Sabrina understood what he was saying but her heart was still racing. There had to be some way to get out of that job. “Can’t you go to the police? See if they can shut it down quickly enough to keep your family safe?”
Pancho laughed, a harsh and bitter sound. “They have me watched night and day. If I went anywhere near a police station or any kind of officer, they’d be on my family in minutes.”
She swallowed hard. She’d struggled with her dad’s drinking and her mom’s health problems, with her wild sister who couldn’t make a good decision and making ends meet. But she had never been in mortal fear for her family until now.
Minutes later they were at her apartment and Sabrina got out of the car. She leaned down to say goodbye, but the look on Pancho’s face took the words out of her mouth.
“Sabrina, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to get you mixed up in this. If we didn’t get that machine fixed tonight, I was afraid someone was going to die.” He looked at his hands, gripping the wheel so tight his knuckles were white. “I couldn’t let him start killing people.”
She nodded and slowly shut the door. Turning toward her apartment, she heard the car move away from the curb behind her, its engine rattling as it went down the street. Sabrina glanced up at the redbrick building, the shiny plaque at the front, the neatly tended evergreen bushes in pots by the main door. She felt as if she had seen another world tonight, a darker place than she could ever have imagined, and now she was part of that world whether she wanted to be or not. Along with the realization that she felt more for Jack than she should, there was a deeper pain. Tonight’s activity was just one more reason why she and Jack didn’t belong together, no matter how kind he was.
* * *
Sabrina bundled Gabby into her coat. “We only have a few minutes. We need to hurry.” Her nieces were sleepy and slow moving this morning. Sabrina knew exactly how they felt. Her bones felt as though they were made of lead. Pancho’s visit seemed like a nightmare in the cold light of the morning, and the only thing that kept her from crying was the thought of seeing Jack today. She had missed his teasing tone, and after the events of last night, her heart ached to see his smile.
“Okay, Tía,” Gabby said, yawning hugely. She let herself be zipped up and then trudged toward the door.
“Kassey, hurry!” Sabrina swept her long hair into a ponytail and forced herself not to get angry. They were just little girls. Catching the bus wasn’t a big deal. It was one more school day to them.
Her oldest niece wandered into the living room. “I can’t find my notebook. Teacher said we had to have our notebooks or we couldn’t get a sticker.” She shrugged on her coat and pouted. “I really wanted a sticker. I’ve done all the work.”
Sabrina put a hand over her eyes for a second and tried to think. All she could see was the frightened faces of the workers from the job last night. She hadn’t slept when she got home, but sat up between Gabby and Kassey’s beds. Listening to their soft breathing and the gentle sounds of Mrs. Guzman snoring on the couch, Sabrina had fought back cold fear. Those men knew where she lived, and they knew her nieces lived here. She was just as trapped as Pancho was now. They might be moving, but there was no way to keep their new address quiet for long. People talked, especially in their little community.
Kassey sniffled and Sabrina’s thoughts snapped back to the present. Notebook. It had to be here somewhere. “Get your book bags and I’ll check the kitchen table.” She ran toward the kitchen, hoping against hope. She could never figure out how the girls could lose so much stuff in such a small place. There on the far end of the counter was the bright pink notebook. Sabrina snagged it and hurried to the front door.
“Turn around and let me put this inside,” she said, turning Kassey so she could reach the backpack. “And don’t cry. Everything is okay.”
Kassey turned and gave her a watery smile. “And we’ve got soccer practice tonight.”
Sabrina couldn’t help the spread of warmth through her chest. Seeing Jack was going to be the bright spot in a very stressful day.
Scooping up her toolbox, she hurried them out the door and turned the key in the lock. Outside on the sidewalk, she took Gabby’s hand and made sure Kassey was on the other side. Her toolbox was heavy and she straightened her shoulders. So far, God had provided for them. She did the best she could and God had to do the rest.
The phone rang and Sabrina tucked it into her shoulder. “Hello?”
“Hi, sis!”
Sabrina froze midstep. She only had one sister. And that sister had run away years ago with some loser she’d met on the internet.
“Rosa?” She didn’t know why she even asked, but she could hardly believe her ears.
“The one and only,” she said, laughing. Her voice sounded high-pitched, nervous.
“Where are you?” Was she coming back to town? Did she want the girls?
“Oh, still in Vegas. Just wondering what you guys were up to.”
Sabrina clamped her jaw shut. What was she up to? Only getting her sister’s kids fed, dressed and off to school, which Rosa should be doing, except that she’d run away. Sabrina let out a breath. She needed to be calm and get as much information as possible. If Rosa was coming back, she might have a really tough fight on her hands when the custody hearing started.
“It’s a school day. We’re just getting ready to catch the bus.”
“Oh. Right.” Rosa had the good sense to sound a bit ashamed. She knew what she should be doing right then and it wasn’t living the good life in Vegas while her kids were in Denver. “Well, I called because I needed to ask you for a favor.”
Sabrina shifted her toolbox a bit in her gloved hand. “What is it?”
“Well, I can’t pay my cell phone bill and they’re going to shut it off if I don’t pay it.”
“Then let them.” She didn’t have the money to be paying Rosa’s bills.
“But I need it!”
“You don’t. You get a landline like a lot of people. It’s a lot cheaper. Of course, you can’t text on it or go on the internet, but you don’t need to.” Sabrina knew she sounded angry, but she couldn’t help it. Her sister was calling to get her cell phone bill paid and it was the worst reason for calling she could have come up with. She saw Gabby staring at her with a question on her face. Rosa hadn’t even bothered to ask about her kids.
“I’m on my own now.” Rosa paused and Sabrina could hear her gulping back a sob. “I want to be able to call the girls once in a while, if that’s okay.”
Sabrina could see the bus stop in the distance and for a moment, it seemed as if her whole life flashed in front of her eyes. She was always halfway to the destination. Struggling, fighting, never quite making it home. Tears clamped her throat closed but she fought them back. Rosa would think the tears were for her and she’d already cried enough for Rosa. The only people who mattered right now were the two little girls on either side of her, and the judge that would grant them the legal protection of being a family.
“That would be fine. I won’t keep you apart, obviously. But did you get my letter? I only had the address that was on the birthday card,” Sabrina said. At these words, Gabby’s eyes widened. She knew who had sent a birthday card to Kassey six months ago. Rosa had forgotten her oldest girl’s birthday, but Gabby had never mentioned it. That hurt Sabrina more than anything else—that Gabby had learned not to be surprised when her own mother forgot her birthday.
“I got it. I don’t think the judge is going to let you be their legal guardian. You’re not their mom.” Rosa sounded bored, unconcerned. “But I’m not going to argue about it right now.”
Sabrina let out a breath of relief. They were at the bus stop now and the shelter was filled with early morning commuters. She really didn’t want to have that conversation in front of strangers. “Just so you understand—”
“I do. But...Sabrina, I really need this phone. It’s all I have left and I’ve applied for a bunch of jobs. If they cut off the phone, I won’t know if anyone calls back. If I don’t get a job, I’m going to end up tossed out of my place and then I don’t know where I’ll go.” Her voice was rising in panic.
Sabrina thought of the people she’d seen last night. Maybe they had been like her sister once, just desperate enough to take a job without knowing all the details. She wanted to tell her that she knew just what it was like to be threatened with losing her apartment. She wanted to tell Rosa that she really didn’t care what happened to her because the only people who deserved to have a perfect life were Kassey and Gabby. But she didn’t. Somewhere, deep down, she still loved her younger sister. Under all her faults, or maybe because of them, was the little girl who’d cowered in the closet when their dad was on his drunken rampages. Sabrina could never just leave Rosa to fend for herself. She had always done everything humanly possible to protect her. Those habits died hard.
Sabrina looked into the eyes of her nieces. They looked so much like Rosa, with their long lashes and arching brows. The innocence that used to be Rosa’s still lived on in them. Sabrina shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. “How much is it?”
Rosa mumbled a number and Sabrina’s eyes popped open in shock. “How is that possible? Were you calling Liberia, or what?”
“It’s a couple of months overdue. I’ve put them off as long as I can.”
“How much is it just to keep it on for a little longer? Is there a minimum amount?”
“About a hundred.” She sounded sulky, as if Sabrina was being stingy.
She clamped down the anger that threatened to give her sister a piece of her mind, whether Gabby and Kassey were listening or not. With the new fees from Mr. Snyder and Rosa’s bill, there was just enough. She would have to take on some new jobs to make sure they had enough food, but there was always more work than Sabrina could handle. “Okay, but I can’t give any information to you here. I’m at the bus stop.”
“I need it right now. They said they’d shut it off today and I—”
Sabrina opened her eyes and watched the bus coming toward them, belching gray smoke into the bright blue sky. “I’ll text it to you. Then delete it right away.”
“Thank you so much. Really, thank you. If there’s anything I can do for you, just tell me. I can send you the cutest pair of earrings they have at this shop here. They’re gold hoops with—”
“Rosa, I don’t want anything.” Sabrina felt her chest tighten with anger. The bus pulled to the curb and they all got in line. She put the phone back to her shoulder, took their bus passes from her pocket and herded the girls in front of her. “If you really meant what you said, then you should make an effort to be in better contact with your kids.”
There was a long pause on the other end. “Oh, right. I know I need to call the girls more. Sure, as soon as I get the bill straightened out, I’ll call right back.”
A teenager jostled Sabrina and she almost dropped the passes. She couldn’t quite keep the anger from her voice. She was exhausted and the scenes from last night kept flashing through her mind. “We’re headed to school and I have a job, but after five would be a good time.” Did Rosa think they could stand around all day and wait for her call?
“After five. I’ll remember. And thank you, sis.” Without waiting for an answer, Rosa hung up.
As they shuffled down the aisle and settled onto the cold plastic seats, Sabrina avoided looking at her nieces. They were watching her silently. She tucked away the bus passes and got out her debit card. Quickly texting Rosa the numbers and the three digits on the back, she sent the message and sat back. Gabby tucked her hand into Sabrina’s and leaned her head against her arm. She was the oldest, so brave and capable, but Sabrina knew Gabby carried a deep hurt from when Rosa left.
She looked at them, innocent and perfect, and wondered how Rosa could have thrown away such a gift. Sabrina could be just another single girl concerned with getting a date with a guy like Jack, but she had chosen her path a long time ago. No matter how much she found herself drawn to him, how much she replayed their conversation or the way his arms felt around her, her nieces came first.
They weren’t a responsibility or a burden. They were pure joy to Sabrina. She would do anything to keep them safe. She was determined to have custody, but she knew it would be the best for everybody if Rosa could be part of their lives in a small way, because the girls would never stop loving their mom. If only Rosa could see that.
Chapter Six
Freshly showered and ready to coach a group of little kids in the fine art of soccer, Jack opened the supply closet and pulled the mesh bag of soccer balls into the gym. It had been a long day at the office. Phone calls, messages, meetings and other things he normally avoided at all costs were now part of his daily routine. And he still hadn’t talked to Bob Barrows. Jack set out a stack of brightly colored cones and let out a long breath. He should be happy, relaxed, eager to start, but all he felt was nervous anxiety.
Sabrina would be here any minute with her nieces, and he needed to apologize. He’d been going over and over what he wanted to say, hoping to erase the hurt he’d caused. It was one thing to offer help when it wasn’t wanted. It was a whole other situation to imply she deserved a medal for loving children like Gabby and Kassey. He hadn’t meant it that way, but he knew it had hurt Sabrina.
He glanced over his shoulder as the gym doors opened. Gavin walked through, carrying a file folder.
“Hey, you’re early,” he called.
Jack waved. “Not by much.”
Gavin jogged over, pulling off his sweatshirt and hanging it on a peg by the supply closet. “You’re usually sliding in at the last minute after I’ve spent fifteen minutes setting up and corralling kids.”
“Right, but that’s when I’ve been rushing to get down from the mountain.” Jack almost sighed. He’d heard there were perfect conditions today. With several inches of fine powder and bright sun, it would have been a great spring run. Gavin was his best friend and he’d know that’s where Jack would have wanted to be.
“Evie said you decided to be a businessman, for real.” Gavin shot him a glance. He was smiling, but Jack knew his words held a question. Everyone wanted to know why Jack was spending so much time at the job he’d always hated.
“Just thought I’d give it a little more time and effort, that’s all.” He shrugged. It was hard to explain. “I want my dad to come back to a smoothly running company. He’s had enough stress to last him a lifetime.”
The doors swung open again with a clang and they both looked up. Sabrina walked through, her toolbox in one hand. Her blue jacket looked too thin for the cold spring winds but her cheeks were pink and her dark eyes shone. He felt the breath stop in his lungs as she came nearer. There was such a confidence in her stride, such a brightness about her. The girls trotted alongside, their faces lit with excitement.
“Hi, Coach Jack and Coach Gavin!” Gabby fairly bounced with happiness, her long pigtails flying with every step. Kassey hung back a bit, but smiled widely.
“Hi, girls,” he said. His voice sounded too hearty to his own ears. His gaze sought Sabrina’s but she was focusing somewhere in the corner of the gym, her smile fixed.
Gavin held out a hand to Sabrina. “Great to see you. Can I put your box over here in the supply closet? I know those tools are worth a fortune.”
“Thanks. I do keep a close eye on them. Either under lock and key or right next to me. It would be too easy for someone to steal and resell them.”
Gavin took the box and tucked it in the supply closet. “I have a friend who works on medical equipment and he lost thousands of dollars in tools when someone broke into his car. Jack and I have the only key so they’ll be safe here.”
Jack straightened his shoulders.
Before anything else, he needed to talk to Sabrina. Alone. “Gabby, Kassey, can you two put out these cones?”
They grabbed the colored cones and ran to set them along the lines around the gym. Jack turned to Sabrina. He saw the wariness in her gaze and hated it. It was his own fault. Gavin had done nothing but make her feel comfortable, but he only seemed to make her feel like an outsider. Easter day flashed through his mind. She’d been upset and overwhelmed. He had held out his arms and she had walked into them, as naturally as breathing. If he had had any hope of that happening twice, he would have tried it, but he saw the tenseness of her jaw and knew he needed to speak the words he’d been practicing for the past week.
“Sabrina, can I talk to you for a second?” He motioned a little farther away and Gavin took that cue to head to the opposite end of the gym.
Her gaze searched his face and she seemed unsure whether to agree, then shrugged. “Sure.”
They walked a few feet away. She stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets and stared off at where Gabby and Kassey were setting up cones. She seemed to be bracing herself for another slight.
“Sabrina,” he said. Then all his practiced words left him and he desperately wished to reach out and turn her chin so she would look at him. He kept his hands to himself and spoke from the heart. “I’m sorry.”
She didn’t seem to hear him for a moment, then she met his gaze. She didn’t say anything, just waited for him to speak. Emotions passed over her face too quickly for him to track.
“I’m sorry for what I said to you on Easter.” He sucked in a breath. “I was trying to give you a compliment and it didn’t come out quite the way I intended.” He watched one of her brows raise a fraction of an inch. “Okay, it came out all wrong.”
Home for Her Family (9781460341186) Page 8
