Deep Water: Chapter 13

Letty stumbled down the stairs that night. The house was dark and quiet. She'd passed by Marisol's room, and found her daughter sleeping peacefully, her tiny arms curled around one of Dom's shirts. How she got it and why she had it, Letty didn't know, but Marisol seemed peaceful.

God, why won't these nightmares go away? she wondered in silence. She wandered to the couch and turned on the TV. The volume was blasted up from the movie Leon and Dom had been watching early. Letty winced and turned it down as fast as she could.

She tried to pay attention to the infomercial, but truth was, she wasn't truly concerned with how to tone her abs. She'd never exactly had a problem in that area before. Her eyes were fixed on the glowing screen, so blank, she didn't even notice Dom at the landing of the stairs.

"Can't sleep?"

Letty jumped and looked over at him. She offered an apologetic smile. "Nope. Did I wake you?"

He waved it away. "No big deal."

"Sorry," she replied softly, turning off the TV. The room was cloaked in darkness with only silhouettes from the moon casting shadows on the floor. Letty watched as Dom sat on the other end of the couch.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

Letty shrugged, then realized her couldn't see her. "Nothing."

"I know you," Dom said softly. "I've grown up with you, and you were never able to lie to me. What makes you think you can start getting away with it now?"

Letty sighed. "I had a bad dream, that's all."

"That's all?" he repeated, his voice indicating he knew there was something else.

"Why are you pushing this?" Letty demanded.

"Why am I…?" he trailed off. He moved forward on the couch, repositioning himself. "I'm pushing this because I'm your friend and I know something's off."

"I've lived with it for three years, Dom, and I can keep on dealing," Letty replied tartly.

"So it happened in prison," he deduced.

"Yeah, Dom," Letty said distantly. She snapped out of her momentary stupor. "You were right."

"I was?"

"About prison." Letty looked out the window as a tree branch slapped the glass. The wind was picking up and a few raindrops were traversing the down the window.

Dom remained silent, unsure of what to say.

"It changes you," Letty whispered, "and not for the better." Her fingers absently trailed down the white puckered scar on her face. "Some girl got a hold of a knife somehow. She was a royal bitch, and I cussed her out the day before or some shit like that," Letty said. "She brought the knife into the yard and went after me. She slit the side of my face before I could react. When I realized what had happened, I…" She ran her fingers through her hair and over her face, as if trying to wipe away the memories. "God, I barely remember. But somehow I got the knife, and I swear, Dom, I was gonna kill her…I swear I was. But then the guards were there and they broke us up." Letty lowered her eyes. "That wasn't the only fight I got in while I was there."

Letty glanced up, her eyes glittering with tears. "I was so angry, Dom. At you, at Mia, at Leon, my mom, hell, even Marisol. Because I was stuck in that hellhole and you were walking free."

"I'm sorry," he said gently.

"That's all you seem to say anymore, Dom."

"What else can I say?" he asked.

"How about, 'I fucked up, Letty'? You've never once told me this was your fault!" she accused.

And I was the only one there? I held a gun to your head and forced you to rob a truck? he thought. He looked into her eyes, ready to say that, but stopped.

The moonlight made her dark eyes glow. They trusted me with their lives. All of this really is my fault, he realized. "I was wrong, and I screwed us all into the ground. Don't think I haven't paid for this, Letty. I have."

"Oh?" she snorted. "It must be so hard hiding out on the beaches of Mexico."

"No," he snapped. "It was the hateful look in Mia's eyes every time she looked at me, it was burying Jesse, being separated from you and Vince, it was in Leon's voice every time he spoke to me. It was the condescending looks I got when I came back home."

"We all have our crosses to bear," Letty replied evenly. She didn't even realize she was crying until Dom's hand reached up to touch her cheek.

"I want it back, Letty." He paused. "I want us back."

Letty shook her head. "I don't know, Dom…I don't know if I can trust you again."

"Try," he requested. "We could make this work. You, me, and Marisol. The way it should've been."

"I need to think about it," she finally whispered hoarsely.

Dom nodded and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I still love you."

Letty nodded against his rough palm. "I never stopped either." Her eyes overflowed with tears. "I just…There's so much hurt and pain, Dom. How can we build something off that?"

"We don't," he answered simply. "We start again."

"I don't know if I can," she replied.

"I'm willing to try if you are." He held his breath. The silence hovered over their heads.

"OK." The word was so small and he almost missed it form the erratic beating of his heart against his ribcage.

"OK," Letty said a bit louder, "let's try it."