didn’t have any tells.
“I would not believe a word that Walter Young uttered even if his tongue were notarized. He is a rabble-rouser.”
I choked on the tea. “Ma’am, I mean you no disrespect—”
Her words were like a controlled burn. “I told you previously of my involvement with your father. There is nothing else to be said, and I have no cause to mislead you.”
Why was I questioning her? After my mom died, Miguel and Rita Guerrero took me in. It was the first time in my life I felt safe, dare I say, loved. The Guerreros’ compassion and love knew no boundaries.
But what Walter said about her being a Healer kind of made sense. The doctors said if it hadn’t been for Mrs. Guerrero, I wouldn’t have survived. And the medication mishap … I should’ve died …
“The other day, those people saw my back?” I shivered at the thought of them touching me.
“They are good friends of mine. They will not betray you.”
I blinked at the last part.
“Would you please tell me what happened?” Mrs. G said. “To cause … that?”
“My father would carve me up and my mother would do her part with a pencil torch or a soldering iron.”
“You should have come to us. We could have helped—”
“Doesn’t matter now, ma’am.” I shifted in the chair. I was still uncomfortable talking about it, even though it was so long ago. My parents said they’d kill Val if I ever told anyone and only Val knew that. There was no sense in telling her mom about it now.
She nibbled a piece of shortbread. “You are feeling better, are you not?”
“Yeah, I am.” For a change it wasn’t a lie. The story seemed hinky to me, but I was also crazy, so go figure.
“Now, I would like to ask you something.”
Fair’s fair. “Okay.”
“Why do you hide from me?”
Didn’t see that one coming. “Ma’am, if I showed you who I really am, I’m afraid that you wouldn’t … like me anymore.”
“Nothing could be further from the truth.” She frowned and waited for me to continue.
I picked up the cup and a slight tremor flowed through my hand.
“Your hand—”
She didn’t miss a thing.
“I’m okay,” I said, not knowing if I was.
“Mrs. Carey is coming over in a bit.”
I guessed it wasn’t to watch American Idol . More poking and prodding awaited me.
“Would you excuse me please?” What the hell was going on?
“Certainly—we will finish this conversation another time.”
I stood and grabbed the table.
It felt like someone was trying to rip me in half. The pain sent me and the chair crashing to the floor. The sunlight still glinted off the copper pots but was no longer soothing to look at.
Mrs. Guerrero was by my side in an instant. She touched my shoulder and I shied away. She reeled back as if her hands had been dragged across a cheese grater.
“Ma’am, best if you leave me here. If I fall on you, you’ll get hurt.”
She considered the differences in our heights and weights, and nodded.
“I will call Valerie,” she said.
“Please don’t. She’s at Krav Maga class. She needs … a break.”
The kitchen door opened, and in her best Ricky Ricardo imitation, Val said, “Luuucccyyy, I’mmmm hooommme!”
She took in the picture before her: me on the floor, her mom with the phone in her hand, poised to dial.
“Oh crap! What happened?”
“Valerie, would you please help Natalie to her room?” Mrs. G dialed as she talked. “Hello, Helen. It is Rita.” She continued the conversation in the family room.
“Okay, ready?” Val’s lean, muscled arms were under mine. She was still sweaty from class.
“Yep.”
We were in motion, upward and forward to my room.
“Can’t do anything by myself.” I tried not to wince as I lay down.
“You’ve had a rough couple of days and it followed you into today is all,” Val said.
“Hey.”
“Hmm?”
“You reek.” I smiled.
“Shut up! You know I don’t shower in public places.” She smiled back. “So, what really
“I would not believe a word that Walter Young uttered even if his tongue were notarized. He is a rabble-rouser.”
I choked on the tea. “Ma’am, I mean you no disrespect—”
Her words were like a controlled burn. “I told you previously of my involvement with your father. There is nothing else to be said, and I have no cause to mislead you.”
Why was I questioning her? After my mom died, Miguel and Rita Guerrero took me in. It was the first time in my life I felt safe, dare I say, loved. The Guerreros’ compassion and love knew no boundaries.
But what Walter said about her being a Healer kind of made sense. The doctors said if it hadn’t been for Mrs. Guerrero, I wouldn’t have survived. And the medication mishap … I should’ve died …
“The other day, those people saw my back?” I shivered at the thought of them touching me.
“They are good friends of mine. They will not betray you.”
I blinked at the last part.
“Would you please tell me what happened?” Mrs. G said. “To cause … that?”
“My father would carve me up and my mother would do her part with a pencil torch or a soldering iron.”
“You should have come to us. We could have helped—”
“Doesn’t matter now, ma’am.” I shifted in the chair. I was still uncomfortable talking about it, even though it was so long ago. My parents said they’d kill Val if I ever told anyone and only Val knew that. There was no sense in telling her mom about it now.
She nibbled a piece of shortbread. “You are feeling better, are you not?”
“Yeah, I am.” For a change it wasn’t a lie. The story seemed hinky to me, but I was also crazy, so go figure.
“Now, I would like to ask you something.”
Fair’s fair. “Okay.”
“Why do you hide from me?”
Didn’t see that one coming. “Ma’am, if I showed you who I really am, I’m afraid that you wouldn’t … like me anymore.”
“Nothing could be further from the truth.” She frowned and waited for me to continue.
I picked up the cup and a slight tremor flowed through my hand.
“Your hand—”
She didn’t miss a thing.
“I’m okay,” I said, not knowing if I was.
“Mrs. Carey is coming over in a bit.”
I guessed it wasn’t to watch American Idol . More poking and prodding awaited me.
“Would you excuse me please?” What the hell was going on?
“Certainly—we will finish this conversation another time.”
I stood and grabbed the table.
It felt like someone was trying to rip me in half. The pain sent me and the chair crashing to the floor. The sunlight still glinted off the copper pots but was no longer soothing to look at.
Mrs. Guerrero was by my side in an instant. She touched my shoulder and I shied away. She reeled back as if her hands had been dragged across a cheese grater.
“Ma’am, best if you leave me here. If I fall on you, you’ll get hurt.”
She considered the differences in our heights and weights, and nodded.
“I will call Valerie,” she said.
“Please don’t. She’s at Krav Maga class. She needs … a break.”
The kitchen door opened, and in her best Ricky Ricardo imitation, Val said, “Luuucccyyy, I’mmmm hooommme!”
She took in the picture before her: me on the floor, her mom with the phone in her hand, poised to dial.
“Oh crap! What happened?”
“Valerie, would you please help Natalie to her room?” Mrs. G dialed as she talked. “Hello, Helen. It is Rita.” She continued the conversation in the family room.
“Okay, ready?” Val’s lean, muscled arms were under mine. She was still sweaty from class.
“Yep.”
We were in motion, upward and forward to my room.
“Can’t do anything by myself.” I tried not to wince as I lay down.
“You’ve had a rough couple of days and it followed you into today is all,” Val said.
“Hey.”
“Hmm?”
“You reek.” I smiled.
“Shut up! You know I don’t shower in public places.” She smiled back. “So, what really
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