Blood On Her Hands

Chapter 49

Two months later.

The doorbell rang, the chime bouncing off the teal colored walls and modern furniture. Even the chime it emitted was chipper and airy like the design. Kimberly had given me a lot of creative liberty in what I decided to bring to the apartment. I wanted something different than the dark panel design of my childhood home. I brought pastel watercolor paintings and kitchen accessories like pepper shakers with tiny, blushing faces on them. It was spotting little things like that which put a smile on my face when I rushed to answer the door.

I pulled it wide open without checking through the peephole since I was expecting visitors.

Julio, Tìa, and Tìo stood in a triangular formation with Julio at the front like a shield or peace offering. In his hands was a bouquet of flowers. It surprised me to see they were sunflowers. They seemed too big and bold to be in a bouquet but like the little happy objects spread around the apartment, they already brought me immense joy.

My aunt and uncle's expressions were grim. They tried to smile but it didn't reach their eyes. Their wrinkles were more prominent, more scrunched and deep. The bags under their eyes weren't as dark as they had been weeks before but the hunch in their shoulders and mismatched clothes cued me in that they were still recovering from Nancy's arrest.

I didn't classify my own experience of dealing with her arrest as recovering because in all honesty, it felt as if I had lived my whole life simply recovering. I was done living my life on pause. Maybe if Nancy had spent at least a fraction of the time I had spent trying to heal myself, she wouldn't have had the incessant need to have everything. She wouldn't have felt like the world owed her.

"House warming present!" Julio said, thrusting the flowers at me. His eyes were a light brown that soaked up all the light in the room. His smile was hopeful. I knew that second that Julio missed having me around.

I took the flowers from him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "They're different. I like that."

I exchanged greetings with the others, our kisses more stiff and robotic. It added confirmation to my theory that the two of them were holding a grudge against me. Like Darren and Nancy, they seemed to have the policy that family meant loyalty to the end - even if it meant breaking other things in the process. I did my best to remember that my family's way didn't have to be my way. I could be confident in my decisions even with their strong disapproval. 

As soon as my family crossed the welcome mat, Kimberly was out of her room and strutting over to meet them. Her bangs were growing out, sending wispy strands to tickle her nose. She urged my aunt and uncle to take a seat on the couch, launching into a story about where we found the cherry blossom coasters on the coffee table.

Julio followed me to the kitchen to help me pour some drinks.

"So," he said, leaning over the counter. "It's come out that Darren isn't going to be charged with anything."

I used a spoon to dump the powdered flavor into the glasses of water and stirred. The underwater tornados became thick with an ice tea flavored dust.

"That's good for him. I don't think he was really guilty of anything anyways."

I handed Julio one of the teas. He drank a few sips and lingered. I didn't move from my place either since I sensed there was more he wanted to say.

"What you did - helping the police find out who was responsible for Adonis's death - was really cool." He rubbed the back of his neck and his cheeks flushed. "You stopped a whole drug ring too. I don't know what I was thinking when I said all those mean things about you."

I stirred my drink even though it didn't need stirring. "It's fine. It's in the past."

"No," he said, conviction filling his voice. "I want you to know I don't look down at you. You're what a big sister should be."