“I start to pack clothes,” she said. She turned to Rex. “I so sorry, Rex. I am happy, but I not for ask how you feel. What happen your face?”
He reached up and touched the bandage on his cheek, almost like he’d forgotten. “It’s stupid. I was usin’ the new wheelchair in the backyard in the dark and didn’t see the edge of the patio. I took a tumble.”
“Oh, no!” she gasped. “But you okay?”
He smiled. “I’m much better, ma’am. Thank you for askin’.”
Just the sound of that Texas drawl that I loved with all my heart, brought more tears to my eyes. It’d been three months since that horrible night, and I could vividly remember the last time I’d heard his voice raised in anger the day he’d sent me away. Maybe him being here meant he wanted to talk to me about it. I’d thought of nothing but Rex ever since that awful daywhen I’d confessed my love for him, practically begging him to let me stay. I was still embarrassed by the way I’d behaved.
Over the last three months, I’d run the range of emotions, though. Some days, I missed him so much, I cried all day. And other days, I hated him for the way he’d talked to me and told me how he’d never loved me, even though at the time, I’d known he was lying, at least in part. I blamed him, I didn’t blame him, my thoughts swirling, but whatever had made him do it, I really hoped he’d come here to explain why.
When the doorbell suddenly rang again, Mamá got up and went to answer. I smiled as Marcello came back with her. He was early but returned my smile before recognizing our guests. His gaze stopped on Rex, and his sweet smile instantly dropped away to be replaced by a look of anger. He glared at Rex who glared right back for several seconds. I couldn’t work out what the hell was going on until Marcello finally looked back at me. His expression softened as Mamá asked him to take a chair beside Mars.
“Please, Marcello, sit.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Adams. I…uh… just came by to give you the good news, but I guess you already know.”
“That we go home?” Mamá said, practically bouncing in place beside me. “Yes, Rex and Mars, they come to say.”
“That’s really nice.”
“Marcello, you have coffee, okay? I make some,” Mamá said.
He put up both hands. “Oh, no, Mrs. Adams, that’s really nice of you, but I can’t stay. I just wanted to tell you the news and also, another surprise.” He smiled.
“What?” I asked.
He turned to me. “I brought your car. It’s been released from storage now that you can drive it again.” He glanced at my tio. “We’ll have your car taken to your house, sir, if you’ll give me your keys.
My tio grinned and stood up, fishing his keys out of his pocket before handing them to my friend. Marcello flicked a glance at me before looking back at them. “We can arrange to get you home whenever you’re ready to go if Cachi can’t take you.”
Tio smiled. “Muchas gracias, Marcello.”
I jumped up, looking at Rex, who was watching me with a curious expression on his face. “My car is here! Is good news, yes, Rex?”
“Sure. That’s great news, Cachi,” he said. Something in his voice told me that he wasn’t so happy and when I realized that he might never be able to drive again, it nearly broke my heart.
“Oh…oh, yes,” I said, feeling my face heat. The last thing I wanted to do was make him feel bad. I slowly sat back down on the couch.
Marcello stood and walked over to me, handing me the keys. “Well, Cachi, I guess…I should go.” He glanced at Mars, then at Rex. “Were you planning on staying or can I catch a ride with you two back to the office?”
I felt my heart flutter as Rex frowned at him. “I kinda wanted to stay and have a word with Cachi.”
“Do you really?” Marcello asked. I didn’t like the growl in his voice or the way he was balling his fists at his sides. It worried me.
“That’s what I said,” Rex shot back, glowering at him. The last time I’d seen that expression on his face had been when hewas staring down Agent Walker in the conference room at the FBI. The two men had almost thrown punches that time.
“Maybe you go with Mars, Marcello,” I said. “I like to talk to Rex too.”
Marcello turned toward me. His smile and friendliness from earlier was gone, replaced with a worried expression. I nodded, pleading with my eyes.
“’Ow’s he getting ‘ome then? I can’t just leave ‘im here,” said Mars.
“Hello! I’m right here.”
We all turned to look at Rex as Mamá got off the couch. “I go make coffee,” she said, throwing me a helpless glance before turning to her sister and Tio Francisco. She motioned to them. “You two come and help make coffee.” They stood up.
“Mamá, is okay. I take Rex home.” I held up the keys Marcello had given me.
