29
Paige
Several firecrackers are shot off, and one of the guards rushes over, gun drawn at a bunch of teenagers behind a tree.
“What the hell are you doing?” Moreno jumps up to deescalate the situation before it gets even more out of hand.
Bruno, the guard, puts the safety back on and shoves the gun under his jacket, hidden from view.
Does he carry that everywhere with him? Maybe I should have expected it. He is a guard, but shouldn’t he still recognize the difference between a firecracker and a gunshot?
Nova is curled in my arms, sobbing.
Gently, I rub her back as she clings to me with sticky fingers from her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I seem to be wearing the jelly as much as Nova.
Moreno reams out the guard before approaching us. He squats and I hear his knees crack. “Hey, Nova.” His voice is soft and soothing as he tries to get her attention.
She’s buried her face in my neck and doesn’t so much as glance up at her father.
“Maybe give her a few minutes,” I offer as a suggestion. She’s worked up and needs a little time to calm down.
He’s fuming under his breath and stands, stalking over toward the guard who lost his cool.
Nova peaks for a second to witness her father’s wrath directed at the guard.
“Hey. Do you want to go to the toy store?” I ask, hoping to draw her attention back to me.
She emits a loud sigh and glances up with wide eyes. Nova gives a faint nod before cuddling me again, her arms tight around my chest.
* * *
“I’m sorry about that back there,” Moreno says as he opens the glass door. The bell on the door jingles.
I carry Nova into the store, her arms tight around my neck.
“It’s safe in here,” I assure her. “How about I put you down and let you walk around and pick out a toy?”
I probably should have spoken to Moreno about my offer for her to buy a present before stepping into the shop, but what did he expect? You can’t bring a kid into a toy store and leave empty-handed.
Certainly not a four-year-old.
Besides, after the picnic we just endured, I don’t think he’ll say no.
“Keep an eye on her,” Moreno says as I step into the small shop.
I wasn’t planning on abandoning Nova.
He heads outside, and by the looks of it, he’s giving hell to the guard who pulled his gun.
Good.
Nova slips her hand in mine, and I walk her farther inside the store so that she doesn’t see her father screaming at the guard. She’s been through enough today.
One trauma at a time.
She tugs on my hand and pulls me to follow her down the stuffed animal aisle.
She has an entire collection of stuffed toys back at home. The kid could seriously run a zoo, but she doesn’t have any trouble finding a baby gorilla on the shelf. She points at it as it’s out of her reach, and I quickly glance at the price tag before handing it to her.