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I nodded.
‘It’s time for you to step up. Phillipe and Carlos will need you more than ever.’
‘I know,’ I replied, the weight of that knowledge lying heavy on my shoulders. My father had always looked out for his younger brothers, always protected them from any potential dangers.
‘You need to keep an eye on Carlos especially. I’m worried about him. You know he can be a loose cannon.’
‘Well, he’s just pissed that somebody tried to kill his big brother.’
My father opened his eyes again and stared at me. ‘No. It’s more than that. I think he might be getting sick again.’
‘Oh?’ I sat back in my chair. Seventeen years earlier, my Uncle Carlos had had some kind of breakdown and had gone on a brutal killing spree. He’d been found sitting naked, covered in the blood of his victims and mumbling incoherently. My father had managed to cover up the killings and Carlos had spent a year in one of the best mental health facilities in California until he was deemed fit to be released. It was a time in our family’s history that we never spoke of. ‘I’ll keep an eye on him,’ I promised.
My father squeezed my hand. ‘You are a good son, Alejandro.’
He closed his eyes again and I watched as his chest rose and fell and he drifted back to sleep. I don’t know how long I sat there with him, holding his hand and watching him sleep. My mind raced with dozens of questions and I was turning over every stone I could think of to find the answers, but I wasn’t finding them fast enough.
CHAPTER 26
ALANA
I walked into the small private family room at the hospital carrying two cups of hot coffee. Alejandro’s mom was already in there waiting for me.
‘Here we are,’ I said as I handed her one and placed mine on the small Formica table.
‘Thank you, Alana,’ she said with a smile before she held the cup to her lips and took a sip. She winced as she tasted the bitter liquid. ‘Ostia! This is just about the worst coffee I have ever had,’ she said with a laugh as she placed her cup down beside mine.
‘I know,’ I laughed too. ‘The vending machine was all that was available, sorry,’ I said with a shrug.
‘At least it is hot.’ She smiled at me and patted the seat beside her. ‘Come, sit. You look tired.’
‘A little,’ I said as I stifled a yawn and sat down beside her. ‘I’m sure you didn’t get much sleep yourself?’
‘Not a wink,’ she smiled at me and her beautiful hazel eyes twinkled. ‘But, there will be plenty of time for sleep when I’m dead, cariño,’ she laughed.
I smiled at her. I knew that cariño meant sweetheart and it felt nice to hear her call me that. I loved Alejandro’s mom. She was so warm and caring — she reminded me a little of my grandma, although I would never tell her that. I wasn’t sure she would take being compared to my grandma as the compliment I’d intend it to be. ‘I’m so glad Mateo has woken up. Did the doctors say how he’s doing?’ I suspected it was all good news given her mood this morning, but I had no idea what Mateo’s prognosis was.
‘They said it will take him a few weeks to get back on his feet and the machines will need to help him breathe until his lung is fully healed. But he is alive and he is going to be just fine.’ She smiled again as she squeezed my hand. ‘This time yesterday, I thought I was going to lose him, so today, Alana, is a good day!’
‘It certainly is,’ I agreed.
‘I always knew this day was coming. I suppose we have been lucky that Mateo has never really been hurt before now. But, now I see the mantle being passed to Alejandro, and while I know it is what he wants, it breaks my heart. I never want to sit in one of these places wondering whether my son is going to make it,’ she said softly.
‘I know exactly what you mean,’ I said as I squeezed her hand. ‘The thought of anything ever happening to Alejandro…’ I didn’t need to finish my sentence. Maria knew better than anyone else the worry of being married to a Montoya.
I knew this was the life I was signing up for, but it didn’t make me worry about him any less. It made me feel even more selfish for running off to New York the way I did. As if sensing the change in my mood, Maria turned her body so she was facing me.
‘Alejandro told me about what the doctor said, cariño. I am so sorry.’
I sucked in a shaky breath. In all that had gone on in the past two days, I hadn’t thought much about my test results. ‘Thank you, Maria.’
‘Everything will work out just as it should for you and my Alejandro, though. I know it.’
I smiled at her. ‘You think so?’
‘I know so, cariño.’
‘It’s just that we wanted children. We had ideas of filling the house with them. I feel like I’m letting him down.’
