I swallow hard. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know…”
“Shhh,” Raquel says softly, tears slipping in quiet lines down her cheeks. “This wasn’t your fault.”
Her eyes land hard on Ignacio before they return to mine.
“My father hated scandal. He wouldn’t let the story out about you being kidnapped. Even after I told him one day you’d look for me, but he didn’t listen. None of them listened to me,” she says softly, her eyes shifting then closing. “They placed another baby in my arms, and it never felt right. I couldn’t love her. Losing you made me a villain in countless stories. That pain morphed me into a person I never wanted to be.”
I think of Missy. How she too was a villain birthed fromher own pain. Raquel looks up, and I turn to see Efren waiting outside the door.
“You have to go,” she says gently. “He’s waiting for you.”
“I do,” I admit. “We’re moving to Corpus Christi.”
She nods, wiping under her eyes.
“Go to him. Take your child and leave. Don’t let this life take from you the way it took from me.”
The ache in my chest softens. I want to stay here—I want to tell her everything about me, about my life—but I also hear the warning that lingers. I pull back and give her one final look before I stand.
“Alma.” She calls. “When you’re ready… if you want to… I would love to know you. To know the woman you’ve become. And maybe this time not be the villain in someone’s story.”
“I want that too,” I whisper.
A small, shaky smile lifts her lips, and I smile back before I make my way to Efren.
“You okay, Kitten?” he asks, wiping away my tears.
“I will be.” I turn around one last time before I slide my hand in his and walk out of the hospital.
Patricio’s waiting outside, smoking a cigarette, when his eyes meet mine. He’s still in the same blood-stained clothes from the night before.
“I was hoping I could talk to you,” he says to Efren.
“I don’t have anything to say,” Efren replies
“I understand.” His face falls. “But for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
I look up to see the stern expression on Efren’s face, but I also see the hurt behind his eyes. His lids lower to mine, then up as he walks past Patricio and to the truck where our boxes are loaded. He opens the door, and I slide in.
Efren rounds the front of the truck, moving slower than usual as he checks his phone. He winces at whatever pain emerges as he climbs in. Reaching forward, his fingers hoverover the old truck’s stereo. The soft guitar picks through the speakers, warm and familiar.
I took my love. I took it down
He turns to me, a soft smile on his face, and grabs my hand. It’s the last time I have to run away. There are no more secrets chasing me or lies to confront. I don’t bother looking out the rearview mirror.
Epilogue One- Efren
TWO YEARS LATER
Wifey
Efren Nevarez! If you are late today, so help me god!
Efren
I won’t be Kitten, I promise.
Being late was subjective these days, considering we had twin toddlers and a business to run. Fifteen to thirty minutes late with twins meant you weren’t really late at all. But if I were late from work to the Carne Asada again, Alma would have my balls.
