Page 34 of Two For One

“She wanted him to leave, not you and that’s when he attacked her.” She took a shuddering breath. “She always chose you.”

A weight I had held onto for so long slowly released me. Xiomara walked to me about to offer me comfort. My body tensed, bracing myself because I couldn’t say no to her. The walls began to close in when O asked Xiomara if she wanted him to heat up her food and she left my side. Xiomara’s grandmother rubbed my back one more time, removing her hand and I felt even better. The revelation was more than I could handle, but O made sure the conversation became light.

I finished my food even though I didn’t want to eat. Xiomara laughed with her grandmother and I slowly relaxed. Xiomara and her grandmother kept glancing at me, but each minute that ticked by helped me feel better. It was two hours before her grandmother decided to go back to the nursing home.

O said goodbye in Spanish, making her laugh before they kissed each other on the cheek. Xiomara said bye next, giving her a big kiss and sending her with a bag full of herbs. Then she looked at me. I was about to wave when she hugged me.

“She wants you to take care of yourself,” she said softly.

I wasn’t a hugger, but this felt nice, and I might have pictured a loving embrace from my mother. I squeezed her one last time, hoping she knew I was grateful.

“I like them, mija; I have a good feeling about them,” she said, kissing Xiomara’s cheek one more time.

Xiomara chuckled nervously before glaring at us.

“I hate you,” she snapped, walking to the sink.

I shook my head, pushing her out of the way.

“I hate that she liked you too,” she huffed while walking. “I’m taking a nap and you better be gone before I wake up.”

I nodded as she slammed her door shut. O helped me clean up the kitchen quickly before disappearing into the room. He tried to drag me with him, but I shook my head, needing space. O studied me for a moment before leaving the room. He said he was going to nap, but O didn’t nap; he was just testing his boundaries. When I didn’t hear any fighting, I laid back into the chair, the black cat curling up with me. I drifted off to sleep dreaming of my mother and what could have been my life.

11

Oliver

THIS IS HALLOWEEN!

Xiomara thought we needed a fun day to get us out of the house a couple of days after we had met her abuela. She said we owed her, and this was something she had always wanted to do. It wasn’t until we went down the road did I realize where we were going.

“This is a bad idea,” I said as we entered the parking lot. “You shouldn’t even be here.”

I looked in the rearview mirror. She gave me a big grin.

“They don’t know I work for Madame Red and if something happens well, you are here,” she said with a mischievous smile.

I scowled as I glanced at Ezra, who was hiding a smile.

I’ve always wanted to see it. We never get to come here. Ezra signed.

“See, he said he wants to see it too,” Xiomara said smugly.

“You don’t know that's what he said,” I retorted, rolling my eyes.

“Yes, I do, he looked happy to be here so it's all about deduction,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Ezra looked outward, trying to hide the grin on his face, but was unsuccessful.

“Fine, but if at any moment I think things are not safe, we are leaving immediately,” I said, taking off my seatbelt.

Thank god I came in jeans because the suit would have been a dead giveaway.

“Yes, Daddy!” Xiomara got out of the car, dragging Ezra with her.

My chest tightened with a weird feeling as I watched them get in line, Xiomara speaking animatedly while Ezra was listening to her. The sun was setting as we reached the ticket box. A woman who looked so done with the day snapped at us when we weren’t ready to pay. Xiomara glared at her, grabbing her wallet when Ezra tapped his card.

“I invited you, that means I get to pay,” she pouted.