Page 41 of I Survived and will rise again

"James," he answers in a low voice.

"We're in," I say.

I drive to Jo's house the next day, hoping to discuss the news with him. However, when I arrive, Claudia informs me he isn’t home and that he has gone to the shop.

A group of guys is gathered around a sports car when I pull up to Seb's uncle's auto shop. Jo is among them, his hands covered in grease as they work on a vehicle. Initially, I go unnoticed, but when I turn off my car and step out, everyone's attention is immediately drawn to me.

With a smile on his face, Jo greets me as I walk toward the group. It's hard not to notice the significant change in his appearance; he looks much better than he has in the past few months. "Well, what's up, brother?" he says with a cheerful tone.

“Sup, man.” I pull him into a bro hug.

"Hey, guys," I call out to the rest of the group in greeting, then turn to Jo. "Jo, you got a minute?"

Jo wipes his greasy hands with a rag and puts a tool in his back pocket before nodding. The other guys follow us into the garage, and everyone settles in their respective spots. Jo and I sit on plastic chairs while Seb stands nearby, looking concerned.

I take a deep breath and begin. "I've been offered the opportunity to lead my own team in Tennessee." There is a brief moment of silence as we exchange glances until Jo speaks up. "You're leaving?"

I nod. "Yes. Gabby is coming with me, too."

"Shit, man. That's great, I guess," Jo says, leaning back and spreading his legs apart, looking out into the busy street.

"I want you to come with us." The words are out before I even think, and I wait for Jo's response with bated breath.

Jo glances at me with a raised brow. "Say what now?"

"You talked about making a difference, right?"

He nods slowly.

I chuckle. "How about joining the Bureau? With my connections at the FBI, we can enroll you into the FBI academy."

Jo lets out a laugh. "That's fucking funny, man." But his eyes widen when he doesn't see me laughing. "You're for real, aren't you?"

I nod, my expression serious. "Yeah, Jo, I am. I already told you I believe you have what it takes to be a kick ass agent."

Jo expresses his disagreement by shaking his head. "Nah, man. You have to have a clean background, and you know mineain't exactly spotless," he says with a hint of disappointment in his tone.

"I know, but I can help you clear your record. A clean slate, Jo. You can start over, and you'll be closer to Sadie and Sophia."

Jo seems to ponder the offer but doesn't verbalize his thoughts.

Seb emerges from the garage in a plain black T-shirt with the shop logo, jeans caked with grease, and tattoos covering his arms. His presence commands attention. "You should go, hermano," he says in a low, steady voice.

Jo turns to face him, his eyes narrowed. "You eavesdropping, bro?"

Seb leans casually against the garage door, his arms crossed. "Nah, just happened to be walking by and overheard," he replies with a wry smile. "You know how thin these walls are."

Jo lets out a hearty laugh.

"You know Sadie would be the first person to pack your bags right now," he quips, his voice laced with amusement.

Jo's expression turns wistful, and he lets out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I know."

Ever since Sadie received her college acceptance letter, he has put on a brave face and insisted that he's okay with her moving away and starting a new chapter; but I can see the sadness in his eyes. It's hard to watch him struggle to accept the fact that Sadie and Sophia won't be around. He's been trying his best to stay occupied lately. He's been attending appointments, spending quality time with his mom, Abuela, and Elisa, and focusing on his job. Hell, I’m going to miss them too.

Jo looks at me with a determined expression and nods confidently. “Alright, man. I'll do it," he says with conviction. “But I gotta talk to Mom and Abuela first.”

I smile widely in response.

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