Dangerous Game

Part 5

       A/N: Maria Lopez aka Monic Perez Diaz

 The day we lost Raul was the saddest day in the Lopez's household. That day ended any kind of realization for my mom. She stopped acknowledging that she had a son. She cleaned his room out of all his things. She forced herself into denial. My sister sought comfort in the arms of another woman's husband, and my dad became obsessed with finding my brother. He was constantly traveling between Cleveland and Washington, D.C. He traveled so much and stayed away for so long that my mom eventually told him to stay there and don't bother coming back. This was the last I saw of my father. I was a college freshman by then and we did keep in touch, but it just wasn't the same. 

My father had left us to find his only son, and at times felt like Raul was his only child. 

   My mind was made up! My things were packed, what little I had. I'm moving in with my father. 

Since he said he's busy with work, he's rarely home, and he said it would be nice to have someone in the house. I probably still won't be able to spend time with him because I know my father, all his free time will be spent looking for Raul. So I planned on joining him and helping him, I explained to him over the phone. 

"No! You will not help me, Maria," he responded sternly over the phone, "It isn't safe. I'll take care of this on my own. Got it?" 

"Fine!," I through clenched teeth. "I'll call you when I'm on my way. Bye Daddy. I love you," I say quickly. But I don't get a response, even though I know he heard me. I try not to think about it too much. 

I shake my head. Look around my room one more time and make sure I didn't leave anything behind. I walk down the hallway towards the garage. Take one last look at the house and give a mental farewell. I get in my 4 door red Dodge Challenger, my baby, a really precious gift from my uncles for graduating with honors from the university. 

I throw my purse in the passenger seat and plugged in the coordinates to my father's apartment in the GPS, a place called Soho in Manhattan. I strapped my seatbelt on and started the car. The sounds of my hemi engine sent a deep bone thrill. I pulled out of the garage and headed to the highway, while listening to India Arie. 

I merged onto the highway and prepared myself for a long ride. I connected my iPod to my stereo and just sat back and drove. Letting the soothing sounds of India Arie and others great singers like Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Maroon 5, and others soothe me. I thought about the students I've left behind and I'm sadden by the thought of them moving on to their next grade not being able to talk to me. But I am also delighted that I get to meet new students in a different grade level. It's overwhelming and exciting.

Since it's the middle of June and school is out, there were a lot more people on the road than I anticipated. I'm on 80E, in bumper to bumper traffic, the sun is out and shining it's rays on me and my car. I increase the temperature, ahhh that's nice I say to myself. 

My phone rings and I answer it. "Hello?"

"Hi, sweetie. It's dad," the voice on the other line says.

"Hi, dad. I'm on my way there," I respond nonchalantly. 

"Great! How close are you?" He says optimistically.

"Uhhh..still in Ohio, on 80E, in bumper to bumper traffic," I respond while putting my car in park. 

"Oh...geez. Ok. I'm calling to let you know that I've been given a partner," dad says. 

"Hmm...O....K..., " was all I could think of to say. Why was he telling me this, what does this have to do with me?

"Look I don't like that I have one. So if I seem grouchy every now and then, you'll know the cause of it," he says bitterly.

"Why don't you want a partner?" I ask. 

"You know why! They get in the way. I prefer to work alone. But nooooo, the chief says my work load is too much and I need to share the burden. I have an ache in bunion should I share the pain in that as well?"

"Dad..."

"So they send me a young buck from California. Can you believe this?!?" he shouts in my ear. 

"Okay tell me again why is this bad," I say sarcastically. "Because if my principal wants to put a co-teacher in the room with me and 30 kids, that's a dream come true."

"Come on, Maria! This is serious. He could jeopardize everything that I've been working on in trying to find Raul.!" Now dad sounds pissed. 

I gently reassure him that maybe this will work out for the best, and maybe he could make him get his coffee or get his dry cleaning. 

He reluctantly agrees but still feels as if he's going to be babysitting half the time. I told him to stop being a pessimistic. He replied that everyone in his line of work always is. I reminded him life is too short to feel this way and tell him I will call him later because traffic is moving. 

"Fine. I love you, Maria," and hangs up. 

"I love you too, "I murmured. 

I put the car in drive. Traffic seems to be moving quicker, thank god. I wonder what the hold up was. 

"Pump it," by Black Eyed Peas comes on and I get really excited. "Ha, ha, haaaaaa..." I start singing and bouncing to the nice beat. 

As I drive I could see a bunch of police cars parked together, next to a Jeep Cherokee. "Interesting," I murmur. 

A/N: PLease stick with me. I'm positive it will get better. Thanks for reading.