“Just flying in and out. It’s for a stupid photoshoot Roger signed me up for. Should be back by nine tonight.”
“You weren’t going to tell me?”
“Just did.”
His frigid temper pierces through me after he was so incredibly supportive last night when the news of my parents broke. It’s like he can flip off his warmth so easily, like a switch.
“Goodbye,” I say just as the elevator doors shut, but I’m not sure he heard me.
I’ve overstayed my welcome yet again, I realize too late—that familiar pain crushing my heart.
My time in this city just ended, and so did my time with Karl Sommer.
I spend the next hour making calls and packing, and I somehow manage to transfer my flight to this afternoon.
When I’m nearly ready to head out, I sneak into Karl’s room one last time. I pull the guitar case from under his bed, open it, and take out the blue dragon. In its place, I leave the pink guitar he gave me for Christmas, topped off with my goodbye letter. I then transfer the blue dragon into my guitar case. He’ll probably be mad at first, but he’ll understand when he reads my note.
The dog sitter comes out of the elevator as soon as I leave Karl’s room. “Hi,” he says.
“Hi, Chase. Thanks for taking her back so last minute.”
“Happy to help.”
“Let me say goodbye, okay?”
“Sure.”
I sit on the floor and call Pixel to me. She sits in front of me and stares at me with wide eyes.
“Hey, Pixy-girl. I have to go now. You’ve been such a good girl.” I scratch her favorite spot behind her left ear. “And I’m going to miss you so much. Take care of your dad for me, okay?” She licks my face once, and I do my best not to cry through our goodbyes.
I hand Chase the leash and watch them leave.
* * *
When I landin Acapulco and turn on my phone, I have fifteen missed calls from Karl, three from Roger, and seven voice messages. I don’t listen to them. I also don’t read the flurry of texts that came through while I was in the air. I pocket my phone and decide to change my number the first chance I get.
After retrieving my guitar case and single suitcase carrying my life’s belongings, I head to the arrivals bay. I instantly recognize mytíaElena. I’d known from our video calls how much she looks like Mom. Mom always told me stories about how people used to confuse them when they were growing up, but I wasn’t prepared for such a striking resemblance in the flesh.
I freeze when I see her, almost sure I’m looking at Mom. An inch shorter than me, and a slightly stockier frame than my Mom’s,tíaElena clasps her hands over her heart.
“Lola!” she screams, causing everyone around us to stare, then she runs up to me. I set the guitar case down next to me just before she reaches me and takes me into warm, welcoming arms.
My tears dot her shirt over her shoulders as we embrace. I’ve never before met this woman in the flesh, and I never knew why until my legal status became clear to me. I should have guessed why we never traveled outside the country when we had family here.
I’ve spoken to Elena on the phone so many times, and she’s always said how happy she was to have a niece because she never had children of her own. Though our relationship has been entirely over the phone, being in her arms now feels like home.
Elena pulls away from me and hands my bags to a man who I didn’t realize was standing just behind her. “This is Ricardo. He works at the restaurant with me.” She hands my suitcase to the older man, who has a thick mustache and severe brow, and he leads us out of the airport. I step out into a sticky, high-eighties day that instantly matts my blackAlice in Chainsshirt to my skin. I close my eyes and tilt my head up at the sun, letting the rays filter through my closed lids.
I’m home.
* * *
3 MONTHS LATER
I settledinto my new life quite quickly. Elena has fostered a great family out of her staff atMariscos Elena, her seafood restaurant, and they welcomed me with open arms.
It’s different, feeling so wanted and free at the same time. I don’t have to worry about what will happen if I get pulled over or need to go to the emergency room. No matter what, I’m going to be okay.