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“Hello? Mrs. Ramirez?”
“That’s me,” she says with a friendly tone.
I nearly cry. “I’m so sorry to bother you but… you haven’t by any chance heard from your son?”
There is a long pause before the voice replies, “I’m sorry dear, who is this?”
“It’s Deni, I’m a friend of Maverick’s? I just want to make sure he’s okay.”
Another pause, then the sound is muffled as if the speaker has turned her head away. “Maverick Ramirez?”
I clutch my jacket.
A man’s voice replies to the woman but I can’t hear what he says. Another mumble from the other voice and she replies, “I think you have the wrong apartment, dear. There is another Ramirez family in 17B, I believe. Maybe try them?”
“Oh.” My heart sinks. “Sure, I’ll do that.”
One last click indicates that the intercom has been cut. Again, I scan the names next to the doorbells. Then another time. There is only the one labelled Ramirez.
With a sigh, I ring the same bell again. This time, the intercom is picked up straight away, “Hello?”
“I’m so sorry, it’s me again. There is nobody else with the name Ramirez on their label. Do they live with someone else, maybe?”
There’s a ruffling sound and then the thick, accented voice of a man responds, “I think maybe they move, eh? Family tragedy. Actually, I was sure the woman’s son already died but is good to hear I was wrong.”
“Oh.” I can’t keep the defeat out of my voice. “I didn’t know they moved.”
“Yes, was maybe one year ago? I’m sorry I don’t know the new address.”
Fuck.“Oh. Thank you for your help, though.”
“Of course! I’m sorry we cannot found your friend.”
Click.
When did she move? How often did we sit on that park bench and watch her window since? I let my head sink against the wall of the building, only a few inches away from a piece of gum stuck to the concrete. This can’t be it.
***
I’m not even sure there is a point in going home to Pavel’s apartment since I’m quite certain he’s thrown out all my stuff in a trash bag – but there’s nowhere else for me to go. By now, Celeste has relegated to texting me.
“Where are you?”
“I’m sorry about what I said. Call me back?”
“I need to know you’re safe, please–” The last one I don’t even open, just delete it after seeing the preview in my notifications. I’m safer the further I am away from her. At least I didn’t tell her where I lived.
Just in case, I check every park bench and every underpass on the way home, just out of habit. Maybe I can find one for myself, since I haven’t paid my rent and I’m never going back to Celeste’s house again. I make it about halfway when I notice something hideous and purple in the entryway of a corner store. Despite my best efforts not to get my hopes up, my heart leaps at the sight.
My steps get quicker and quicker the closer I get.It’s a jacket. It really is a jacket!The street light illuminates the ugly rose print on the back. It takes everything for me not to start running. The jacket is draped over a red sleeping bag andI can see the tattoos poking out from beneath it.
“Mav?” Now I am running, closing the last few steps between me and the person with that horrible jacket. I grab them by what I assume are the shoulders. “Mav!? Is that you?”
I yank back the puffy fabric from the person’s face.It’s him.He blinks at me deliriously, his pupils darting around my face.
“Mav?”
“Mom?” His voice is raw and quiet.
