IF ROSES BLED INK

CHAPTER 21: "A LITTLE TRUTH ABOUT MY PAST"

Mountain View back in the early 2000s was a volatile place.

Things were almost never the same on a day to day basis because we were in the middle of a drug revolution. Rivals from different cartels were competing for positions around the town and that made living there even more risky. Of course being stupid kids, we were never really concerned with the bullets and weapons.

My Dad was though.

He worked as a transportation guy.

Thinking back now I should’ve known he was moving more than just people's furniture. He found himself away from home for long periods of time, stretching anything from two days to a week.

I remember when Danilo came into the picture. I was only four years old and I could barely remember the situation but I never forgot him. My Dad had an affair with a women from New York many years before. They ended things because of the pregnancy and agreed they would never let their secret come out. My Dad grew tired of hiding from his past though. He eventually came out to my mom.

My mom wasn’t angry or upset. She was disappointed in my Dad for lying. Danilo carried on living with his mom all the way in New York. No connections to us at all. Until now.
Staring at him from across the room was a ghostly experience.

A decade and a half had passed and I still recognized him. All I needed now were answers. I wasn’t about to let the only family I had around slip away.

“Uhm, Danilo can we go talk outside?”, I asked.

“I was thinking the same thing, why don’t we go somewhere else though. I think we might be a while.”

“Alright, let’s go for a walk then.”

We both left the room, anxious and excited but afraid all at the same time.

“Carlos, that day, the last time you saw me, I remember you. You were wearing a red superman shirt and your hair was really curled up and messy", he said.

“That shirt was my favorite. I’d never go a week without wearing it. I’d run around with my friends and we’d pretend to be super heroes all the time", I laughed.

Danilo sighed.

“Growing up in New York wasn’t the same. Everything was so much bigger. My mom always told me it’s a dangerous place full of dangerous people. She said I shouldn’t have to end up like Dad, in jail.”

“I know we couldn’t be there for eachother when we were younger but we can now Danny. Let’s make things right. I want you to be a source of positivity in my life", I said.

“I was hoping you’d say that little bro. I want it too", He laughed.

“Hey! Don’t push it with the little bro thing okay. Its only a few months.”

“Haha, you’ll get used to it.”