Page 152 of The Slayer
“Is there a gringo option?” Alaine asked, because she had a headache too. “Like, I dunno, just regular coffee?”
“I can get youcafé Americano,” Nova offered. “Milk, right?”
“Please.” Alaine smiled. “And sugar.”
Tino pointed at his brother. “I need sugar too.”
“You think I don’t know how you take your coffee?” Nova gave him a harsh look before he turned back to Alaine. “Text me what else you need. We could be here for a few days, and we don’t know if we’re getting out of this house again. Really think about what you might need.”
Alaine frowned at him for a moment. “Are you asking me if I need feminine products?”
“I’m telling you to plan ahead,” Nova said with a deliberate look at her. “Anything you think you’re gonna need, I’ll pick up.”
“Wow”—Alaine pulled back in surprise—“I’m sort of impressed right now. Youarea progressive gangster.”
“Just text me,” Nova said as he threw up his hand. “I’m leaving.”
“She’s not gonna need feminine products,” Tino said with a bark of laughter. “I guarantee you she’s pregnant after last night.”
“Motherfucker—” Chuito started with a glare.
“I’m just saying,” Tino said with another laugh. “It sounded like she got pregnant.”
“I’m on birth control. I have the implant, and I just finished my period last week. Is there anything else you’d like to know?” Alaine asked sharply.
“Yeah.” Tino stared at her, taking in Chuito’s hoodie and a pair of shorts she had picked up at the outlets as part of her emergency Florida supplies. “I wanna know what he was doing to make you scream like that. I got a good imagination, but details are better.”
“You should take your brother with you,” Chuito said to Nova. “Before I kill him.”
“My brother can take care of himself,” Nova said dismissively as he opened the door to the laundry room.
“Oh, hey,” Tino called out. “If we’re really going to be stuck in this house for days, and you’re not going out again, we need lotsa energy drinks, orI’mgonna have a period.”
“I was gonna get energy shots since you don’t have to refrigerate them.”
“Ugh,” Tino groaned.
“We’re in survival mode. You’ll live.” Nova disappeared out the door before anyone could argue.
“You’re gonna start a period if you keep drinking macchiatos with sugar. It sounds like a woman’s drink.”
“Madonn’,” Tino snapped at Chuito. “You should go with my brother, because the only one in danger of being murdered is you.”
“My mother drinks cortaditos with sugar.”
“Yeah, I know. She made me one after I got done letting her suck it.”
“Listen, cabrón—”
“Is this what you two do all those nights when Chuito sleeps at your place?” Alaine asked Tino curiously. “Just insult each other’s cultures and generally irritate each other?”
Chuito and Tino exchanged looks, before Tino shrugged. “Yeah, pretty much.”
“Okay.” Alaine nodded. “Have fun with that. I’m going back to bed.”
She left them to their debate and walked back upstairs, grateful for the daylight. Tino had obviously started cleaning when he woke up. She and Chuito had found him on the stairs when they came down earlier, using another old shirt to wipe down the cracked wood.
The whole house showed the signs of a family who’d packed quick and moved out, leaving behind everything but the essentials. There was something sad about the abandoned toys, clothes, and papers shoved into the corners, things that had once been bought with love and given joy, just tossed aside in the haste of life taking its toll.
