Page 43 of Velvet Deception

I got home and sniffed at the smell of popcorn wafting from the kitchen. Pops still went off, and I smiled at the domestic scene of Diego and Ramon making a string of popcorn to hang on the doorframes.

“Hi, Mama!” Ramon called out, so chipper and happy, especially with Diego in our lives.

“Hi, baby.” I leaned in to kiss the top of his head.

“Aw, Mama. I’m not a baby anymore.”

A baby…

I shoved aside that possibility.

Diego came to me and kissed my cheek. “Hello, my angel,” he greeted, like always.

“Hi yourself,” I said as I hugged him close.

Ramon stayed busy with the popcorn, not reacting to us together. I’d never outright explained that Diego was no longer just a stranger I’d found and brought home, but much more.

While Diego and I weren’t overly affectionate in front of Ramon, we didn’t hide that we were more of a couple. And to my great relief, Ramon wasn’t bothered by it, accepting of this change. My son looked up to this wonderful, strong man, and I had to catch myself from musing whether Diego was my Christmas gift delivered too early.

Diego guided me to the living room, telling Ramon he’d be right back to help.

As soon as we were out of his earshot, though, Diego’s expression sobered.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, knowing something had to be up.

“Ramon and I went to the market this morning.”

“Yeah. And?” I held his hand and squeezed, needing this touch for comfort. “A man noticed Ramon and watched him. On the walk home, Ramon told me that you’d pointed the guy out as someone connected with the Cartel.”

Oh, fuck.Dread settled in, nauseating me.

The Cartel.

My worst fear.

If someone from the Cartel noticed Ramon, they had to be coming for him soon. Just the idea of any of those horrible men near my boy put my heart in a vise grip of terror. They were always too close, but I did all I could to shelter him and prevent him from being in the position where he could be followed or taken. Even Diego couldn’t singlehandedly save my son. If one Cartel man was lurking too close for comfort, another would be nearby.

All the illusions and dreams of a happy future I’d been having were shattered, just like that.

18

DIEGO

All through dinner, Sofia struggled with the news I’d told her. I hadn’t wanted to frighten her, but I couldn’t keep her in the dark. I refused to ever do that. I understood how deeply she feared the Cartel. I didn’t blame her one bit. In my opinion, the more she was informed, the better she could make her choices and decisions. Knowledge was power—it was a very large part of why I struggled with the selective loss of knowledge I should’ve had about myself. Not knowing made me weaker.

We sat down for a simple dinner of ajiaco Bogotano, a traditional soup for Christmastime. It seemed that soups were simpler so even I couldn’t screw it up. Ramon didn’t eat much, but that didn’t surprise me. He’d eaten a ton of popcorn and had likely filled up his stomach.

Sofia also didn’t eat much. Stress could do that to a person, but I worried about her complete lack of an appetite. She worked herself to the bone, always at the clinic and stuck when her coworkers were late. This sweet angel of mine needed everycalorie she could get to nourish herself and not be run even more ragged.

It wasn’t my cooking. Our inside joke was that I had no clue how to be successful in the kitchen. I liked that they could tease me. I had a thick skin. I didn’t care. Their teasing me proved that I was really a part of this small household. That I belonged.

Tonight, as Ramon got out the checkerboard that hadn’t been damaged from the two druggies rushing in here and crashing the place, no teasing filled the room. No laughter. Hardly any smiles. Ramon might have been shaken up about spotting that Cartel man at the market, but I didn’t think that was what dragged him down. With frequent yawns during our checker game—part of the Aguinaldos, the nine nights of family games and activities that led up to Christmas Eve—he simply looked tired. He was a growing boy, and I bet he just wanted a good night’s sleep. Besides, when Sofia asked him about who he saw at the market, he told her that it was the man in the brown hat that she’d noticed before.

She sighed, nodding. “I’ve spotted him here and there and just know he’s associated with the Cartel.”

“Do you know his name?” I asked.

As soon as the words left my mouth, I almost rolled my eyes. I couldn’t believe I’d asked that. What good would my knowing his name do? I didn’t even know whoIwas, so why would I presume to know who this man would be?

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