Page 24

Eventually Kara’s sobs slowed and she pushed away from me. “I need to go home.”

I nodded, jumping to my feet. “I’ll drive you.”

Kara didn’t respond, just stood from the couch and headed to the door without saying goodbye to our friends.

I quickly grabbed my coat. “I’ll text you guys later,” I said, glancing at my friends as I stuffed my feet into my shoes.

“Are you guys going straight south?” Stephanie asked.

“Probably. I’ll text later.” I rushed out of the house, heading straight for my car at the end of the driveway.

The drive south to Mourningside from Arturo’s and Karma’s only took an hour. In the middle of the night, I made it in forty-five minutes. I had called Marcos from Kara’s phone once we hit the road. Kara hadn’t spoken once on the drive; silent sniffles and occasional sobs filled the car. I kept the music low and the peddle on the floor.

When we pulled into the parking lot of Carlita’s apartment complex, I immediately saw Marcos, Jason, and Nico standing in front of the building, smoking cigarettes. I turned the car into an empty spot right in front of them. I barely had the car in park before Kara was throwing the door open and rushing to her brother.

I sighed, watching the siblings embrace. My heart hurt, tears prickled my own eyes as I shut off the car. I slowly unbuckled my seat belt, wondering if I should stay, or just head back to school.

Nico came around the driver’s side and opened the door for me. I slowly unfurled my body and stood from my Honda Civic. Nico pulled me into his arms, holding me tight. Leaning into him, I let him take my weight and bear some of my burdens. My body was wound tight after my tense drive, my belly an anxious mess of nerves. Holding onto him, I let out a deep breath, savoring his warmth in the cold night.

“Come on, let’s get inside,” Nico murmured.

I pulled away, glancing over my shoulder at Kara and Marcos. Neither one was paying attention to anyone but each other, and they deserved their privacy. Nico patted me on the back and pulled away. I followed him and Jason toward the stairs, briefly recognizing that Nico’s hair was much longer than the last time I’d seen him—now reaching the middle of his back.

After two years of coming to Kara and Lita’s apartment, it was like coming home. It certainly felt more like home that living with my own parents did. We let ourselves into Lita’s apartment and I glanced around the living room, expecting Lita to come walking out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel—like she’d greeted me so often in the short time that I’d known the women.

A sob tore out me and I tried to stifle it, but it was too late. Jason reached for me before Nico could, pulling me toward him.He wrapped me in his arms before he scooped down and picked me up bridal style. He walked over to the couch and sat down, arranging me in his lap and holding me tight as I was overcome with emotions.

I buried her face into the crook of Jason’s neck and let out all the emotions I had bottled up on the drive there. I had been strong for Kara on the way there, Kara had needed her family, but now that I was able to relax, I felt like I had come home too. I let the emotions pour out of me, my tears soaking Jason’s neck and shirt collar. I didn’t care. His arms around me were the safe space I needed, along with Nico’s heat as he took a seat beside us.

A while later, I heard footsteps outside the door before it swung open. I scrambled to ease my breathing and wipe my tears as the door opened and Kara and Marcos walked in the living room. Kara rushed for her bedroom, but Marcos stood in the doorway, stoic and staring after his sister, looking utterly lost and helpless.

I rose from Jason’s lap and walked around the couch to greet Marcos. He took one look at me before his face crumpled and he wrapped me in a tight embrace, pulling me into him. “I’m so sorry.” My voice was broken, but I had to say the words, even once, even if they were meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Being sorry would not bring his mother back, being sorry would not cure the pain.

Marcos sobbed into my shoulder, his arms almost bruising me with how tight he was holding me. I didn’t movethough—wouldn’t move—until he pulled away first. I stood there in the open doorway, letting in cold air, for as long as he needed me.

Someone—Nico I thought—got up and closed the door behind us.

“Come sit down,” Nico murmured from behind Marcos.

Marcos sniffled and pulled away slightly, just enough so he could see where he was going as he carried me to the couch. Sitting down between Jason and Nico on the sofa, with me in his lap, Marcos leaned back and cradled me against his chest.

I let him position me however he needed to feel comfortable. If he needed a human blanket at the moment, I’d gladly be that blanket. “What happened?” I asked softly.

“Drunk driver. She was hit head-on, by a drunk driver.” Marcos’s voice was hoarse and broken.

Tears poured down my face, my heart broke for him and Kara, and what they had lost. “I’m so sorry,” I murmured again.

He squeezed me tighter, burying his face into the crook of my neck. I gave him a few minutes before I sighed. “I should go check on Kara.”

Marcos nodded and I slid off his lap and walked into the Kara’s bedroom. Shutting the door behind me, I found Kara laying in her bed, holding a stuffed bear and crying silently. “Hey, babe. Maybe we should get some sleep?”

Kara shrugged solemnly. “I can lend you some clothes.”

I nodded.

Maya

Thenightbeforethefuneral, Kara had gone to bed early. She hadn’t been sleeping well and had crashed right after dinner, leaving me to fend for myself with Marcos, Jason, and Nico. Despite the fact that the three of them had their own places, they had all but moved into Lita’s apartment, setting up a bed of cushions on the floor. Marcos had changed the sheets in his mother’s bedroom and had taken her bed, leaving Jason and Nico on the floor.