Chapter 2 - The Girl with No Shoes
Alejandro knelt on the hard hospital floor. For a man whose name was synonymous with luxury resorts and old money, kneeling before a street vendor’s child was an act that shocked every staff member behind the reception desk.
He looked at Lupita’s feet. They were cut in several places, stained with black road tar and dried mud from the long blocks she had sprinted through traffic. Her hands were shaking, the red marks from the guard’s grip swelling on her thin arm.
"What is your name?" Alejandro asked gently, his voice cracking.
"Lupita, sir," she whispered, pulling her torn pink shirt up over her shoulder. "Lupita Reyes."
"Lupita... I am Mateo’s father." He reached out, his hand hovering over hers, terrified of scaring her. "The doctor said you ran nearly a mile with him."
"He was very heavy," Lupita said simply, her dark eyes looking straight into his. "But he told me he couldn't breathe. He told me his chest was full of bees. My brother died of the bee sickness two years ago in our village. He didn't get to the clinic in time. I told Mateo I wouldn't let him fall like my brother did."
Alejandro closed his eyes as a wave of fierce, painful gratitude washed over him. He took her small, dirty hand in his own. "You didn't let him fall, Lupita. You saved his life."
Dr. Andrews, the pediatrician who had delivered the grim diagnosis moments before, walked back out of the intensive care unit. Her expression had softened significantly. "Mr. Santillán, the epinephrine has stabilized his airway. The swelling in his throat is going down. He’s conscious, and he’s asking for 'the candy girl.'"
Lupita’s face lit up, a small, beautiful smile breaking through the dirt and sweat on her cheeks. "He’s awake?"
"He is," Dr. Andrews smiled, looking down at the girl's bare feet. "But before anyone goes anywhere, this young lady needs medical attention herself. Those feet look severely blistered, and she has signs of mild dehydration."
"Put her in the best private suite on the VIP floor," Alejandro ordered immediately, standing up. "Call the chief of dermatology. Get her clothes, food, whatever she wants."
"No, sir, please," Lupita said, shrinking back slightly, holding her wooden candy box tightly. "I have to go back to the square. If I don't sell the marzipan and the gums, my grandmother won't have the money for her medicine tonight. She’s waiting for me near the metro."
Alejandro felt a sharp pang in his heart. While his son had been provided with everything money could buy, this child was calculating the cost of survival based on boxes of cheap candy.
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"Marcos," Alejandro called out."Yes, sir?"
"Find Lupita’s grandmother at the metro station. Bring her here in a company car. Tell her that her granddaughter is a hero, and that she will never have to worry about the price of medicine again." Alejandro looked down at Lupita. "You stay with us, Lupita. Let us take care of you now."
