Page 85 of No Merciful Corruption

“Where’s Kay?” I ask.

“She’s—”

A frazzled Karina rushes into the room, having entered from the same hall as Diego. She grabs her keys and purse off the center table while simultaneously pulling on one of her shoes.

“Kay is running late.” She rakes an aggressive hand through her short hair and makes a halfhearted attempt at greeting us. “Welcome home.”

“I can really feel the warmth of your welcome.” I beam with feigned excitement.

Alejandro sends a look in my direction—a silent warning to play nice.

“Lela, did you put your shoes on?” Karina asks.

Allegra, still twisting and turning in Alejandro’s grasp, kicks up her feet to reveal her plastic princess heels. Karina heaves a sigh of defeat.

“Close enough. Pídele a Titi y a Tio la bendición and let’s go. We’re late for your doctor’s appointment.”

Allegra wiggles into an upright position and tilts her head up. “Bendición, Tio.”

“Dios te bendiga, mi amor.” He makes the sign of the cross on her forehead and kisses her cheek before bringing her over to me.

I bless her as well and then smother her in kisses one last time. “I love you, Lela. Be good for Mami and Papi.”

Alejandro sets her down and she zooms out the door. It’s incredible the speed at which that child moves. I swear it’s inhuman.

Diego follows his daughter downstairs while Karina stays behind to pull on her last shoe.

“Is anyone else home?” Alejandro asks.

She shakes her head. “Aside from Beni and the others on the day shift, no. Doña Ana left about an hour ago to see Abuelo and Lettie’s up on the terrace with her demon plants.”

I frown. “Lela said she was doing her makeup.”

“That was earlier. Now she’s crossbreeding some speciosa...artum…I don’t know.” She waves an exhausted hand. “Weird plant shit.”

He chuckles. “In other words, out of commission for the next few hours.”

Her brows lift in response but she doesn’t comment. “See you guys.”

The moment the apartment door closes behind her, the foyer becomes unbearably quiet.

I haven’t seen Karina look this exhausted in a while. Is she overwhelmed at the dance school again? Was Allegra giving her a hard time while we were gone? Karina and Diego are very hands-on and their co-parenting relationship is admirable but it’d be a lie to say they do everything on their own. It’s taken a village to raise my niece and Alejandro and I have been there every step of the way; both as aunt and uncle and as her Godparents. I’m half tempted to catch Karina on the way out but what’s the point? What would I say and how could I possibly help?

“Thank God.” Alejandro’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. “I thought they’d never leave.”

“Wh—wait! Alex!”

I squeal as he lifts me off my feet and throws me over his right shoulder. Both my heels fall off in the process and he abandons them in the hall on the way to our bedroom.

“Bridal style would’ve been more romantic.” I protest.

A resounding smack bounces off the walls as he slaps my back side.

“Ow!”

“Can’t do that bridal style.”

Once we’re at our bedroom door he stops and lowers me into his arms. He steps over the threshold, sets me down, and descends into an elaborate bow that pulls a laugh from my lips.