From A to Z - Angel Reyes

Chapter 21

"Oh honey, you look terrible," Holly said as a truthful but harsh greeting as soon as Zara answered her FaceTime call.

Zara rolled her eyes. "Hello to you too," she huffed.

"How are you holding up?"

"Meh," she shrugged. "I'm living."

"Have you talked to him? Seen him?"

"He said he didn't want to see my face," Zara grumbled. "So he won't."

"Oh Zeebee, baby, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Zara said bitterly. "I'm not."

Holly knew that wasn't true but she let Zara project strength in her moment of weakness. "Listen, your father and I think you should spend some time up here during the summer."

"I was thinking about making a move, actually."

"That's kind of extreme," Holly cautioned. "I thought you liked it down there?"

"Only reason I moved here was the job," she huffed. "I couldn't find any other full time teaching gigs. I love it here but come on, I wouldn't have moved here willingly."

"Do not let him dictate what you do with your life," Holly said firmly. "I didn't raise you like that."

"Mom, I'm pregnant," Zara blurted out. "I'm not raising this kid alone with no family around. Besides, you'd be here so much to visit it wouldn't make sense to keep living so far apart."

"Zara," she inhaled sharply. "I don't know what to say, sweetheart. How do you feel about it?"

"I don't know," Zara admitted. "I'm so gutted. I couldn't even tell him he was so angry I went by the yard."

"That baby will want for nothing," Holly said. "If you're happy, I'm happy."

"I don't know what I am."

"You're intelligent, beautiful, funny, you are loved," she reminded her daughter, "And you do not need Angel Reyes."

—

​"Hey Nestor," Zara said with a sigh as she walked into the Galindo's home.

"Hey," he said as he took the suitcase from her hand, "She's in the kitchen."

"Thanks," she said with a nod. "Em?" Zara called out quietly.

"I'm here," she said, grabbing Zara for a hug. She was dressed and looked determined.

"You look great," Zara remarked.

"I can't sit here and cry all fucking day," she hissed. "I'm going to get my son back."

Zara smirked devilishly and nodded. "Get him home and let Miguel deal with the rest of it."

Emily nodded. "They'll pay. Let me take you upstairs. Did you bring anything?"

"Nestor took my bag," she said as she followed Emily upstairs. "I appreciate this. I had to get out of that house. The realtor is putting it up officially tonight."

"Good, you can do better than that house, in that neighborhood, with that man," she said firmly.

Zara nodded, "Yeah." She had yet to share the news of the baby with Emily and only have her the minimal details about Angel. Until the baby was home nothing else really mattered, it could wait and it would.

—

That evening, Angel found himself crawling out of a sewer grate on his way to meet with Adelita. He dusted himself off and looked back to see Coco clambering to his feet as well.