Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
I laughed softly and shook my head. “Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?”
“I need you to know I recognize how terrible I was to you and thank you for even giving me the time of day. I don’t deserve it, but that’s the kind of loving person you are. I appreciate it.”
I couldn’t even think of anything to say, so I just sat there and stared at her as she pushed back some of my hair. Movement caught my eye across the room again, and I realized with a start we weren’t alone. A vaguely male shape sat in the shadows, still as could be, his attention clearly on us. Anger filled me that someone dared to eavesdrop on such a private moment with my sister, spied on us when we were at our most vulnerable.
Then that anger turned to worry as Fernando slowly rose from the couch and stepped into the light.
He only smelled like weed now, no alcohol, and his gaze—though bloodshot—was surprisingly sharp.
I don’t think I’d ever seen him this sober.
Wearing a button down black shirt and khaki shorts, his stride was purposeful as he crossed the room toward us. Behind me, my sister startled hard enough that the bench shook. I reached back, putting my hand on her leg. Fernando must have seen it, because he slowed down, sorrow mixing with his determination.
“I won’t hurt you,” he rasped. “And I’m sorry that I overheard you, but I’m not sorry for doing it.”
“Fernando, Ramón’s oldest brother. Recently lost his wife and son in an accident,” I muttered to my sister before saying in a louder voice, “What the fuck, Fernando?”
He held up his hands, his dark gaze focused on my sister who was now clutching my wrist. “Do you really believe that?”
“Believe what?” my sister asked. She released me as she stood behind me, placing a protective hand on my shoulder.
“That if you do enough good deeds, you can erase the evil on your soul and go to heaven.”
I tried to avoid flinching at the grief in his voice, and my sister made a soft sound of sorrow. “I do believe that. Though I don’t think evil deeds get erased. I picture it more like scales. At the end of your life, does the good outweigh the evil? If it doesn’t, what can you do to change that? Who can you help? Who can you be nice to?”
He blinked rapidly, and my heart broke anew for him when I saw a spark of hope lift some of the darkness from his gaze. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“Start with your family, those you’ve loved and wronged.”
She gave my shoulder a squeeze, and I placed my hand over hers, shocked by her compassion and understanding. Without a doubt, she was a different person now that she was on medication for her bipolar disorder, and I was so damn proud of her. A knock came from the door and a second later, an unsmiling Ramón appeared. He took one look at the situation, at our teary faces and took off toward Fernando.
I managed to jump between them and had to literally wrap my arms around Ramón. “If you hit him, you’ll hurt me!”
Instantly, he stopped, but his chest was heaving against mine as he lifted me up and examined my face. “You’ve been crying. What the fuck did he do?”
“He didn’t do anything.” I did my best to soothe him, stroking his face and neck. “I’m okay. These are just emotional tears.”
“What happened?” he gritted out.
To my surprise, it was Brittney who literally stood between Fernando and Ramón. “Ramón, it’s nothing. We were having a discussion about heaven.”
Ramón almost dropped me as he abruptly set me on my feet.
He frowned over my head at Brittney. “Heaven?”
“Yeah,” Fernando said with a harsh, aching laugh. “Brittney here seems to think we can earn our way back into heaven with good deeds. That there’s a chance at redemption.”
Even I could hear the anxious hope in his voice, that Fernando desperately wanted to believe my sister, and Ramón was no fool. “Of course there is.”
“See, I told you,” Brittney said in a gentle, teasing voice. “Never doubt one of the Holtz sisters. We’re always right.”
Fernando didn’t say anything, his gaze distant and tortured.
Looping his arm around my waist, Ramón tugged me to his side. “We need to go eat before the parents decide to come look for us.”
“Fernando,” I gave him what I hoped was a welcoming smile. “Would you like to join us? I’m sure my parents would love to meet you.”
Fernando took in a deep breath, then slowly let it out. “Thank you, but no. I need some time alone to think.”
Brittney gave him a gentle one-armed hug before joining us as we left Fernando alone with his thoughts in the silence.