a slave driver. May he rest in peace,"

That took Brie by surprise. "Wait, Tío Javier passed? Oh no Raúl, I'm so sorry... when?"

Raúl patted Brie on the shoulder. "It was three months ago. He was getting old and sick, so we expected it. He's buried on the mountain, you know,"

"I thought he didn't believe in this stuff,"

"He didn't, but towards the end he did. I think he just wanted to make sense of his life,"

Brie nodded. "I'm sorry Raúl, I didn't know,"

"It's okay," he smiled. "But look at you... back in Bogotá. When did you arrive?"

"I only arrived back yesterday... oh please don't tell anyone, you know they'll make a fuss,"

"They're all going to find out sooner or later, and then you'll be in trouble,"

Brie shook her head. "I know, but I wanted to go visit everyone myself,"

Raúl laughed, as he led her away from the door and took a seat on one of the steps, reaching for his back pocket and putting on a baseball hat to shield his head from the sun. "That's an impossible job, Gabriella; you're bound to offend someone,"

Brie sat alongside him and smiled. "I'm MACO, Raúl. Impossible is nothing,"

"MACO never had to deal with Colombian families," Raúl replied, chuckling.

"Ay I'll get it done, don't you worry... what about you though? What have you been doing... apart from eating that is!" she poked his stomach.

"Oh, I work here now; I'm a gardener here. Making sure this place is always beautiful,"

Brie looked around. "You clearly don't do a good enough job," she teased.

Raúl was slightly taken aback. "You think?"

"Oh, Raúl, ¡eres un idiota! I was teasing,"

Raúl paused and shook his head, his smile returning. "You really haven't changed at all, Gabriella,"

Brie smiled outwardly, but as she looked over the hills and back down to the city that she grew up in, she knew he was wrong. She had changed. This unchanging city was home to a young Latin girl. It was not the same young woman who was looking over it today.