Don't call me doll

Chapter 28:

Dalia hummed to try and distract herself from the worrisome thoughts. She sat on her bed with her knees against her chest. A book was propped up on the top of her kneecaps, with each hand holding one of the sides. She mindlessly flipped through the pages, only reading half of each page then moving on. Then realizing she had no clue what was going on and returning to the last pages. Dalia let out a loud exasperated groan.

It had been almost 2 hours since she had left the salt warehouse and all she could think was every single bad thing that could have possibly happened to him. Dalia slammed the book closed and placed it down on the bed while swinging and standing up. She exited the bedroom to see Anita sitting at the dining table. She was dressed in a tight black dress, with a candle opera sitting on the top of the table.

"Surprising Bernardo?"

Anita turned and gave a quick nod, the pair of sisters fought a lot but could never stay angry for long periods of time. Dalia sighed, and walked over to the cupboards grabbing a glass and filling it up with water. There was silence in the apartment as she got her drink then finished it. Maria joined them, but closed the door and nearly ran into the bedroom. Dalia bolted to the room, abandoning her sister.

"Maria...¿Qué pasa?" Dalia whispered, holding the now sobbing young woman and trying to comfort her poor friend. The pair were on the floor, with Maria leaning into her best friend and sobbing to the point of not being able to speak. "Shhhh..." She whispered, moving her hair away from her drenched face to try and keep it out of it. Dalia placed a kiss on her head, as Maria choked out a few heartbreaking words through her tears.

"Riff...and Bernardo...they're..."

She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

Dalia stood and shook her head, leaving her friend on the floor. "No...no...no...no...NO!" She felt tears brimming her eyes, as she screamed and shook her head now falling to the floor as well. Her cheeks were drenched, and her voice cracked as she continued yelling. The yells were now cracking more and more, becoming less decipherable with each one.

In one incomplete sentence Maria had shattered her entire world. She held her arms while digging her nails into her biceps. Causing small marks, that soon began to drip blood down her arms. But she didn't feel anything, other than her entire heart shattering.

Maria wanted to hold her broken friend, but she couldn't move herself from the floor where she too was breaking. The pair slowly crawled together and held each other continuing to sob.

After about 20 minutes, their tears were dry. Dalia felt numb, she felt completely shattered yet couldn't cry any more. The one good thing in America for her was now gone. The window cracked open to reveal a crying and blood covered Tony. Maria immediately scrambled to her feet and began to bang her fists into his chest. Dalia pushed her out of the way and onto her bed.

"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?! EVIL! YOU ARE EVIL!" She screamed, while slapping Tony across the face. He stared down at the ground, ashamed and allowing the little woman to scream and slowly beat him up. Maria remained silent, sitting on Dalia's bed and watching as the attacks became less and less effective. Instead devolving to her barely punching his torso and her words devolved to indecipherable nonsense.

"I'm sorry."

Dalia moved and leaned against the closed glass doors holding herself again, Tony reached out towards her then stopped himself. "I really can't tell you how sorry I am that I couldn't stop it..." He whispered, handing her something wrapped in a long piece of ripped dirty cotton. She hesitantly took it, tucking it into her pocket then moving around Tony and climbing out of the window.

Leaving the couple alone.

Dalia sat in the fire escape, holding the small piece of fabric. She carefully unwrapped the small object then gasped and felt fresh tears begin to form. Despite her thinking that she had none left. Dalia ran her hand over the cracked glass, then along the old leather.

The watch was now stained with blood, making it difficult to read. She held it close to her chest, then noticed something on the old fabric it had been wrapped in. It had a large splotch of blood, and small scraggly writing on top of it. It clearly wasn't his handwriting, but his words.

Doll. I ain't doin' so good...so Tony's writing this for me. I wish you were here, and I wish I could hold you one more time and promise you that everythings going to be ok...but I don't think it is going to be for me. You gotta keep livin...find that wonderful free place without me...forever your useless 'loco' gringo...Riff.

She couldn't stop the waterfall of tears now. And as Dalia held the letter and watched against her heart, she lay on her side. Not acknowledging the pain from laying on the dirty pokey metal floor. Her eyes closed...and she slowly slipped into darkness.

A/N: Hey y'all!! Sorry about the late update! That's my bad. So not too much news, I'm not sure that this book will end at exactly 30 chapters. This ended up wrapping up nicely, and I ran out of time to make it longer. So it'll probably be more like 32, I know I want to end on an even number.

Special thanks to anyone who reads, comments, votes, or follows!! You guys literally mean the world to me, and we are so close to 12k reads!!!!!!!!!

You guys are incredible!!