Page 118 of Red Mountain Burning
“My mom’s drinking again,” Emilia said. “We found a bunch of empty wine bottles in her office.”
Though his body froze, Brooks’s eyes slid toward Carmen. She was looking down at the bar, hunched over in shame.
“I can’t believe you, Mom,” Emilia said. “You made it months.”
With her eyes fixed on something below her, Carmen said, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s my fault,” Jake said. “I never should have agreed to let you work here.”
“I’m just gonna…” Brooks turned.
Jake whipped around. “Brooks, you’re family too. Please come join the discussion.”
Brooks cautiously approached the bar. He might be family, but he didn’t feel like he had anything to contribute at the moment. He’d already suspected Carmen might be drinking again, but figured it was none of his business.
“Carmen will be resigning her position as of today,” Jake said. “The official story will be that she’s looking into starting a new clothing line. I don’t want the drinking thing to leave this room. We all know how that will play out in the media.”
“Now do you see why I don’t want you here?” Carmen asked her daughter, mopping her face. “Because this happens. Alcohol tears people apart. Can’t you see that now?”
“Carmen,” Jake snapped. “Enough. We’ll get you back to rehab, and we’ll get through this.”
Emilia had gone behind the bar and torn a paper towel off a roll. She handed it to her mother. “He’s right. We’ll get through this.”
Carmen took the paper towel and wiped her face. “I will not go back to rehab.”
“Yes, you will, Mom. You’redefinitelygoing back.”
“A lot of good it did,” Carmen muttered. “There’s no way I’m going back there.”
Jake lost his temper. “We’re not going to talk about it another minute. Not until you’re sober.”
Carmen found Brooks with her serpentine eyes. “Hope you’re happy now.”
Brooks raised his hands.
She pointed at him. “This is exactly what you wanted, isn’t it?”
He wasn’t close enough to smell her breath, but it was certainly obvious she was at least a bottle deep. “Not at all,” Brooks whispered.
“All right, Carmen,” Jake said. “Let’s head home.”
Carmen brushed past all of them and held up a middle finger, saying, “Fuck off,” as she burst out the front door.
Jake looked at Brooks. “Don’t suppose you want to stay now, do you?”
“Where are you going?” Emilia asked in confusion.
Jake realized what he’d done and dropped his head. “Brooks is leaving us after harvest. Or at least that’s the plan. Is it still the case?”
Brooks looked at Emilia. “I’m sorry I haven’t told you yet. No one really knows. I haven’t even told Otis yet.”
Emilia looked even sadder, if that was possible. “Where are you going?”
“To Florida…with Adriana and Zack.”
Emilia pointed to the door through which Carmen had just left. “Because of her?”
Brooks found it impossible to lie to her, so he chose not to speak.
