"I crave you as if I've already had you before, that scares and excites me all at once"
« In which Adriana Narvaez, a mother
of two, finds herself falling deep
into the world of crime after an
innocent robbery turns into a money-laundering bus...
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"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the hospital."
"What? No, you're good. I promise."
Adriana only shook her head, snapping the Tupperware lid shut, and stacking it on top of the five other meals meant for a week or two. She couldn't help the heaviness weighing in her chest for Ruby and Stan. She was lucky to have never felt the pain of having a sick child and was thankful for it every day.
"I just wish I paid more attention."
Adriana carefully wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and turned to face Ruby. She felt a surge of empathy as she looked at Ruby's defeated expression. Quietly, she stepped closer and enveloped Ruby in a warm hug, planting a gentle kiss on her temple.
"It's not your fault, Ruby. You did the best you can and god knows we have a lot going on."
Ruby could only nod, no doubt holding back her tears, half-heartedly returning Adriana's embrace.
"I know it's just-- Enough of that. What's been going on with you lately? You've been disappearing lately, I've been seeing less and less of you."
Adriana tensed, pulling away with a heavy sigh, wracking her brain with some sort of answer other than the truth. She was probably closer to Ruby than the other girls lately, and she would never want to lie to her, but she wasn't sure Ruby would take the truth well. She wasn't sure anyone one of them would.
"Oh, you know. I've just been working on Dom's business. With Marco gone, it's all kind of hard to manage. Ever since Dom passed, the business hasn't been doing very well. I'm honestly thinking of selling it."
"Are you ready to let that part of him go?"
Adriana paused her movements, nearly dropping the bowl of rice she had planned to offer to Ruby, her brows raised in surprise. She only shook her head, opting to stay silent. She didn't what she could say. Ruby was smart and they've known each other long enough to when each other is lying.
"I think-- I mean. I had to sell the house, and my ring; I had to give up a lot to solve Dom's debts-- a debt that I'm still paying. I've already given it all up. He kept so many secrets from me for so long. Did I even know him to miss him? Did I even have him to let him go?"
Adriana refused to meet Ruby's sympathetic gaze, instead pushing the bowl of fragrant curry chicken and a spoon across the table. She closed her eyes, her fingers clenching the edge of the counter, as a wave of painful memories and emotions washed over her.
"He was your husband, Adriana. Of course, you knew him."
"We were together for four years before we got married, and even then, I only found out he was part of a gang 8 months after we got married. How well can you know a man who would hide all that from his wife?"
