Shattered Loyalties

3: When They Come Home

Isabella

Everyone piles in the room that I'm sitting in. I bookmark the book with my finger as the detective comes in the room. He leans on the counter and crosses his arms. Alexa sits beside me. Instinctively, I move over so I'm as far away as possible. "Esta bien?" Senior Rodriguez asks me. I only nod my head. He doesn't believe me even then. "Isabella—" this time I want to say something, but the detective speaks first.

"Isabella," says the detective. "We found a paternal match for you, Rafael Vargas. He's agreed to take you in under his custody."

"Wait. I'm sorry, officer—"

"Detective," he corrects Alexa.

"Detective. Whatever. She's my sister. How do we not have the same father?"

"She's also almost two years older than you. You are her half-sister, after all."

"What?" She asks in shock. I turn away. I never had the courage to even talk to her about it. She hated with I talked to her...or I'd get beat. "How is that possible? Daddy's been here for forever."

"Blood results are final."

"Well, can I go with her?"

"It's up to her father." And as always, I have no say in it. It's always up to someone else.

"Can I be alone for a bit?" I ask the people in the room.

"Isabella! Let me please stay with you! I'm as scared as you! For fucks sake, Dad's not even your dad!" She cries. She tries to hug me. I stand up before she can hug me.

Don't be mean. Be kind...but you're free. You don't have to go with everything they do now...right?

As everyone leaves, Senor Rodriguez sits on the couch with me. Once again, I scoot over. "Esta bien, isabella?" I don't respond.

"Do you think..." I pause. I can't say what I'm about to say. "Do you think he'll love me?" He sighs and leans back in the seat. "I mean, why do you stick around? I'm just a student."

"I know," he says. "But I've vowed to protect you. I just—I can't explain it now."

...

They leave me alone for three hours. That's how long it takes for my father to come.

I'm nervous, so I take out the leather notebook from my bookbag and start writing in it.

No, I don't write. I scribble. It's what I'm feeling. I scribble until the pen tears through the paper. "Fuck," I mumble. I slam the book shut.

My stomach aches. It twists in a thousand little knots. I can't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that I'll be seeing my father soon. I'm terrified. What if he doesn't want me? What is he's worse than Nathan?

"Where is she?" Is all I hear. I stand up from the couch and peak out from the window. There, I see a man in a crisp black suit. Everyone stares at him. It's like he's important. Behind him is a man in a white dress shirt and slacks. He looks a bit more relaxed, but I can see the resemblance between the father and son. Is it weird when I say they are big...like muscle big?