My Best Kept Secret (MBFF Sequel)

Chapter 3

Oscar

The cool night air was dry on my skin as I sat outside on my porch steps. Tito sat beside me with a 40 and a blunt in hand. "You look like shit mano." He said before passing the blunt to me. "Sit in a hospital for five hours and you'd look the same." I spoke back with no emotion. "How is she?" He asked nervously. "The doctor said there's a slight chance she'll pull through but her Abuelita...." I stopped myself, not wanting to speak bad shit into existence. "Damn." Was all Tito said before dropping his head with a hushed sigh. "I don't know what to do mano. I never told her that I wanted to be with her. I know she's young but I also know she liked me all on her own. She saw the real me and I let a fucking gang war put her in the fucking hospital!" I almost yelled but held it down. I didn't want to upset Cortez more than he already was. I also told Abuelita that I would tell him what the doctors said. I didn't want to do it but I knew I had to. I knew that if I didn't tell him and something happened I would be the one to blame. Either way, it still feels like my fault.

"Mano it's not your fault. You were trying to protect her when she did what she did. I've told you once and I'll keep telling you that until you believe it. You've got to stop looking at it in a negative way mano. I know things are hard right now but maybe she will pull through and then you'll be able to tell her how you feel. Don't give up hope vato." He said before slapping my back. He stood up after passing me the blunt and walked off to his car. All I can do is think about telling Cortez what the doctor said. I'm pretty sure he thinks the outcome isn't going to be good but thinking and knowing are two different things. I wish I didn't have to tell him things like this but at the end of the day he's my son and he deserves to know the truth.

Cortez

Hermione looked like she was a shell of the girl I used to know. Her skin was always bright and glossy but now it was pasty and dull almost lifeless. As I sat in bed all I could do was think about her. She was laying in that stupid fucking hostpital and there isn't a damn thing I can do to fix it. Her Abuelita has been asking if I'm taking care of myself and I always tell her I am but, I'm lying. I don't eat much, barely sleep, I skip school most of the time to get away from the prying eyes of my classmates. Everyone wants to know what happened or why it happened or if Hermione was dead. Most of all, they were all completely insencitive about asking.

Guys who thought she was hot all tried to get her hospital room number to leave her flowers but I knew they had selfish motives behind it. Some of the girls were actually happy about it! They thought they could get a shot at my dad now that Hermione was in the hospital. Who the fuck is happy about a girl being in the hospital and almost dying! I hated being anywhere other than beside Mione because the world felt like it was moving so slow. I felt like I couldn't breathe and everything was closing in on me. My mind was so far out there at this point I didn't even realize my dad had came into my room until he was sitting right in front of me on my bed.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked in a hushed tone making the lump in my throat harden. "I... I miss her so much." I tried to get out without crying but the tears stung in my eyes and the tears fell like rain. "I miss her too mijo. She's fighting, I know she is. We just have to wait it out and hope for the best. I'm not going to be the parent to tell you all we can do is pray but if you feel like it, do it. If you want to talk, I want you to know I'm here. Don't think you have to bottle it all up inside and not speak to me about her. I love her too mijo but you can't hold it in, it's not good for you." He said making the tears fall faster and thicker. "I want her to come home!" I screamed before jumpping into his arms.

Hermione

My daughter was now two years old. Her hair was brown, long, and curly. Her eyes were a stunning green and her skin was the same as Oscar's. She was a daddy's girl to the fullest and that was a problem. Oscar and I weren't doing the best because I knew he was lying to me. He was out all day long and odd hours of the night. He would sneek away to make phone calls and he always had a gun no matter where we went. I was tired of pretending like everything was okay for Gabby. Things were different now, it was like the old Oscar was back and I wasn't liking it at all. When we got married and had Gabby he told everyone he was done with the gang life but I think he's back at it again.

I don't want to just accuse him but, I also don't think I should have to ask him. I'm his wife and the mother of his child. I shouldn't have to ask my husband if he's lying to me about being back in a gang he swore he left. I don't know if I even have a right to be angry, I married him when he was a gang leader. I guess I fel like things are different now that Gabby is getting older. It makes me feel like my daughter isn't safe anymore, no matter where we go, what we do, I feel like the gang wars will follow. That is unexceptable for my child at this point. If I could have taken Cortez out of the gang life I would have but I was a teen myself at that time. Now I'm looking at the full picture as a grown woman with a child. I was so nervous to have this conversation with Oscar, I didn't want him to be angry if I'm just bugging out. What happens if he leaves me for doubting our promises to each other.