Morning's always seemed to be the best part of each day. The calmness in the air, the dense feeling of loneliness while everyone slept away. Standing starring out the kitchen window. Watching the world wake up slowly , from a perspective so clouded of judgmental thoughts and thoughtless lies. For some it's just another morning, but the guilt that buried itself deep in me had no way of letting me feel like it was just another morning. There was a deep & robust aroma of peruvian bean roast that slowly surrounded me as the sounds of the coffee maker continued to bubble in the distance. Distorted at first and faraway as it then grew louder . "Beep beep beep!", the alarm clock read 6:00 am. The house was quite and pitch dark, the soft dim light of the early dawn was the only visible form of light that peaked through the window.
The drip from the kitchen faucet was a metronome steady hypnotizing as if it was some how forcing my mind to gaze upon a blank state of mind. Forgetting the reason why I was awake at 6 o'clock in the morning, or maybe it was my conscious trying to wake me up from what I was about to do.
Startled by the sound of tapping at the kitchen window I accidentally spilled coffee trying to mix in my sugar and milk. There was a little red cardinal on the window sill chirping.
The sun was now about to peak up over the trees and neighboring houses. Grabbing my glasses and sliding into my slides I walked outside with my coffee in hand and phone in the other. The morning temperature felt cool for Texas weather with a small breeze that trickled through the few leaves that were left on the tree.
Fall has arrived and the earths energy gave out an uplifting vibe that pulsed around my cone of vision. Making the trees seem full of color vibrant to the eye and full of life then all of a sudden ... BZZZ, BZZZ!" Bzzz, Bzzz!... Checking my phone to see who was calling and a quick glance is all I had of my cover screen to see who was calling. "PRIVATE CALLER", before they hung up , hmm". I wondered to myself who could that have been so early this morning.
Screaching tires and loud music echoed down the street from the corner. It was my brother Jorge he quickly approached my driveway swiftly stepping out of his truck slamming his door shut behind him. Bam!,
"Ey cuhzz I got some crazy news , good news & bad, but I need to know if your still down ese?. I quickly responded " Simon, what's the deal, what's the plan carnal?" With out hesitation. He then began to ramble about how the whole clika should be together again and what not. That we should all be mature and talk out the problem that's harboring all this negativity once and for all or 1 on 1 & squash it. I agreed with him and stated "Nambe even though life has most of us against the wall, we're always here no matter what holmes". The more we spoke , the more calm he became trusting me with details of what has happened.
"Come check this out holmes, look what I got here". As he led me to his truck flicking the last of his cigarette on the ground and proceeding to open the back door of his truck.Where he explained to me 4 big black duffle bags, 2 assault rifles & 2 bullet proof vests all ready to go for the next day. " If you down homie like you say you is, then that right here , is our pay day and way out the hood ese. una vida mejor para tus hijos , a better life for your children!"
As I stood there nodding slow in agreement, grinding my teeth and twiddling my fingers. Gathering up the courage to say yes from deep with in and not feel nervously scared. But the struggle in life and hunger for better is what made me automatically say " Fuck yea, let's go vato!" Instantly giving me the biggest stomach ache and knot in my throat. As my buddy Jorge gave me the biggest most evil smirk I've ever seen him have.
I had a feeling this was going to be a mission we'd never forget or come back from. Jorge then got into his truck lit a joint he left in his ashtray set it to drive and held the brake as he took a puff and said while smoking. *Puffing sounds and holding breathe*. "I'll swing by tomorrow afternoon to pick you up (exhales deeply) be ready and don't say anything to anyone, alright?". I Gave him a thumbs up and yelled "ill be here dog just pull up". He sped away radio blasting Bone Thugs & Harmony. Didn't even make a stop at the corner just drove passed it wrecklessly.
Later that day as I was with my children it made me think what if? What if I get hurt? What if I get caught? and What if my kids find out? But... what if I manage to score and get away with it, I can get away and go faraway with my family never look back and leave all this behind. The thoughts of successfully making the trip has blinded me of the fact that it could be a dream. The dream wouldn't be a dream anymore but reality manifested. As I lay my children down to sleep my wife asks me " are you ok honey? You seemed offly quiet today at dinner." Walking out of the children's room whispering as I closed the door. "Shh I'll tell you right now in our room".
"Jorge came by today" i was about to mention why when i saw she looked at me with this serious stare and asked. " What did he want now?. I said " he needed me to help him with a run and back him up, you know im hi-" she then cuts me off before i could finish answering her and says " OMG!, you better not get into any trouble or any other kind of danger out there, just making things harder for us as if they aren't already Manuel." Before I could even explain and try to persuade her as to why I should go. Things got heated and the conversation turned into an argument, yelling and name calling led to her kicking me out that night.
YOU ARE READING
A New dawn (3chapter Sneak Peak)
Short StoryA father with no other options steps in to help his brother from the streets out of loyalty & respect. But how deep is he willing to go as it destroys his family before he realizes Family comes first
