The next day, Letty didn't wake until around three and by then, she'd had
enough sleep to make her sick of Dom's room. Never thought I'd think that,
she thought to herself, lying in the same bed that smells and feels like
Dom. Her eyes snapped open. Damn, she must have really hit her head hard,
if she was thinking something like that.
She swept out of bed and got dressed, throwing Dom's stuff on his bed. She walked into Mia's room and picked out a pair of tight stretch jeans that were at the back of Mia's closet because of the rips in the knees, and a white tank top that tied up the sides. Nice she thought. After a couple of days of Mia's coaching, she was getting to be able to do this on her own. She shrugged and went downstairs. She felt so restless suddenly, she decided she'd walk down to the Torretto's diner/garage, to hang with Tony. Maybe Mia would be there.
She grabbed a bottle of water and left the house in high spirits, on her way to see what Tony was up to. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to make it very far.
On the corner of the street, Letty saw four people. Vince, Mia, Dom and LaTanya. The bitch who had the nerve to call her a dyke. She was hanging off of Dom's arm, patting his chest and rubbing her leg against his. Letty felt her hands form fists as she walked down the street towards them.
'Letty!' Mia said, immediately seeming to perk up at her friend's arrival. Even Vince seemed happy to see her, rather than watch LaTanya try to dry fuck Dom.
'Hey guys.' She replied as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. Mia gave her an appreciative look.
'So you're finally picking out nice stuff on your own huh?' she said with a smirk. 'You can keep the jeans, they seem more your style than mine.' Letty nodded as she walked up to Dom, who looked a bit preoccupied.
'Yeah baby, course we can go catch a movie later.' Dom said grinning at his latest catch. Letty felt as if she was gonna hurl right there on the street corner.
'Anyway, I was heading down to the garage, it's boring as hell back at the house.' Letty said almost making to pass Dom and LaTanya without paying them any notice. But LaTanya seemed to have a death wish, her eyebrow raised, a smirk firmly in place.
'Oh look who it is.' She said as Letty glared at her.
'Hey Dom.' Letty said, ignoring the hoe who looked as though she wanted to get up in someone's face. Dom nodded.
'Hey Lett.' He said with a small, rather approving smile. LaTanya looked a little phased by Dom's friendly hello, but quickly got over it. She stopped gaping at him and regained her smirk, almost instantly, up for Letty's 'challenge'.
'So, not only are you trying to cover up by dressing like a girl, you're also moving in on a man... my man...' she sneered, 'I'm almost convinced.'
'What did you say to me?' Letty said placing her hands on her hips.
'What, don't you remember our last conversation?' she said in her snotty bitchiest tone. Dom was looking between the two of them, as if politely lost.
'You wanna lose something hoe, cause the way you're going...' Letty said forming fists and placing them on either side of her. LaTanya laughed.
'Don't touch me, dyke, I don't wanna get myself dirty.' She said snickering. Letty was about to jump at her when Dom rounded on her first.
'Nobody talks to Letty like that.' He said un snaking her arm from his side. LaTanya's eyes widened at his sudden change towards her. Her mouth opened and closed as if she were a fish out of water. 'Why don't you go back to the trailer trash freak show you obviously crawled out from?' he said in his coolest tone as he grabbed Letty's back and pushed her up the road back to the Torretto house. Mia and Vince merely stood at the corner, trying not to bust a rib from laughing at the deflated and confused look that was plastered across LaTanya's face.
As he pushed her inside the house, Letty was starting to feel a little irritated by his pushiness and the way he was acting. He slammed the door and marched her into the living room.
'Lie down.' He commanded about to leave the room again.
'No.' she said, her voice loud and firm as she stood in the middle of the room, staring at him defiantly.
'Letty, for God sake, LIE THE FUCK DOWN! Do you wanna get sick again?!' he yelled at her from the kitchen. But Letty stood unfazed, her arms crossed, looking out the window, pretending to ignore Dom. He came back in with a glass of water and a wet cloth. 'Lie down.' He repeated.
'Why? It's not like you care what happens to me.' Letty said. She felt a little mellow dramatic saying that, but damn, she was mad at this guy's pimp ass. No way was she gonna do what he said. Not after catching him with LaTanya. Any affection she felt towards him was suddenly fading away.
'Letty I do care! That's why I need you to lie down!' he said still yelling as he sat the glass and cloth down on the coffee table.
'What am I? LaTanya's replacement?' she said, placing her hands on her hips. Dom just stared at her as if she were crazy, 'How long until she was on her back under you Dom? Huh?' Letty screamed. She couldn't stand the thought of anyone under him, let alone LaTanya!
'How. Fuckin. Dare. You.' He said slowly and in a very startling voice. It was forced calm and that's what made it so much more frightening. 'Don't act like you know me Garcia!' he said in his dangerous tone, the use of her last name catching her off guard. Oh yeah. He was pissed. Letty was starting to get a bit wary, but her thick headedness got the better of her.
'Come on Dom! Did you even know her fuckin name?! All you're good for is a good fuck and a pat on the back! You don't care about anyone but yourself!' she yelled throwing her hands around. But before she knew what was happening, in one swift movement, Dom had picked her up by her wrists and slammed her against the wall, holding her there.
'Where the fuck do you get off Letty?!!' He yelled in her face. She merely stared back at him, her face set in a stony glare as he held her against the hard wall. 'Hell if I didn't care about you, you think I'd go threw all your shit?!' he shouted.
'If you care, why are you such a FUCKING PRICK WHEN YOU'RE AROUND ME?!' Letty screamed back with equal force, her face dangerously close to his, as they faced off in the living room.
'FUCK YOU LETTY!' he said releasing her, his voice booming and filling the house. She wondered if there was anyone on the street who HADN'T heard their argument. She slid down the wall onto the floor as he stomped back into the kitchen mumbling obscene words under his breath. Letty sat there watching him. 'If you wanna get sick again, be my guest, but don't come crying to me afterwards!' he shouted as he sat down at the table, his hands massaging his temples, as though he had a headache too.
Letty was about to yell back when she heard the doorbell. She simply slumped back as Dom got up, shooting her a fierce look as he walked over to the door. He unlocked it and opened it, as Letty listened from her spot on the floor.
'Hello...' Dom said, his voice sounding confused.
'Hello, is...' the sound of paper being flipped, 'Leticia Garcia here. We need to speak with her.' Letty peered around the corner. Dom was standing at the door, facing a police officer who stood a little shorter than him. Letty collected herself and stood up, walking over to the door. Dom was giving her a What-did-you-do-now sort of look, which she matched with an angry glare.
'Are you Leticia Garcia?' the officer said, looking quite grave. Letty frowned.
'Yeah. Why?' she said slowly, folding her arms around her. As far as she could remember, having an argument on a street corner wasn't a federal offense. The officer cleared his throat.
'I'm afraid I have some news for you. Perhaps you should take a seat.' He motioned to the couch inside, but Letty didn't budge.
'I'd rather stand.' She said shortly, still maintaining an angry glare at Dom threw the corner of her eye. He looked as if he was going to kill her once the cop left. 'What do you want?' The officer sighed.
'Miss Garcia... late yesterday night, your father was in a car accident on the his way back to L.A.' Letty's face suddenly went pale and she felt as though she might be sick, 'He was rushed to General Hospital immediately after the three cars collided...' Three cars. Letty definitely felt as though she might retch right there in the hall. The officer had trailed off, and Letty's wide eyes finally came to meet.
'He's okay?' she said, not able to make any more words come out of her mouth. Her tongue had gone dry and there was a lump surfacing in her throat. 'But he's okay, right?' She stuttered out, her hands clenching into fists. Her throat was making it hard to force any words out.
'No.' The officer continued, his voice becoming deep and stony, 'I'm afraid not.' Letty's eyes widened even further as she felt her knees begin to wobble. 'I'm afraid ... Miss Garcia, your father passed away early this morning.' Letty's mouth opened slightly, and she felt her eyes become wet. She began to shake from head to toe, feeling as though she was going break down and cry. 'We need you to...to come in and identify the body as Pablo Garcia.' The body. Letty felt herself shake more violently as her knees buckled and she fell.
'Letty!' Dom cried out, grabbing her shoulders, as she slid against his body. She sat there, shaking uncontrollably as Dom hugged her back to his chest. She heard him, threw a haze, say 'Thank you officer'. She felt sick and wanted to throw up until nothing was left inside her.
As the officer nodded and walked back down to his car, Letty began to sob and cry, chanting 'Oh god, oh god.' Over and over as Dom held her, swallowing back the vile that kept threatening to force itself out of her mouth.
'Shhh...Letty, it's okay. I'm here.' He said softly as he turned her around and forced her into his arms. She sobbed even louder into the crook of his neck as he soothingly rubbed his hand in circles on her back. He felt his shirt become wet from her tears and he finally pulled her closer, 'We need to go upstairs now.' He whispered, taking her hands and putting them around his neck. He picked her limp body up, kicked the door closed and carried her up the stairs, to his room.
As he laid her down, her shaking began to die down a bit and her sobbing lessened. He lay down next to her on the bed and felt her roll into him and hug him tightly, as though she were afraid that he'd leave her lying there all alone. She jerked a little when she felt his arms wrap around her, and she began to cry into his chest again, her ribs already hurting from her heart ache. He patted her back and stroked her hair, cooing reassurances like 'It's okay' and 'it'll be alright'. Truthfully, he didn't know it would be okay or alright. He just wanted her to stop crying.
Letty never cried. And Dom was silently thankful because seeing her cry now was such a heart wrenching experience. It made him feel so sad for her, made him want to give her everything, just so he could see her smile again.
But right now, he just had to be there for her.
*****************************************************************
'Yes, of course officer...' Tony said as he leaned against their kitchen counter, 'Well, you see we don't know where Mrs. Garcia is, Pablo wanted Letty to stay here for the week...' Dom watched his father pace the kitchen. Mia was on the couch in the living room, just staring at the ceiling. Directly above her, Letty was lying in Dom's bed, asleep, after crying for three or four hours. Dom slumped down in his chair as his father hung up the phone and exhaled.
'Well?' Dom asked quietly, searching his father's face for something that would tell him about the conversation.
'Well, the police can't locate Maria. I'd be surprised if they didn't find her high as a kite downtown, staring at a parking meter.' He said rubbing his hand over her tired face.
'So I guess Letty is staying here for a little longer than expected.' Dom said softly.
'Maybe even longer. I'd hate to leave that girl with her dead beat mother.' Tony said leaning back against the counter again. 'Dom, I want you to sleep with Letty tonight. I don't want her to be alone.' Dom frowned.
'Why me?' he asked. It wasn't his usual defensive why-me, it was an actual question.
'Mia's a little too sensitive to be spending the night up with Letty. She'd probably make things up there worse. I just want you to offer her any reassurance you can, and watch her. She's grief stricken and I hate to say that we don't know what she might do.' He sighed, again rubbing his tired eyes.
'Go to bed Dad.' Dom said standing up. 'I'll watch Lett, don't worry.' Tony smiled and patted Dom's shoulder.
'Good night son.' He said moving into the living room. Dom heard a muffled 'Come on Mia.' And then saw the glow in there die. He put his head in his hands and exhaled deeply. Life wasn't fair. He thought as he sat there thinking of Letty. She was a good kid. She deserved the world. Instead she always got stuck with the short end of the stick.
She had no father now. No mother. No real home. She was always in trouble. And he, Dom, never made things better by teasing her. He felt so guilty. She was so young. She had it so rough.
He wandered up the stairs and down the hall, finally coming to his room and pushing open the door. Letty's small body lay across his bed, lying on her front, her back rising evenly with her breathing. Dom rubbed the back of his neck as he walked toward the bed. Her face was tear stained and, at the moment, emotionless. Dom grimaced as he took off his shirt. He wondered if he should let her sleep in her clothes. He shrugged and walked over to her sleeping body. He slowly and carefully turned her over, so as not to wake her. He unzipped her jeans and pulled them down and threw them on the floor. He unlaced the sides of her top and it soon joined her pants on the floor.
Dom stood back to look at her. He hated to say it, but with her hair spread out, her damp face and her nearly naked body, illuminated by moonlight, she looked damn beautiful. He wondered why he had never realized it before. She was almost sixteen after all, and she had a few curves most girls her age shouldn't really have. He smiled as he gently picked her up and pulled the covers back, and then enveloping her in the warmth of his bed. Little Letty was all grown up, and being the dick that he was, he hadn't noticed.
He walked to the other side and climbed on top of the sheets on the other side, pulling her sleeping body close and gently caressing her tear soaked cheeks. He stared at her until he felt his eyelids droop and fell into a deep sleep.
Letty awoke slowly, feeling warmth all around her. She snuggled into the warm body next to her and looked up into Dom's sleeping face. His mouth was open just a bit and his head was propped gently on the pillow. He was sleeping on top of the covers and his well muscled chest was rising and falling, rising and falling.
Letty grimaced as the events of yesterday flooded back to her. She looked up at the clock which read three twenty am. Today was the day Tony was going to take her to identify the body. The first hour she'd been crying she kept telling herself that it wouldn't be him. It would be just another Mexican guy and her father would come home and take care of her again. Letty couldn't suppress a sob as she thought more about her poor papi as he died in a hospital so far away from her, alone. And then she remembered the last things she said to him, such hateful, pathetic words. How she'd guilted him into coming home early. He'd been rushing home to get her. It was her fault that her father was lying cold and lifeless in a hospital morgue.
Letty shuddered and released yet another loud sob. But this time she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into a pair of sleepy brown eyes.
'Letty...' Dom breathed softly. Letty looked away. She couldn't let him see her crying again. It was so shameful. But it was apparently too late. 'Letty, look at me.' She felt Dom's hand turn her chin to face him. 'What is it?' he said searching her eyes. She sobbed again and everything came pouring back.
'It's my fault, Dom.' She said before her voice cracked and she shook violently. Dom frowned and sat up looking at her.
'What are you talking about?' he asked in a hushed voice. She felt a few tears stream down her cheeks. 'What's your fault?'
'He was rushing home to see me... that's why he was hurrying... that's why he's gone...' at that last word, her voice completely broke and a fresh wave of tears broke over her sweat and tear stained face. Dom took hold of her shoulders and forced her to look at him.
'Listen to me Letty. You didn't do anything! It's not your fault...'
'Yes it is!' Letty cried, but Dom merely shook her.
'No it's not.' He said putting her forehead against his as she cried silently. 'He loved you so much Letty. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself for something you had no control over.' He said as he wiped a wet strand of hair from her eyes. 'Okay?'
Letty nodded weakly placed her head on Dom chest, silent tears still streaming down her face. Dom hugged her closer.
'Come on. Don't cry no more, you're breaking my heart.' He cooed in her ear as he stroked her hair. She shuddered under his touch and pulled him as close as she could. She felt his arms surround her and pull her up to face him.
'Dom...' Letty said huskily, her voice crackling from her crying.
'Yeah, Lett?' he said softly. She opened her mouth, but her words got lost on the way out.
'Good night.' She whispered, before lowering her head. He smiled and let her fall to his side. She rolled over into a tiny protective ball and lay almost motionless beside him. Dom sighed. Poor Letty. He felt so sorry for her and wished for once that he could take care of her. He pulled the blanket over her again and stalked over to his small couch like arm chair and perched himself in it, pulling a blanket over himself, falling into an awkward and uncomfortable sleep.
She swept out of bed and got dressed, throwing Dom's stuff on his bed. She walked into Mia's room and picked out a pair of tight stretch jeans that were at the back of Mia's closet because of the rips in the knees, and a white tank top that tied up the sides. Nice she thought. After a couple of days of Mia's coaching, she was getting to be able to do this on her own. She shrugged and went downstairs. She felt so restless suddenly, she decided she'd walk down to the Torretto's diner/garage, to hang with Tony. Maybe Mia would be there.
She grabbed a bottle of water and left the house in high spirits, on her way to see what Tony was up to. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to make it very far.
On the corner of the street, Letty saw four people. Vince, Mia, Dom and LaTanya. The bitch who had the nerve to call her a dyke. She was hanging off of Dom's arm, patting his chest and rubbing her leg against his. Letty felt her hands form fists as she walked down the street towards them.
'Letty!' Mia said, immediately seeming to perk up at her friend's arrival. Even Vince seemed happy to see her, rather than watch LaTanya try to dry fuck Dom.
'Hey guys.' She replied as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. Mia gave her an appreciative look.
'So you're finally picking out nice stuff on your own huh?' she said with a smirk. 'You can keep the jeans, they seem more your style than mine.' Letty nodded as she walked up to Dom, who looked a bit preoccupied.
'Yeah baby, course we can go catch a movie later.' Dom said grinning at his latest catch. Letty felt as if she was gonna hurl right there on the street corner.
'Anyway, I was heading down to the garage, it's boring as hell back at the house.' Letty said almost making to pass Dom and LaTanya without paying them any notice. But LaTanya seemed to have a death wish, her eyebrow raised, a smirk firmly in place.
'Oh look who it is.' She said as Letty glared at her.
'Hey Dom.' Letty said, ignoring the hoe who looked as though she wanted to get up in someone's face. Dom nodded.
'Hey Lett.' He said with a small, rather approving smile. LaTanya looked a little phased by Dom's friendly hello, but quickly got over it. She stopped gaping at him and regained her smirk, almost instantly, up for Letty's 'challenge'.
'So, not only are you trying to cover up by dressing like a girl, you're also moving in on a man... my man...' she sneered, 'I'm almost convinced.'
'What did you say to me?' Letty said placing her hands on her hips.
'What, don't you remember our last conversation?' she said in her snotty bitchiest tone. Dom was looking between the two of them, as if politely lost.
'You wanna lose something hoe, cause the way you're going...' Letty said forming fists and placing them on either side of her. LaTanya laughed.
'Don't touch me, dyke, I don't wanna get myself dirty.' She said snickering. Letty was about to jump at her when Dom rounded on her first.
'Nobody talks to Letty like that.' He said un snaking her arm from his side. LaTanya's eyes widened at his sudden change towards her. Her mouth opened and closed as if she were a fish out of water. 'Why don't you go back to the trailer trash freak show you obviously crawled out from?' he said in his coolest tone as he grabbed Letty's back and pushed her up the road back to the Torretto house. Mia and Vince merely stood at the corner, trying not to bust a rib from laughing at the deflated and confused look that was plastered across LaTanya's face.
As he pushed her inside the house, Letty was starting to feel a little irritated by his pushiness and the way he was acting. He slammed the door and marched her into the living room.
'Lie down.' He commanded about to leave the room again.
'No.' she said, her voice loud and firm as she stood in the middle of the room, staring at him defiantly.
'Letty, for God sake, LIE THE FUCK DOWN! Do you wanna get sick again?!' he yelled at her from the kitchen. But Letty stood unfazed, her arms crossed, looking out the window, pretending to ignore Dom. He came back in with a glass of water and a wet cloth. 'Lie down.' He repeated.
'Why? It's not like you care what happens to me.' Letty said. She felt a little mellow dramatic saying that, but damn, she was mad at this guy's pimp ass. No way was she gonna do what he said. Not after catching him with LaTanya. Any affection she felt towards him was suddenly fading away.
'Letty I do care! That's why I need you to lie down!' he said still yelling as he sat the glass and cloth down on the coffee table.
'What am I? LaTanya's replacement?' she said, placing her hands on her hips. Dom just stared at her as if she were crazy, 'How long until she was on her back under you Dom? Huh?' Letty screamed. She couldn't stand the thought of anyone under him, let alone LaTanya!
'How. Fuckin. Dare. You.' He said slowly and in a very startling voice. It was forced calm and that's what made it so much more frightening. 'Don't act like you know me Garcia!' he said in his dangerous tone, the use of her last name catching her off guard. Oh yeah. He was pissed. Letty was starting to get a bit wary, but her thick headedness got the better of her.
'Come on Dom! Did you even know her fuckin name?! All you're good for is a good fuck and a pat on the back! You don't care about anyone but yourself!' she yelled throwing her hands around. But before she knew what was happening, in one swift movement, Dom had picked her up by her wrists and slammed her against the wall, holding her there.
'Where the fuck do you get off Letty?!!' He yelled in her face. She merely stared back at him, her face set in a stony glare as he held her against the hard wall. 'Hell if I didn't care about you, you think I'd go threw all your shit?!' he shouted.
'If you care, why are you such a FUCKING PRICK WHEN YOU'RE AROUND ME?!' Letty screamed back with equal force, her face dangerously close to his, as they faced off in the living room.
'FUCK YOU LETTY!' he said releasing her, his voice booming and filling the house. She wondered if there was anyone on the street who HADN'T heard their argument. She slid down the wall onto the floor as he stomped back into the kitchen mumbling obscene words under his breath. Letty sat there watching him. 'If you wanna get sick again, be my guest, but don't come crying to me afterwards!' he shouted as he sat down at the table, his hands massaging his temples, as though he had a headache too.
Letty was about to yell back when she heard the doorbell. She simply slumped back as Dom got up, shooting her a fierce look as he walked over to the door. He unlocked it and opened it, as Letty listened from her spot on the floor.
'Hello...' Dom said, his voice sounding confused.
'Hello, is...' the sound of paper being flipped, 'Leticia Garcia here. We need to speak with her.' Letty peered around the corner. Dom was standing at the door, facing a police officer who stood a little shorter than him. Letty collected herself and stood up, walking over to the door. Dom was giving her a What-did-you-do-now sort of look, which she matched with an angry glare.
'Are you Leticia Garcia?' the officer said, looking quite grave. Letty frowned.
'Yeah. Why?' she said slowly, folding her arms around her. As far as she could remember, having an argument on a street corner wasn't a federal offense. The officer cleared his throat.
'I'm afraid I have some news for you. Perhaps you should take a seat.' He motioned to the couch inside, but Letty didn't budge.
'I'd rather stand.' She said shortly, still maintaining an angry glare at Dom threw the corner of her eye. He looked as if he was going to kill her once the cop left. 'What do you want?' The officer sighed.
'Miss Garcia... late yesterday night, your father was in a car accident on the his way back to L.A.' Letty's face suddenly went pale and she felt as though she might be sick, 'He was rushed to General Hospital immediately after the three cars collided...' Three cars. Letty definitely felt as though she might retch right there in the hall. The officer had trailed off, and Letty's wide eyes finally came to meet.
'He's okay?' she said, not able to make any more words come out of her mouth. Her tongue had gone dry and there was a lump surfacing in her throat. 'But he's okay, right?' She stuttered out, her hands clenching into fists. Her throat was making it hard to force any words out.
'No.' The officer continued, his voice becoming deep and stony, 'I'm afraid not.' Letty's eyes widened even further as she felt her knees begin to wobble. 'I'm afraid ... Miss Garcia, your father passed away early this morning.' Letty's mouth opened slightly, and she felt her eyes become wet. She began to shake from head to toe, feeling as though she was going break down and cry. 'We need you to...to come in and identify the body as Pablo Garcia.' The body. Letty felt herself shake more violently as her knees buckled and she fell.
'Letty!' Dom cried out, grabbing her shoulders, as she slid against his body. She sat there, shaking uncontrollably as Dom hugged her back to his chest. She heard him, threw a haze, say 'Thank you officer'. She felt sick and wanted to throw up until nothing was left inside her.
As the officer nodded and walked back down to his car, Letty began to sob and cry, chanting 'Oh god, oh god.' Over and over as Dom held her, swallowing back the vile that kept threatening to force itself out of her mouth.
'Shhh...Letty, it's okay. I'm here.' He said softly as he turned her around and forced her into his arms. She sobbed even louder into the crook of his neck as he soothingly rubbed his hand in circles on her back. He felt his shirt become wet from her tears and he finally pulled her closer, 'We need to go upstairs now.' He whispered, taking her hands and putting them around his neck. He picked her limp body up, kicked the door closed and carried her up the stairs, to his room.
As he laid her down, her shaking began to die down a bit and her sobbing lessened. He lay down next to her on the bed and felt her roll into him and hug him tightly, as though she were afraid that he'd leave her lying there all alone. She jerked a little when she felt his arms wrap around her, and she began to cry into his chest again, her ribs already hurting from her heart ache. He patted her back and stroked her hair, cooing reassurances like 'It's okay' and 'it'll be alright'. Truthfully, he didn't know it would be okay or alright. He just wanted her to stop crying.
Letty never cried. And Dom was silently thankful because seeing her cry now was such a heart wrenching experience. It made him feel so sad for her, made him want to give her everything, just so he could see her smile again.
But right now, he just had to be there for her.
*****************************************************************
'Yes, of course officer...' Tony said as he leaned against their kitchen counter, 'Well, you see we don't know where Mrs. Garcia is, Pablo wanted Letty to stay here for the week...' Dom watched his father pace the kitchen. Mia was on the couch in the living room, just staring at the ceiling. Directly above her, Letty was lying in Dom's bed, asleep, after crying for three or four hours. Dom slumped down in his chair as his father hung up the phone and exhaled.
'Well?' Dom asked quietly, searching his father's face for something that would tell him about the conversation.
'Well, the police can't locate Maria. I'd be surprised if they didn't find her high as a kite downtown, staring at a parking meter.' He said rubbing his hand over her tired face.
'So I guess Letty is staying here for a little longer than expected.' Dom said softly.
'Maybe even longer. I'd hate to leave that girl with her dead beat mother.' Tony said leaning back against the counter again. 'Dom, I want you to sleep with Letty tonight. I don't want her to be alone.' Dom frowned.
'Why me?' he asked. It wasn't his usual defensive why-me, it was an actual question.
'Mia's a little too sensitive to be spending the night up with Letty. She'd probably make things up there worse. I just want you to offer her any reassurance you can, and watch her. She's grief stricken and I hate to say that we don't know what she might do.' He sighed, again rubbing his tired eyes.
'Go to bed Dad.' Dom said standing up. 'I'll watch Lett, don't worry.' Tony smiled and patted Dom's shoulder.
'Good night son.' He said moving into the living room. Dom heard a muffled 'Come on Mia.' And then saw the glow in there die. He put his head in his hands and exhaled deeply. Life wasn't fair. He thought as he sat there thinking of Letty. She was a good kid. She deserved the world. Instead she always got stuck with the short end of the stick.
She had no father now. No mother. No real home. She was always in trouble. And he, Dom, never made things better by teasing her. He felt so guilty. She was so young. She had it so rough.
He wandered up the stairs and down the hall, finally coming to his room and pushing open the door. Letty's small body lay across his bed, lying on her front, her back rising evenly with her breathing. Dom rubbed the back of his neck as he walked toward the bed. Her face was tear stained and, at the moment, emotionless. Dom grimaced as he took off his shirt. He wondered if he should let her sleep in her clothes. He shrugged and walked over to her sleeping body. He slowly and carefully turned her over, so as not to wake her. He unzipped her jeans and pulled them down and threw them on the floor. He unlaced the sides of her top and it soon joined her pants on the floor.
Dom stood back to look at her. He hated to say it, but with her hair spread out, her damp face and her nearly naked body, illuminated by moonlight, she looked damn beautiful. He wondered why he had never realized it before. She was almost sixteen after all, and she had a few curves most girls her age shouldn't really have. He smiled as he gently picked her up and pulled the covers back, and then enveloping her in the warmth of his bed. Little Letty was all grown up, and being the dick that he was, he hadn't noticed.
He walked to the other side and climbed on top of the sheets on the other side, pulling her sleeping body close and gently caressing her tear soaked cheeks. He stared at her until he felt his eyelids droop and fell into a deep sleep.
Letty awoke slowly, feeling warmth all around her. She snuggled into the warm body next to her and looked up into Dom's sleeping face. His mouth was open just a bit and his head was propped gently on the pillow. He was sleeping on top of the covers and his well muscled chest was rising and falling, rising and falling.
Letty grimaced as the events of yesterday flooded back to her. She looked up at the clock which read three twenty am. Today was the day Tony was going to take her to identify the body. The first hour she'd been crying she kept telling herself that it wouldn't be him. It would be just another Mexican guy and her father would come home and take care of her again. Letty couldn't suppress a sob as she thought more about her poor papi as he died in a hospital so far away from her, alone. And then she remembered the last things she said to him, such hateful, pathetic words. How she'd guilted him into coming home early. He'd been rushing home to get her. It was her fault that her father was lying cold and lifeless in a hospital morgue.
Letty shuddered and released yet another loud sob. But this time she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into a pair of sleepy brown eyes.
'Letty...' Dom breathed softly. Letty looked away. She couldn't let him see her crying again. It was so shameful. But it was apparently too late. 'Letty, look at me.' She felt Dom's hand turn her chin to face him. 'What is it?' he said searching her eyes. She sobbed again and everything came pouring back.
'It's my fault, Dom.' She said before her voice cracked and she shook violently. Dom frowned and sat up looking at her.
'What are you talking about?' he asked in a hushed voice. She felt a few tears stream down her cheeks. 'What's your fault?'
'He was rushing home to see me... that's why he was hurrying... that's why he's gone...' at that last word, her voice completely broke and a fresh wave of tears broke over her sweat and tear stained face. Dom took hold of her shoulders and forced her to look at him.
'Listen to me Letty. You didn't do anything! It's not your fault...'
'Yes it is!' Letty cried, but Dom merely shook her.
'No it's not.' He said putting her forehead against his as she cried silently. 'He loved you so much Letty. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself for something you had no control over.' He said as he wiped a wet strand of hair from her eyes. 'Okay?'
Letty nodded weakly placed her head on Dom chest, silent tears still streaming down her face. Dom hugged her closer.
'Come on. Don't cry no more, you're breaking my heart.' He cooed in her ear as he stroked her hair. She shuddered under his touch and pulled him as close as she could. She felt his arms surround her and pull her up to face him.
'Dom...' Letty said huskily, her voice crackling from her crying.
'Yeah, Lett?' he said softly. She opened her mouth, but her words got lost on the way out.
'Good night.' She whispered, before lowering her head. He smiled and let her fall to his side. She rolled over into a tiny protective ball and lay almost motionless beside him. Dom sighed. Poor Letty. He felt so sorry for her and wished for once that he could take care of her. He pulled the blanket over her again and stalked over to his small couch like arm chair and perched himself in it, pulling a blanket over himself, falling into an awkward and uncomfortable sleep.
