by Larissa
“We taught our children that loyalty is a must. Junior understands that, Jesus understands that, and Alfonzo understood that. If Bella didn’t get the memo then I’m not going to force her to. I’ma kill her.”
“That is your daughter Juno! She screams out while tears starts to form and begin to pour from her eyes and down to her nose, cheeks, and mouth.
“She is not.” He stands so quick he knocks over his glass of orange juice.
“You kill her, you’re killing not only you, but me too.” She stands up right behind him.
“Belita, I’m not trying to hear it. Bella will die and that’s final,” he says.
“I won’t allow it.” She grabs the plate that Bella would normally eat from and throws it at Juno. He quickly ducks, as the plate is inches away from hitting him in the face.
“What the hell?!” he screams.
Belita is silent but her actions are speaking volumes. She grabs the plate Alfonzo would eat from and throws it at Juno. He ducks again. But her wrath is raining down on him and Juno is going to feel it.
“You killed Alfonzo. And now you want to take my only daughter away from me. Fuck loyalty Juno. Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it! Show me some loyalty once in a while. Shit, show your familia some loyalty for a change. You preach loyalty but fact of the matter is you’re not loyal to yourself. If you kill my daughter I will kill you. You can’t take my baby away from me. You can’t take my baby away from me!” she screams out at him as she continues to throw whatever is in her eyesight at him.
“Junior and Jesus, go wait in the car. Your mama and I would like to talk in private,” Juno says to the boys.
Quickly Junior and Jesus rise from the table, kiss their mama on the cheek, and rush out the front door and into the car as their papa said.
“Listen up Belita, and listen up good ‘cause I’m only going to say and tell you this once.” Juno speaks in a firm tone.
“That bitch isn’t my daughter. No daughter of mines will be disloyal to this familia. No daughter of mines will chose love over her familia. No daughter of mines will stay with the man that killed her brother. No daughter of mines will ruin everything I have built for this familia. No daughter of mines will turn her back on her familia. Bella is no longer apart of this familia. She chose her fate, and I’m going to grant it for her. And not even death will stop me,” he tells her.
You kill her, I’ll kill you. You preach loyalty but you’re not even loyal to me.”
“You’re not loyal to me. You fucked—” he yells but stops himself.
“I had enough of this. Bella will die,” he says, while he starts to walk off.
“If she dies then I’m taking you and your familia down with her. We all will be burning in hell together. That is my daughter; you will not take her away from me Juno. I will not allow you to take my daughter away from me.”
“Your daughter, huh? Shouldn’t you be saying our. Belita, you made your bed and now you’re going to burn in it.”
“And you made yours also. Kill Bella and not even death will stop me from destroying everything you ever loved. And that includes money, power, and that familia you think I don’t know about.”
He turns around slowly and stares at her coldly. This isn’t the woman he married. This woman is strong. She has a voice. This isn’t the weak and insecure Belita he took under him to command.
“Belita, I love you.”
“No Juno, you love yourself and only yourself. Junior, Jesus, and I don’t mean anything to you. And you know that. Money, power, and that familia you have down the road does, and always has. Kill my daughter and I promise you before I destroy everything you got going on I will let the cat out the bag. That’s my daughter and I will not let you use her as a pawn in your games anymore. Bella has nothing to do with this and you know it.”
“Bella has everything to do with this. Belita, I love you. Clean up this mess. I’ll see you later,” he says, before walking out leaving her alone to suffer.
“Juno Noooooo!” she screams as she falls to the floor.
Crying her eyes and heart out, Belita knows it is time for her to find the heart her daughter had found. Otherwise the product of the affair between her and the love of her life will be dead and there isn’t anything either one of them can do about it. Both of them are so wrapped up in Juno’s form of loyalty that it hurts to even think about walking away from the only thing they both knew of. But they will lose their only daughter and true reason for actually going along with Juno lies if they don’t.
Lying on the floor, Belita cries until she can’t drop another tear. The greenish snot from her nose starts to sink into her open mouth, yet she doesn’t care. She stays on the floor until she hears a knock on the door. She continues to sit on the cold floor, pretending she doesn’t hear the knocks until the banging grows louder and louder. She grabs o to the nearest chair for support and slowly starts to lift her body up.
“Coming,” she says, in her sweet voice.
Rushing to the door, she stops and grabs the cloth from the table that is by the front door, looks into the mirror, and starts to wipe away the messiness on her face. When that is finished she grabs the doorknob, opens the door, and looks the stranger in her eyes.
“May I help you?” she asks, as she looks to see a group of people she doesn’t know giving her devil’s eyes.
“Mrs. Rivera. You don’t remember me?”
“Hmmm, if you’re looking for my husband, I’ll go get him. Just wait a moment,” she tells the girl as she tries to close the door. But she sticks her foot in the doorway, stopping her.
“May I come in?” the girl asks.
“I will get my husband,” Belita says again.
“No need. I know he’s not here.” The girl pushes the door, shoving Belita out the way and letting herself and the males she is with inside before closing the door behind them and locking it.
“Mrs. Rivera. It’s nice to see you again,” she says smiling.
“I’m not sure I remember you,” she tells her while stepping back as she looks around, trying to find the nearest object to throw and run to the exit for safety.
“I’m Jenny, Neena’s sister. I’m sure you don’t remember me. I left when I was 15.” Jenny says.
“Okay, so why are you here? Bella isn’t here at the moment.”
“Oh, I’m not here to see Bella. Actually I came to see you. See I have a problem I need for you to help me with. And I know you’ll love it,” Jenny says as she looks at her men, giving them a nod.
“Please, don’t kill me,” Belita cries as she tries to run but is stopped and held by two of the males.
“Mrs. Rivera, why would I kill you when it’s your daughter who I wanna kill?” Jenny asks.
“Take her upstairs,” she orders them.
“No please, I have to clean up before my husband gets home,” she screams.
Jenny laughs.
“Marvin and Trey, stay down here and clean up this mess. William and Joe, take her into the room with the blue door. That’s Bella’s room,” she informs them.
The four males nod their heads and start to do the orders Jenny has given them. She slowly walks up the stairs behind William and Joe as they drag Belita into Bella’s room.
“Please, don’t kill me,” Belita begs.
“Take her into the bathroom and place her in the tub,” Jenny orders them.
Belita takes one last look at Jenny as her past, present, and future flashes before her eyes. She is taken into the bathroom and thrown in the tub. William and Joe leave, closing the door behind them and then she is alone.
“Now what?” William asks.
“Go downstairs into the basement. It’s by the kitchen. The door is brown. Get me some tape from there. And bring me up some of that food she cooked,” she tells him.
William steps out the room and goes to do as he is told.
“Are we going to kill her?”
“Now why would we do that? I need her.”
“
But you said our names. And she saw our faces.”
“Joe, go downstairs and help them clean up. Trust me, I got this. Belita is the least of our worries. I’m just doing this to make a statement,” she tells him. Joe shakes his head as he leaves the room, just as William reenters the room.
“Follow Joe. I’ll be down in a minute and we’ll leave,” she tells William.
“When will we get our money?” he asks her.
“Soon. Trust me. I got this.”
“What if somebody comes?”
“You niggas the hit men. If anybody comes in kill them.”
William gives her the items she asked for then leaves the room. Jenny closes the door and locks it behind him. She takes a seat on the bed, places the tape next to her, and starts to eat the food. Once finished she places the plate down and grabs the tape.
“That was good. Now let me get down to the big business,” she says to herself as she grabs the tape, walks to the door, and turns the doorknob and then steps inside.
“Hello Mrs. Rivera,” she greets her.
“If you’re going to kill me Jenny do so. I have nothing to live for.”
“Oh but you do Mrs. Rivera. And you’re going to help me take care of a problem of mines or I will take away the one person you love and I’m not talking about Bella.”
Belita’s eyes grow wide and big in fear.
“Please, don’t. Whatever is it, I’ll do it,” she cries.
“Mrs. Rivera, loyalty is important to you?”
“Yes.”
“Who are you loyal to?” Jenny asks her as she closed the toilet seat lid and sits on it.
“My familia,” she answers.
“Mrs. Rivera, I need your help. See your daughter thinks I’m stupid. I know my sister was talking to her the night she died. I was on the phone with her and she was talking about Bella. I was on my way over there. And somehow Bella got in o the house and killed her, then left as if nothing happened and had the nerve to show up to her funeral and cry. This bitch cried as if she wasn’t the person who put my sister there. She was the only person I had left and your daughter killed her,” Jenny explains to her as she cries.
“Bella killed her and now I’m going to kill her, and you’re going to help me. Otherwise, bodies will be dropping. And the first one will be—.”
“I’ll help you,” she says, before she can finish making her threats.
“Good. Now I’m going to need for you to get naked.”
Standing up, Belita starts to remove her robe, leaving her without anything but her undies and bra. She turns her body, feeling ashamed, before she lowers her body back into the tub.
“Trust me, you don’t have anything I haven’t seen. And this is business, nothing personal,” Jenny tells her.
Undoing the tape, Jenny starts to wrap Belita’s feet and hands. She takes a knife out of her back pocket, and then she cuts off the tape.
“Now Mrs. Rivera. I’m going to make a call to your son. I want you to start crying and tell him to come quick. And when he gets here I want you to say Bella did this. Understood?”
“I understand.”
“Good. I knew it was a reason why I always liked you. You always listen,” Jenny says as she takes out her cell phone.
“Now when all of this is over, I’ll give you another call with further instructions. Trust me Mrs. Rivera, you will thank me in the end. I’m getting rid of you and your husband’s problems. I’m killing two birds with one stone.” Jenny dials Junior’s number, puts the phone on speaker, and places it close to Belita’s mouth and waits until he answers.
“Hello,” he answers.
“Juniorrrrr!” Belita screams.
“Mama, what’s the matter?”
“Junior, come quick,” she screams before Jenny removes the phone and disconnects the call.
“Thank you. I’ll keep in touch,” she says before she tears off another piece of tape and places it over Belita’s mouth.
“Remember this is our little secret. Otherwise you know who will be the first to die. Now start whining so when your sons get her they can find you. And remember, say Bella did it.”
** ** **
Belita awakes in a pool of sweat. This is an everyday thing she does for her familia. This reality is now haunting her in her dreams. Playing in her thoughts every time she closes her eyes. Rewinding back as if it’s a movie, starting the horror over from the beginning. And as always, she will be awakened to Jenny’s last words; “Remember this is our little secret. Otherwise you know who will be the first to die. Now start whining, so when your sons get here they can find you. And remember, say Bella did it.’ She lied on her daughter to protect her loved ones and now it is starting to eat at her heart, mind, and soul.
Removing the covers, she slowly starts to get out the bed. Looking at Juno, she watches to see if his movement will change, before easing herself out of the room. Going into his study, she grabs the house phone and dials Frankie’s number.
“Hello,” he answers.
“I need help. Every night I have this dream. That day comes back, scene for scene as if it’s a movie. I can’t do this anymore Frankie.”
“What are you going to do Belita? You can’t leave him.”
“I know that Frankie. But this is killing me.”
“Belita, we have to hang in there for our sake and Bella’s sake. I need to get her out of this mess. I’m not going to lose my daughter. I refuse to lose my only child.” Frankie’s voice starts to become a whimpering tone.
“Baby, please don’t cry. I love you and I love Bella too. We will not lose her.”
“Go get a glass of water and read a book until you get sleepy. We have to go at this as if nothing has happening. But trust me the three of us will be together once and for all.”
“I love you Frankie.”
“I love you Belita. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“What is he making you do?”
“Belita, go to sleep. The less you know the better.”
“Please be safe.”
“I will.”
She hangs the phone up then picks it back up and dials Bella’s number, but hangs up again before she can answer. She lowers her body onto the floor and starts to cry, letting out tears she has been holding in since this confrontation started.
“Why me?” she cries out.
“Why me? Why me? I just want my familia to be safe. Why do I have to chose?” she cries.
Juno is her heart but Frankie is her soul. She loves her familia and knows that loyalty is everything to them. But love, love is something worth fighting for; her daughter showed her that when she left to be with Santana and now she is starting to wonder if she can do the same thing.
Can she actually leave Juno for Frankie? Can she disown everything Juno put in her head and go to something else? Something that she knows is better than what she is used to? Yes, she can go to better. She had better, yet she knows the timing isn’t right for her to walk away. Especially if she wants everyone she loves to make it out alive. Her and Frankie will just have to come up with a way to get Bella out, because Juno is looking for blood. That they both know. And it’s been hers since the day he found out Bella wasn’t his daughter many years ago.
“Please help me. I’m so lost,” she cries out.
“Jesus, help me ‘cause I know one day Juno is going to kill Bella. If he doesn’t then Jesus will. And I can’t lose my baby. I love my children and I know I made a mistake but Jesus, please don’t take it out on Bella. Jesus, please don’t take out my selfish ways on her.” She gets on her knees and starts to pray.
“Jesus, she has nothing to do with this. Jesus, please help me. If Bella dies that will be something I can’t face. I can’t face the thought of losing my baby. But I know as for right now I have to play the part and pretend this daughter that I love is the scum of the earth, and I don’t want anything to do with her. And I know I have to do this in order to keep Frankie alive. But Jesus I ask that you protect Bella. Jes
us, please protect my child. It’s a lot of people trying to kill her for something I’ve done many years ago. Jesus, I ask that you shower her with your blood, guide her to the right, and protect her from the wrong. Amen.” She lies back down on the floor and closes her eyes.
“She chose her fate and I’m going to grant it for her. And not even death will stop me,” Juno words plays into her mind.
“Death will not have to stop you ‘cause I will,” she says as if he can actually hear her.
Torn Love 3
-2-
“Wait, no, stop!” Naya screams out.
Bella awakens to the sound of Naya screaming. Fearing that her friend is in trouble, she wobbles out the bed as fast as her pregnant body will allow her. She grabs one of Seoul’s baseball bats that is resting on the wall by her room door, opens the door, and rushes to the area where the sounds of her friend’s voice is coming from. She opens the door to find her screams are due to her being positioned on all fours as Seoul fucks her doggy style.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought something was wrong,” she says, as she quickly closes the door behind her.
She leans on the door and starts to laughs. Shaking her head, she wobbles her body down the stairs, walks over to the radio that is by the entertainment system, and turns it on before making her way into the kitchen and starting to make her some breakfast. She opens the fridge, grabs the eggs, butter, milk, and sausages, and then closes it behind her. Placing the items on the countertop, she then opens the cabinet and grabs the pancake mix, salt, pepper, oil, and honey. Placing them next to the other items, she gets three pans, and a spoon, fork, and bowl from out of the dishwasher, rinsing them off and then places them on the stove. Grabbing one of the towels that is hanging from the stove, she dries the pans and pours oil into one of them before turning the stove on warm.
Next Bella takes the milk, pancake mix and honey and pours each item into the bowl before grabbing the spoon and stirring.
“Good morning sunshine,” Naya comes in to the kitchen and says cheerfully.
“Don’t come my way,” Bella warns her as she waves the spoon in the air.
Naya laughs.
“What did I do?” she asks her.