Page 81 of Catching Camila

Her grandfather's brow wrinkled into deep lines. He reached for Mama's hand with his big brown one, his eyes sweeping around the trailer. “What happened here?” he whispered.

“After what happened with Marquez, you disowned me. You never wanted to see me again.” A tremble rose into Mama's voice. She placed a hand at her throat as if she were struggling to hold in the sobs.

“That's over. All of it.” Abuelo's voice was low and commanding. Both of his daughters nodded, their eyes finding each other. Abuelo pulled Camila in and gestured for Bea. She stepped over and threw her arms around them.

Camila's heart swelled as she pressed her face into Abuelo's chest. After a few moments, Camila pulled back, a question tugging at her brain. “Abuelo, the young man. What did he look like?”

Her grandfather rubbed his hands together, thinking. “Tall, broad. Dark hair and eyes. About your age. There was another waiting for him down the driveway that could've been his hermano.”

Camila drew her hand to her mouth. “Did he say his name?”

Grandfather shook his head. Then he nodded slowly, remembering. “John.”

Camila took a step back, closing her eyes. Mama, Abuelo, and her aunt began talking in Spanish too fast for her to translate. Instead she pressed her back to the wall and tried to breathe.

John had sent her grandfather here. Though he couldn't be here to rescue her, he'd sent another. That meant only one thing.

He still cared about her.

---