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It was something. They were slowly making some progress.
She found the contact she’d put in her phone under ‘taco delivery.’ It might be silly to add it under a false name. But just in case.
Ortega had given her this number ages ago. However, this was the first time she’d found the courage to use it.
Maybe she should talk to O first.
She sent him off a text.
Sprinkles: I’m going to call Dante. Is now a good time?
It took him a few moments to reply.
O: I’m not with him right now. I’m literally walking around in pig shit right now.
Sprinkles: What? Really?
O: Yep.
Sprinkles: Gross. Did you wash your hands before using your phone?
O: I’m dicktating.
What?
O: Oops. Dictating. Call him. It’s taken you a while to find your balls.
Sprinkles: Got bigger balls than you.
O: I’d offer a photo, but . . .
Sprinkles: No!
O: Yeah . . . you’re just worried mine are bigger than my big bro. Spoiler alert: all of me is bigger and more superior.
Sprinkles: *Rolling eyes emoji*
Sprinkles: Got to go.
O: Same. This is really starting to smell.
She didn’t know if he was joking or not. But part of her thought he wasn’t.
So weird.
She hit Dante’s number before she could think better of it. Just as she was about to end the call, someone answered.
“Hello?” a suspicious voice asked.
“Um, hello, is this Dante?”
Silence.
Right. He probably wanted to know who she was.
“Hi, this is, uh, this is Cat . . . Catarina De Leon. I’m Alejandro’s wife.”
“I know who you are.” His voice wasn’t cold exactly, but it wasn’t welcoming either.
She gulped.
“Is everything all right with Alejandro? Is he in danger?”
“Oh no, he’s fine. Well, someone has been targeting his businesses, tagging them and destroying his property, but since he stepped up patrols, that seems to have stopped. And I think he might have high blood pressure, but he and Aaron keep saying he doesn’t. That it’s stress. After that, they both look at me. As though I am the source of his stress. Can you believe that?”
“Yes.”
“Rude. Well, you know, there could be other reasons he’s stressed. Like work . . . or his relationship with you.”
More silence.
“I, um, that’s actually why I’m calling.”
“Are you trying to interfere in Alejandro’s relationship with me, Catarina?”
“Yes. And you can call me Cat.”
“Hmm. If Alejandro wanted to repair things, he’d reach out to me.”
“Yeah, well, Alejandro isn’t really good at saying sorry.”
“You believe he should say sorry?”
“Well, to be honest, you both probably should. I mean . . . you saying that if he left he couldn’t come back . . . that stuff was harsh, dude. But also, he should have heard you out when you said you couldn’t come to the wedding. I’m sure he would have understood if he’d known you’d been shot.”
“Someone has been tattling. I can guess who.”
“Um, well, I . . . hmm.” If she said it wasn’t Ortega, would he guess it was Rafael?
“And how are you going to mend things between us, Catarina?”
“Welll, I get to choose where we go on our honeymoon.”
“Alejandro is allowing you to choose? I am surprised. He usually likes full control.”
“Oh, he still likes that. He just feels bad that it’s taken so long. So, can we?”
“Can you what?”
“Come stay with you? I mean . . . if you’ve got the room, that is.”
“If I’ve got the room . . .”
“Uh-huh.”
He sighed. “I can see why Ortega likes you.”
“Oh, well, I like him too. He’s funny. Although he did hold a knife to my friend’s neck. Which wasn’t that nice.”
“Nice? Right.”
“Are you all right? You sound funny. Do you have a sore throat? A honey and lemon drink is what you need. My mama used to make it for me when I felt sick.”
A pang hit her.
It was strange . . . most of the time, she forgot. But when she remembered, the pain was as fresh as ever. Added with guilt for not thinking of her every moment of every day.
“I heard what happened to your mama,” he said in a surprisingly gentle voice. “I am sorry.”
“T-thanks. So, um, you want to know how to make it?”
“I’m well.”
“I won’t bring any trouble to your door, I promise. Well, I’ll try not to. Sometimes trouble just follows me around.”
“I bet it does.” He sighed. “Alejandro will not come.”
“But if I can get him there?”
“Then you may come. Trouble or not, Alejandro is always welcome here. It is his home.”
“Absolutely not.”
“But Papi, you said I could go wherever I like.”
“Anywhere but Mexico,” he told her with a glare as they got ready for bed.
“I want to go there. I want to see where you grew up.”
“Why? You know what it was like. You know the hell I endured.”
“Oh. I didn’t . . . I didn’t even think of that.” She could imagine what it would be like if he told her they were going to spend their honeymoon at the Camp. “I’m sorry. That was so thoughtless of me. I was only thinking about how I wanted to help you and Dante. Not about your past beyond that. Of course it holds lots of terrible memories. So thoughtless.” She smacked the palm of her hand against her forehead.
