DUST AND GRIME ACCUMULATED in neglected corners and crevices. Remnants of forgotten meals and unwashed dishes left a pungent stench in the air. Countertops were cluttered with empty liquor bottles, pill bottles, and scattered remnants of fast food.
“The place is a mess, but you know I got you Yago.” Alejo slapped his hand.
Santiago tossed his bag onto the floor beside the dilapidated sofa. “Feels like home.”
Laid back on the sofa, the hum of the broken fridge that struggled to keep perishables cool lulled him to sleep.
Retching from down the hall woke him. Santiago squinted in the dim light from the coming dawn. Walking over to the sink Santiago turned the faucet on. An annoyed grunt escaped him as he shoved aside the filthy dishes, sending roaches scrambling to escape the wet.
Entering the bathroom, Santiago squatted next to his friend.
Alejo leaned heavily one arm against the rim of the toilet seat.
Santiago handed him a glass of water.
Alejo drank it down and set the empty cup down.
“I found some rice in your cabinet. I’ll boil some, that's probably all you’ll be able to hold down for now.”
Alejo nodded between shaky breaths.
His friend was a couple years older than him and had his own place. Not that his age was the reason he was on his own. Alejo left home before their freshman year.
In the beginning if someone had told him Alejo would have been one of his best friends Santiago would have punched them in the throat. The first day they met was when Alejo came sniffing around for his mother because she owed the thug he worked for money.
Alejo snorted. “Man when he told me to watch out for Lupe’s pitbull and my dumbass was looking for a dog.”
Santiago used to hate when people called him that. Had Oscar to thank for that since he used to introduce them to his friends, or the closest thing a degenerate like him could have, as his bitch and her pup. Once Santiago was grown enough to start dropping men twice his size they realized really he was not the little pup they could kick around anymore.
Alejo did not deserve the beat down he got that day. Though Santiago did not walk out of that fight any better than he did. Or rather crawl, his mom had to drag him bloodied and bruised back in the house. He always wondered how Alejo managed to limp his way back home that night.
For a while with them it was on sight. Everytime they were on the same block they were throwing blows. Everything Santiago dished out Alejo gave it right back.
It would have continued to go on like that if it had not been for one night.
“Where were you even going at that time of night?” Alejo was slumped into the lopsided armchair.
Santiago smirked, “Alyssa’s place.”
“No, you— Wait.” Alejo held his hands over his chest in a dramatic display of emotion, “You gave up tapping Alyssa for me.”
“Fuck you, I should left your ass on that bench to freeze.” Santiago threw a balled up napkin at him, “She never let that go.”
“I love you bro, but if it was me. I woulda left your ass.” Alejo threw his head back letting out a wheezing laugh..
Santiago could have. No one would have known and if they did, they would not care.
It did not matter that he could not stand to look at Alejandro’s face, if Santiago left him there he could have frozen to death. He made a choice that night and has never regretted it a moment since.
He brought Alejo home.
When he realized Alejo had no place to go they gave him one. Alejo lived with them for years until he was old enough to sign a lease.
Alejo didn’t go far. Renting out a place across the street.
Santiago did not want to think about how close he was to home. Or what used to be home. A part of him hoped the slum lord who owned the place had a hell of time scrubbing his blood off the floor.
Salvaged some usable dishes and tossing the rest, Santiago started to carve his way through the mess. He swung the last few bags into the dumpster. He inhaled the chemically sweet fragrance of the Fabuloso.
Alejo was knocked out for most of the day. Only rousing when Santiago woke him to eat.
Alejandro crunched on a bowl of cereal slumped on the sofa as he watched a rerun of a soccer game. Santiago was counting out pushups on the floor beside when the knock at the door came.
Both stiffened looking at one another.
Alejo shook his head.
Santiago was not expecting anyone either.
Santiago ignored his friend motioning towards the bedroom where Alejo kept his gun. He peered through the blinds seeing the slight figure looking about nervously.
Santiago pulled the door open, “You shouldn’t be here. Get in.”
Sylvia scuttled in quickly her eyes roamed over the place the shock flashed plainly on her face before she caught herself. “Lola told me you were here.”
Naturally, Lola for as much as he adored her had a bad habit of butting into his love life. It was welcome when it came to chasing off clingy exes less so when she was trying to play matchmaker.
“She shouldn’t have.” Santiago frowned, “This is not a part of town you want to be by yourself.”
“Yeah, that’s what my Uber driver said.” She shuffled awkwardly.
Santiago’s brow furrowed with confused annoyance. First she did not want to talk and now here she was. He could not understand the logic behind it.
“I wanted to talk to you. In private.” She said.
Alejo shrugged, “Alright I can take a hint.”
He slunk back to his room, closing the door for all the good it did. With no doorknob and half of it caved in Alejo would hear the conversation as clearly as if he was beside them.
Santiago took a seat and motioned for her to do the same. “Look, I meant what I said. I’m sorry, but you really shouldn’t have come here.”
“I know— and you shouldn’t be apologizing. I should.” She gulped her face pulled together solemnly.
“For what?” He asked genuinely curious. Replaying the night over and over he found a thousand and one ways he screwed up. He did not account for where she might have made a misstep.
“What happened, shouldn’t have. I should not have kissed you.”
“Why?”
“Because, it’s like— It’s not that you’re not good. Because you totally are.” She laughed, clearing her throat, “You’re kind. You’re charming. You’re so much fun to be around.”
Santiago sat stumped wondering if he was an idiot or she simply was not making sense.
Santiago paused. “That’s the reason why you shouldn’t have kissed me? Because those all sound like good things.”
Running a hand through her length hair she let out a breath. “Like you’re not the issue. It’s a me thing.”
“It’s okay if you’re not into me like that. That’s not a big deal.” He shrugged.
“No that’s not it. I mean it is— but not like I don’t like you.” She blubbered, “It was a stupid thing to do! It’s not like we’re ever going to be anything.”
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“Tell me how you really feel?” Santiago snorted, “I get it you were having a little too much fun slumming it and you’re worried I caught feelings. It ain’t that deep. Just take your ass back to your little satin and lace dollhouse alright I really don’t need all this.”
“What? — No, that's not what I meant at all!” She stamped her foot.
“Then what the fuck do you mean?” Santiago shouted, burying his head in his hands when her eyes welled with tears. “Oh for fucksake.”
“Stop yelling at me.” She whined trying to hold back tears, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m trying to apologize.”
“Well you’re not doing a very good job.” Santiago said.
Sylvia burst into tears.
Santiago sat down on the couch, fingers tapped on the armchair as he stared at the girl in silence.
“You’re not even going to say anything.” She cried.
“What do you want me to say Sylvia? I don’t even know why you’re here. You said you want to apologize but you never said what you did wrong.” He motioned with one hand and then the other, “It was a mistake but I’m not the problem. If you didn’t want me, why did you kiss me back? It’s not like it was a little peck on the lips and you told me to fuck off. You were on me like I was on you.”
“I know and I shouldn’t have been because I have a boyfriend!” She screamed.
“So, wait, uh, are you apologizing because you didn’t want to kiss me or are you apologizing because you wanted to kiss me and you knew you shouldn’t.”
Sylvia's shoulders slumped in defeat. “Is there a difference?”
“There’s a difference.” Said Santiago.
“No. No. This is— You are— you’re trying to confuse me!”
“I don’t really need to. You do a great job of that all by yourself.”
“Fuck you!” She screamed.
“Fuck you!” He screamed back.
“You’re terrible!” Sylvia said.
“I’m terrible? You’re the one who cheated on your man and I’m terrible.” Santiago laughed, “You’re a piece of work you know that.”
“I know I messed up okay! I’m trying to fix it.” She said.
Santiago said, “Are you really? So you called this boyfriend of yours and told him what you did? What’d he say?”
Sylvia shuffled where she stood saying nothing.
“Yeah that’s what I thought.” Santiago scoffed, “You came here to apologize for yourself. So you didn’t have to feel guilty that you fucked up.”
“You act like you’ve never made a mistake!” Sylvia snapped.
“If I’m with someone I’m all in. I’m not a coward.” He said, “I’ve been on the receiving end of it enough that I’d never put someone through that.”
She grabbed the cup off the coffee table, splashing the contents of the iced tea all down his shirt. “You’re a fucking asshole!”
Santiago hopped up, “Better than a whore!”
Sylvia slapped him.
Santiago scowled.
She clamped a hand over her mouth in shock. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay he has that effect on people.” Alejo said as he passed to put his dirty dish in the sink. “Y’all gonna wrap this up soon. The games are coming on in a few.”
“Alejo, shut up man.” Santiago waved him off. “Sylvia, just go—”
Her phone chimed as she stared at the screen, her dark eyes watering.
“That him?” Said Santiago.
Sylvia nodded.
Santiago snatched the phone from her, swiping up to answer the call.
“Santiago what the hell—” She started.
“Yo, Sylvia’s boyfriend we haven’t met yet. This is Santiago, I wanted to let you know that you are a dumbass. You know what happens when you don’t treat your girl right? She finds someone who does.” Santiago laughed dryly, “Don’t worry if you ever decide to pull your head out of your ass I’ll be here with our girl. Pull up!”
Santiago hung up the phone and tossed it back to Sylvia.
She stared at him horror-struck.
Alejo howled with laughter.
“Why would you do that?” She breathed.
“Because I felt like it.” He snapped.
She screamed angrily grabbing up everything she could find to fling at him. Pillows, the tv remote, her cellphone, his cellphone.
“Goddammit!” Santiago swatted the projectiles away as he circled around the coffee table. “Knock it off!”
“No!” Sylvia screamed back, when he caught her by the arm she slapped him again. Her dainty palms smacking every part of he could reach until she caught her other wrist.
She strained futility against his grip hollering and kicking at his shins.
“ENOUGH!” He boomed.
Sylvia stopped, her eyes wide.
“Imma let you go. Don’t fucking hit me.” Santiago growled through gritted teeth.
He released his hold on her and she took a few steps back wiping at her tearstained face.
“Guess Lola was wrong, she is your type. Fucking crazy.” Alejo laughed plopping onto the recliner flicking the TV on.
Sylvia stormed out of the apartment and the door left ajar.
Santiago sighed.
Alejo shook his head with a smile, “God, I missed you man.”
----------------------------------------
Bennett’s head pounded, he tossed another pair of Excedrin back with a swing of water. All they had to do was keep the boy from running off. Not on house arrest, not with a permanent chaperone, just within their line of sight.
Apparently that had been too big an ask.
“You were supposed to be watching him. Instead you decide to ignore the kid and are sitting here wondering how he slipped out from under you.” Bennett threw his arms up, “And you! You send him off with a pat on the back like this is a good idea.”
“It’s not like I could handcuff him to a chair.” Thompson shot back. “I still have to be his therapist first and honestly being in Rosenia’s house as of late has not been doing well for him. No offense.”
Thompson did not like the game of passing the buck. Though he could not hide his disappointment in Rose’s behavior in more ways than one.
Rosenia sighed, “I thought he was frightened of me, Santiago and Sylvia have it in their head that I might be responsible for the bus.”
That was an Olympic level feat of mental gymnastics. It really did not seem like something Santiago would have just reached on his own. Though kids did manage to come up with some convoluted nonsense Bennett had heard enough of them spew from Alex.
Bennett’s shoulder slumped as he leaned in pointedly, “Why do they think that?”
“They found my USB with all of the evidence I had been compiling.” Rosenia said.
Perhaps it had been remiss to not secure her room better. It had never occurred to her that within her home she needed to hide things away. She supposed the fact that it had never happened before did not mean it was not a risk. Though she could not have anticipated they would react the way they had. Given the sensitivity of the information she held it was irresponsible not to secure it better.
“Now these kids are hackers— ” Bennett did not miss the flash of guilt across her face, “You did have a secure USB. I know you did not leave evidence of a potential murder on an unsecured USB drive that you left lying around.”
“It wasn’t lying around, it was in my bedroom.”
“For fucksake, it was in her bedroom. Of course.” Bennett rubbed at his temples with one hand. “Okay, I tried to do this whole group effort thing— No. You all don’t know how to communicate a goddamn thing so I am going to tell you how this is going to go.”
Bennett steadied his breathing trying to reel in the booming Sergeant. He did not want to be domineering but given how off the rails things went so quickly when leaving them to their own devices he would have to be firm in getting them back on track.
At this point keeping a lock on where the boy is would be the focal point of the plan. There was a simple enough way to do that. Give Santiago what he wanted.
Bringing him home to his mother was their best course of action.
Now hinging the plan on a drug addict was not ideal. However, it offered them more control. They track down Guadalupe they could arrange to have her set up in a place. Bennett knew his apartment manager for years would be simple enough. This would put him in close proximity to watch the boy and his mother.
Santiago would continue with therapy. Bennett would help the kid deal with his mother. He knew the life. He knew the recovery. It was not easy.
Santiago was unwilling to accept help for himself but his mother was a different story. He would never stray too far from her either, especially during the difficult process of detox.
With Bennett offering support with his mother and Santiago receiving treatment with Thompson it would alleviate the boy's stress enough to focus on his studies both ordinary and extraordinary. With the added bonus of putting a stopper in Eliana’s custody battle. It was simple and would be the best way to quickly reign the boy back into a space they could manage.
“That is a fantastic plan Bennett, however, there is one problem.” Thompson arms were folded tightly against his chest, his brows furrowed as he looked to Rosenia.
Bennett looked at the woman, “Rose, what’s he on about?”
She closed her eyes letting out a long breath. “Santiago thinks his mother is dead.”
Bennett slumped into his chair, “Thinks. Why would he think something like that?”
“Because that is what she told him.” Said Thompson with an unusually curt edge to his voice.
“You told him his mother DIED!” Bennett boomed, “What in gods name possessed you to do that?”
“He was going to leave to go find her. I had no other recourse.” She threw her hands up..
“You could have hit him over the head with a two by four at least he would have let that go.” Bennett scoffed, “He finds out the truth. That’s it. He’s never going to trust you again.”
“I saw you in that room with Eliana, all that anger, all that pain. You’ve held onto it for years and to get what you want you would inflict that pain on a kid.” Bennett slammed his hand onto the table, “You said she is vile. You say she can’t be trusted. Yet, here you sit playing the same games with peoples lives and think you have the moral high ground.”
“Good deeds don’t erase sins.” Said Bennett.
Rosenia said nothing.
“Thompson, it’s going to take me a few days to make some arrangements for them and I’ll track down his mother.” Bennett set a meaty palm heavily on Thompson's shoulder, “I am trusting you to keep a lid on things until then.”
Thompson did not know if he should be happy or terrified that now Bennett was willing to rest his faith in him. He supposed the man had very little options at this point. Regardless they wanted the same thing.
Thompson nodded. “I will do my best.”