Killer Queen

18.

Eugene's POV

I paced back and forth in my room, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts and fears. The idea of leaving, of finally being free from Marquez and this life, was almost too good to be true. But I trusted Thelma. She was the only person who had consistently shown me kindness, and who seemed to genuinely care about my well-being. 

When Thelma finally came into my room, I could tell by the look on her face that she had news. "We're going to do it," she said quietly. "Marquez is on board." I felt a surge of relief mixed with anxiety. "How?"

"We're framing someone for your father's death," she explained. "Manuel, one of Marquez's men. It'll take some time, but we're setting it up."I nodded, my heart pounding. "And then what? How do I get to my mom?"

"We'll figure that out once we're sure the plan is in motion," she said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "For now, just stay low and don't do anything to draw attention to yourself."I swallowed hard, trying to calm the storm inside me. "Thank you, Thelma. I don't know what I'd do without you." 

She smiled, a sad but determined look in her eyes. "Just promise me you'll take care of yourself, Eugene. You deserve a chance at a better life."

She was risking everything to help me get out, and the thought of leaving her behind weighed heavily on my heart. I wished I could bring her with me, away from Marquez and this dangerous world.

"I wish I could bring you with me," I blurted out, unable to keep the thought to myself. "You deserve a better life too, Thelma."

She chuckled softly, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I wish I could too, Eugene. But this is my life now. The life of a killer." Her voice was steady, but I could hear the resignation beneath her words.

"It doesn't have to be," I said, sitting up and looking at her earnestly. "You could leave with me. We could start over somewhere far away from all of this."

She shook her head, a bittersweet smile on her lips. "It's not that simple. Marquez would never let me go, and even if he did, I'd always be looking over my shoulder. This world has a way of pulling you back in, no matter how hard you try to escape."

I wanted to argue, to convince her that we could find a way, but I knew she was right. The ties that bound her to this life were too strong, and breaking free wasn't as easy as just walking away.

"Just promise me you'll be careful," I said, my voice trembling. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I will," she said, squeezing my hand. "And you promise me you'll live the best life you can once you're out of here. Don't waste this chance, Eugene."

"I promise," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. She stood up, giving me one last look before heading to the door.

When I see my mom again I tell her about Thelma and the good woman she is.

Thelma's pov

I went back to my room and started crying bittersweet tears. Eugene will be with his mom. Something I didn't have and he gets to live a peaceful life without looking over his shoulders.

One day I'll get my blessing aside from all of this. It was hard to sleep with everything and anything on my mind. Suddenly I wondered if Monique had gotten my letter and if my other friends sent theirs.

Quickly I got out of bed and ran down the stairs to the kitchen where I knew Lopez would be. "Buenos Noches Thelma I'm making dinner." She says smiling while stirring the pot.

I was a bit hungry and didn't even realize I didn't eat because I was so distracted. "Oh, what are you cooking?" I came closer and looked into the pot seeing rice then moved over to the other that had steam fish.