Free Alejandro by K. Victoria Chase Page B

the gym, they fixed sandwiches for lunch, watched cartoons on the television, and read from a few books Mel had bought from a local bookstore and brought by the safe house earlier in the day. Angel even drew Audrey’s portrait — a severely angled circle with stringy hair, lopsided eyes, and a long, wavy nose. The masterpiece hung proudly on the wall near the bed.
    Just before bedtime, Angel had grown quiet, his round lips droopy; even his posture curved dejectedly. When Audrey inquired as to what was wrong, Angel said he’d missed his mommy and asked if it was okay that he go to Heaven and see her. Audrey cried with him as she explained that he couldn’t see her — not for many years. Whether the child fully comprehended her meaning, she wished she knew, for he fell asleep with cheeks still wet with tears.
    “Audrey!”
    Ale’s booming voice shook her out of a daze. She hadn’t heard the metal door open or close. What if it were Trujillo, or one of his men? A safe house didn’t guarantee their safety. You have to be vigilant now, Audrey. You have a child to care for. You can’t let Penny down, not this time . A sob escaped her lips before she could stop it.
    “Hey, hey, hey…” Alejandro came around and stood before her, gentle hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay? What is it?”
    Audrey shook her head. Her eyes not leaving Angel’s form, her fingers stuck to her trembling lips. “I… I,” she sniffed. She turned her eyes on Ale, seeing him through the blur. “I didn’t even have a chance to say good-bye.” The last of her resolve broke and the floodgates opened. She closed her eyes as hot tears streamed down her cheeks.
    Ale drew her forward, the side of her face resting against his solid chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and whispered something in Spanish. The words soothed her. She felt his body sway with her, his hand gliding over her hair.
    “We… when she left… she was so angry. I was so angry,” she muffled into his chest. She angled her neck back, her eyes seeking his, and when she found them, she searched for sympathy for her plight. Compassion, and perhaps a bit of empathy, stared back at her. She shook her head again. “I shouldn’t have let so much time pass. I was the older sister.” Her fists formed against his chest. “I should have reached out to her. Instead I let my anger and my pride… I never apologized.” Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. With both hands, she cleared them away. “Alejandro, the thing I can’t get past is… is that I let her die hating me!” A sob escaped her lips, and she put a fist to her mouth, her eyes cutting to Angel. He still slept, his breathing slow and steady.
    Two warm hands swiftly made their way from her shoulders to her cheeks. Alejandro held her firmly; she had nowhere to look but his eyes. “She didn’t hate you. She didn’t. Look at what she’s asked you to do — to raise her son.” He paused, searching her eyes for comprehension. “She could have let him stay with Mrs. MacGruber, but she didn’t. She trusted you . She reached out to you . She wanted you to raise him.” His lips cracked a slight smile. “Probably because you were so good at raising her.”
    Audrey snorted. If only he knew. Those months of adjustment right after their parents’ deaths were the hardest she’d lived until now. Some days they were at each other’s throats, and others they barely spoke two words to each other. Their power struggle continued until Penny moved out. Audrey couldn’t help the chuckle. “Oh, she used to hate it when I grounded her. Said I wasn’t her mother.”
    “That was love talking. All teenagers know they need boundaries.”
    Boundaries? Since when did a Santiago recognize a boundary? Audrey raised her brows. “Did you know you needed discipline?”
    Alejandro wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close, as though they spoke this way often. He raised his eyes to the heavens before settling back on hers.