He leaned over and kissed the soft brown cheek lifted up towards him. "Buenos dias, Abuela." His Grandma's short, spiked gray hair smelled of flowers. Her kind brown eyes reflected in her smile as she reached up and cupped his face.
"¡Mi nieto! ¿Como estás?" She searched his face, waiting for an answer, but he shuffled out of the way as the ladies brought more ingredients to the table.
"Él es muy bueno, Abuela." Manny waved his arm at Sergio as he headed toward the door. Sergio waved goodbye, following Manny.
"¡Adios!" A chorus of goodbyes rang out until Sergio shut the door.
"You're like trying to get Mama out of someplace," Manny said, thumping Sergio's chest.
"Whatever," Sergio mumbled as he climbed into the passenger seat. Manny's car roared to life. The houses became a blur as Manny maneuvered his way out of the neighborhood. Soon the streets grew hectic with people in a rush to get their last-minute shopping done.
"How did it go last night with your gringo friends?" Manny asked, stopping at a red light.
He looked at his brother's handsome profile and his muscular hand on the wheel. "Fine, no thanks to you. I don't know why you harassed my friends last night."
There goes my cool.
"I don't care what your friends think of me, except maybe the chica." Manny smirked. "She's hot. Is she available or does she only have eyes for... what's his name?"
Sergio glared at his brother as he gunned through the green light. He was trying to get under Sergio's skin, so he bit his tongue, not daring to speak his mind.
"Zach." Sergio shrugged deeper into the hoodie. "And leave Olivia alone. She's not like the girls you date."
Manny chuckled as he sped up onto the freeway. "Somebody got a crush−"
"Shut up. She is one of my best friends," he shot back. "I don't see her that way, so... just leave her alone." He sagged against his seat.
Manny remained quiet, but Sergio was sure this conversation wasn't over between them. The last thing he wanted was Manny's curiosity radar trained on him, Olivia or Zach. What happened last night had to stay their secret.
The sprawling mall came into sight when Manny exited the freeway. Sergio was thankful for the distraction he needed to get Manny off his back. Manny found a spot in the crowded parking lot. They got out of the car, but Manny cut him off by stepping in front of him.
"Manito, something is going on with you. I feel it." Manny grabbed Sergio by the scruff of his neck, pulling him closer. Sergio tried to look away, but Manny put his finger in front of his face. "You come to me first if you're in trouble."
"Manny−" Sergio said as he tried to pull away.
"Hey, listen to me. You come to me first." Manny released him and turned as he swaggered to the entrance. Sergio shoved his hands in his pockets, following him through the glass entrance doors. Manny couldn't fix Sergio’s problems with a fistfight or tough talk. Although if anyone could kill a demon, it was Manny.
No.
Sergio couldn't risk his brother's life. For better or worse, he and his friends were on their own.
Christmas shoppers jammed the mall, jostling for position inside and outside the stores. They crowded long tables of half-folded clothes while salespeople scrambled to restock more items or manage long checkout lines. It was chaos, and Manny loved it. He had once told Sergio he enjoyed the frantic atmosphere of people struggling to spot the dreaded last present. It put him in the Christmas spirit. Sergio considered it nuts because he was here for the deals, not the manic hustle and bustle.
Manny whistled a Christmas tune while he considered the shirts on the circular rack. Sergio was uninspired and couldn't recall who he had left to buy for on his Christmas list.
Ah yes... Abuela.
A slight grin crossed his face as he thought of his Grandma Camilla. She was the gentlest, most loving person in his life. Her sharp eyes and quick tongue didn't tolerate any nonsense, but her rebukes were spoken with patience and care. None of his friends had their grandma living with them, but he enjoyed her and the special relationship they had formed.
For as long as he could remember, she had always worn a scarf. Rain or shine, one adorned her neck in various stylish knots. He headed to the scarf rack and inspected each one. He found a silky gray one with a watercolor pastel floral print. His fingers grazed across the delicate material, imagining it looped around her neck.
Perfect...
As he paid the cashier, he checked the store for Manny but didn't find him. His stomach growled in protest while a headache brewed behind his dry eyes. He pushed through the crowd; still no Manny.
Sergio pulled out his phone as a low ringing started in his ears. A flush crept up his face, and the room began to swim. He blinked as his eyesight narrowed. With no chair around, he leaned against the wall behind him, desperate for support. He gasped for air as the ringing grew louder. No longer did he see the store's racks of clothes or individuals lugging bags. Instead, he stared into darkness; an ominous canvas waiting for the artist's first strokes.
No. No. No.
He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting the vision to come alive while he slumped to the floor. But it didn't matter. It came into focus like a film playing on his eyelids.
And he was the star.
Gasping...
Sweating...
Running... in the desert on a moonless night.
The flashlight beam bobbed over the dusty ground in front of him. Footsteps pounded near him, matching his beam of light in his peripheral vision. Something chased him in the blackness. Familiar noises of snarls and cackles sent chills up Sergio's spine as he urged his legs to race faster into the soundtrack of his nightmares. But a different scream pierced the air, one he never wanted to hear.
Olivia.
It echoed in his head as his legs burned and heart pounded. He had to make it to her... save her... from the demons.
"Olivia!" Sergio yelled. In the distance, a small red glow appeared. It spread, expanding into a wide circle, illuminating a broad form running toward the vibrant red ring suspended in the night. If the demon made it inside with Olivia, he would lose her forever.
Faster.
Almost there.
The horrendous smell assaulted him.
Smoke.
Ash.
Sharp feathered wings surrounded him, knocking him backward. He fought, but their frantic beating and suffocating ash pushed him to his knees. He threw his arm up to protect his head. Menacing laughter taunted him as he struggled to search past the wings for the red, glowing circle. When his burning eyes found it, to his horror, the red glow had grown narrower and then disappeared.
No! Olivia!
"Sergio! Sergio!" Manny shook him harder, then grabbed his jaw, giving it a rough squeeze. Sergio's vision faded as his brother's worried face filled his view.
"¡Manito! ¿Que pasa?" Manny cried. Sergio's senses came back along with his headache. His stomach knotted as the vision connection lingered.
What had happened to Olivia?
"I don't know. I was looking for you and−" Sergio stopped.
"You were yelling for Olivia. Is she here? Did something happen to her?" Manny asked, his face inches from Sergio’s. Words escaped Sergio. How could he explain to Manny what he saw? He'd never believe him−
"Sergio! Talk to me!" Manny gave him another shake.
A small crowd had gathered around them. His face flushed as people whispered while others pointed at him. He licked the sweat off his upper lip. "She's fine. Get me out of here." Sergio croaked as he scrambled to his feet.
Manny gave the crowd a withering glance as they pushed through them. Sergio's legs wobbled, but he willed them to move while Manny grabbed their bags, leading him in angry silence out of the mall.
The blast of fresh outside air revived Sergio's battered senses and cleared his head. Manny opened the passenger door, letting Sergio slide onto the seat. Sergio stared out the windshield, watching his brother race around the car's hood, and got insid
e before he buckled. Manny grabbed the front of his sweatshirt, yanking Sergio toward him. Onyx eyes blazed at Sergio as Manny held them face-to-face.
"What happened to you!" Manny gave Sergio's hoodie an indignant shake. His brow frowned, but anger swelled in his words. "I go to the dressing room and come out to hear you yelling for Olivia. Not only yelling for her, but on the floor with your arms flailing around you."
"I'm so sorry, Manny." Sergio tried to pull away. "I don't know what happened−"
"Don't lie to me!" He shoved Sergio away, glaring at two teenagers peeking inside the windshield.
"I'm not lying. Come on... don't be mad at me." Sergio put his hand on Manny's arm, but Manny shrugged it off. "My ears started ringing, and I guess I passed out."
Manny looked him over and smirked.
"Seriously! I was texting you when it happened. I must have thought Olivia was here."
Manny shook his head, unimpressed by Sergio's explanation.
"I am sorry."
Neither spoke as a weighty silence remained in the car. When Manny looked away, he smacked the steering wheel with the heel of his hand.
"I told you to come to me. You're not telling me the whole truth." He wagged his finger in Sergio's face. "You come clean soon, or I'll tell Mom and Dad about your fainting spell." Manny snorted.
"Don't do−"
"¡Callate!" Manny yelled, stabbing his finger into Sergio's face. Sergio's lips pressed together at his brother's silencing.
Manny drove out of the parking lot and headed home. His anger and disappointment were the last thing Sergio wanted, but no way could he confide in him what had occurred the last few days. More questions raced through his mind while nausea rolled as he recalled the vision. Could she be in physical danger or was the vision brought on by his stress? Dread of this unknown ate at him on the trip home. Manny stopped at the curb, but the car remained running.
"I'll see you tonight for midnight Mass," Manny said. His tone was detached as he stared out the front windshield.
"Manny, I−"
"Adios."
Sergio stepped out and shut the door. His brother drove away without a backward glance, leaving him to stare at the car until it disappeared around the corner.
Sergio trudged up the walkway and slipped through the front door, closing it with care behind him. The house was quieter, no longer crowded with the chatty women making tamales. Sergio sought his bedroom's solitude as he grappled with what had happened at the mall and how it fit into the last few days.
His feet dragged down the carpeted hallway, and he felt deflated like a day-old party balloon. His heart ached as he remembered how Manny didn't make eye contact during the drive home. Manny may ride him hard, but Sergio loved him and ached for his approval. He was everything Sergio wanted to be: confident, fearless, and not concerned with the opinions of others, all while breezing through college. Sergio strived to emulate him, but always came up lacking.
Muffled, elevated voices came from the bedroom next to his. Abuela's soothing tone mingled with another occupant who moaned and cried.
Lucia.
Sergio's hand reached for Abuela's door but closed into a fist instead. He didn't have the energy to help with his twin sister, and he might make matters worse in his current state of mind. A twinge of guilt hit him, because it could have been him in the wheelchair instead of his sister. He forced the thought aside, having enough on his plate right now.
Better to let Abuela handle it.
He closed his bedroom door with a minimal clicking sound and flopped on his bed. He put a pillow over his head, hoping to shut out the harsh sounds inside his skull and from the bedroom next door.
Chapter Twelve
Olivia
Olivia snuggled deeper under her comforter as dawn's light filtered through her window blinds. She loved lying half-awake in her bed, letting the lazy morning unwind around her. But as her fog lifted, dread pressed against her chest at the reality of her day, compelling her limbs to stay hidden under the blanket.
Christmas morning.
The day her entire world had shattered.
Would the pieces of her life ever fit back together? Or would there always be one piece missing, forever lost when Dad ripped it from her as he walked out the door?
She closed her eyes as the memories of the catastrophic day surfaced. Time had blurred while she'd cried, not recognizing how much had passed before Mom came upstairs after Dad left. She remembered the click of her bedroom door opening, but she had pretended to be asleep. The bed sagged at her feet when Mom sat, but she didn't wake her. Olivia sensed her gaze as her mom cried softly. But Olivia stayed still, smothered by her mom's sadness and by her own anger and painful confusion. Mom muffled a sob when she left her room, breaking something deep inside Olivia. A part of her was still frozen at that moment of heartbreak, preventing her pain from thawing and moving on with her life.
Olivia held on to a shameful anger against her mom for a while for letting him abandon them. Why didn't she fight harder to make him stay and face their problems? But she couldn't blame it all on Mom. Olivia came up lacking too. He didn't love either of them enough to want to stay.
Whatever.
Selfish jerk.
Mom tried to excuse his rejection of them, explaining that he wasn't happy with Mom and needed to find his purpose. It didn't matter why he left anymore. He had made his choice, and it left them to pick up the pieces, to build a life without him. And they had, and it was a good one.
But a part of her heart held a black hole of grief. It snuck up in unsuspecting moments, threatening to pull her inside; raw, hot and ready to devour her if she let it. But emotional survival had taught her to shove the pain behind a hidden door, tucking away the key, so the oppressive and excruciating pain didn't suck her into the black hole forever.
She opened her eyes and found the alluring white feather in the mason jar, its delicate ends dancing with an unseen partner. The soft, wispy movement soothed her frayed heart. Sometimes Olivia closed her eyes and pretended she had white wings made from her feather and could fly away and set herself free from her sadness, disappointment, and resentment. But reality always greeted Olivia like a slap in the face, leaving her to face the day, if for no other reason than because she loved her mom.
She sighed as an orange glint caught her attention. Her ring flashed in the morning light. She was still stunned Mom had given it to her. Resilience swelled in her. This day wasn't only focused on her pain, because it wasn't an easy day for Mom either.
She tossed back the covers and jumped out of bed. A pair of sweatpants and her favorite zip-up hoodie draped the back of her chair. She got dressed and left her bedroom. Olivia decided to return the favor and treat Mom to breakfast. Waffles sounded good as she dashed down the stairs. She hoped they had blueberries to mix in with them. Mom loved−
No, it can't be.
A single living room lamp cast a dim light on shadowy figures into the foyer. Olivia's world tilted as her brain tried to absorb what her eyes saw. Her hand clutched the stair rail as she took another step. Her stomach rolled; her ears rang as dizziness threatened to topple her. Bitter emotions swirled inside as she fought for control.
Mom stood with her profile to Olivia, her head back, hair twinkling with the reflection of Christmas tree lights. Tears tracked down her cheeks; her mouth was open in elation.
But it wasn't her mom who made Olivia vibrate with outrage.
Kneeling before her with his arms wrapped around her waist and face planted in her stomach was someone Olivia never wanted to see again. His shoulders shook with sobs muffled against her mom's robe.
No.
Hot tears filled her eyes as her chest tightened, making it hard to breathe.
He can't be here.
He's not welcome.
He left us.
Dad.
Mom's hands weaved into his thick brown hair, pushing his bearded face toward hers.
"Home." His dry sob esca
ped, gazing up at her.
"Home." She slipped her hands around his face.
Olivia's hands curled into fists as her mouth drew back in a sneer.
White-hot fury ripped through her. "What are you doing here? Get out!" Olivia vibrated as he turned his anguished face at her. "Get out!" she yelled louder, pointing to the door.
He rose, reaching for her. "Olivia−"
"No!" She stumbled back up a stair, the idea of him touching her repulsive. "How could you? No... you don't belong here. Never come back again!" she screamed with her fists clutched at her sides.
Olivia turned and rushed back up the stairs on wobbly legs. Her breathing was hard and her eyes were wild with panic as the key to the hidden door slipped into the slot, threatening to burst open the door she had vowed to keep locked.
"Wait−"
"Please come back−"
She slammed the door on their pleas. How could this be happening? Why, after twelve years, would he show up, and why today? She had to get out of here or suffocate under the pain infusing her every fiber. Locking her bedroom door, she grabbed her phone and started a text.
Zach
Ding, ding.
Zach opened one eye and peeked at his phone on the nightstand.
His alarm clock illuminated 6:00.
In the morning?
Who texted him this early? Certainly not Santa.
He groaned, reaching for his phone.
Liv.
Are u awake? Need to leave house... Can I come see you?
Instantly awake, his mind created horrible scenarios of her in danger or worse, hurt.
Yes. Meet me on my porch. Demons?
No reply.
Please let her be okay.
He bolted out of bed, put on his sweatshirt and jeans, and dashed downstairs. His mind reeled as his heart pounded in his chest. He reached for the door−
"Where are you going?" his sister called from behind him.
Mark of Orion Page 11
