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"The house is yours, as well as this," He gestured his head towards the floor, and my eyes followed it. For the first time, I realized there was a black, canvas bag on the floor by his feet.
I froze, my breath halting. "What's in there?"
Instead of answering me, the man leaned over and unzipped it. In it, was more cash than I’d ever seen in my life.
And it wasn’t Cuban pesos, but American dollars.
“You belong to thefamilia, now, you understand?" he asked me.
I shook my head, my hand to my mouth in shock at the exorbitant amount of money.
“I am sorry for your loss.” His expression was stern, though meant to be sympathetic. “We’ll be in touch.”
The man began to leave and I suddenly panicked. As he moved to pass me, I reached out, clutching the arm of his expensive suit. "When--" I stuttered, stopping, suddenly afraid, because he’d frozen like he wasn’t used to being touched, "I mean," I tried again, slowly, carefully letting him go, “how do I..." I was all mixed up. "What about Raul?"
I didn’t think my parents signed a contract with him, but if they did, I knew I’d have to fulfill it, even if they were dead.
I just hope he’d give me a couple of years first—at least let me finish high school.
“For now, you do nothing," the man answered, “finish school. When you are done, we'll reach out to you.” Then he leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek. It didn't feel sexual but almost fatherly. He pulled back and began to walk towards the door. "Let us know if you need anything, any time."
When I didn't answer him, he stopped to stare at me sternly. "Say you understand, Tatiana. If you need something, anything, you come tome. No one else, okay?"
I nodded, still not understanding but too much in shock to know what else to do.
"Good." It wasn't until he was steps out the door that I raced towards it, shouting from the doorway. "And Raul?"
"Raul's dead.” Again, a pronouncement without emotion. He drove off in his sleek black car that looked out of place in this neighborhood.
I stared after him, watching him drive off, hoping that he would give me more information but he didn't even look my way before disappearing down the street.
I stood there for a long time, then shut the door, walking in a daze towards their room.
It was sostilland soquiet; I didn’t like it.
I was used to their noises. The sound of the TV, the radio, or their bickering.
Suddenly, I remembered the money. I rushed back, irrationally afraid that someone had already snuck into the house and taken it.
Relief overflowed me at the sight of it still sitting there. I grabbed the handle, my mind racing.
Where was I going to hide it?If word got out that I had all this money, I'd become a target. My neighbors would kill me for this cash.
Racing to my room, I shoved it into the back of my closet, knowing I’d have to find a better place for it.
I was all alone now.
The thought hit me suddenly.
My parents were dead.
I collapsed to my knees, breaths heaving, staring into the back closet wall.
I was all alone.
Tears began to run down my face.My parents were gone.
I expected this day to come, my papa, at least, but the reality of it hit me in the chest like a bullet.