Child's Play | Oscar Diaz

Child's Play - Chapter One

Fatima sighed, hitting her head against the glass pane of the car window. "Why do you guys hate me?"

"Mom and I don't hate you." Juni shook his head, "we're doing what's best for you."

"Whats best for me?" She scoffed, "how would you know what's best for me?"

"I don't." He side glanced at her without taking his eyes off of the road m, "we're gonna figure it out together, as a family."

"Family." She chuckled dryly, "that man doesn't know the first thing about being a family."

"Just give him a chance Tima." Juni sighed, "he really wants us to meet our sister."

"She is not my sister." She shook her head, "she's your sister."

Juni kept quiet, reaching for the volume knob to shut her up. "Why don't you put some music on?" He reached for the aux cord, handing her the end. "Come on, we're almost there."

"No thanks."

"Fine." He nodded, "you not ready for this fire though."

She groaned, shaking her head softly. "Fine I'll do it. I don't know if I can take a minute more of your sad music."

"I'm going through a lot, okay?"

"We didn't have to leave." She shrugged, "your breakup was on you."

"It's only for the summer." Juni sighed, "I'll see her again, she said she'd wait for me."

"Yeah, well she's a hoe so I doubt it."

"Just shush." He set the turn signal on, "I'm trying to focus."

"Are you sure we're in the right neighborhood?" She looked around, "I think you have the address wrong."

"Freeridge." He pointed at the GPS with a nod, "we're like two minutes away, keep an eye out for thirty-two twenty-two."

She kept her eyes steady on the house numbers as they passed them, "I'm just saying it doesn't look like a place dad would want to live."

"He's changed, Fatima."

"Ha." She mocked, "I'm gonna hold you to that. Here." She pointed at a house, it had a handful of men sitting outside of it.

"What are these guys doin?" He mumbled to himself, shifting the car into park as he came to a stop. "I'll get down first, I don't want these dudes talking to you."

Fatima didn't get a chance to speak as he opened the door and hopped out, shutting it behind him. "Morning." He nodded at the men, "I'm looking for my father, he gave me this address." He pointed at the house, "y'all know where I could find him?"

A cholo stood, chuckling softly, "I didn't know Spooky had a son."

"Spooky?" Juni furrowed his eyebrows, "nah, my dad's name is Arnaldo."

"Oh." The cholos eyebrows rose, "you're Happy's kid?"

"Yeah, Juni." He held his hand out with a skeptical squint, "short for junior."

"Christian." He pressed his palm against his, "nice to meet you. Uh, your jefes inside, pásale." He nodded, stepping up the concrete steps.

Juni looked back at his car, motioning with his hand for Fatima to stay put. She nodded softly so he walked into the house, shutting the door behind him.

"Junior." Arnaldo smiled, "yo, you're early." He pulled him into a bro-hug, glancing up at his curly hair, "didn't I tell you to cut this the last time I saw you?"

"Slipped my mind." Juni chuckled, "nice to see you dad."

"Nice to see you too mijo," he nudged him, "this is Spooky, he's a homie."

"What's up man? Juni." He offered his hand with a smile.

"Spooky." Oscar nodded with no eye contact, staring down at a pice of paper.

"He's friendly I promise, just sorting shit out."

Juni nodded, pressing his lips together. "You sent me this address, didn't know I was gonna be pulling up to your job."

"Oh." Arnaldo laughed, "no, mijo. I've just been here all day and I wanted to say what's up before we head to the house. We're almost done though." He nodded over at Oscar who continued to read from the sheet of paper. "Where's your sister?"

"In the car." Juni said, "I told her to wait, I didn't know why we were here." He cleared his throat when Oscar looked over at him with his eyebrow arched. "I can go get her if you want."

"I'll come with you." He nodded, "Spooky, take a break and come meet mija."

"I can't right now." He mumbled, "you go ahead." Arnaldo shot him a warning look, causing him to huff. "Not like we been tryna figure this shit out for six hours, but sure, I'll meet your daughter."

Arnaldo smiled as the exited the house, Juni in front of him and Oscar following behind.

"Everything alright boss?"

Oscar nodded at a cholo who stood, "go inside and check all the dates on that paper, make sure they match up with the dates the money got here."

"Where is it?"

Oscar raised an eyebrow, "where is what?"

"The money."

"We don't have it, that's the problem we're trying to sort–" he huffed, "–where's Sad Eyes at?"

"He went inside with the boy." The cholo nodded at Juni, causing Oscar to turn his head to look at him.

He did a double take, his eyes landing on the girl standing next to Juni the second time. "Go find him." He waved him off, taking a side step to walk up to the family.

"Come on mija, I'm trying here."

Juni glanced at Oscar, then at his sister. "Tima, don't act like that. He's your dad."

"He's your dad." She crossed her arms, "I don't have a dad."

Arnaldo inhaled a deep breath, as soon as he exhaled, he had a smile. "Spooky, this is my daughter Fatima."

Oscar looked down at her, simpering softly.

"How do you two know each other exactly?" She pointed between her dad and the six foot cholo.

Arnaldo and Oscar glanced at each other, chuckling softly. "We've been neighbors for years." Arnaldo said, "I watched this vato and his brother grow up."

Fatima began to laugh, shaking her head. "Funny, cause you didn't even watch me grow up."

Arnaldo bowed his head when his daughter scoffed and walked around the car. Then he composed himself, a smile on his face. "Sorry, she's a handful." He snickered, "my baby girl, she just wants all of my attention."

Oscar hummed, nodding his head. "Yeah. The youngest?"

"Nah, Luisa is my youngest." Arnaldo shook his head, "she's only seventeen though, her mom put shit in her head when we didn't give her a quince—anyways," he cleared his throat, turning to Juni, "I'm right next door." He nodded at the house right next to the one they were standing in front of, "go ahead and get you guys' stuff down. I'll be over in a sec."