Prison Chic #1st book of the Chics series (EDITING)

Chapter 53

Just finished one of my bloody midterms.. Had a little time to write so. Yay!

Enjoy…

“Hey there, Maria’s girl!” Cal called enthusiastically as the fifty something men were being assembled by Fernando at the Bar entrance. It was almost time.

Joanna looked at him gingerly, despising the wide toothed smile he gave her before she gave in and walked to him.

“You’ll never stop calling me that, will you?” she hissed at him.

“Why would I?” Cal beamed, as if he was purposely flaring her nerves.

Joanna closed her eyes, took a big breath and opened them again, “What?” she spat.

“Now, now.. is that anyway to speak to the man who sheltered you for the past five days?” Cal said, his tone almost hurt and Joanna felt bad.

“Sorry. I’m just a bit jumpy today.” She averted her eyes from him and to the men who were arguing by the door.

“Just today?” Cal mocked and Joanna rolled her head up to look at him, a new dagger in her eyes.

“Sorry.” Cal chuckled. Suddenly he looked serious and cautious. He was about to say something and Joanna wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it.

“Fernando told me how much you hated to talk about your mother.” He started and Joanna tensed. It was not the right time for this subject. Actually, it was never the right time for it.

“Yeah.” She prompted, eager to speed up this uncomfortable conversation so she can focus on more important matters.

“I’ve known her you know.” He said. “Fernando was smitten with her the moment he saw her. even before he worked with Aldo.”

Joanna found that past a little odd but Cal surprised her even further.

“as a matter of a fact, I think one of the reasons Nando worked with Big ol’ Aldo was so he could be close to her.”

Joanna gulped and looked sideways to the man in subject who was too busy to notice their little discussion.

“I’ll tell you something pleasant.” Cal said, leaning down so his face was mere inches from hers, “I hated her too.”

Joanna’s eyes widened at his confession.  The way he called her “Maris’s girl” all the time made her think he actually liked her mom.

“She broke his heart more times than I could count,” Now Joanna turned her head fully so she can observe Fernando, feeling sorry for him.

“And he was all too ready for the next time she would. He was an idiot in love, or at least that what I thought.. Until…” Cal stopped and looked down at her sympathetically and Joanna looked at him now more interested in what he was going to say more than ever, “Well, until she eloped your father and gotten pregnant.”

Cal continued, “I saw him that night, he was a mess. And deep down I was happy that he’d finally gave up on her. it seemed that way for a while until I found out that he was working day and night to find her and… well, you.”

Joanna didn’t say anything, just looked at him, urging him for more.

“When he did, and after Big Aldo was in prison he came to me. He showed me pictures and would talk about you as if he knew you for the longest time when all what he saw was glimpses of you. He didn’t even speak of Maria that time. It was extraordinary, and I was more eager than ever to see you.”