“It’s about time you got here. I was starting to think that I was going to have tohandle this shit by myself,” said a slovenly sloppy boy with big blubber lips, roundcheeks, and a double chin.
“I had some business to take care of,” Ali said. “I see,” the boy said eyeing meseductively.
“Man. Don’t even try it, this is my sister,” Ali said.
“It looks like somebody did a number on her,” he said.
“Damn. Man. What are you carrying, a Nine?” Ali said eyeing the pistol that wasstuffed in his pant pocket. He was trying to change the subject.
The boy pulled it out and kissed it gently before he replied. “Yeah. I never leavehome without it.”
They both laughed.
“Hey brother, can my sister chill here for a little while?” Ali asked.“Why, somebody looking for her?” he asked.
“Naw, some shit went down back at the house, and I need to go over there and takecare of a few things,” Ali said.
“Oh. I see, you need to crack some skulls. You want some help brother?”
“No man, I’m flying solo on this one,” Ali said.
“Alright but you make sure you get your ass back here in a hour. We got work to do,brother,” the boy said.
“Alright man. And don’t try anything with my sister, she might be skinny, but shecan throw blows faster than a featherweight,” Ali said with a wink.
“Yeah, she look like she could get me with a few combination pieces,” he saidthrowing a couple of air punches.
“Yeah, she can take some blows too,” Ali said looking at me with a mixture of prideand regret. I could only guess what he was thinking. He was proud that I was strongenough to withstand abuse, and he felt guilty that he wasn’t around to protect me. Therewas a long moment of silence before the boy replied.
“Don’t worry man. Handle your business, she’ll be here when you get back,” he saidslapping Ali’s hand and reaching over to hug him with no arms. Ali took a couple ofsteps back, looked at me and turned around to leave. The boy stuffed his cigar back intohis mouth and motioned for me to come in. I hugged my bookbag to my chest and walkedinto the room slowly. I felt awkward, like a hick from Alabama who tried to be hip, buthad a Southern accent that always gave them away.
“Look at you, shivering like a rabbit caught in a cage. Chill out. It’s not that serious,”the boy said blowing out smoke from his cigar. He looked at it then looked at me.
“You smoke?” he inquired. I shook my head.
“Well, I don’t mean to be a bad host, but I got some work to do in the other room.The remote is sitting on the table, and you can eat anything in the fridge. “Mi casa is tucasa,” he said smiling.
Where have I heard those words before? I looked over at the flashing numbers underthe television. It was two-o-clock in the morning. My eyelids were getting really heavy. Ineeded to sleep.
“Oh my bad. Let me get you a blanket and a pillow so you can relax on the couch,”he said.
I sat on the couch and took my shoes off.
I laid down in the fetal position and closed my eyes before he was even able to getme a pillow and blanket.
I opened my eyes and looked around me. I sat up like a patient awakening from acoma. My head felt woozy and my lips were dry. I looked at the clock. It blinked fourthirty. I had only been asleep for two and half hours. It felt like two weeks. The livingroom had a large veranda with glass doors that led out to a balcony. It was still relativelydark and I could see the stars twinkling. I eyed something that was sitting in an accentchair. I squinted to adjust and made out an outline of a shadowy figure. It leaped forwardlike an animal on all fours and clamped down hard on my mouth. I was terrified.
“Don’t you dare fucking scream,” it demanded. I knew this voice all too well. It wasNico. He had found me, and Ali wasn’t here to protect me.
“Hey Cabron, Cabron,” Nico yelled.
The Fatboy came rushing out of the bedroom and switched on the lights.
“Get you fat ass outside and guard the door. If anybody comes in here, blow theirfucking head off,” Nico said scooping me up into his arms and carrying me into thebedroom. He kicked the door behind him shut and dropped me on the floor; my headcrashed against the head post.
“What did I tell you Mija, I told you that you were going to regret the shit you did,”he said while unbuttoning his belt.
“It’s only a matter of time before you demons catch up with you,” he said, pullinghis belt through his pants hoop and whipping it around like a circus trainer. I sat on thefloor and just stared at him. He leaped at me, but I scurried away, like a feral feline whowas afraid to get eaten. I hovered in the corner and looked at him wide-eyed. He leaped atme again, but this time he managed to grab me by the waist.
“What’s this shit?” he asked, patting my back pocket. He dug his hand in and pulledout the wade of money and Maria’s ring. He sat back and just looked at it.
“Where did you get this from?” He demanded.
“M.m.maria. S.s.she gave it to m.m.me,” I stammered while crawling away.
Nico got off his knees, standing up and observing the ring as if it was a sacredheirloom.
“That’s bullshit,” he said looking at me.
His eyes were black and beady and bulging out of his sockets. I had lived with Nicofor a short period of time and learned that he did not believe in traditional forms oftorture. No, Nico wasn’t the kind
