Chapter Twenty-Two

Later that day, Henry opened the car door.

I had never been in East LA before, and my sense of fear tingled at high alert. I stepped out and peered up at the diminutive, one-bedroom yellow home just beyond the walkway.

A patch of dry gold earth stretched out in front, looking more like a collection of weeds than grass. Birds of paradise and various shrubs hid part of the house. All the windows were protected by rust-colored bars, and the driveway only had room for one car. Mexican music filtered from several houses in the neighborhood, along with dogs barking and babies crying. Several pairs of shoes hung from the telephone wire, and trash littered the gutters.

Henry grabbed my hand and led me forward. “Come on. It’s safe.”

We crossed a stone path to a metal security door and knocked.

Pat opened the door. “Oh good. You two made it. Come in, come in. Rosa is cooking up a storm in here.”

I crept inside, slowly and unsure.

The house smelled of bacon and melted butter. The wooden floors contained a mauve sofa, matching love seat, a pressed-wood coffee table filled with kid’s toys and books, and a small TV on a black crate.

I started to walk forward when a large chocolate lab leapt on me. Startled, I yelped.

The dog licked my arm and pushed me into the wall.

I tried to block him with my knee out.

Eunice walked in and laughed. “I see Cindy met Bruno.”

“Down, Bruno.” Pat tugged on the dog’s collar. “Leave the poor lady alone.” He led the lab by his collar and out the back screen door.

“Are you okay?” Henry asked with an amused grin.

I narrowed my eyes. “Not that you helped or anything.”

Eunice sat by a guy with black hair and matching mustache. She waved for us to join them on the sofa. “Have you met my fiancé, Jose?”

“Of course.” Henry shook Jose’s hand. “Jose’s the one who told my friend about the job. How’ve you been, man?”

I recognized Jose, but I never knew who he was before. Why would I? I barely paid attention to our workers, let alone the people who knew the workers. So, Eunice did have someone who loved her.

“Good, good.” He looked at me. “And Cindy, right?”

I grinned. “That’s right. I work with Eunice.”

He didn’t smile back.

I sensed that Eunice had shared our encounters with her man. Most likely, he hated me. Not that I could really blame him. I’d be less than friendly to someone who treated Henry badly, too.

Rosa appeared in the doorway dressed in a pink apron covered in flour. “Okay, everyone. It’s time to eat. I hope you brought a big appetite.”

We all got up and shifted toward the tiny dining room. Rosa’s husband perched in the corner, looking oddly enormous in the space. A little girl with black curls sat in a highchair next to him, and another sat on a booster chair. They were spitting images of Rosa—a little plump with kind brown eyes.

“So, we probably won’t all fit at the table, but fill your plates and then eat wherever you like.” She pointed to pans around the stove and covering the counters. “I’ll get out of the way, so you can walk through.”

Henry reached for two plates and handed me one.

The white dish was hard like glass but wasn’t glass. Interesting. We each passed the various pans. I chose scrambled eggs covered in cheddar, lots of bacon, cinnamon rolls, hash browns smothered in cheese, and some fresh strawberries. Each bite reminded me of why Dad hired her. Rosa could cook.

I didn’t talk much, but I listened. They told story after story about some of the most amazing adventures. These people had little when it came to wealth; yet, they had so much when it came to life. I began to realize, pleasure existed beyond stuff. Friendship harbored the gratification I craved. It was not material things. All the drinking and villainy stemmed from my desire to forget the past, but I now recognized happiness held the key to healing. Not forgetting or pushing it down, which only kept the pain hidden, not released.

I cracked a piece of bacon and dropped it in my mouth, trying not to cry. This was not the time or place to have a pity party. Keep it together, girl.

“Cindy, how are you?” Eunice asked.

She had picked the worst time possible to talk to me. I panicked. My voice would crack if I tried to talk right now. I offered a closed-mouth smile and a shrug.

Henry squeezed my knee.

I rested my head on his shoulder for a moment.

“Well, I’m glad you came,” Rosa said simply.

That had to take a swallow of pride for her to say. I figured that was Rosa speak for I forgive you. “Me, too. Thanks.”

Her little girl ran to my side and dropped a cloth doll in my lap.

I grinned and then glanced at Rosa. “How old is your daughter?”

“Perla is three.”

“Nice to meet you, Perla. I like your doll,” I said in a high-pitched tone only meant for little kids.

“Santa brought it.” She beamed.

“Oh, well, Santa’s pretty incredible, huh?”

She nodded with a big smile. “What did Santa bring you?”

“Shoe glue.” I laughed.

Perla wrinkled her nose. “You might want to be a better girl next year.”

For a second, no one breathed.

I giggled, then the whole room erupted in a laughter. Never a truer statement had been uttered. “Awe, the wisdom of children,” I said. “I think you’re right, Perla. I think you’re right.”

****

Once we all returned from Rosa’s house, Eunice and I were asked to help with the cleanup of the living room.

Dad sat on the couch, rubbing Meredith’s belly.

The two sisters played with new technology in their hands.

I swallowed my emotions and shoved discarded paper and bows into the garbage bag.

Gabby noticed me and tapped my shoulder. “Hey, Cindy, we got you something.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Really? Me?”

“Really. You.” Gabby and Charlotte exchanged glances and smiled.

Gabby moved to the fireplace and lifted a five-by-eight wrapped package and handed it out.

I held it, surprised by their generosity.

“Open it, silly,” Charlotte said.

I nodded through the tears in my eyes and unwrapped it. Instantly, I understood. It was a dream planner.

“Now, you can dream,” Gabby said. “And when you’re ready, we’re here to help you achieve it.”

I hugged both of them. How I had misjudged these two girls? I couldn’t wait to return to my old life and to be nicer to both of them. I wanted to become their friend. They were truly remarkable. “Thank you. It means a lot.”

“Great.” Gabby and Charlotte returned to what they were doing before.

I carried the trash out into the back of the house and tossed it in the dumpster. I turned to go back in.

Henry came behind me and covered my eyes. “Guess who?”

“Um, the gardener,” I joked.

“Try again.”

“The cute limo driver?” I said, half-laughing but half scared. “What are you doing?”

“I promised you another present.”

“Better than shoe glue? I’m not sure you can top that.”

He led me forward about ten feet and removed his hands. “Are you sure about that?”

A patch of snow covered a small portion of the backyard. “No way. Snow in Southern California? How’d you do it?”

“For you, dear, anything.” He handed me some gloves and then slipped a hand in the small of my back and drew me closer to my gift. Once at the edge, he bent down and formed a snowball.

I hurried to make one of my own, but before I could, ice shattered apart on my arm. “Oh, you!” I yelled playfully, then rolled one myself and pitched it. It flew by his left ear. I leaned again and tried to make another one. But before I could pitch it, I felt a ball hit my hunched back. “You’re so going to get it!” I tossed and nailed my intended target this time.

We scampered around scooping, throwing, ducking, and laughing. Never could I remember a better time than that moment. One smacked me in the cheek. It stung a bit, but I didn’t care. I just retaliated.

He ducked but not fast enough. It caught him in the shoulder. Henry warmed up to make another one.

But I charged him and knocked him back to the earth and pinned him down. “Got you.”

“Do you now?” He laughed, then started to tickle my side.

“Stop that. I’m extremely ticklish.” I squirmed away.

But he followed. “I gathered that, which of course just makes me want to do it more.” Henry twisted his finger next to my rib cage.

I jumped to my feet and backed away. “Okay, mister. Now you’ve done it.”

Henry winked, a subtle challenge.

I rolled a big snowball and pretended to throw.

He ducked, but his face came back up.

I tossed it for real. It landed hard against his chin. I flung my arms in the air. “Yes! And she scores.”

Henry wiped the ice from his face, smiling. “Come here, you.” He wagged his pointer finger back and forth, beckoning me toward him.

I shook my head.

He nodded and stepped toward me.

I paced back, afraid of what he might do.

He countered. “I promise I won’t tickle you.” He walked another step closer.

“Promise?” I challenged, remaining put this time.

“Have I ever lied to you before?”

I smiled. “Not that I know of.”

His stride being longer than mine brought him to me. He yanked off his glove and caressed my cheek with cool hands. His tone and expression melted and turned more serious. “Merry Christmas, Cindy.”

“Merry Christmas, Henry.”

His lips swept mine. “You know, I love you?”

I kissed him again, only longer and more fervently, then pulled back, with fresh tears in my eyes. “And I love you, too. My prince. My hero. Thank you for rescuing me from myself. I could not have done this without you.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

“I know. I wish I could have both.” I touched my gloved hand to his chin. “But imagine a world without your father. When he’s all you’ve had for so long.”

“I desperately hope this is just some fantasy you made up and not reality.”

“Then we’d be a fantasy, too.” I shifted back and sighed. “I need this to be real. You, me, all of it. For once, I feel happy. Despite all that has happened, I now understand love. I wouldn’t give this experience up for anything. But—” I shuffled forward. My shoes crunching in the melting ice. “I have to get back, even if that hurts, too.”

“I know.” His arm wrapped around my shoulders, and he pulled me in for a hug.

We held each other for a long while.

Though I knew that our time together would end soon, I was happy it hadn’t ended yet.