Neighborhood Music

Corazón (You're Not Alone)

Oscar insisted on driving them back to his and Cesar's insisting that it was way to dangerous for them to walk. When they pulled up Oscar headed straight into the house, calling behind him for Cesar to hurry up.

Cesar stood next to the car with Monse, she was staring at the ground, shuffling her weight back and forth between her feet.

"I have to walk home." She mumbled

Cesar could tell she was trying to put on a brave face. He was doing the same, if he was honest. Every part of him wanted to curl up in a ball on his bedroom floor and never leave.

He slid a finger under her chin and lifted her face up to look at him.

"Is your dad home?" He asked

She shook her head no.

Cesar sighed, grabbing her hand, he marched up the steps to his porch and lead her into his house.

Oscar eyed them as soon as they walked in. He was sitting at the kitchen table, a half eaten plate of food in front of him. Cesar couldn't see Letty, but he heard dishes being moved in the kitchen, so he knew she was home.

"Monse is going to spend the night." He told his brother.

Oscar didn't look too amused, but before he could object, Letty marched into the room.

"Papito!" She cried when she saw him.

She launched herself at him, Cesar barely had time to catch her before she collided with him.

"Thank god you're alright!" She said

Cesar set her down, and awkwardly pulled Monse in a little closer.

"You remember Letty?" He asked her

Monse nodded, she remembered Letty well. Almost every one on the block knew who she was. Mostly because she was spooky's girlfriend. But Monse remembered how she took over making Cesar's lunch for school when his brother went to jail, and how when she got her first period at a pool party where Letty was dropping off Cesar, Letty had been the one to snatch Monse out of the water and take her to buy a tampon. The two women didn't know much about each other, but Monse knew Letty was good people.

"Good to see you again" she smiled, feeling slightly more like herself

"You too." Letty nodded

Cesar saw an opportunity to bypass the conversation he was sure his brother wanted to have about him letting Monse stay. Letty had really become his ally when it came to moving the unmovable Oscar Diaz.

"Monse's dad is out of town, and after tonight she doesn't want to stay in her house alone." Cesar told Letty

Immediately, Cesar saw his brother's girlfriend shifted into gang mother mode.

Monse noticed how quickly Letty took charge as well, only what was more surprising to her was that Oscar let her. She guessed that with none of his gangster friends around to impress, Oscar was kind of a softy.

"Oscar," Letty called, "The girl has to stay."

He didn't say anything, just held up a thumbs up for her to see.

Letty turned to Monse and held out her hand, "You've had a long night, let's go see if some of my pajamas will fit you."

Monse followed her willingly, though Cesar did give her a little nudge. Once they were far enough down the hallway that the boys couldn't hear, Letty started telling secrets.

"We should give them a few minutes. Oscar is a little shaken up about someone pulling a gun on his baby brother. I don't know why he's surprised, I tried to tell him this would happen, but he thinks the Santos are the 'good guys', there's no reasoning with him on that." She explained