Legend & Lace

20. Momma Vivas

Chapter 20

Momma Vivas

"That's the day they got married," Drake explained once I showed him, Cruz, and Kenna the note I'd found in the back of Lorraine's journal. We were sitting in a parking lot by the airport in Madrid, taking a few moments to pause before we headed to Cruz's mom's house. "It's more than likely the photo from their wedding. My mom has the original one packed away. It was with her locket, so I know she still has it."

I reached up, touching that same locket. "So, we know where it is then."

"Does that mean we're going to have to make a trip to New York?" Kenna asked, a slow grin spreading across her face. "Wonder how that one's going to go after what happened on my last there..."

"Don't even start, Kenna," Cruz groaned, shaking his head at some memory he didn't want to remember.

"Well, if whatever Lorraine hid is still with that picture, then yes, we're going to have to go," Drake said before I could even ask what they were talking about. "And we're going to have to break into my house. Considering Emmy and I used to do it all the time in high school after we stayed out a little too late, it should be pretty easy."

"And you've probably just jinxed us now," I said, rolling my eyes. "Let's just find the last key before we even start thinking of breaking in. We've got enough to deal with at the moment."

"Hattie's right," Cruz nodded, and started toward the driver's side of our car. "Now, can we get going? You know how my mother is. She's going to have an entire feast set once we get there." He gave a pointed look at Drake. "And then there's the matter of letting her know about you actually being alive..."

Drake balked at him. "You mean you told her what happened to us?"

"Of course, I did," Cruz said, rolling his eyes as we all settled into the car, me and Kenna in back with the guys up front. "She thought of you as a second son."

He groaned, rubbing a hand over his forehead. "Now I've got two moms to worry about finding out I'm still alive."

"Do you plan on making yourself known to your family when we head to New York?"

"Well, not right now. Not until all of this is over and done with."

"Um, guys," I cut in, poking my head forward between the seats. "Do we want to go ahead and get going? You mentioned your mom would have food...and I want food."

Drake huffed out a breath before grinning, leaning over to kiss my cheek before I could get away. "You heard the woman. Let's go get some food."

Though I'd been to Madrid on several occasions, I still watched the city go by as Cruz drove us to Marcella Cruz's house, the house he'd grown up in. As he did, he recanted stories of his childhood playing in the streets, the school he'd gone to, his friends, and the girls he'd tried to flirt with when he was a teenager. Those stories held additional commentary from Kenna, who ended with him never having to worry about finding another woman because she was keeping him around for the foreseeable future whether he liked it or not.

Cruz's mom lived in a small townhome with what looked like a rooftop garden by the flowers I could see blooming up there. When he parked on the street in front of it, Cruz got out and paused, looking up at his childhood home with a slight smile, like he was reliving all the good memories it held...and then that smile disappeared when the bad one creeped in.

"Remember, she doesn't know you're still alive," he told Drake as we walked toward the front door, our bags in hand. "Prepare to be..."

The door swung open, revealing a beautiful, dark-haired woman inside. I instantly knew where Cruz got his looks from, something he was very proud of seeing as he barely looked like Vince. Marcella Vivas was probably in her mid-forties, which would have made her in her late teens or early twenties whenever she had Cruz. Though her hair held streaks of gray and wrinkles began to mark lines on her face, her smile and bright eyes – Cruz's eyes – were as youthful as ever.