I race to the main door and fling it open. Dashing barefoot and naked into the balmy night air, I scan the darkness, wishing I could call out his name.
But I can’t.
He gifted me with that one secret, and I’ll keep it safe forever.
20
Dante
Five Years Ago
I take a second to process the news. “Have you told him about the baby?”
Her lower lip wobbles, and my sister looks just like she did when our world fell apart all those years ago. She was fourteen when I had to break the news about our parents. “No.” Her ponytail swishes. “What if he wants to get rid of it?”
“Then he’s a fucking asshole. If he respects you, Gabs, he won’t want that.” And if he’s that sort of guy, I’ll strangle him myself. “A real man takes responsibility for his family and his actions.”
“I’m scared, Dante. This isn’t how I planned my life. Not yet, anyway. I’m trying to make a go of the business. A baby only complicates things.” Worried eyes well up, and she flings herself into my chest. At twenty-three years of age, she’s still my kid sister.
“Look, I’ve taken care of you for years. I won’t stop now. Remember when you accused me of watching porn on my laptop night after night, and I told you I was working for some guys, and you had to keep it a secret. I did that for us. To get us out of the slums. I wanted you to have a fighting chance at a better life. Having a baby won’t fuck that up. If anything, it will make our family bigger and better, right? I’ll be here for you, Gabs. Always.”
She sniffs and rubs her eyes. “What if you get caught? You’re skimming so much money these days. They’ll come after you. People will find out who you are.”
“And by that time, I’ll be out of the game, and we’ll be living in Costa Rica with a pool for the kid and a garden full of tropical flowers for you to make those table setting things you love so much.”
Her smile widens as we both indulge in the dream we’ve designed for so many years. I’ve stored my earnings in an offshore account, amassing a substantial amount of reais for a rainy day. For the day we finally break free.
“I love you, Dante. Promise me the dream will come true and Miguel can be part of it.”
My stomach knots. Who knows how the guy will react? If I wanted to be brutally honest with her, I’d put a wager on him fleeing like a fucking coward. “You should tell him about the baby first. Then we’ll see if he’s worth including in our plans. Otherwise, it's you and me, like it’s been up until now.” I glance at the hand pressed to her belly. “And this little dude too.”
“If it's a boy, I’ll call him Dante after you.”
I laugh. “I don't think the world is ready for another Dante.”
She laughs too. “If he gets your killer looks and big heart, then the world will be a very happy place. Well, the women will be anyway.”
We had so many dark days in the beginning. Eventually, we found light at the end of the darkness and helped each other. We’ll get through this too. Bringing a new life into the world should be celebrated, especially when there’s so much death. I drag her in for another hug. “It’ll be okay, Gabriela. Trust me.”
If you plan to continue with this series, there’s an epilogue… but I suggest you stop here if you don’t like cliffhangers and don’t plan to continue.
Thanks for reading!
Epilogue
IRIS
Present Day
Sal swivels on his stool and studies my face. “You look tired, Iris.”
He uses the reception area as his working base, which means I always know where to find him. The temperature stays stable at a cool degree, and the under-desk fridge is crammed with recyclable bottles of water. Timber beams extend the full height overhead and cream walls add warmth to the otherwise austere interior. A bold green couch lines the wall while a high-tech coffee machine sits next to the welcome desk.
I prop my elbows on the desk and sigh. “You're working me like a dog.”
He chuckles. “Really, and that’s why you’re sitting here with me and not cleaning cabin ten?”
“It’s break time.” I point at the cup of coffee beside his diary. “You told me to drink water at regular intervals. I’m sitting and sipping.” The bottleneck tips to my lips and a bite of icy Evian kicks my brain. “So . . .” I screw the lid back on. “You have a sister?”
Sal sets his pen down and interlocks his fingers. “I do. And how would you know that?”
“He, who I’d rather not mention, told me about her.”
His forehead scrunches, and he makes a weird noise from his throat. “El Fantasma told you about Carina? When?”
“After Bruce’s funeral. I saw them together . . . well, not together, not like that.” My insides squeeze. “He was leading her in this direction. To the medical facility.”
“Okay . . . he told you about her?” Sal cocks a skeptical brow. “He doesn’t speak about her to anyone, other than me. In fact, he rarely talks to people, period. What exactly did he say?”
“He mentioned her birthmark and how Jackson removed it.”
Sal blows out his lips and throws his hands behind his head, stretching back in his seat. “Holy fuck, Iris? Why did he tell you that?”
“I only asked who she was,” I say without commitment.
“I’m shocked. I didn't know you guys were on speaking terms. I thought you hated him?”
“We aren’t . . . and I do. We haven't spoken since then.” I’m not lying. The hatred still festers like an open wound. The attraction still seethes under the surface like an active volcano. “Enough about him. Why don’t you talk about your family? You know about Emmie, my parents’ late-in-life miracle baby, and I had to learn about your sister from someone else.” I’m craving information, details, a mental escape.
“I don’t bring them up in conversation because I know how much you miss home.”
Technically, I don't miss home. I miss my family: their welcoming hugs, silly stories, and the sense of belonging. I’ve grown to appreciate my new surroundings now that he’s given me permission to wander and record my findings. It's both a distraction and a source of mental sustenance.
“I get homesick, but I’d like to hear about life outside of the oasis. To remind me it's still there. Sometimes I think this place is like the Bermuda Triangle. Like a time blip, and when I finally make it out, everything will be exactly as it was, as if a second has only passed. Bruce will be alive, and Emmie will reveal another kooky game she played at summer camp.”
“Carina didn’t have much of a childhood. She seldom played with the other kids because she was too self-conscious. We couldn’t afford the corrective surgery. I was working two jobs to save up for it. Then el Fantasma gave me a job here. The healthy salary meant I could quit the other two jobs. Even at that, it would have taken me years to get anywhere close to the medical fees.” Thoughtful eyes drill into his fingers. “Once he found out about Carina, he took over, and Jackson completed the surgery within weeks. El Fantasma offered to help and wouldn’t take any money from us.”