Primitivo

by Croft, Rose

  “This is bullshit. We know who did it. Did they check camera footage?”

  “Yeah, they’re going over it, but they had on masks, so you couldn’t identify their faces. Believe me, I checked the security footage while waiting for the cops to get there.”

  “What about tattoos?”

  “They wore hoodies and gloves. Nothing to give them away.” I knew Sofía would give any other information she could, and it was as plain as day that it was Los Malos because those fuckers bragged about the shit they did, and they wanted us to know they were after us. However, these fools better tread lightly. We weren’t in El Salvador where they owned the streets and put fear in the local law enforcement.

  “What about tomorrow?” Sofía asked. “Eric and I have to be at school.” She bent her head and rubbed her eyes.

  “I’ll take you and Eric and stay there all damn day every day if I have to until these jokers are in jail.” Or dead.

  “Everything will be fine. Their days are numbered,” Adrian piped in twisting his expensive as fuck watch on his wrist. “Let justice take its course.”

  “Fuck that. If I waited for justice, then Dani and I would’ve been six feet under.” Vince glanced at me and I knew that look. It’s on. We ain’t sitting back waiting for something to happen.

  I nodded subtly. Vince almost lost his life when Rafael tried to kill him and Dani. Luckily, I took matters into my own hands and put a bullet to his head. It was better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.

  Sofía

  “Step outside with me,” Vince said, and Emilio and Adrian stood up. I made a move to follow.

  “Stay here, Sofí.” Emilio wrapped his arm around me. “It’ll only take a minute.”

  I could tell Emilio was plotting something. I touched his cheek. “Please, don’t do anything rash.”

  He crooked a heartbreaking smile. “I’m not. We’re only talking.” He leaned in and kissed me, while I melted against him. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you or Eric,” he vowed against my lips.

  “Are we talking or do you two need a room first?” Vince said in his droll voice.

  I giggled and Emilio rolled his eyes. “Dickhead.” He squeezed my shoulder. “It won’t take long.”

  I watched him walk off confidently.

  “You want something to drink? Coffee, tea, wine?” Dani rose and her face was kind, understanding. Was this woman for real? She’d been nothing but nice to me today, and I enjoyed being around her, although I still felt hostility coming from Emilio’s sister when I was around her earlier. I knew Lilyana and Emilio were twins and had been very close back when Emilio and I were together before. This family was as thick as thieves, and I was very envious of how tight they were. I wished I knew that kind of love and devotion. I did once until it was all taken away.

  “Wine would be nice.”

  “I agree.” She smiled, and I followed her to the kitchen as she pulled a bottle out of the wine refrigerator by the pantry.

  I watched as she dug through a drawer, my mind running in a thousand directions. I feared for my son’s life and everyone’s for that matter. I didn’t know what the future held, but I was trying to trust everything would work out.

  Dani held out a glass to me. “How do you do it?” I blurted out.

  “Do what?”

  Put up with that asshole. Is what I wanted to say, but instead I went with, “Patience. You’re so patient and nice. I know Emilio’s family can’t stand me for what I did.”

  She took a sip and swallowed slowly. “I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Some might say it’s a fatal flaw in me.” She smiled again, and I was fascinated by her honesty. “I’m a good listener if you want to talk about it.”

  I eyed her skeptically but truly felt like I could confide in her, and I needed an ally. I told her my story. Dani listened with full attention and gave me support. “I love Eric so much. There was always an inexplicable connection between Emilio and I. It’s like he’s always been a part of me, and Eric even bonded us more.”

  Dani nodded in complete understanding. “I can tell.”

  “Do you think Emilio will ever forgive me?”

  “I don’t know, but I think time heals wounds, and Emilio seems to be trying.”

  My shoulders sagged as I leaned against the counter. “I know, but will he be able to forget?”

  “Can you forget what happened to you?” I felt Dani’s hand on my shoulder.

  I sighed heavily, “No.” After brushing away a tear, I gripped her hand. “Thank you for listening and not judging.”

  She wrapped her fingers around mine. “We all have dark moments, Sofí. In the end, that’s what makes us stronger. Even in our darkest moment, we can always find a dim light peeking out to guide us.”

  “Good night, mi hijo.” I bent over touching my lips to Eric’s forehead and cited the prayer my mom used to say to me at night, pleading for a ring of angels to protect my son. For several moments, Emilio and I hovered, as Eric’s eyes grew heavy with sleep. Emilio wrapped his arms around me while his chin lay on my shoulder. I leaned into him welcoming his warmth and strength. This weekend had been surreal, and it was beginning to feel like we were a happy family.

  “Come on,” he whispered against my cheek. I followed him down the hall to his bedroom. He closed the door and rested against it while his eyes followed me as I paced nervously around the room. “Hey. We’re going to get through this. Everything will be all right.”

  “How do you know? How can you stand there so… calmly?”

  He pushed off the door and stepped slowly to me. “Because I just know. It has to be.” Emilio reached behind him and pulled off his shirt tossing it aside. “You don’t think I’m worried? I am.” He laid his hands on my shoulders. “But I can’t let fear run my life. That’s no way to live.” He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “I swear on my life that I will protect you and Eric.” His eyes closed, and his lips lingered. “It’ll work out. You’ll see.”

  I nuzzled his cheek, and my hands fell to his chest, like always. He smiled down at me. “Now, get undressed and get in bed. I’m gonna tell you a bedtime story.”

  I grinned and lifted my shirt over my head and unhooked my bra. “A naughty bedtime story?”

  He ran a hand over one of my breasts and flicked my nipple. “No. We’ll save that for later. Get in bed, Sofí.”

  I shoved out of my shorts and slipped under the covers. Emilio stripped out of his shorts and slid in beside me pulling me close against him. “Once upon a time, there was a little boy who was in a scary situation.”

  I curled my fists under my chin relishing the familiar comfort as he began, “The boy grew up in San Salvador with his brothers and sister in a one-bedroom shack. His mother worked very hard to support them, but couldn’t make ends meet working as a street vendor. She did some unthinkable things to make money and provide for her family. Then, she met a man who had money and said he wanted to support her, help her. He always brought nice gifts and things for her and her children. However, nothing was given for free, the little boy would soon learn everything came with a price…”

  His voice trailed off, and I glanced up at him.

  “Turns out this wealthy man wasn’t Prince Charming, more like the prince of darkness. He made his mother sell drugs for him, and the children were couriers too. One day, this little boy and his brother were sent on a mission to deliver a package. They were told to go straight there and not question anything. They did, and on their way to their destination, the boy heard a loud bang and a man screaming in an alleyway. A priest.”

  My body jolted, waking up from another bad memory I’d forced myself to forget.

  “He wanted to help Father Perez and ran toward him, not thinking about the dangerous men who were laughing around the body. The boy foolishly thought he could save the world. An idealistic view, really, for a child who wanted to be a hero. Who believed the good guys wore white and the bad wore black. The symbolic bulls
hit he’d seen in old movies. So, he questioned the men who stood around. One man, in particular, stepped up to the little boy and put his gun to the child’s head. He had tear drops tattooed under the corner of each eye.”

  “Oh my God,” I breathed out. My body tensed. “Tío Cesar. That was Tío Cesar.” I felt sick, remembering that day. “I was there. I saw. You were the boy.”

  Emilio’s eyes widened in recognition as he studied my face, then his throat bobbed as he nodded. “I was the scared little boy, and you were the girl whose eyes haunted me for years.” He laughed, a forced laugh. “For some reason, I’m not surprised it was you. Whatever has happened between us, my connection to you runs deep. Always has.”

  “I know.”

  He shook his head ruefully. “Mami talked of Los Malos like they were the boogeyman.” He ran a finger over my shoulder and trailed it down my arm. “But that day, I knew they were real. And guess what? I vowed to never show fear again.”

  “That which doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger, right?”

  “Yeah, something like that,” he said while his index finger lingered on the edge of my chin. His dark eyes pierced mine, and he leaned in and growled against my lips, “The only one who could bring me down to my knees is you, Sofía. That’s what I fucking fear.”

  The next day Emilio drove us to school. We arrived late. There was an officer on campus parked in the parking lot at the demand of Emilio and Adrian. Emilio parked the car and walked us in with Eric in between us holding our hands. When we arrived at the classroom, Emilio kneeled down and gripped the back of Eric’s head and kissed him on the forehead. I had to keep myself from losing it. “Have a great day, mi hijo,” Emilio said and crooked a smile. “Listen and do your best, okay?”

  “Sure, Papá.” Eric reached up and whispered something in his father’s ear.

  Emilio grinned and glanced up at me and winked. “Go to class, son.” Eric beamed at me before trotting through the door.

  “What did he say?” I asked, basking in the glow of their amusement.

  Emilio rose to full height and had a rueful look. “He asked if I was going to kiss you again.”

  “Are you?” I had a cheeky smile on my face because Emilio and I had done a lot of kissing along with other things lately. We knew we needed to address our situation with him and agreed we would soon.

  “Thinking about it.” He moved in closer. I closed my eyes.

  “Miss Flores? I thought I heard you.” Eric’s teacher’s eyes ping-ponged between us. She greeted Emilio who spoke a few kind words to her in his easy manner. “Well, I’ll give you a minute and we’ll start circle time shortly.” She had that perceptive look before she stepped away back in the class.

  “I’ll be near by. If you need anything, just call.” Emilio leaned in and kissed me until my knees felt weak. “Maybe I should stay.” He watched me intently.

  I knew Emilio had a busy week with work. He’d been on the phone all morning dealing with one issue or another. “We’ll be okay. Besides, there’s a police officer here.”

  Emilio

  “They arrested three Los Malos members for destroying the condo,” Adrian’s voice was cocky through the phone. Three days had passed since the incident in the park. Sofía was making dinner, and Eric was her sous chef. They were like two peas in a pod. So close. Everything was so good it was perfect. I kept waiting, no expecting, something dire to happen. I didn’t know what. I hoped I was being paranoid or overly cautious.

  “Great news, man.” At least, those idiots were going to jail. “Thanks, primo.”

  “Anytime. You want to go out for a drink?”

  “Uh, can’t.” I could’ve, but I had no desire to leave. “I have stuff to do around the house, tonight.” Ever since Sofía was around, I gravitated toward her and Eric. “Another time?”

  Adrian chuckled, and I knew why. “Okay. We’ll do it another time.” We hung up. I exhaled a sigh of relief knowing those assholes were caught.

  “Everything okay?” Sofí asked bent over Eric as she helped him take out a pan of cookies. I rounded the island as they both set the pan on the counter. “They’re hot, baby, so let them cool off,” she warned softly.

  I leaned over and tapped Eric’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go watch TV for a sec.” We both gazed as he loped off and settled in on the couch. “Adrian said they’ve been apprehended,” I said.

  “They have?” A sense of relief flashed over her face. For the past three days it seemed we were looking over our shoulders, eyeing anyone or anything that was out of the ordinary.

  “Yeah.” I pulled her into my arms. “Thank fuck. I’m getting too old for this gangster bullshit.”

  I felt her body shake finding my comment amusing. Her face was buried in my chest. She peered up at me with her brows furrowed. “So, what happens now?”

  “They get convicted and serve time.”

  “No.” She pursed her lips. “What happens with us?”

  “What do you want to happen?”

  “Do I move back into the condo? Find another place?” Her words were like a reality check that we’d both avoided. The last few days with her around had been like a glimpse into what the happiness of being a real family could be. I would be lying if I didn’t want her to stay. I knew everything was moving fast, and my family wasn’t on board with this whole situation. It was clear, I could hide under the guise that she needed to stay for her own safety. But the fact of the matter was… I wanted her here. I wanted to wake up every morning with her in my arms. And, dammit, I wanted to pursue a fucking future with her. I could see us growing old together with a house full of children.

  “Is that what you want?” The words pained me to say them, but I wouldn’t beg. Not with her. Never with her. “What do you want, Sofía?” I asked with uncertainty leaving me feeling vulnerable. Silently praying she wanted to stay.

  “You. I just want you.” Her hands curled around my neck, and she pressed her lips to mine. If I knew Eric wasn’t in the living room, I’d take Sofí here on the counter.

  “Can we eat?” Eric called out and ran into the kitchen as I stood with her locked in my arms and lips latched on hers. “Ooohh, Papá and Sofí are boyfriend and girlfriend.”

  We pulled apart. I was smiling. Sofía’s face turned red. More than that, son, I thought. We’d been careful not to get handsy in front of him, but it was bound to happen one way or another. Sofía was a temptation I couldn’t turn down.

  “Dinner’s ready,” she mumbled and scrambled around to get plates.

  “Sit down, son. Let’s eat, and then we’ll talk.” I knew we’d have to tell Eric the truth. The longer this went on, the harder it would be. My son was young, but I didn’t like to lie to him. The sooner he knew, the easier it would be for him. For all of us, I was betting on it.

  “We need to tell you something.” I glanced at Sofía over Eric’s head as he sat between us on the couch.

  “Are you two getting married?” Eric asked with unabashed excitement.

  “Married?” Damn, my four-year-old son was talking about boyfriends, girlfriends, and marriage now? Jeez, I sure as hell hoped I didn’t have to dive into an early convo about the birds and the bees with him. What the hell?

  “Yeah, when two people kiss, first they’re girlfriend and boyfriend and then they get married. That’s what Karla told me.”

  Oh boy. I didn’t even know how to respond. “We’re not talking about marriage right now.” I focused on Sofía’s hands twisting nervously. “At least, not yet,” I added. “That’s not what I wanted to talk about, I…” I was talking in circles and didn’t know how to start this. I glanced up at Sofí. What the fuck do I say?

  She smiled and took one of Eric’s hands. Tears glimmered in her eyes. “Do you remember the story about Chester?”

  He nodded. “The Kissing Hand.”

  “Yes, baby. Do you remember when I kissed your hand and you said you wished I could be your mother?”

  “Yeah, are you go
nna kiss my hand again?”

  A tear slipped down her cheek. “Yes.” She laid his palm against her lips and murmured, “What if I said I was your mother?”

  “You are?” Eric’s eyes widened in Christmas surprise as his voice rose in excitement.

  “I am.” She kissed his palm again and placed it against her cheek. “I am,” she repeated relishing in his touch as though he were absolving her of her sins.

  “Yes!” He climbed into her lap and threw his arms around her. “My wish came true!”

  “My wish did too. I love you so much, Eric.” She gazed at me over his head and mouthed the words “thank you.”

  I leaned in and encircled both of them watching something so heartbreakingly beautiful I had to keep myself from tearing up like a bitch. I love you, Sofí. My heart shouted the words my mouth couldn’t seem to form.

  We held each other in silence until Eric squirmed around and said, “Can I have a cookie now, Mamá?”

  Saturday evening was a family affair for all the Mendoza’s. It was Tío Hector’s birthday. We wanted to take my aunt and uncle out to eat, however, my tía scoffed and said she would make his favorite foods at their home. My tío and tía were very old-school in their thinking and didn’t believe in spending money frivolously at an expensive restaurant although they didn’t have to worry about penny-pinching anymore. Hadn’t for quite a few years, but they were set in their ways. I was fairly certain they stored most of their money under a damn mattress, which was stupid in my book. Nah, that’s an exaggeration. Adrian probably convinced them to open up an account and diversify. He was the best at smooth talking people, and his parents thought he hung the moon.

  Of course, Sofía was apprehensive to go. I tried to reassure her. My family wouldn’t flat out attack her verbally, especially at Tío’s birthday party. Well, Lily, maybe, but she’d already been around us before and saw what went down. Lily was like a fucking yappy dog when it came to family. She would jaw and bark with the best of them if she thought someone was hurting one of us. Our family was loyal to a fault. However, if anyone had something negative to say to Sofí, including my sister, I’d deal with it. The only one who hadn’t been around since Sofía came back in our lives was my noble cousin Eduardo the doctor. The reason he hadn’t is that he worked ridiculous hours at the largest hospital in the city. But he wasn’t one to start shit. Well, he could make a snarky comment, but he wasn’t an asshole. I’m sure his brother Adrian filled him in anyway.