Averno ━━ The Last Of Us

twenty eight

chapter twenty eight: lock up your moms
december 2023

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          Mateo let himself into the house.

"Hello?" He sang with a high tone alerting Alejandra who stayed in her spot, "annual Christmas get-together at the bar, kids have gone home and are asleep- let's go get fucked up." He walked into the living room knowing Alejandra was in her usual spot. And sure enough, when Mateo turned a sharp corner and caught himself on the wall he saw the woman staring at him. "Why?" She asked slowly, "'cause Tommy told me to come to get you." Mateo tilted his head to the side with a sweet smile, "I don't want to go." She held the book up and Mateo walked over to her.

He snatched it from her lap, "hey, asshole-" He caught her right leg before she could hit him with it. "Go put somethin' fancy on." He clicked his tongue and dog-eared the page, pulling the blanket from Alejandra's lap while she stood up and pushed at his torso gently, knocking him a few paces back while he shined another wide smile while she walked up the stairs.

          "Are they at least playing good music?"

They walked side by side down the street while the bar came into view, "depends on what you call good music." He swung open the door for her and gestured his arm out, allowing her to walk in first and a few people smiled once seeing the woman. "Ho-ly shit... He did it!" Tommy shouted, walking over to his sister and holding his arms open. She walked into his chest, tucking her arms while he kissed the side of her head. "Sorry, sissy..." he mumbled while leaning his neck backward. "We all have our faults," she patted the side of his face and knocked him away from her.

"Where's your wife?" She asked over the music, seeing Tommy point to the left and Alejandra waded through the crowd before seeing her sat with a few other women. Alejandra sighed while taking a seat on the bench, hearing Maria gasp while she held her arm out and wrapped it around Alejandra's shoulders. "You came!" The girls touched heads with small smiles, Maria keeping her arm around Alejandra. "We haven't met!" The girl sat in front of Maria and she found a younger woman who shared too many resemblances with Mateo to not be related. "Aubrey?" Alejandra asked and the girl smiled, "Mateo never shuts up about you."

"You guys are close?" She asked, "we work together, wouldn't consider us close. He and Dina brought me some 'fuck you' cookies a couple of nights ago though so... Who knows." Aubrey smiled wide, "I have my eyes set on Tim... I'm jumpin' his bones tonight." Aubrey went back into their previous conversation and Alejandra furrowed her brows, "which ones Tim?" Aubrey pointed her finger discreetly towards the group of men, seeing the one standing between Mateo and Tommy. He was tall and had more resemblances to JJ than anyone. "What'd I do to have Joel back" Alejandra kissed her teeth and tilted her head to the side. "Ay, ay, ay..." Maria spoke under her breath and nudged her side, Alejandra smiling small.

"Mateo said let's get fucked up so... I might get fucked up." Aubrey clapped her hands on the table, "I second that!" She cheered, thrusting her fist in the air while Alejandra walked back over to the boys. "Alright, who's buying me a shot?" She joked, pushing between them and knocking into Tommy's chest. "Don't fuckin' look at me." He rose his eyebrows, "yo, Seth... Let's get one for the pretty lady." Alejandra felt a large hand hold on her shoulder and she stayed where she was before turning her head, "wow, pretty lady... Haven't heard that one in years..." Mateo rose his eyebrows and rubbed his hand over his beard. "If I knew your name..." Tim inhaled a slow breath, his chest raising and his lips pouting in a smile while he looked down at Alejandra, almost towering over her.