Page 36 of Let Me Protect You

Even after finding out she’ll be okay, I never would’ve changed a thing about my past decisions. Not going to NYC with Harmony was hard, but my tía needed me more.

“Dinner is almost ready, Mijo.”

I pull the recliner’s lever, and the chair makes a loud springing noise as I stand up.

Walking into the kitchen, my aunt has her “fancy” plates ready on the counter with trays of the enchiladas and frijoles. Harmony is piling the arroz onto the next platter. The excess amount of food isn’t abnormal—Tía Vicki always made enough food for the entire town—but normally my sister is here.

“Do you ladies need any help?”

Tía Vicki points to her cabinet. “Can you grab the cups and put them on the table for me?”

When she sees I only hold three cups, she says, “Can you pull out three more?”

“Who are we waiting for?”

“Well, Mijo, when Serenity called and was hollering and screaming about you putting crazy ideas in Harmony’s head about needing a bodyguard and moving in with you, I invited her over so that we can all talk through it.”

Yesterday’s shopping trip reminded me of how much Serenity is against our situation. Was she mad she had to wait two weeks until she could see her sister again? She shouldn’t be, not when it was what was best for Harmony. But her suggesting that Harmony go on a date with another man … Why? I can’t believe that she hates me that much.

“Then I called up Sully because he’s the one who I assume put you in the middle of this mess.”

She has me there. “So, you weren’t about to tell me bad news?”

Anytime she made a feast like this out of the blue, it was for bad news. My stomach curdles at the thought.

“Not unless you count having Serenity over to tell you how you’re ‘taking advantage of her little sister.’”

I can handle an angry Serenity. After our last argument, I thought we were done fighting.

Harmony pauses piling the rice on a platter and glances over. Can she sense my distress?

I draw in a ragged breath and ask vaguely, “So, there’s no bad news about you?” I can’t handle relapse news. My hands start to shake, and I’m thankful the cups had nothing in them, or I’d spill the liquid.

“Oh, stop that nonsense.” Tía Vicki swats at my arm. “Everything with me is fine. I promise, Mijo.”

To her, it’s “nonsense,” but to me … Well, it means everything. After my parents’ death, she hugged me tightly. Even though she was also in pain at the loss of her brother, she always put my needs ahead of her own. At that time, I was too young to realize how selfish it was of me, but now that I’m an adult, she comes first.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I place the cups on the table, and I pull my aunt into my arms, hugging her tightly to me. She turns her head to the side and rests her cheek on the bottom of my chest. Harmony knows something was wrong with Tía Vicki but not the extent of it, and I want to keep it that way. Why let her in on our business when she’s leaving?

“Good,” I finally whisper. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You took Kami and me in without a complaint and gave us all of your love. It’s my biggest fear that something will happen again.”

Tía Vicki squeezes me before she pulls back. Dabbing at her tear-filled eyes, she says in a wobbly voice, “Don’t make an old woman cry.”

“Old woman? You’re only turning fifty.”

“That’s a big number, Mijo. It’s half a century.”

I bite my tongue. After what happened, I’m lucky I still have her.

Before I can say something, a knock sounds at the door. My chest is still heavy as I stride over with Tía Vicki and Harmony on my heels and open it. Sully stands on the top stair with Serenity and Summer at the bottom.

Tía Vicki shoves me aside and says, “Welcome, everyone! I hope you brought your appetites.”

Everyone bustles inside, tracking snow into the house.

Sully pulls Tía Vicki in for a hug while Serenity fusses over Summer’s snow-covered boots. I turn to find Harmony. She rushes to her sister with the brightest smile on her face as if they haven’t seen each other in forever. Everyone else fades into the background as Harmony shines like the sun.

I secure the three locks on Tía Vicki’s front door. Can never be too safe when it comes to loved ones.