Chapter 4

Mommy asked the teacher to excuse us and called a taxi.

Daddy turned his face away and talked loudly to Auntie Benita on purpose.

“I’ll take you home. Go pack your things.”

He paused, his eyes cutting over to Mommy.

“Benita, you’re moving into the estate today.”

Auntie Benita covered her mouth and jumped up and down on the spot, thrilled, like the monkeys I saw when Mommy took me to the zoo.

Daddy was still watching Mommy, as if he were waiting for her to beg him.

But Mommy didn’t pay him any mind.

She just held me and watched the rain in the sky.

The taxi came, and Mommy took me to Grandpa’s house.

Grandpa had gotten a little older, but Grandma in the photo hadn’t changed at all.

Grandpa gave me a toy gun and let me play in the living room.

Mommy and Grandpa talked for a long time.

I saw Mommy fall into Grandpa’s arms and cry.

Mommy’s daddy must love her so much, not like my daddy.

Before we left, Grandpa told me to be good and listen to Mommy.

I nodded obediently.

“Mm-hmm. Mommy only has two more months with me, so I’ll be good.”

Grandpa’s eyes got wet, just like Mommy’s.

In the car, Mommy stroked my hair and leaned close to my ear, whispering:

“After I’m gone, you’ll live with Grandpa, okay? I’ve put everything in your name, so don’t worry about anything.”

“You can’t give those things to anyone, not even Daddy. Understand?”

I half understood, and nodded.

Back home, Daddy and Auntie Benita were sitting close together on the couch.

There were several big boxes in the living room, which were Auntie Benita’s luggage.

Mommy’s eyes landed on the boxes, and her face slowly went white.

She turned her back to Daddy and started coughing, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

Then she carefully wiped it all clean with her handkerchief.

Every single time, Mommy made sure Daddy never saw her cough up blood.

Was she afraid of worrying him? Or was she angry at him, and didn’t want him to see?

I looked at Daddy and couldn’t figure it out.

Daddy half stood up, then froze, and slowly sat back down.

“Don’t bother with the act. The medical team arrives tomorrow. I’d save your strength if I were you.”

Mommy ignored him and took out a sheet of paper covered in writing.

“Sign it. I don’t want to drag this out anymore.”

Daddy walked over and looked at the paper, and his body trembled slightly.

“Divorce? I told you, the medical team arrives tomorrow. Did you not hear me?”

“I heard you.” Mommy nodded. “But I can’t stand living with Benita. Sign it.”

Daddy didn’t say anything, and he was shaking harder now.

“What? The great Don Guerrero can’t bear to part with me?”

Mommy gave a cold smile. “Regretting it? Too late. You made your choice, so live with it.”

Auntie Benita cried out, “Charlotte, do you know who you’re talking to? He’s the Don.”

Daddy gritted his teeth and smiled, ugly.

“Fine!”

He picked up the pen and signed his name.

Mommy drove me to the lawyer’s office.

Just before we got there, Daddy’s car cut us off and forced us to stop.

Daddy and Auntie Benita got out and rapped on our window.

Mommy rolled it down and looked at him, quiet.

“Charlotte, I know you’re sick and you’re upset. I’ll give you one more chance.”

“Tear up the divorce papers, come home with me, and I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”

Through the glass, Daddy’s voice and his face both went blurry.

Auntie Benita chimed in too. “Charlotte, I never meant to take your place. At least not before you die.”

“Marco never gives anyone a second chance. You should treasure this one.”

Mommy opened her mouth and said only one word.

“Leave.”

Daddy wouldn’t move his car, so Mommy carried me and got out.

We had only gone a couple of steps when I heard a loud bang.

Auntie Benita reacted first. She threw herself over Daddy, shoving him down under her, screaming, “Ambush. Don, get down!”

The blood drained from Mommy’s face. She grabbed me and started to run.

I saw Daddy push Auntie Benita off and try to charge toward us.

“No, Don, they’re after you. They won’t hurt them.”

“I’m scared. Hold me, hold me.”

She wrapped herself around him like an octopus and wouldn’t let him move.

Daddy looked at her, then at us, back and forth.

In the end, he ducked behind the car and shouted, “Charlotte, find cover.”

Mommy ran as hard as she could. Her coughing got worse and worse, and blood sprayed from her mouth like mist.

There was another bang.

Mommy’s back jerked, as if something had slammed into it.

She flew up into the air.

Then she crashed down hard onto the ground.

There was a little hole in her back, and blood welled up out of it.

There was so much of it.

Mommy struggled to get her mouth close to my ear and said one thing to me. Then, anxious, she asked:

“Isa, did you understand?”

I nodded, sobbing.

Mommy smiled.

Then, slowly, she closed her eyes.