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I snicker and kiss her forehead. “You know Mama will get all stressed if she comes home to find you still up and about. She wants her baby girl tucked up safe in bed.”
Making a face, she wrinkles her nose at me and sticks out her tongue.
“You gonna be okay if I go? Or do you want me to stick around until Mama’s home?”
“You go.” Her shoulder hitches. “As long as you take him with you, I’m all good.”
“Okay.” I smile at her, resting my hand on her cheek. “You’re brave and strong.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She lightly pushes me out of her doorway, but she’s fighting a smile as she does it.
“Te amo, hermana.”
“Love you, too, bro.” She blows me a kiss, and I head down the hallway, pulling out my phone as I go.
My mom answers after one ring. “Estás bien?”
“Sí. Everything’s fine. I’m gonna take Dad back to his place. Sofia’s getting ready for bed. It’s safe for you to come home now.”
Her soft sniff tells me she’s fighting tears, and I wait her out. Finally, she lets out a sigh and softly murmurs, “He’s not a bad man.”
“He is when he’s drunk. Thanks for not trying to come back tonight. It makes things easier for everyone.”
She sniffs again, and I feel the chill all the way down my spine. A sick sensation clutches my stomach until she finally whispers, “Thanks for taking him home. Don’t be too hard?—”
“Yep.” I cut her off before she can start telling me to go easy on my old man because he’s really a good guy and he doesn’t mean it.
I can’t deal with that tonight.
“Love you, Mama.” I force myself to say it, not wanting to end this awkward call on a bad note.
“Te amo mucho, mi hijo.” Her voice quavers, giving away her tears before she hangs up.
I grip the phone in my hand, squeezing hard before managing to call out a goodbye to my sister and walk out the door.
Locking it behind me, I shuffle toward my dad, who is now leaning against Ethan’s truck.
“Keys.” I hold out my palm to him.
It takes him a second to register what I’m saying before he clumsily digs them out of his jacket pocket.
Unable to look at his pitiful expression, I turn to Ethan. “You know where to go?”
“I’ll follow you.”
I nod and walk to Dad’s sedan, grateful for my best friend.
Grateful that he doesn’t expect me to apologize for this shit.
He never even makes me feel bad.
As I slam the car door closed and crank the engine, my thoughts make their way to Rachel. What she’s going to think about all this?
What do I even tell her?
Ethan’s the only person outside my family who knows what went down that horrible night. Except for the cops. I had to tell them everything—multiple times.
What the hell will Rachel think of me if I tell her the truth?
