Ride Home To Me

Chapter 26

I can't help but feel intimidated when the guard lets me through the door and directs me to a table. I finally convinced Dom to put me on his visitation list so I could come see him. At the sound of a door sliding open I turn and break out into a smile. Dom is brought over to the table where I stand and I wrap my arms around him, burying my face into his chest. We have to pull apart sooner than I would've liked but when we sit down he squeezes my hand before letting it go.

"How you doing Gabi?"

"Better now I'm here," I smile. "It's really good to see you."

"You have no idea," Dom says, grinning wearily at me. I frown.

"You okay hermano? You look exhausted," I ask. He just waves me off and shakes his head.

"I'm fine, don't worry. Just a little harder to sleep in here." I nod.

"Happy New Year, by the way," I say, trying to lift the mood. "We missed you."

"Yeah I missed you guys too. What'd you do?"

"Party at Hector's. Mia and Jessie stayed with Mr. Jones, don't worry," I say, referring to the kind old man who lives down the street. Dom chuckles.

"He give you another story about his granddaddy serving in the war?"

"Nah, this time it was how his angel of a momma used to watch him and his friends same as how he was watching Mia and Jess," I giggle and Dom smiles. But suddenly he grows serious.

"How are you doing Gabi?"

I gulp. "Well the garage is still not doing great, but I been winning more races so that's helped a bit."

"That's not-"

"We been getting a bit more business at the bodega, though, so we got an extra set of hands. Name's Dylan, he's a good kid. Taking classes at UCLA I think it was."

"Gabi-"

"I think Jess might end up dropping, though. Poor kid can't get his grades up no matter how much I try and help him out."

"Hey." He grabs my wrist and I look at him. "I know what you're doing. Can you just answer me for once?"

I sigh and look down at my hands. "Well mostly everybody knows about me now. Can't say I ain't a bit stressed about it but I think I'm more okay with it than I thought I would be, which is good. But I miss you a lot. And since things have been going downhill my ma's been taking on more shifts at the hospital so she ain't around much. And I don't know about the other guys. I think I really only talk about real shit with you, and my ma, and..." I trail off, biting my lip.

"And Letty?" he finishes. "Why you sound sad about that?"

I sigh. There's not much point in lying. Plus, at this point my confidence has grown a lot. Guess it's about time Dom gets to see it, too. I puff my cheeks out and look him right in the eye.

"We kissed. Well, made out is more like it. A few weeks back at the New Year party," I say. Dom's jaw drops and I wave him off. "We were both tipsy so I'm sure for her it was only because of that. But since then it's been... tense."

"For her...?" Dom asks. I narrow my eyes as he plays stupid. He knows exactly what I mean, I can tell.

"I like her a lot Dom. Have for a while. So yeah, when she kissed me I'd be lying if I said I wasn't riding on cloud nine. But this is exactly what I didn't want to happen if she figured that much out."

To my surprise, Dom grins. "Well I'm glad you told me," he chuckles. I smile in relief.

"You're not mad?"

He shrugs. "Nah. Why would I be? And you've changed. In a good way though, don't worry."

I make a goofy mischievous face and say, "I mean Ma's working tonight and we're having a party so my good mood could also be from the fact that it's been weeks and I might get some tonight..."

I grin and we both start laughing. My smile disappears, though, when the guard comes over and tells us our time is up. We stand and hug again, and before I know it, he's gone, leaving me standing alone next to the visiting room table.

•-•-•-•-•

"Gabi!" I hear Mia's voice call out excitedly to me from down the sidewalk. I turn to see her and Jessie coming from the main gates of the school. I grin and wave. Ever since Dom was put away, Vince and I have been taking care of picking them up after school, and in that time the two have become more like younger siblings to me than ever.

"Hey guys," I say as we climb into the car. I start it up and start on our way home. "How'd it go today?"

"Shitty. Aced my math test but that was pretty much it," Jessie huffs.

I sigh. "That's okay Jess. Good job on your test, though." I reach over and squeeze his hand.

"How's Dom?" Mia asks quietly, knowing that I went to see him today. I smile at her.

"He misses you," I say. "Misses us and the house and the garage. Speaking of which, we need your help out there today."

I drive us by the bodega to pick up some drinks for the three of us and for Vince, Leon, and Letty, who are waiting for us, before pulling up in front of the garage. Jessie goes to work on the computer straight away and Mia goes in to help Vince. I head into the office to find Jessie staring hard at the computer, expertly using the software to create models and designs.

"I still don't really get how you do it man," I say, chuckling and coming up behind him. I put my hands on his shoulders and kiss the top of his head. "You okay Jess? You sounded kinda upset in the car."

Jessie turns to me and huffs. "I hate school," he says plainly. "Only time I've ever been able to focus is when I'm in here, doing this. I want to focus in class, Gabi, I promise, but... I can't, no matter how hard I try. I'm failing my classes, and I've tried everything I can to fix it but I just can't."

"Hey," I say, turning him around and bending over so I can meet his eyes. "It's okay Jessie. You got that ADD thing right?" He nods. "It's not your fault."

Jessie sighs. "I'm just sick of it. I wish I didn't have to go anymore."

I pause, thinking, then exhale and put a hand on his shoulder. "Look, if you really really don't think you can handle going to school anymore, let me know. Make sure to talk to your ma. And mine, actually," I add, remembering how little his mom is involved in his life. "You got a family right here and a job at the garage and the bodega. It won't be the end of the world."

Jessie looks up at me in shock but I raise a finger before he can say anything.

"But you gotta at least stick it out until spring break, yeah? Then we can talk."

I let out a small shriek of surprise when he flings his arms around me. I chuckle and return the hug, rubbing his back.

"Thanks Gabi," he says.

"No problem baby," I say, ruffling his hair.

"Hey don't 'baby' me I'm only two years younger than you. And I'm taller," he retorts, slapping my hand away.

I shrug and roll my eyes. "Aight. But don't come crying to me when Mia asks you why you two are walking your asses home tomorrow."

"You can't make me walk home-!"