I put my foot down to stop so she could hear me. “I said, where are you going?”
“To the store.” She tilted her head, staring at the sky as if thinking. She was so pretty with long black hair and a golden tan. Dad called her a goddess because she was so beautiful. “And maybe to DQ.”
“Yes!” I fist-pumped the air.
“Why? You wanna come with me?”
“You know it!” This day just got a whole lot better.
She laughed loudly, almost cackling. A sure sign she was playing. “The infinity symbol is magnificent,mijo. You made it for me, right?” She clucked her tongue in her sassy way and turned toward a car driving into the parking lot.
“Of course.” I couldn’t help but laugh. She loved to tease me, and I enjoyed being on the receiving end of her humor. “Hey, who’s that?” I watched the car roll to a stop and the windows lower.
“Joseph, get your dad!”
“This is our territory, bitch!” Guns poked out of the windows. Profanity ensued.
Pop, pop, pop, pop.
“No!” my mom screamed and raised her hands, her body jerking as those assholes shot her.
In an instant, my world stopped moving, and time slowed. I froze in total disbelief at what was happening in front of me.
Was I dreaming? Having a nightmare?
Yes.
No. No, no, no!
“Mom!” I jumped off my bike. “Mom!”
I ducked and weaved when bullets whizzed by me as the car sped off the property.
“Dad! Somebody help me!” I dropped onto my knees beside her. “You’re okay, Mama. You’re made of iron and will be okay.” I repeated the words she always said when I’d get hurt.
“Joseph, I love you, baby.” She coughed and reached for my face, but her hand dropped onto the dirt. “Be a good boy.” She gasped and gurgled. Blood soaked her pink shirt in multiple spots, turning her chest a dark red.
“You’re going to be okay, Mama. I promise.” I kissed her forehead. “I promise. Be strong. Don’t give up. It’s going to be okay.” It had to be okay. She couldn’t die, couldn’t leave me.
“Mijo, take care of your dad. I love you both so—”Her brown eyes bulged as she gurgled, then suddenly stopped.
“Mom?” I shook her shoulder. Her eyes were open, but the sparkle usually in them was gone. “Mom!” I cried, tears running down my face. “I love you, Mama. I love you.”
“Jessica!” Dad yelled from behind me, his boots pounding the ground. He shoved me out of the way. “No, baby.”
My shoulder hit the dirt, and I scuffed my elbow. But I didn’t care. I was on my knees, watching the horrific scene in front of me.
Dad stared at my mom for a long second. “Goddammit, no!” He cradled her limp body in his arms and rocked. “Talk to me, Jess. Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me, goddammit. I’m nothing without you.” His guttural roar made my ears ring, and his heartbreaking sobs shattered a piece of me.
Sugar wrapped her arms around me. She shielded my eyes with her hand, so I couldn’t see my dad breaking down while holding my mom to his chest.
But I heard and saw everything.
I watched my mom’s blood seep into the grooves of the infinity symbol I’d made in the dirt.
I listened to the hushed whispers of retribution and war and felt my father’s anguish and rage because it was my own.
I shut my eyes tightly and turned my face toward the sky, trying to erase the image of her bleeding out. All I wanted to remember was how beautiful and full of life she was moments before those fuckers killed her.