Tw: kidnapping, battery, threatened and hit with a gun.
Usnavi June 2009
It has been nearly six months since I last saw Vanessa. Since she moved a few years ago, we don't get to see each other that often. She was supposed to come for Christmas, but a bad blizzard came in. Then, for spring break, her and her moms when to Barcelona. She is coming sometime this summer, but I don't know when. She didn't have a definitive answer for me.
I am walking around the neighborhood, missing Vanessa, when I notice a familiar face standing about a half a block away from me.
"Vanessa?"
She is talking to her mom but turns around quickly when she sees me. Her face brightens and she runs to me. She jumps in my arms and I hug her tightly.
"Man! You ruined my surprise! I was going to surprise you by just ringing your doorbell in the morning."
"What... what are you doing here!" I ask stunned.
"My moms and I moved back. We all missed living in Washington heights. Mom will work from her office here while Mamí is going to open her own salon down the road."
I kiss her and hug her tight. "Oh my god. This is the best day of my life. I am so happy you are finally home. Promise me you will never leave me again."
"I have no intentions of going anywhere. Mom already promised we won't move until after I graduate high school. Speaking of, I'm headed to the same school you are at."
"Perfect. I can't wait to introduce you to my friends Nina and Benny. I've told you about them, but I can't wait for you to meet them. I think you and Nina will be best friends."
She smiles. "I can't wait."
"Mija, we are about done here. If you want to go spend time with Usnavi, we won't mind."
She runs and kisses her moms' cheeks. "Okay. I will be back after dinner. Love you Mom. Love you Mami."
Usnavi June 2011
Today, Vanessa is coming to spend a week with us. Her Moms are headed to Europe for a week, and she gets to come stay with us. Her mom's don't want her staying home alone for a week. She will stay in Mari's room and Jaime is staying with me for the week. I love Jaime, but I don't want him staying in my room.
"Mom, does Jaime have to stay in my room? Vanessa and I are both almost 18."
"Usnavi, we have been over this a dozen times. If you want Vanessa to stay, she is sleeping in Mari's room. If you keep pestering me about this, I can still call Carla and cancel this whole week. I'm sure her moms will buy her a ticket to Europe."
I shut my mouth and go back to my room to prepare it for Jaime. When I get to it, he is messing with a baseball that belonged to my first dad.
"Jaime! I've told you to never touch that!"
He jumps and steps back. "I'm sorry Bubba, I just forgot."
"Please, just don't touch my stuff. Next week, you will be back in your room."
"Sorry Bubba." He says near tears.
I sigh, walk over, and hug him. "I forgive you, just don't mess with my stuff. I love you Jaime."
Vanessa arrives four hours later.
"Nessa, honey, are your parents here?"
"They dropped me off outside. If you need to talk to them, I can call them."
"No worries. I can talk to them later. Usnavi, why don't you show Vanessa where she is staying. Mari, go with them."
"Mom!" I groan under my breath. She gives me a look that shuts me up quickly. I sigh and take Mari and Vanessa's hand. "Let's go my favorite girls." Vanessa gives me a heart warming smile and walks with me to Mari's room.
Today, Vanessa and I are getting ready to spend the day on the beach at Coney Island.
"Bubba, can I come?"
"Sorry Tiny, today is a day just for Vanessa and I."
"Please Bubba."
I walk over and kiss her head. "Nope, love you though. We will see you later."
As Vanessa and I walk out the door, dad reminds us to be home by 11.
"Navi, I feel guilty lying to your parents."
"Don't worry. They won't be mad at you at all. Your moms, I don't know, but my parents won't be mad."
"We are staying in a hotel tonight. Won't they worry when we don't return at 11?"
"I will text them at 10:55 and let them know we are safe and that we will be home tomorrow. After tomorrow, I will probably be grounded for eternity, but it will be worth it. I can't wait to finally make love to you. Are you sure you still want to do this?"
She smiles and me and nods. "Yes. I have been ready for a while. My cousin has made the reservation at a nice little hotel in Brooklyn, just a few blocks from Coney Island."
I take her hand and kiss her. "I am so in love with you. Let's go have an amazing day."
During our time on the beach, Vanessa ends up getting badly sunburned. Instead of staying in a hotel, we decide to just head home. She realized how bad it was as we ate dinner at the restaurant.
It has taken us oven an hour to get close to home. She has slept on my shoulder most of the ride. I hate to wake her, but we both need to get off.
"Vanessa, Amor, time to wake up!"
"Are we home?"
"Almost. Our stop is next."
She nods, stretches, and winces.
"I really should have used more sunblock. I didn't realize how bad it would get."
"Tomorrow, before you leave, I will go and get you a bottle of what Mari uses. Thankfully we have some at home, but I want you to take a bottle home. It works really well when Mari gets a bad burn. She has mom's complexion and burns easily. It makes her so mad that she is not dark like dad."
Vanessa laughs and kisses me. "Thank you Navi."
When we get about block from my apartment, I get this bad feeling in my stomach. I look around and see this man following us.
"Vanessa, let's cross the street."
"Is everything okay?"
"Just a bad feeling. Would rather be safe than sorry."
We cross the street and a moment later, the man follows us. We try crossing the street again, and again, the man follows us. I grab Vanessa's hand and we start walking fast. The man behind us speeds up. I tell her to run, since the door to our apartment is only twenty feet from where we are. Just as she reaches the door, a guy comes from the other direction and grabs her. At the same time, I feel a gun placed on my head.
"Scream or do anything and I will kill you."
"Please, don't hurt her. Do whatever you want to me but leave her alone."
He smirks at me and then hits me in the face with his gun. The last thing I see before passing out is Vanessa pulled into a van. I hear her scream and the world goes dark.
Usnavi, son, everything is okay. You are okay," is the first thing I hear when I wake up.
"Where am I?"
"You are in the hospital. You were attacked."
"I don't remember."
"Thats okay. You just rest. Everything is taken care of."
"Mom, where is Vanessa?" I ask, feeling confused.
"Don't worry about that right now. Just rest and we will talk later."
I try to rest but then I remember what happened.
"Mom! They took her! They took Vanessa!"
"Shh! The police are looking for her now. I'm sure they will find her soon. Now, rest."
"Mom! They took her. They took my Vanessa!" I cry.
