“Make sure they’re gentle with the cuffs this time.” I hold my hands up in front of his face.
“You really want to know?”
The hairs on my arms rise. “Yes.”
“Fine. Victor was a guy Alana dated for a few months after her mom passed away.”
There’s your answer.
My stomach sinks.Fuck. “And what was wrong with him?”
“What wasn’t? The man was a walking red flag, although none of us paid much attention until it was too late.”
Acid crawls up my throat. “How so?”
“That’s not my story to tell.” His lips thin.
“Then why mention him in the first place?”
“Because if you screw around with Alana, we will run you out of this town just like Victor.”
I swallow past the thick lump in my throat. “I’m not here to mess around with her.”
“You better not or else.”
“Or else what?”
“Pray you never have to find out.”
Ikick the flat tire before teetering on my heels. My arms flail, but I catch my balance before I fall flat on my ass and drop the Tupperware of cocadas I spent a majority of last night making for Cami’s graduation event.
“Is everything okay, Mommy?”
I take a deep breath through my nose before turning around and facing Cami. She looks adorable with her tilted graduation cap and miniature gown that drags across the floor behind her like a wedding dress. If I had paid attention to my mom’s sewing lessons, maybe I would have been able to adjust the hem for her.
The same heaviness that has been present since this morning grows stronger at the reminder of my mom.
Te extraño muchísimo, Mami.
“I need to ask for someone to pick us up.” No way will I be able to change a tire by myself.
The smile on her face dims. “Will we be late?”
I check the time on my phone. “Not if I can help it.” Since I always like arriving early to everything, I made sure to have enough time for any last-minute emergencies. I’ve come to learn with Cami, anything is possible. Juice spills. Missing favorite sock. A trip to the bathroom.
I choose to call Delilah first. The call goes directly to voicemail, so I dial her again, hoping it was an issue with my service. The voicemail picks up right away.
“Shit,” I hiss.
Cami gasps.
I open my purse with shaky fingers and hand her a dollar. “Why don’t you go put that in the jar for me?”
“Okay!” She grabs the dollar from my hand and runs inside the house, nearly tripping over the hem of her gown in the process.
Wyatt, the next person on my emergency list, goes straight to voicemail as well. I call Violet next in a last act of desperation, hoping she answers. Except like Delilah and Wyatt, she doesn’t pick up.
“Why is no one answering?” I let out a curse as I kick the tire again.