Together As Mutants (Book Six)

Chapter 41: Bandshell

"Can't believe it's already time," Carmela says, fiddling with her hands.

Taylor nods and tries to look relaxed, but her heart's in her throat. The detention centre that's acted as her father's home for the past three years stands before them, a towering building of stone and metal. It makes her nervous.

Héctor gives his niece a long look, his dark eyes soft, and he reaches out to pat her shoulder. When she looks at him, he smiles softly and lifts his hands.

"It'll be okay," he signs.

Her hands tremble when she signs back, "I hope so."

She's not the same girl she was three years ago, but her papá isn't the same man either. She can't imagine he would be and she's prepared for it. She expects a stranger with her papá's hazel eyes and tanned, calloused hands.

The front door opens and a uniformed guard steps out, holding a clipboard.

"Fuentes?" he calls, voice strong and unwavering.

Carmela steps forward, jittery like a hummingbird, always in motion. Another guard exits and then, there's Jack. Taylor's throat tightens at the sight of him.

He's wearing a plain blue t-shirt, grey gym shorts, and a pair of slippers. He carries a small cardboard box in his arms. He nods and offers a small smile to the guards and one tips his hat to him. Then, he's walking towards his family, a free man.

Carmela bursts into rapid-fire Spanish as she rushes up and hugs her little brother. Taylor hears some of what she's saying, jumbled as it is, as she frets, fiddling with his messy raven-black hair and stubbled chin.

"Carmela, Carmela, I'm fine," Jack says with a tired smile. "Really."

"Oh, good," she sighs. She cuffs him on the back of the head and he winces. "Idiota!"

"Ay, ay, ay...I thought you missed me," he mutters, awkwardly shifting his cardboard box as he reaches to rub the back of his head. "Ay, hermana..."

Héctor moves forward to relieve Jack of the box in his arms, waving at him, and Taylor feels like she's grown roots. He's like she remembers, just a bit older, a bit more tired.

His eyes flit to her and his shoulders sag. "Taylor?" he asks.

She averts her eyes. "Hola, papá."

He pushes past Carmela and moves to her and her instinct is to hug him, but it's like her brain won't let her. She stays still, overwhelmed, numb, unsure in every way.

"Dios mio, you've...you've grown. You've...become a young woman overnight," he says.

His words are almost whispered, like he's convincing himself that she's really the preteen he left behind. She doesn't blame him—a lot has happened since they last met and admittedly, she didn't visit him. It was hard to squeeze it in between being in a gang and being on probation.

His eyes are dewy, red-rimmed, and he holds out his arms. "Have you got a hug to spare, mi pequeña?"

She promised herself she wouldn't cry, but the tears flow as soon as she's got her arms around him. He smells like bar soap and shaving cream, but it's still her papá, and he's warm and solid when he hugs her tight.

"Welcome back, papá," she whispers.

----------

Of course, a happy reunion can only last so long, and now Taylor really wishes she was somewhere else. The kitchen smells wonderful—Carmela is making chicken enchiladas, one of Jack's favourite meals, and Taylor is pretty sure nothing smells better on this earth than her Tia's cooking.