“Because after I drop you off at your parents’, I’d like to go back to your place. Now that the police have cleared it, I want to get it cleaned up. Maybe do some painting.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know,” he said. “But I want to. You don’t need that kind of reminder when you go home. And I’d probably end up going stir-crazy just sitting around.”
“But it’ll take all day…”
“Not that long. A few hours, maybe. Your place isn’t that big.”
“Maybe I should go with you. It’s not your responsibility.”
“You don’t need that kind of stress. And besides, you should be with your family.”
He had a point and it was a kind thing to offer, but she was about to say no when he turned toward her.
“Please,” he said. “I want to do this.”
It was his tone that allowed her to reluctantly agree, and Colin made the call, putting it on speaker. She probably shouldn’t have been surprised that Lily answered Evan’s phone.
Colin told her what had happened the night before and asked if Evan might be able to help him carry out some of the heavier furniture. Before he even finished, Lily had cut him off.
“We’ll both be there. Do not even think of asking us not to come. We had nothing on our agenda this afternoon anyway. We’d be thrilled to help.”
In the background, Maria heard Evan’s voice. “Help with what?”
“We’re going to clean up Maria’s apartment. And I have the cutest shorts I’ve been dying to wear! They’re a little short and kind of tight, but this seems like the perfect opportunity.”
In the background, Evan was silent for a beat. “What time are we going?”
When they hung up, Maria looked over at Colin. “I like your friends.”
“They are pretty great,” he agreed.
Two blocks before they reached her parents’ neighborhood, the meaning of Serena’s message became clear.
Her uncle Tito was in the park, kicking a soccer ball with her uncle Jose and a few of her nieces and nephews, and when both of her uncles waved, she knew that what they were really doing was keeping watch.
Meanwhile, Pedro, Juan, and Angelo, her cousins, were positioned in lawn chairs on the front lawn, and some of her younger cousins were in the street playing kickball. Cars she recognized lined the road on either side, all the way to the corner.
My God, she thought, my entire extended family is here. And though she’d been through hell in the last few days, she couldn’t help but smile.
Despite Colin’s reluctance, she dragged him into the house. Thirty or forty people milled around inside; there were another twenty in the backyard. Men and women, boys and girls…
Serena came rushing forward. “Crazy, huh? Dad actually closed the restaurant today! Can you believe that?”
“I don’t think we needed everyone to come…”
“He didn’t ask them to,” she said. “Everyone just showed up when they found out you might be in trouble. I’m sure the neighbors wondered what on earth was going on, but Dad went around and explained that we were having a family reunion. After today, there will always be a family watch patrol in the neighborhood until Atkinson is behind bars, but they’ll be more subtle about it. They’ve decided to organize shifts.”
“For me?”
Serena smiled. “That’s how we roll.”
It took Colin almost half an hour to extract himself – everyone wanted to meet him, even if many of the greetings were in Spanish. As Maria walked him back to the car, she reflected that despite everything, she was blessed.
“I still think I should go with you,” she said.
“I doubt your parents would let you leave.”
“Probably not,” she agreed. “I’m sure my dad is watching from the window right now. Just in case.”
“Then I guess I’m not allowed to kiss you.”
“You better,” she said. “And make sure you bring Evan and Lily back here for dinner, okay? I want the rest of my family to meet them, too.”