Page 55 of Wrecked

“Welo,” Davi repeats, mimicking my father’s words.

“Now, come with me.” My father opens his arms to Davi in invitation and then points to the porch. “Your uncles and your aunt Elena are eager to meet you. So does your cousin Emilia Maria.”

“Another girl?” Davi complains, and my father smiles, taking him in his arms. “I have my cousin Chloe, Callie, and Courtney. I want a boy who wants to play dinosaws.”

While they walk ahead of us, I turn to take Melanie’s hand to follow them.

“Don’t you want to take our bags from the trunk first?” She’s as nervous as I am. But let’s be honest, there is no way to delay this.

“We’ve got this, baby,” I whisper while we approach the porch where my rumbustious family greets the new clan member.

“It’s about time,” says Gabriel as he gives me one of those man hugs, patting my back hard. Yeah, it was time. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed my family.

“You,cabrón!” says Ruben when Gabriel lets me go. My younger brother and I have always been close, but after everything, I pushed him away, so if he calls me a fucker, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. “Having fun without me!” Then, his attention is on Melanie. “You’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. Now tell me, Mels, what lies did this dumbass tell you to convince you to come here with him?”

That makes her laugh hard. Well done, little brother! I give him a thankful glance before turning to hug Elena. My little sister looks… radiant. And ready to pop. I haven’t been around pregnant women that much, but that belly seems big. I can’t wait to see Melanie round with my baby, fuck, I’ve missed so much. Not just with her but with my whole family.

“Are you hungry?” My sister asks me. Food is her love language, so I bet there is a Mexican feast waiting for us to devour. “Please, tell me you’re hungry. I made all your favorites.”

“Pozole verde?” My tummy is growling already.

“And chicharrones,” she adds with a smile. Yes, pork rinds soaked in homemade salsa with cream and cheese are delicious.

As soon as my gaze leaves hers, it finds another pair of dark eyes. The ones I haven’t seen in a long time. Fuck, this is weird. What do you say to the brother you punched so bad he ended up in the hospital?

For a moment, shame chokes me until he takes the first step and palms my back. “I’m glad to see you doing so good,David.” He gives me an easy smile. For a second, I don’t know what to do. This is so weird. “I’ve followed the development of the new Olympic Village. We here are so proud of the work you’re doing.”

“Thank you,” I reply with a smile, looking for Melanie, who’s been ushered inside by my sister, Erin—Gabriel’s wife, and Destinee. “How’s life going?”

“Everything is good,” he says. “Let’s go inside before Lena sends the infantry to drag us.”

My sister could be a little thing, but don’t be fooled. She has a fierce personality. Growing up with four older brothers isn’t for the faint of heart, and that girl learned how to stand on her feet quickly.

My father’s home is still the same. Pale yellow walls and family pictures everywhere. If my memory doesn’t deceive me, the only thing that has changed around here is the amount of people in those photographs. One of us smiling, dressed in navy suits at Gabriel’s wedding. Then Martin’s.

As soon as we walk through the hall that leads to the kitchen, a baby cries. Martin smiles. “That’s my daughter, Liah.”

“She owns a good pair of lungs.”

“And the Posada appetite,” he adds proudly. “I bet she’s hungry.”

Okay, this is the moment. Now or never. “Listen, Martin…” I start to say, looking at his eyes framed for thick black glasses, but he stops me by lifting his hand. “We all dealt with pain in different ways, David. At that moment, I didn’t understand, but I do now. Time heals the wounds and makes you see the world from a different perspective.”

“How could I ask for forgiveness after everything that happened? I can’t.”

My brother smiles again and lets his hand fall on my shoulder. “I forgave you years ago, and so did Destinee.” Air is filling my lungs again. “We’re family and always will be. We are bound by blood but also by love.”

The heck if I’m not about to cry. “I don’t know what to say.” I swallow hard to keep from breaking.

“No need to say anything, David,” my brother assures me. “Today, we are celebrating that you’re back and welcoming Davi and Melanie.”

“Thank you,” I finally say. The knot in my throat loosening a little bit. “This is…”

“Come on, David,” he interrupts me again. “I want you to meet Liah, and I’m sure the pozole is served already.”

Feeling the weight lifting from my shoulders, I follow my brother to the kitchen, where the family is already sitting around the big table. Melanie is surrounded by my sister and Erin, who are talking their heads off. My father is at the other end of the table listening to whatever story Davi is telling. Over his knee, there is a raven-haired girl with striking green eyes. I guess that’s Elena’s daughter.

“This is getting cold,” Cardan Malone, my brother-in-law, calls from his place by the window. “Come and sit, so your sister will allow us to start eating.”

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