Page 129

“Nothing, just curiosity.”

I narrowed my eyes to him, but my brother didn't say anything else and I wasn't going to give any more ideas to that strange conversation. I played the music and stared at the window in silence until we stopped to eat.

After a day on the road, where we had to stop to sleep at a motel in Kansas, we finally arrived in our — not so loved — hometown. Derek was a little grumpy, so I let him put on Avenged Sevenfold and took a deep breath, hoping the heavy guitar sound wouldn't give me a headache.

The city was just as I remembered it. After all, two and a half months wasn’t really that long. The same traffic light that always malfunctioned at the border between downtown and the Bryant Hospital neighborhood. Nicoletta’s bakery, next to a property that would never manage to make any business thrive. At that time of day, there was also a police car parked near the public school where I had spent my entire life, ensuring that students left safely and preventing any trouble.

Everything was exactly the same.

Soon we arrived at the place I was most excited about, and it brought a big smile to my face—my aunt and uncle's house in the suburbs. It was a modest place, with four bedrooms and asmall garden out front. Derek pulled the car into the garage and parked it. In a matter of seconds, Aunt Isabel appeared at the front door with the biggest smile.

I didn't realize how much I missed her until I saw her again.

I got out of the car like I did when coming back from summer camp and ran to give her a big hug.

“Oh, my most beloved nephews have arrived!” She pressed me against her chest. I was very excited. “I was starting to get worried.”

“No need, we arrived safely, aunt.” Derek replied. I couldn't, because the vanilla smell coming from her was too familiar and too many things hit me at once.

It had only been two and a half months since we left, but it seemed like an eternity now. I had left Chamberlain with my brother, my boyfriend and a certain future. Now I was going back for Thanksgiving with just my brother, because my boyfriend was a scumbag and my future had more questions than answers.

“It's good to be home,tía...” I finally said.

“It's great to have you home,cariño.”

A smile escaped me and I wiped away a stubborn tear that wanted to wet my face before looking at her again.

“Where's uncle Drix?” D asked.

“Ah, Hendrix is in a meeting, when he arrives he will explain it to you, but the construction company has been doing good business, your uncle is eager for you to finish college and come work with him, Derek.”

My brother saw in my uncle the example that my father never was and that's why nothing surprised me when he decided tostudy Engineering. And the best part was that he was excelling on the course, he really liked those numbers and calculations. I thought it was crazy, but I guess there are crazy people for everything. I had more of Aunt Isabel's vibe, she was an artist, of course, and I intended to get a marketing degree. Those were different things, but both involved creativity, what ended up being a passion we shared.

“Next semester I'll have my diploma.” Commented my brother, proudly, as he took the bags out of the car.

“And let's all go to Knox College and celebrate with you,niño.” My aunt had a thick Spanish accent, it was pretty to hear her speak.

“Let's get drunk as a family, with lots of tequila!” He joked, making our aunt laugh.

“Roni is not allowed yet...” She reminded him, which was true, I was only 19 years old, so technically I couldn't. That didn't mean I didn't do it, she just didn't need to know. Or rather, she even knew, but she didn't need words to confirm that fact.

“Okay, let's go in,sí?! It's getting cold and I feel like I want a hot chocolate with mint marshmallows!” It was Aunt Isabel's specialty. It tasted like winter and nostalgia.

The three of us entered the house and my dear brother did the favor of taking my things to my old room. Aunt Isabel hadn't changed anything yet, Derek's room had become another office a few years ago, so he was in the attic, which was renovated and transformed into a tv room with a sofa bed.

The medals and trophies were on the shelves like the photos with some classmates from school. I've never had many friends, but the girls on the team were special. We still talked a little, exchanging compliments on Instagram photos or responding to memes and videos that were sent on DMs, but nothing much. Itwas like they wanted to stay in touch, but we were all too busy dealing with our own lives.

Well... I was, at least.

The purple quilt on the queen size bed was one of my favorites. I was happy Aunt Isabel had put it there.

I had left some books and a few decoration items behind, so the room didn't look abandoned, but it also looked like it had belonged to someone else, in another life. At the bottom of one of the shelves, there was still a photo that Derek always loved. I pulled her away, feeling my heartbeat faster.

In the image was Derek and I in front of the trailer we lived in with our parents. We were little, and honestly, I didn't remember much about that time, but we were both smiling. I looked like a doll. My mother had even braided my hair.

Dad was always violent and problematic, I didn't remember anything good about him, but my mother had her few glimpses of lucidity away from alcohol. In those moments, she was okay.

I kept the photo because it was me and him there, together. And we always will be.