Memories of a Life That Never Happened

Chapter 93 - Desperate Measures

Escobar face-palmed in a pitiful attempt to block his eyes from that terrible scene. Half an hour before, he had arrived home with his children to find their house burning.  

Two thirds of the building was gone, either up in smoke or down in dust. What little remained was being irreparably soaked as water gushed from fire hoses. Once more, Marumbi had lent its howling red trucks.  

What a tragic mischance to have them pay a second visit to Buriti in as little as week. Even more appalling was the fact that in both occasions they had come to the aid of the Ortiz family.  

Escobar was crouched with Mica and Julian at his flanks, a sickly mixture of surprise and fear clouding their faces.  

Mica could not believe the black and orange lump against the marine blue sky was all that was left of their home. 

Wiping away the tears with the back of a trembling hand, Escobar stiffened his back. Anger and exhaustion had him crying in front of his children, of his fellows.  

Officer Salvino, in his usual brown overalls, laid a strong hand on Escobar's shoulder. "It's late. There's nothing for you to do here. You have a place to go to?" 

Escobar cleared his throat and even opened his mouth, but his face squinched and he just bowed.  

If Mica knew anything about Escobar, it was this: he was a hardworking man, proud of always landing on his feet. Too proud. He cringed at the thought of asking favors, no matter how small. So even if they had no place to go, he would never admit it.  

During the past weeks, Escobar went against his nature several times. He had borrowed Eloy's car on multiple occasions, asked Sandra to babysit Julian, accepted Jean-Pierre's money and counted on Genaro to accommodate his children. He was too self-conscious to ask any of them for more help.  

"Escobar," said Salvino after he gave the man a minute to recompose. "It has to be a place safe." 

"I know," Escobar told him. 

And then it hit her. Mica realized they were not at all safe. 

"Excuse me," Mica called Officer Salvino as he motioned to get back to work. "What caused the fire?" 

"We must go through the rubble to be sure," he said over his shoulder.  

"Was it criminal?" 

Salvino doubled back. 

"We can't say just yet," he answered, but the glance he shot Escobar told her otherwise.  

"Come," said Escobar getting up.  

An obvious attempt to avoid more questions from her.  

It seemed to Mica as though he had aged decades during the minutes they stood watching the fire. Standing up took Escobar great effort and when they started toward the car, he shuffled unlike ever before. 

Purporting to embrace Escobar for her own comfort, Mica slid an arm around his waist. His arm swung limp over her shoulders while Julian's hand wrapped around a finger of his free hand.  

Apart from the fire trucks, the old beetle was the only vehicle parked on their street. Inside it was all her family had left.  

The night was awfully quiet. Everyone was too absorbed in thoughts of their own for conversation to bloom. Escobar did not say where they were going and neither Mica nor Julian bothered asking.  

Mica only realized her stepfather had drove them to the Chusters Manor when the car slowed into a halt in front of it.  

Escobar cut off the engine, got out of the car and poked his head through driver's window.  

"Mica, you and Julian stay here," he instructed. "I will not take long. Keep your eyes on the road. If anything happens or if you see anyone coming, press the horn and get Julian out of the car. You wait for me on the porch, ok?" 

"What are you doing?"  

Not knowing about the chat that Escobar and Nicholas had had the previous day, the only explanation Mica devised for their charred house was that it was a retribution from the man in the woods. That meant he was still around. And coming for her. Was Escobar going to ask Theo's dad for help?  

"It will be fine. Do not worry."  

The vague, unreassuring response did nothing to persuade her to follow his directions.  

As soon as his silhouette vanished into the house, Mica took Julian and got out of the car. 

"Dad told us to wait here," her brother protested. 

"I need to use the bathroom," Mica lied, dragging him across the front lawn and to the side porch that led into the kitchen. 

Her shaky hand rapped softly at the door while Mica glanced around to make sure they were alone.  

The door clicked open and Agnes's frowning face appeared beyond the crack. "Mica?" Agnes glanced at Julian, who clutched his sister's leg. "What's going on?" 

"Can we come in?" she pleaded. 

"Of course, child!" The old woman stepped back and urged them in.  

At the kitchen counter, Ishikura was sitting with a cup in his hand and a wary look.  

"How did you get here?" Agnes asked. 

"My stepdad drove us." 

"Escobar? Where is he?" 

"Talking to Nicholas, I think." 

A sudden crashing sound caused Julian to start crying. Agnes and Mica first hurried to sooth him and only later looked for the source of the noise.  

All they found was the empty stool where Ishikura was seating and shards of his porcelain cup surrounding a chartreuse spill on the floor.