In response to the generous reviews, I have decided to continue with Maria's POV. More to come! Enjoy!

"Buenos Dias, Anita." I send her a weary smile the following morning. She doesn't look like she has slept much either.

"Maria," she embraces me, "Como e stas? How is the baby?"

"We're both alright." My attempted cheerful tone doesn't fool her.

"Here, have some strong black coffee. You'll be ready for work in a few minutes?"

I glance up at the clock; my parents had already left for work and I had slept in.

Anita places a hand on my shoulder to reassure me. "It's okay, Maria. You were in a deep sleep and I know it's what you needed. I'll cover for you when we get there. Don't worry."

I heave a sigh of relief. Much as I felt the craving for more sleep, I knew there was much to be done. Unfinished business. My parents would be suspicious if I didn't go to work. Donning my black church dress, I also slip on my gold cross for comfort. Society is a battlefield that awaits me like it did for Tony. For the sake of his memory, I must tread carefully.

When we enter the bridal shop, Rosalia, Consuela, and Fernanda glance up from their work. Their gazes at me are full of suspicion and scorn. Shark members must have told them or at least their boyfriends. As Anita goes to apologize for our lateness, I sit down uneasily beside Rosalia. The door slams shut behind me like the sharp sound of a bullet. I squirm uneasily in my seat aimlessly sorting through the fabric on the table. Life must go on, I tell myself. But how am I supposed to focus on the present?

"Is it true Maria?" I jump at the sound of Rosalia's voice. Does she know about the baby? No, she can't. Only Anita knows.

I glance over at her. "What do you mean?"

"There's no need to play coy. Pepe told me about what happened to your boy, Tony. He doesn't know what you were thinking being with that American. Nor do I."

"Rosalia, leave her alone! She has been through enough."

I let out a sigh of relief grateful to Anita for coming to my rescue. No one dares to speak to me again. In their eyes I am a shamed outcast. It would be different if it had had anything to do with Chino. Even the baby.

Anita and I are left to close up shop. I wander over to the elegant mannequins recalling the marriage vows I had made with Tony. No one was going to break them—nobody, not even Chino. In my eyes, Tony was still my husband. Our baby was a reminder of that. Wait….wouldn't his parents want to know? The least I could do was tell them. I had briefly met them at the funeral. They knew I was Tony's girl—not his originally intended wife or mother of his child. I have to tell them. It might make their son's passing easier. The problem is, I have no idea what their address is. Perhaps Doc would know.

"Anita, I need to run an errand."

"I'll go with you."

"Gracias, but this is something I must do alone. Tell my parents I'll be back in time for dinner."

I rush out of the door before Anita can stop me. It doesn't take long for me to find Doc's store on a dim street corner. This was where I had planned to meet Tony for us to escape. It had always been his safe refuge. If only he had waited for me there. Not far down the street is the large gated playground where he had been shot. A chill passes through me as a street lamp flickers above me. I can almost sense Tony's presence close to me.

Opening the door, I see I'm not alone at Doc's store. Kiddo, Baby John, Diesal, and Action are there. They all stand up, as I enter, apprehensive at the sight of me. They have reason to be. After all I had been the one pointing the gun at them. Baby John is the only one to greet me.

"Maria…how are you?"

"I'm well, thank you. Where's Doc?"

"You looking for me?" asks Doc, emerging behind the basement door. He stops abruptly at the sight of me. "Are you the girl—the one Tony was going to drop everything to run away with?"

I nod; I knew I could trust Doc.

"Tony told me so much about you. I had never seen him so happy before. He could never stop singing after he met you. I'm very sorry that he's gone."

Tears brim in my eyes as my hand moves protectively over my slowly growing belly hidden beneath my dress.

"I thought you were dead," said Doc, "So did he. It broke him."

"I know, Doc," I reassure him, "But he died with a smile on his face when he saw me."

Kiddo, Baby John, Diesal, and Action watch us in silence. I wish they would leave. Their presence makes me feel uncomfortable. I cringe at the thought of what they had tried to do to Anita.

"Doc, I want to visit his parents. Where do they live?"

"They won't want to see you," Action cut in, "Especially if you're Bernardo's sister."

I shook my head. "I have to."

"You don't get it!" said Diesal, "Tony started the Jets in the first place for all of us. We had nowhere else to go. Our parents didn't care for us. We were rejected at school. We were outcasts and still are. The law thinks we're socially sick."

"Then when your brother killed Riff, we had no one else to turn to, but to come here," added Kiddo.

Anger boils inside me. This is exactly how they've been treating my people.

"Listen to what you're saying!" I snap, "Just because society rejects you doesn't mean you can treat my people the same way! We're not the cause of your problems! We came here to make a life for ourselves and nobody you kill from our family is going to make us go away. Never!"

"Easy everybody!" shouts Doc, "Why do you guys have to always upset my visitors? Huh? Now leave if you'd rather keep bating Maria!"

That silenced them. They didn't want to be kicked out of Doc's store againnot after what they did to Anita.

"Can I have their address please, Doc?"

Doc nodded grabbing a spare notepad and pen. "That's really thoughtful of you to pay them a visit. It's really hard for them right now. They were under the impression Tony had left the Jets—that he wouldn't get involved."

"He did what he thought was right," I reassure him, "He wanted to protect us all. That's why I too must protect his child."

There was a stunned silence from everyone.

"Oh shit!" burst Kiddo, "We're all screwed! What the hell were you two playing at?"

"Kiddo, stop it!" Baby John interjected.

"Did you hear her? After what we did to Bernardo's girl, the Sharks will think Tony will have done the same to her! They'll take us down! She's to be blamed! If it hadn't been for her and Chino, Tony would still be alive!"

"That's not fair!" argued Baby John, "And you will show Maria respect. She didn't have to come here, but she did. That means something—she cares more than we ever did." Turning to me, Baby John places his hand on my shoulder to comfort me.

Just in that moment, I jump at the sound of Doc's door slamming shut behind me. Not more Jets!

I turn around. No, more Sharks!

Inca and Tio rush to my side, pushing Baby John away from me. Kiddo, Diesal and Action tense up at them.

"Para lo!" I cry at them, "He wasn't trying to hurt me!"

"Where have you been? Your parents sent us out to look for you?" said Inca, "You're lucky they didn't try the police."

"It doesn't matter!" I retort, "The police wouldn't have cared!" I resist Inca's pull on my arm, walking over to Baby John.

"Maria, come with us now!" Tio commands.

I ignore him; I'm not going to be commanded by anyone—not anymore! "No, uno momento!"

Baby John slips a card into my hand with his number scribbled on it. "If you need anything, call me," he whispers to me.

I met his gentle eyes. "Thank you."

Doc quickly hands me Tony's parents' address. I shake his hand in gratefulness to him before turning to follow Inca and Tio back home. Thank God there hadn't been a fight. That didn't mean the battle was over. I was somehow going to have to face my parents.