This is how it all began...

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"Are you sure you'll be alright out there? " 

Furrowing her eyebrows, Rosa gazed up at me from behind her brunette on-set of bangs. 

"Hush, it's only girls night out, Diego. I'll be back by one " 

"One?! Isn't that too inconvenient?" 

"Hush! You'll wake the kids, Diego!" 

I ruffled my hands through her hair, still skeptical about her late night dining. It was the time when crime was on the edge of its peak. 

Rosa smiled at me " If it should worry you, I'll call you the moment I get there, how does that sound?" 

"Fantastic" 

Rosa of course, was someone to trust. Determined by our steady years of marriage. The safety of her and our three children was very critical to me. 

"I should go, they'll all be wondering where I am" Rosa said, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Hey, be back by one, okay?" 

"Will do, Diego" 

And with one smile, Rosa closed the door behind her and walked out into the night. I sighed. Before endorsing myself in the latest sports show, I stalked off to the children's bedrooms. Fiona and Alejandro were already alsleep. Rosalina, the eldest was still occupying the bathroom. 

Eleven O'clock.

'One', she says, 'she'll be back by one. Like I could live with that'

Sprawled on the couch, I reached for the remote control and flipped to the sports channel, which began to set my mind to ease.

                                                                           *************

I must have dozed off halfway through the game since I was unaware of the police sirens that went off and the knock at the door which kept me off-guard. Finally coming back to my senses, I groggily stood up from the couch and headed towards the door. 

"Dad?" 

I turned around and faced Rosalina, who was perched on the staircase. 

"Go back to bed, honey. I'll deal with this" 

"What do they want with us? And where's Mom?" 

Rosa. Oh, Lord. 

I ran to open the door. 

Standing in front of me was a tall man dressed in the typical American Police uniform. He took a look at me and swiped his hat off. 

"Good evening, you must be Mr. Gomez" 

"Diego, please." I took his lingering hand.

"I hear you've come a long way from Mexico" 

"Yes, I have" I said, eyeing him skeptically

"Well, you remind me of that wife of mine, she's Mexican born, too." 

I nodded my head half-heartedly, grimacing at the word 'wife'.

I guess he may have sensed my discomfort, as his initial expression dropped. 

"Diego, do you have any idea as to why I am here, tonight?" 

"No, Sir" 

He looked at the ground as he spoke, 

"Rosa Maria? Who is Rosa Maria? Do you know her?" 

"Yes. Rosa Maria Gomez is my wife"

The Officer flinched. 

"Tonight, at Twelve O' clock... " 

Slowly, he averted his gaze from the ground and glared at me.

"Tonight...at Twelve O' clock, we found a body..."

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