Ride Home To Me

Chapter17

The first time Tony took me onto the track I was super nervous. I'd gone with Dom and Letty plenty of times but for some reason I really wanted to impress him. There were small tips and tricks that he showed me while we were out there, and it ended up being a blast. On the way home Tony decides to stop at a small diner to get dinner.

"Aren't Mia and Dom waiting for you?" I ask when he pulls over.

He waves me off and ruffles my hair. "Dom knows there's no way he's letting his sister home alone while I'm gone. We're fine for a bit longer don't worry."

We sit down and order and once the waitress turns and walks away Tony asks, "So how are you doing Gabi?"

I'm taken slightly off guard. "Uh, what do you mean?"

He smiles. "You're different from when you first got here, mija. Not in a bad way, don't worry. You're a little less... scared."

I gnaw on my lip. "Yeah, I guess so. I guess it just took me a little bit to get over what happened. At least around you guys. And I mean, wow, I guess it's actually been a while since I've had a panic attack, too." I'm shocked that as I rack my memory, I can't pinpoint the last time I had an episode.

He nods, smiling. "Can I ask what happened with your father, sweetheart? Your ma never talks about him."

I gulp and suddenly taste blood on my tongue. Shit. I gotta stop doing that to my lip. I look down and clear my throat. "Yeah she doesn't really like to talk about it." I exhale before looking back up at him. "He left actually. I was like eight so I don't remember him much but he was my ma's boyfriend in high school and they reconnected when she was finishing up nursing school. She really loved him. But he just kinda walked out the door one day and never came home. Neither my ma or I saw it coming."

Tony's shoulders drop and he takes my hand. "Honey I'm sorry."

I shrug. "No big deal. Think she took it harder than I did but God forbid she let me see it. I'm glad he left though," I glare at the grease-stained napkin in front of me. "If he wasn't up to putting his all in I'd rather he be gone anyway. I'm cool with it just being me and Ma."

I can feel my cheeks burning and notice that my brows have furrowed. I didn't realize how angry I actually was about it. I don't even know what happened. I just remember the walks to get paletas every week with the extra change he had to spend from his paycheck, and the times he would let me stand on his toes while we danced around the living room to bachatas and old-school boleros. But it only took one day for that to disappear. Tony doesn't interrupt me and lets me continue talking about the car rides to the beach, how he was the one to drive me to school in the morning since he worked late into the night.

"Well," Tony remarks after I've finished. "I can't have you standing on my toes to dance around the living room, but how about we take some milkshakes and head on home, yeah?"

I smile with tears in my eyes and as we stand he wraps me in a giant hug.

"Yeah," I say, taking the shake that he hands me. "Let's go home."

•-•-•-•-•

As Tony and I near the Toretto house I'm surprised to see Mia sitting on the porch with her textbooks spread out in front of her. I groan, reminded both of the studying Letty and I have left to do for finals next week, and of the main reason that we've seen Mia doing this for the last several weeks. Tony sighs when we climb out of the car and hear the shouting coming from inside. Sounds like Dom and Letty are at it again. I bet his player ass was probably talking somebody up at work. It's been a reoccurring thing for a while now. And when it happens, everybody knows about it. Letty for sure takes no shit, not even from her boyfriend.

Tony sits on the porch and gives Mia a kiss, starting to help her with her homework. He mutters something to her and she just shrugs, saying something about least amount of noise. I huff, the frustration building in my chest. Mia doesn't deserve to have her best friend and her brother fighting like this, and she shouldn't feel like she has to sit outside just to do her damn homework. I scoff and shake my head.

"This is bullshit man," I mutter, and storm inside. I see Letty and Dom standing in the living room. "This is bullshit! Yo! Are you fucking serious right now?"

They quiet down as soon as they see my crossed arms and furious expression.

"I don't know if you two noticed, but you're basically announcing all your problems to the whole goddamn street. Your poor sister," I jab a finger at Dom before pointing outside, "is on the porch trying to get her homework done 'cause that was the quietest spot in the house she could find. I was supposed to be studying for finals with Letty when I got back. Vince and Leon and Jessie ain't even here anymore they went home! You guys are supposed to be friends before anything else, so fucking end this now and talk about it later when you've chilled out or take it somewhere else you hear me?"

They stare at me in shock for a moment. Letty glares at the ground, a look washing over her face that I can't quite identify. Then she turns to Dom.

"Dom," she starts slowly. "You know I love you. But I cannot do this. I need more than constantly wondering if you're actually gonna stick by me or if I'm gonna get to the garage just to find you talking up someone new. I'm just-I'm done."

"Let-"

"No, we're done. I'm done Dom," Letty says, walking out the front door.

"Letty, wait."

"I'm stayin' at my dad's today Dominic, don't you dare try and stop me."

Letty walks out the door, past poor Tony and Mia on the porch, leaving Dom and I standing speechless in the hall.