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She slid to a halt, blinking at him in surprise. Antonio ran over, his eyes wide with terror when he saw that Angel was unconscious.
“Angel,” he cried out. “What happened to him? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine, just in pain,” Miguel said. “Let’s get him to the hospital.”
Jasmeka climbed into the back of one of the pickups, along with Miguel, Antonio, and Carmen. Laredo drove. Soon they were standing around in the waiting room at the local hospital while Angel was being cared for in the back.
Miguel dropped with weariness into a chair and pushed both hands into his hair. She imagined his muscles were on fire, but he didn’t complain at all. Antonio paced, and Jasmeka sat down on one side of Miguel, while Carmen took up the left. Jasmeka was grateful that Laredo had elected to drive around to see if there was anyone else out there who needed his help.
“Miguel.”
Carmen spoke in a throaty voice and curled her fingers around Miguel’s forearm. She leaned in close to him until her breasts touched his arm. He kept his head down as if he were lost in thought and didn’t hear her. She raised her voice a little, capturing all of their attention and the other people that were in the waiting room.
“Don’t you think all of this is too much?” Carmen asked. “I mean you could have been killed out there all because of that boy who doesn’t care anything about you.”
“Hey!” Antonio glared at her. “That’s my brother you’re talking about, and you don’t know anything about us. Why don’t you mind your business?”
Carmen gasped and touched a hand to her chest. “You’re going to let him talk to me like that, Miguel?”
Miguel glanced up at Carmen, then at Antonio. His little brother clenched his hands into fists. He looked so much smaller than Jasmeka remembered him being, and she knew behind all that anger was fear. Right now, Antonio was scared that Angel had more than a broken leg, that for the first time in his life he might be alone. Her heart ached to reassure him.
Miguel stood, effectively knocking Carmen’s hands away. He approached Antonio, and Jasmeka tensed. Surely, he wasn’t going to fight with him right there. She surged to her feet, ready to leap between them if necessary.
Miguel’s heavy hands came down on Antonio’s shoulders, and he squeezed just a bit. “He’s fine, Tony. It’s just a broken leg. You guys have had broken limbs before, right? This is like every other time.”
“I know!” Antonio turned his head, but he didn’t pull away from his brother’s touch. He stayed there, and Jasmeka imagined he drew strength from Miguel.
The door opened, and Aunt Rosa rushed in. “Mi bebé! Mi bebé!! Donde esta el?”
Miguel dropped his hands to his sides and swung to face Aunt Rosa. “He’s in with the doctor. He’s going to be fine, Aunt.”
She scowled with intense dislike at Miguel. “This is your fault. You shouldn’t have come. My babies were never in danger before you came! Go home. You don’t belong here. Go home!”
Miguel didn’t argue with her, and Jasmeka couldn’t just stand there and let Miguel take Aunt Rosa’s abuse. She never saw reason when it came to the twins, and she needed to know that.
Before Jasmeka could get to her, Antonio stepped in front of his brother. “Stop yelling at him, Aunt Rosa. My brother saved Angel’s life. No one else did it. No one else knew about the cabin except him.”
Jasmeka figured her jaw hung as low as Aunt Rosa’s for Antonio defending Miguel. They both stood there in shocked silence as Antonio, still angry, took Miguel’s side. He didn’t disrespect Aunt Rosa, but when he finished it was crystal clear that during all the hoopla, Miguel had earned Antonio’s respect—maybe even his love.
Aunt Rosa drew herself up to her full height and raised a stubborn chin. “We’ll discuss this later at home, when I know my Angel is fine.”
She left them standing there and managed entry to the back where Angel was. Not too long after, they were told he was fine and that all he needed was a cast for his leg. The hospital released him when he was ready, and Jasmeka and the rest of the family headed home.
Jasmeka checked the time when they walked in the door and found that it was nine at night. She felt like she’d been up for more than a day and decided to go to bed and sleep until the next morning. From the moment her head hit the pillow, she was out—until there was a knock at her door in the middle of the night.
Chapter 14
Jasmeka dragged herself from bed and opened the door. She didn’t have the energy to ask who it was. Her eyes were half closed, but her nose worked great. Miguel smelled like a fresh shower. He moved past her into the room and shut the door. Turning her around by the shoulders, he led her back to her bed. She collapsed onto it.
“You were sleeping in your clothes?” He tsked and began removing her blouse and shorts. She was surprised and relieved when he left her under things on.
A cool breeze filled the room. She kept a fan going because Aunt Rosa didn’t like the central air turned too low. The opposite side of the bed sank down, and Miguel slid into position beside her. He raised her head and set it down on his bicep.
“I’m too sleepy,” she murmured with her eyes closed now.
“Rest. I just want to be here.”
She bit her lower lip. Talking like that would rob her of sleep. The man made no sense. “Carmen will—”
