Family Secrets

Diego 1

3 years ago...

Diego

"Wait up!" I called, frantically shoving my feet into my boots.

"Hurry up, Eggo," Eliseo muttered, stalking back and forth in front of the door.

"Why do you have to come with us anyway?" Juan demanded. "David's in our grade, not yours."

"He's still my friend!"

"You're just a tagalong kid," D. muttered.

I blinked back tears. Crying would only prove their point. Instead, I sniffled, hurrying through the knots in my shoes even faster, "Doesn't matter. He's still my friend."

"Boys!" Mama's voice admonished.

My older brothers grimaced.

"Don't you leave him out. You know very well he and David get along."

"Yes, ma'am," Juan whispered, echoed by Eliseo and D.

I snatched up my coat, intent to put it on while walking over to David's house, but just outside the house, Eliseo stopped me, grabbing it so he could hold it out for me to step into.

"I don't need you to dress me anymore," I barked, grabbing it back from him.

A flash of something crossed his face, but he took a step back, "Fine."

"Not fine," Juan gritted, stalking forward to pull the coat from my hands. Holding it above his head, he remarked, "Apologize, or you're not going anywhere."

It was on the tip of my tongue to scream for Mama, but I caught his sideways glance towards Eliseo. My eye followed Juan's, seeing our brother's rapidly blinking eyes and trembling lip. Oh.

"Sorry, Ellie," I whispered. "I just don't like being treated like a kid all the time."

A tear tracked its way down his face even as he forced a smile, hand landing on my head to pat it, "It's alright. I just... you do realize yours was the first diaper I ever changed. I'm always going to watch out for you."

"Ew."

Juan and D. laughed, with Juan cautioning, "You're lucky you weren't old enough to change Dustin's diapers. That was rotten."

"Man," D. grimaced, "I just realized the younger ones won't have to do that."

"Unless Mama pops out another one," Juan quipped.

"Crass," Eliseo muttered.

The four of us headed outside, the biting cold nipping at our cheeks. I couldn't wait to see David, to see what new books he got.

The trip was fast, though the wind kept trying to push us backwards. When we got to the door, all four of us knocked once, a fluid transition that sounded like a single person hitting a rhythm against the wooden door.

"Hello!" Widow Astrid beamed.

Next to me I swear I heard Eliseo gulp.

"Come in," Widow Astrid motioned us forward into a the sweet, vanilla-y scented house. "Cookies will be ready any minute now."

"Score," Juan whooped.

Eliseo shoved him, before smiling at Widow Astrid, "That sounds amazing, Mrs. Aaronson."

She paused, gulped, then smiled, "Just 'Widow Astrid' is fine, Eliseo."

It had always amazed me that she could tell Juan and Eliseo apart. Aside from Mama and me (I could smell the difference), very few people could tell who was who.