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Chapter Eight

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

"There's a rumble tomorrow night."

Rose frowned. "And you're going?"

Bernardo nodded. "I have to." Rose made no sign that she heard him, focusing instead on closing up the shop.

"You can come over after the rumble," he added. That got Rose's attention. She smirked and turned to face Bernardo.

"Oh really?" she said. "Can I?"

It wouldn't be the first time a date of theirs ended with Rose sleeping over at Bernardo's apartment (and when they finally slept, that's all they did- sleep).

"Of course," Bernardo said with a grin, closing the distance between them and placing a kiss on Rose's lips. "And maybe," he said, kissing her again, "we can do more than sleep this time, hmm?"

Rose laughed. "Maybe. But you'll have to come home safely first, all right?"

Bernardo grinned and kissed her one last time. "I will."


They were in Maria's room when they heard the news.

Maria knew Rose had a date with Bernardo after the rumble, so she had suggested the two could wait together for her brother to return, keeping each other company while they did so.

Then Chino burst into the room- sweating and bruised and looking like he may be sick. Rose and Maria jumped to their feet.

"Chino!" Maria cried, rushing to his side. "Chino, what happened?"

Chino glanced nervously between Rose and Maria.

"Something... something terrible has happened. At the rumble-"

"But there wasn't a rumble!" Maria said, trying to force a smile onto her face. "There wasn't..." she glanced at Rose. "Was there?"

Chino swallowed nervously. "No one meant for it to happen. There was a rumble, and...somehow, a knife..."

"Just tell us, Chino," Rose said. "It'll be easier if you say it very fast."

Chino nodded and looked back to Maria.

"Your... your brother..."

Maria went pale. "Chino, what happened! Who was hurt? Is... is Tony all right?"

Chino stiffened. "Tony? He killed your brother!" he shouted, an ugly look overtaking his face. He gave Rose a brief glance before bolting from the room.

"No," Maria whispered. "Chino!" she cried. "It is not true!" Maria ran out of the room after Chino. "Why do you lie to me?" she cried, tearing down the hallway, leaving Rose behind.

Rose felt like she had been punched in the stomach. Bernardo dead... it couldn't be true. It couldn't. She managed to sit down on the edge of Maria's bed before her legs gave out. She had just seen Bernardo earlier that evening, he couldn't be... dead.

Rose forced herself to her feet again and hurried to Bernardo's room. She stood in the doorway for a moment, still reeling with shock.

It's not true... he'll be home any minute. He'll come back, he said he would. I'll wait for him... he'll be back.

Rose gently (shakily) closed the door behind her, kicked off her shoes and laid down on Bernardo's bed, placing her head on his pillow. After a moment, she began to cry.

"This doesn't happen," she sobbed. "People don't... just die! He can't be d-dead... Oh god... killed in a- a gang fight!" Rose wrapped herself in Bernardo's sheets, pulling them close to her face, and tried desperately to fall asleep. Hoping it was just a bad dream she could wake up from. This wasn't how tonight was supposed to end...


Rose woke to the sound of a door, or maybe a window opening. She sat upright, daring to hope that Bernardo might have come home. Her heart sank when she realized she was still alone in his room. Holding back more tears, she got to her feet and left Bernardo's room, unable to remain for a minute longer.

Passing Maria's room, Rose realized she didn't know if Maria had ever returned from chasing after Chino. Rose entered without knocking to see Maria leaning out her window, waving at someone.

Rose frowned. "Who is it?" she asked. Maria jumped and turned to face Rose.

"Anita!" she gasped. "I..."

"Who was that, Maria?" Rose demanded. When Maria didn't answer, Rose pushed her away from the window to look for herself, just managing to catch a glimpse of a young man running down the street. Tony.

Rose's blood ran cold; she gripped the windowsill so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"He was here?" she asked very softly. "He was here?" she shouted, turning to face Maria. "How could you let him come here? After what he did?" Maria said nothing, meeting Rose's angered glare with a frightened look of her own, and pulled her robe tighter about her body. It was only then Rose took in the disheveled state of Maria's bed and nightgown.

"You didn't... Maria, you didn't!" Rose said almost menacingly.

"Anita, I-"

Rose advanced on Maria, who backed away looking terrified. "That boy," Rose spat, "killed Bernardo. He killed your brother!" she screamed. "And you...he's a killer, Maria! A murderer!"

"Anita, please-"

"Bernardo is dead," Rose sobbed, unable to hold in tears any longer, "because of him!" She pointed wildly in the direction of the window. "Him!"

Maria said nothing, and Rose collapsed onto Maria's bed with her face in her hands. After a moment, Maria decided it was safe to approach and sat next to Rose on the bed.

"I know what he did, Anita," she said softly. "But… I love him, Anita. For better or for worse, I love him. I'm his… everything he is, I am too. I need him, and he needs me." Rose didn't speak. She could do nothing but sit there, and let Maria's words sink in.

"You should understand, Anita," Maria added. "You were in love, or so you said."

"I was," Rose whispered. "Maria, I was in love, and I threw it all away!"

Maria pulled back. "Anita, what are you talking about?"

Rose sat up and met Maria's eyes, a sad look on her face. "There's so much I haven't told you, Maria..."

Maria frowned. "Was it not 'Nardo you were in love with?" she asked slowly. "Anita, please, who are you talking about?"

"Another man," Rose sighed. "A man I worked with for years..."


By the end of her story, Rose was in tears again.

"I loved him, Maria, as much as you love Tony. You're s- so devoted to him, and I just ran away! I left him behind and tried so hard to forget... and Bernardo! Oh, I don't know what I must have made him think. But he was nothing more than a distraction for me, to k-keep me from thinking about who I had left behind."

Maria put an arm around Rose's shoulders and held her close.

"Did you care at all for Bernardo? He must have meant something to you..."

Rose nodded. "Of course I cared for Bernardo, but-"

"Then you should not worry, Anita. As long as... as long as he died believing he was loved-"

"How can you say that?" Rose cried. "How can you forgive me so easily? I was in love with another man!"

"I do not want to be mad at you, Anita. I have already lost Bernardo. I do not want to lose you as well."

"Thank you, Maria," Rose said. "And… do you- do you think you could call me Rose again? Instead of..."

Maria smiled sadly. "Of course, Rosa."

A knock at the door startled both of them. "I'll get it," Maria said, getting up. She closed the door behind her, making it so that Rose could only hear the soft murmur of two voices. A moment later Maria opened the door.

"Rosa?" she called. "Will you come out?"

Puzzled, Rose got to her feet. "What is it, Maria?"

It turned out that Maria was speaking to a surly-looking police officer. When Rose came out from Maria's bedroom, he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her.

"He wishes to speak to me about Bernardo, and I have just remembered I have... medicine I must pick up from Doc's store. Will you go for me?"

"I..."

"Here," Maria said, darting back into her room. "I will write it down for you, to tell you what to ask for." She came back out with a note scribbled on a scrap of paper. She handed it to Rose. "Will you go for me?"

Rose hesitated a moment, but when the policeman glared at her again, she took the paper from Maria's hand.

"Of course, Maria. Of course I'll go."

She unfolded the note the moment she was out of the officer's sight.

Rose,

Tony is waiting for me in Doc's basement. Please tell him I am coming, but I have been detained. Tell him I will come for him.

Maria

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