Amy Santiago Novels & Stories

JANE I heard the words leave my mouth before I could stop them. "It's only fair to end this with a little bit of crass, is it not?" His eyebrows went up. Interest flickered across his face. I stood, tucking the bills into my purse with deliberate slowness. Five hundred dollars. That was textbooks and maybe even groceries that weren't ramen. My hands weren't shaking anymore. I was Jailbird now. Fully Jailbird. Jane Puckett was locked away somewhere safe.

“He really does everything for you.” “Of course he does, it’s what I pay him for, right Santiago?” Santiago walks in almost immediately. “Not enough.” “I knew it. You should give yourself a raise, a huge raise.” “Thank you for that suggestion, Miss Ashley.” “Santiago, it’s just Ashley, okay?” “Okay, Ashy” “I like that too.” “Don’t you dare give my wife pet names.” “Are you jealous?” “Get out and get me food, I’m hungry.”

Then Magdalena rented some old car so that getting around would be easier for her. Sona really was at home. Her way of life was written all over her face. She smelled of alcohol and cigarettes and was dressed in cheap, vulgar clothes. Aunt Tamia was awake too, but she could not get out of bed. Tamia was very happy to see Sara, but the same could not be said about Sara, she was frightened. Age had made Tamia’s deformity even worse. The poor woman was horrible to look at, but she was still the one Magdalena loved most in her family. More precisely, she did not love anyone else at all.

A familiar tightness squeezed her chest and she took several deep breaths. “She’s in a coma, Ms, Mrs Santiago can not talk, but she can hear you, you can stay with her for some time.” Grace felt chills hearing the last name. Santiago. Why were they still using that surname when Irene’s husband was dead? A strange sensation of seeing her sister alive ascribed to paranoia and lingering anxiety.