Chapter 16
Deja VU
**1 month later**
Bronx, NY
7:30 PM
Martha was fresh off work pulling into the driveway of her quaint brownstone right outside of Riverdale. She bumped Frankie Ruiz out of her BMW speakers and sang along at the top of her lungs.
"Entre mil falsos coloressssssss... La ultima estrella ... La colección de mis sueñossssssss... Mirandome asíiiiiiii" she belted out off Key.
She sat in her car dancing and singing along. She texted her son Help with Groceries and waited until the song ended to get out. After a minute or so he didn't text back so she gathered as many bags as she could in her hands in effort to make one trip.
Martha struggled up the steps to the doorway and rang the bell. No answer. She rang it twice again before juggling the bags to get her keys from her purse. A gallon of Milk fell from one of the bags and spilled all over her foot and doorstep. "Shit!" She yelled.
Once inside she was pissed and began screaming at her son to come downstairs.
Martha: "VEN AQUI!" (Her voice cracked)
She placed her groceries on the table and yelled again.
Martha: "Joaquin!!! stop Puneta and get DOWN HERE!"
She cleaned herself up and waited for him. He didn't respond and she panicked. She walk up the steps to his bedroom calling his name and flung the door open. His room was empty. The baseball sheets on his bed were neatly tucked.
Her heart raced. She dashed down the stairs and out the house to the driveway. While Standing in the middle of the street she sent a frantic misspelled text to him begging to please call.
A nervous wreck she ran across the street to her neighbors who hadn't seen him come home after school then tried next door. No one had any answers for her. Just as she was heading in the house feeling defeated she heard a car pull up.
Parked in front of her driveway and blocking her in was two big black escalades. The driver walked around and opened the door to the back seat. Her son hopped out smiling with his backpack on, still in his school clothes. Martha's heart filled with relief. She ran towards the truck but something stopped her.
Martha: "Cesar... (She mouthed)... No"
Cesar got out to hug him and give him a noogie before sending him away. Joaquin headed toward her unfazed.
Joaquin: "hey mom... (Grabbing her shoulder) ...What's wrong?" (Noticing her tears)
Martha: "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!"
Joaquin: "he gave me a ride home?"
Martha: "GO! ... (She yelled) go clean... Shower ... Go! (stuttering over her words)
He Obeyed and marched straight into the house. She waited for him to get inside to speak. Cesar shot her a devilish glare and stepped toward her running his fingers through his hair. She took two steps back and folded her arms.
Martha: "WHAT . DO YOU THINK . YOU'RE DOING ?!"
Cesar: "I'm getting to know Mi Hijo" (he said sincerely)
Martha: "STAY AWAY FROM HIM... (Her voice cracked) HE DOESNT NEED TO KNOW YOU!! I will NOT LET YOU GET HIM KILLED!!! (She shouted) you are NOT a good person Cesar!"
Cesar: "Mira... Mira... (He calmly stepped into her space) ..Watch how you talk to me, si?"
