Thank you for beta'ing, MsSchneeheide!

"Hola, my beautiful love," Diablo murmurs as he caresses Blanca's curls tenderly. "Your hair is really soft."

"Oye, cariño..." She smiles giddily at him and then shivers as she feels a cool breeze on her bare skin. Lifting the dark red comforter and looking down at herself, she gasps sharply, feeling paranoia and dread settle in. "Why am I in just my low-cut light blue nightie?"

"You changed into it last night and I adjusted the hem so it would reach your knees. For a while, you were sweating profusely, so I couldn't tuck you in until your temperature went way down." He gets out of bed and turns off his air conditioner. "Do you still feel itchy?"

"No. I-I don't even remember getting home..." She clutches her stomach, groaning. "Babe, do you...¿tienes Advil?"

"Sí, I'll go get some right now."

"¡Jugo de naranja también, por favor!"

Orange juice too, please!

He stops at the doorway and nods, still grinning. "Of course, darling."

"Muchas gracias..." Blanca whimpers as she holds her head with both hands. It's like someone is hitting her brain against her skull with a jackhammer and she can't get it to stop. She squints at the early morning light pouring from the tiny slit between the curtains and then rolls over. After slipping out from beneath the covers, she throws on her black and white robe, leaving it open. She jumps when she hears footsteps nearing, but it's only Diablo with her Advil, orange juice, a cup of strawberry yogurt, and a spoon. She takes a few shaky inhales and exhales as he walks into their room.

"Lo siento, I'm paranoid..."

"It's okay, mi amor, you don't need to apologize," he assures her, handing her the pills and orange juice, both of which she quickly gulps down. She eats the yogurt while sitting up on their bed.

"Did I say or do something stupid last night while I was wasted? I don't know what happened after Tiffany and I had our vitamins together."

"That was speed," he informs her. "Like meth. You weren't just drunk. I almost yelled at her for getting you high on top of completely plastered!" He rolls his eyes. "The nerve of her!"

"It wasn't her fault, we both wanted it and she had the stuff, so...espera, what if she knew it was meth, but didn't tell me? Was she trying to kill me, Diablo?!" she asks worriedly, grabbing onto the end of his shirt with trembling fingers. "Oh no, maybe she's working for Dean..."

He shakes his head and places himself beside her. "I'm sure she isn't, dear."

"Sí..." Blanca agrees. "She would've done the job...but then again, he'd take great pleasure in doing it himself." She sniffles. "The bottle was clearly labeled vitamins! Why would I think it's anything but? Por supuesto, cuando vi las píldoras, ¡no las reconocí como speed! She just offered me some and called 'em mood boosters since we were feeling pretty lousy."

of course when I saw the pills, I didn't recognize them as speed!

"¿Quizás pensó que sabías lo que era?"

Maybe she thought you knew what it was?

Blanca shrugs. "Sí. I changed in private, right?" He nods. She looks around at her strewn clothes on the floor. "Did we...?" She doesn't finish her sentence.

"Not at all! You, um...después de recogerte en el club, te llevé al auto y te ayudé a entrar a la casa. Te dejaste caer en la cama y te quitaste la mayor parte de la ropa. Don't worry, the alcohol wore off by the time we got home, so it was safe for me to drive. I'd never put you in danger."

After picking you up from the club, I carried you into the car and helped you walk into the house. You flopped on the bed and took most of your clothes off.

"Dormí en mi sostén...oh, great! Luckily, it doesn't hurt..."

I slept in my bra...

"Sí, eso es bueno...y lo más importante es que estás a salvo."

Yes, that's good, and the most important thing is that you're safe.

"¿Intenté tener sexo contigo?" she asks nervously.

Did I try to have sex with you?

"Sí, algunas veces, pero te rechacé porque te amo y nunca te violaría así. I want our first time to be special and memorable."

Yes, a few times, but I turned you down since I love you and I would never violate you like that.

"Ay dios mío, I'm so embarrassed of my behavior!" Blanca covers her face in shame. Warmth fills her cheeks as she blushes.

"It's okay, an increased libido is part of the many effects of speed!"

"Still, lo siento mucho," she mumbles. "You're a good man to resist my advances...I'm the dirty bitch who tried to rape you, just like my fucking ex did. Except he didn't stop...and he wasn't always drunk."

"No eres nada como ese monstruo," Diablo assures her, cupping her face in his hands, his thumbs stroking up and down her cheeks. He looks deeply into her eyes as if he's reading her soul. "You're absolutely perfect to me...tu eres mi vida."

You are nothing like that monster. You are my life.

"Gracias...lo siento that I worried you, though."

"Está bién. Let's have breakfast now, okay?" He tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and kisses her lips softly. "I hear the girls and Laronne waking up."

She beams. "Sure, I could use a bite! They're probably hungry, too, especially Maritza because she always wakes up starving! I'll make somethin' special."

"Mari, wake up! It's mañana..."

"What..."

She groans when she feels someone poking her in the side. After rubbing her eyes open, Maritza stretches her hands above her head and yawns. Next to her, Raiza giggles. "Yay! Up and at 'em." She always gets scared during storms and after another clap of thunder along with the downpour, she'd crawled in bed with Maritza, since Blanca was sick last night.

"Hermanita, I was sleepin'...what time is it? Looks like eight...I need a couple more hours..."

"I don't know. I can't tell time."

"It's ten!" Laronne says, climbing down from the bunk bed. The analog clock is on the wall beside him and Maritza checks the digital on her nightstand. He's right.

"Eh...whatever, I'm famished anyway." Maritza chucks Raiza's chin. "I hope Mami's all better now."

"Me too. She said she wasn't feeling good, and then Mister Diablo helped her to the bathroom. She threw up!"

"Lo sé, I heard her. She should be okay ahora. Anyway, how was your time with Red, Pavel, Tricia, and Allie?" Maritza and the smaller children leave the room. She assumes Blanca was just hammered, like Gloria had been. Her mother and Diablo had both reeked of alcohol. They must have really needed a night out of serious partying.

"Awesome! We went to the playground and got ice cream...I was a whiz on the monkey bars! I played tag with Benny and Julio," Laronne answers.

"I went down the slide! Wheeee! Then, me, Benji, Monica, Farah, Christina, Emiliano, and Eva were pushed on the swings!" Raiza chimes in.

"That's great!"

They tell their parents the same thing when they get downstairs. "Well, good morning!" Blanca greets them with a bright smile. She looks a bit dazed, but at least she's not completely out of it. "I'm glad you niños had fun!" She hugs each of them.

"Sounds like you guys did, too," Maritza blurts out as her mother pecks her temple and then Raiza's cheek.

Diablo ruffles Raiza's hair, gathers his son into his arms for a moment, and then pats Maritza's shoulder fondly. "Sí," he admits sheepishly. He makes coffee while Blanca gets out a couple of mugs from the cabinet and then milk from the refrigerator.

"Un poco demasiado," Blanca says. "I'll take a shower después del desayuno." She gestures to Diablo. "You should too, baby."

A little too much. after breakfast

"Lo haré." Diablo gives her a hug from behind and she turns her head so their mouths can meet. They pull away, smiling. Maritza enjoys their small public displays of affection; they're so cute together. She gushes inside.

Maritza shrugs. "It's cool, ¡ustedes necesitaban celebrar! ¿Puedo tomar un café con leche? ¿Y Splenda y nata montada, por favor? So it's not bitter."

You guys needed to celebrate! Can I have coffee with milk? and Splenda and whipped cream, please?

"Sure," Diablo allows. "If it's okay with tu mamá."

Blanca nods. "I don't mind if you have one cup every once in a while. It takes some getting used to, though...homemade coffee isn't as sweet as Starbucks. They put unhealthy shit in there to make it taste good."

"Mm, okay. Gracias for the warning!" Maritza sits down at the table along with Raiza and Laronne.

"Can I have some too, Daddy?" Laronne wants to know, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"No, lo siento, mijo, you gotta wait til you're at least twelve. You can try a few sips of mine, but I doubt you'd like it. I don't want you to have much caffeine at all."

He groans. "Aw, man!"

"Cuidado, está caliente," Blanca warns Maritza. She pours coffee into a black mug that's decorated with purple flowers and already filled with milk. The white liquid turns brown and then she puts some coconut creamer in there. She adds Splenda and whipped cream before setting it in front of Maritza. "Espera quizás diez o quince minutos. You can taste it with the tip of your tongue in about five and see if it's cooled down some."

Careful, it's hot. Wait maybe ten or fifteen minutes.

"Okay."

Blanca drizzles oil into the frying pan and starts the burner while Diablo stirs mixture in a bowl. "¿Cómo estuvo tu tiempo con las chicas?" she asks.

How was your time with the girls?

"Good, like always." Maritza breathes into her cup, sighing happily at the heat emanating from it. She's not too cold, but it feels wonderful on her face. Raiza and Laronne start setting the table and she pours the orange juice. Then, she cuts up fruit.

"Sí, ¿qué hiciste?"

Yeah, what did you do?

"Vimos películas...Back to the Future, The Wiz y After the Sunset. Bailamos nuestras canciones favoritas, jugamos a Truth or Dare, and we made music videos! ¡Nos lo pasamos de maravilla!" She so badly wants to tell them what happened to Elena, but the words won't come out. She prefers it if Gloria hears about the incident first, anyway.

We watched movies...we danced to our favorite songs, played Truth or Dare. We had a blast!

Diablo looks over his shoulder at her as he slides on oven mitts and tips the pan so the oil covers the entire bottom. "You were so quiet anoche when Red brought you kids home," he notices aloud. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, I was just tired. Were my one-word answers rude? Lo siento..." She'd been so careful to omit Herrmann's verbal harassment toward Elena, because the scumbag had already threatened a restraining order against Diablo. Things could get worse if she tells him. She doesn't want to cause trouble, even if he's always kindly insisting that he'll deal with any problems they have. As sweet as he is, he could get sick of them someday. That's what really scares her, and Blanca feels the same way, deep inside.

"No, entiendo...it was late." He beams before scooping up some mixture and pouring it into the pan.

Maritza tries her coffee and it's lukewarm, so she sips it, closing her eyes as the soothing liquid slides down her throat. "Hey, not bad!"

"Bien, ¡me alegra que te guste!" Blanca exclaims without turning around.

Good, I'm glad you like it!

She carefully tucks a fork under the solidified egg pancake and flips it over. When it's done, Blanca lays it on a light pink plate, sprinkles cinnamon on it, and brings it to Maritza, who rolls it up into a long tube.

"Muchas gracias, Mami."

"De nada."

"I want some too!" Raiza calls out.

"Me too, it smells delicious!" Laronne adds.

"It'll be just a moment, chiquitos, I gave Maritza hers first because her tummy hurts if she doesn't eat right away when she wakes up," Blanca lets them know.

little ones

"I ain't little!" Laronne complains.

"You are to me, buddy," Diablo teases him.

"Daddy, I hope I get to be tall like you one day."

"Maybe you will be!"

"I wanna reach the sky and touch a cloud!" Raiza bounces in her seat excitedly.

"That's impossible, mija, but when you get older, you might be my height or your sister's!" Blanca tells her.

"Yay!"

Maritza starts eating her food with a fork, and then Blanca and Diablo serve the others before sitting down to eat their own meals.

"I dunno. The whole thing's just a complicated mess." After finishing her story, Elena buries her face in her hands while trembling. Next to her on the sofa, her favorite teacher immediately embraces her. She sniffles while resting her chin on the older woman's shoulder, hugging her back. Several tears roll down her cheeks. "Señora Córdova, lo siento I dumped this on you...I was biking around the block after breakfast and needed to speak with mi mami...but she's not up yet. Abuela can't afford a good lawyer, and I don't wanna put this on her...but Gloria's got Fahri, so...and I know you'd be an awesome attorney."

They separate, but still sit close, Elena's hands wrapped tightly around Karla's. "Well, gracias for sharing this with me, y no tienes que hablar con tu mamá sobre lo que pasó...but I'll do whatever I can to get his disgusting ass fired and hauled off to prison."

you don't have to talk to your mom about what happened...

"La cosa es, que quiero...I just don't know how she can help when he's such a racist bastard! She could be thrown in prison just for yelling at him!"

the thing is, I want to...

"Mierda, quiero hacer más que gritarle a ese hijo de puta," Karla mutters, wearing a troubled expression. "I'm sure your abuela will try her best to get him off the force and carted to the big house, too. She doesn't think of you as a bother!"

I want to do more than yell at that motherfucker

"Oh, I'm confident you'd all kill him, but I wasn't violated o nada. There's no evidence...just the girls as witnesses. Negaría todo y sería creído."

He'd deny everything and be believed.

"Donaldson and Charles are on our side...you chicas can file complaints and he'll be suspended...I'm not sure for how long, though."

Elena sighs bitterly. "I wish he did fucking touch me and leave a mark."

"No, you don't, honey...you can always get a restraining order...I know those are just pieces of paper, but he'd be arrested if he didn't follow it. He wouldn't risk that."

"Maybe he would. Mira, he'll be in trouble and maybe retaliate...go after me and my familia or somethin'. That ephebophile needs to be fired and then put behind bars!"

Karla nods. "Lo sé. I hope he gets charged with somethin' else."

"Me, too."

"Also, like I've told Maritza, Raiza, y Flaca, you have my full permission to call me Karla cuando no estamos en la escuela."

when we're not in school

Elena manages a smile. "Oh...okay! Gracias for listening and comforting me."

"Anytime!" Karla beams, her eyes glistening. "If you need to vent some more, whether it be about this or other stuff, mi puerta está siempre abierta."

my door is always open

"Muchas gracias." Elena squeezes Karla's hands.

"De nada." They glance up to see Gloria shuffling into the living room sluggishly. "Well, good morning, sleepyhead! Ramón's cleaning up, but I saved a plate of waffles and strawberries for you."

"Hola, gracias, Karla, pero lo siento...¡Ellie, buenos días! This is a nice surprise, sweetie." She sits on the other side of Elena, and mother and daughter wrap their arms around each other. Beaming, Gloria kisses her cheek while stroking her hair. Elena clutches on to her mother's light pink pajama top. "How did you get here?"

"I rode my bike. It's not too far from Abuela's. Pero...eleven-thirty, Mami?"

"Yeah, Benny and Julio woke me up, jumping on my bed and saying I missed breakfast with everyone. Now, they're playing with Benji in his room."

"You were completely exhausted last night. I wanted to let you sleep in," Karla tells her.

"You mean waste the day?" Gloria's smile drops; she sounds disappointed in herself. "It's practically noon! The morning is shot...it's usually Benny who sleeps this late, if I let him."

"It's okay every once in a while," Karla assures her.

"Yo, Mami, relax, it's Sunday, ain't that traditionally the day of rest?"

"Sí...ahora, what's wrong, mija? You seemed so upset anoche." Her forehead creases in worry and she rubs Elena's back in soothing circles.

Elena gulps, her eyes averted to her lap. They bounce back to Karla, who nods encouragingly with a gentle smile.

So Elena tells her mother, and Gloria's concerned expression turns irate, her eyes blazing with fire and her mouth set in a thin line. "I saw a gun in his belt...he tapped it with a cocky expression on his feo face. Estaba tan asustada que...everyone was."

I was so scared, I...

"What a horrible piece of shit," Gloria nearly growls. Elena cuddles into her side and then rests her head on Gloria's knees. "Ay, mi nena..." She closes her eyes at the peaceful feeling of Gloria's fingers combing through her hair. "My poor little girl. I wanna strangle him!"

"Can you get your homeboys to do it, those ones who live in Washington Heights?"

"Yeah, I'mma ring my brothers soon...I'm looking for a place for us there, it's fifteen minutes away from the Bronx. It won't be a problem for them."

Elena looks up at Gloria in shock. "I don't want 'em to be in trouble either."

"Lo sé...I'll just call up Charles and explain the situation, okay?"

Elena nods and smiles faintly at her. "Gracias, Mami."

"No hay problema." Gloria taps Elena's nose affectionately and leans down to kiss her temple. "I'll always protect you, darling."

"What's on your mind, hm?"

Blanca twiddles her thumbs. She and Diablo then sip their second coffees, and like before, the mug warms her hands immensely, relaxing her. "Besides the fuckin' blizzard comin' up tomorrow?"

"Sí, it's gonna be freezing, pero...¿quieres decirme de ese tipo que está muerto para ti?" Diablo twirls a few strands of her hair around his finger and places it carefully behind her ear. He gazes at her, his forehead wrinkled and eyes narrowed in concern. "I kinda figured he was the reason you didn't seem yourself at the end of the night."

wanna tell me about that guy who's dead to you?

She sighs into her coffee so the heat fans her face. "I can't even believe it myself. That bartender's father...he's also my stepdad. Pensé que Dean lo mató. That animal only made me motherless..." Her breath hitches and she sniffles. Blanca drinks more of her favorite morning beverage and wipes her thumb under her eyes while nestling into his embrace. "Chad apparently survived the attack. He saved himself by saying he didn't care about me and Mami anymore. So, Dean no longer needed to get rid of him. That coward hid instead of kicking my ex's ass or calling la policía!"

I thought Dean killed him.

Diablo frowns and drops a kiss to the top of her head, still keeping his arms securely around her. "Lo siento mucho, mi querida."

"I wasn't that close with him to begin with, but still, all that time, I never realized he was a horrible person...maybe insensitive and he couldn't help his dyslexia, but not...Mami weaned him off his meth addiction! I really thought he cared about me…but nah. So that's why I stayed at the bar for so long...after realizing Chad is also Tiffany's papi, I didn't know what to make of the revelation."

"Wow…I wouldn't either." Diablo plays with Blanca's fingers and presses his lips to her cheek. "No wonder. Entiendo ahora. It makes a lot of sense."

I understand now.

"Boo, the bouncer, she was there, too, she's apparently Tiffany's mami figure…she previously told him she'd never call her kid dumb or stupid and Tiffany having her six abortions was the best thing she ever did. All those would-be babies are much better off since she isn't meant to be a mamá and wouldn't have raised 'em right."

"Oh, good point. He sounds like an asshole!"

"He is! Also, he wasn't the nicest to Mami...behind closed doors, I heard it. He was always snapping at her if he was in a mood, saying a tight piece like herself shouldn't be this stupid whenever she made a mistake. Even after all that she did for him. Mirando hacia atrás, no lo entiendo how Mami knew Dean wasn't right for me and wanted me to come to my senses in my own time, but she herself let Chad mistreat her."

Looking back at it, I don't understand

"It's always easier to see cuando le está sucediendo a otra persona."

when it's happening to someone else.

"I think she realized it on some level...she was aware Chad wasn't the best for her, but she always said estaba haciendo todo lo posible, no es su culpa que tenga dislexia, y a veces está de mal humor, pero me protege y eso era lo más importante..."

he was doing his best, it's not his fault he's got dyslexia, and he's just grumpy sometimes, but he's protective of me and that was the most important thing…

"I thought he'd get better but he didn't…he'd talk to me about Dean being an ass about his dyslexia and I felt bad for him, but that was literally la única razón por lo que no le gustaba Dean. It had nada to do with me at all. My biological papá was Rodrigo, he and Mamá fought all the time in the Dominican Republic and it only ended in divorce. I thought it would be like that eventually with Dean if we got married, o que pelear mucho was normal in a relationship, y luego asumí que tal vez eso era normal...todos los chicos son así, but you were weird! You were the first dude who actually gave two shits about me and had a crush on me at the same time. I'm sure you're my soulmate."

the only reason he didn't like Dean...lots of fighting…and then I assumed that maybe that was normal, all guys were like this

Diablo grins down at her somberly and he brushes his knuckles down the side of her face a few times and cups her chin, tilting it so they can share an open-mouthed kiss. "I'm positive you're mine, too! Antes de ti, I didn't think it was possible to love someone this much."

Before you

"Even my first boyfriend before Dean wasn't as loving. Tim was super nice and sweet, but he didn't make me feel the way you do. The spark just…it wasn't as strong, ¿ya sabes? Bless his heart…he was killed in an alley." She shakes her head. "He was involved in shit I didn't even know about. He made a stupid bet with older boys who were in a gang…he owed the boss money, but he didn't have the cash when it was due. I told him not to hang around that crowd, but he didn't listen to me."

"My deepest condolences, lo siento mucho for your loss." Diablo strokes her locks.

"Gracias…I had so much survivor's guilt after…mostly because I was about to break things off with him. I sensed things were going south, mostly on my end, and I didn't wanna keep leading him on. I was thirteen and I needed more passion. I also didn't like his amigos, but that was just a tiny part of it. Then, I screamed at his grave that he should've told me he needed help…but then again, maybe he was scared."

"He probably wanted to protect you," Diablo murmurs. "If you knew, that would've put you in danger. It's not your fault, though…"

She nods with tears in her eyes and sniffles. "Lo sé. Mi abuela Graciela was right...she said horrible shit comes three things at a time…first was her having over fifty cases of bronzer, then her daughter being with two bad people, then her daughter dying...at least she didn't lose me...at least, not physically. She's in the DR with mi tía Mirna y primo Antonio. I don't think they've ever forgiven me for not leaving Dean. If I had, maybe mi mami would still be alive."

"Tal vez, pero you can't keep blaming yourself for that. Sweetie, he was a psycho! Si te quedaste con tu mamá, él podría haberlo matado a las dos. Have you tried reaching out to the rest of your family on MySpace or Facebook?"

Maybe, but...If you stayed with your mom, he could've killed you both.

"It's been fifteen years since Maritza and I last visited them…Dean insisted on coming, but he was racist to everyone there. They hated him and yelled at me for not cutting him loose before having a kid together. They kicked him out and he forced me and mi bebé to leave, too. They were angry that I never fought back against him and didn't protect my baby enough. We haven't spoken to each other in quince años. What are the chances of reconciliation?" Blanca breaks down; while she cries, she lays her head on Diablo's shoulder.

"It's never too late to reconnect," he attempts to assure her, his voice soft and kind. Her sobbing is muffled against his chest as she clings to his shoulders. He continues holding her in his protective arms. "Mira a Gloria and her niñas. All she did was look up Elena on MySpace, call her while she was still in Puerto Rico, since Ceci wasn't budging. She gave 'em a year to decide, and then, after searching for a job at Martin Van Buren High, Milagros moved 'em here. Sure, Ceci protested and Elena was unsure, yet hopeful, but eventually, they got there."

Look at

"I dunno…one's own kids are a whole different story." She lets out a few shaky exhales and whimpers. "Abuelos, tíos, primos, they drift apart for one reason or another. They're not immediate family, they don't live close, it's just too hard to stay bonded. Maybe if Maritza and Raiza ask to meet them, I'll reconsider."

"All right." He gently massages her back and rocks them slightly.

"Mi mamá besó a Yuri mientras ambos estaban borrachos," Flaca announces, and the girls' jaws drop. "Holy shit, they were totally smashed! She seriously planted one on him, it was hilarious how she described it, they were like teenagers! I'm surprised they didn't do the nasty!"

My mom kissed Yuri while they were drunk.

Maritza giggles. "So are they novios now, or?"

"They probably didn't make it official yet, but I'll be givin' him the talk soon enough!"

"Oh, the protective daughter to mom's boyfriend one?" Elena asks, her glum expression turning intrigued. Flaca nods in affirmation. "Ceci y yo le dimos eso a Fahri ayer cuando visitó a Mami."

Ceci and I gave that to Fahri yesterday when he visited Mom.

"What'd you two say?" Maritza asks, propping her chin up on her fist, her elbow on the table.

"Eh, just your basic, 'don't hurt her or there'll be hell to pay,' and he swore to Dios he wouldn't," Ceci responds. "So far, he's a good hombre for her."

"That's kinda what I told Diablo," Maritza lets them know with a proud smirk. "He's been doing excelente on his promise to treat Mami right. She's found her king."

"I didn't need to threaten Leon like that…I didn't give a shit about Ma's love life." Daya shrugs. "I'll include him in my graduation speech, though…thank him for existing and changing our lives for the better."

"Well, that's great! Y'all ever heard of Kubra Balik, the international drug cartel kingpin pendejo who walked?" Flaca asks, her tone suddenly dark.

Maritza cringes upon hearing his name. "Yeah, he was on the news."

"Mm-hm, what about him?" Taystee asks.

"Such a dangerous fool," Poussey comments.

"My sister and Fahri used to work for him," Katie puts in.

"I hope he's told Mami this," Elena states. "She deserves to know his past, if she's revealed everything about herself to him."

"He better have!" Ceci mutters.

"My mami used to date Kubra until he turned out to be a huge scumbag! We were all completely fooled, Mami, mis hermanitos, y yo. Not only was he a heroin dealer, he hit on teenage girls, stole Mami's expensive earrings she got from her parents, and scammed me under some random hot guy's MySpace account he hacked!"

"Gross!" the girls exclaim in unison.

Flaca pulls her puffy black jacket tighter around herself and zips it. She gets her long dark hair out of the hood and swings it over one shoulder. "That motherfucker owned the Sparrow Tavern when Mami became acquainted with him. Amenacé con romperle una de sus botellas de cerveza en la cabeza si la lastimaba. When he broke her heart, I smashed a beer bottle into his face just before he was arrested!"

I threatened to break one of his beer bottles over his head if he hurt her.

The group cackles wildly. "Yo, fuck that fucking pendejo!" Maritza hollers, and the rest of them cheer.

After a while, Elena's somber expression is back as she eats. "I meant to ask, how did things go, did your mami and Karla send in all our witness statements about you-know-who?" Flaca asks.

Elena winds her bright yellow scrunchie around her straight brown locks to make a high ponytail; it matches her sweater. "Sí, they, along with Abuela, dealt with it. As expected, though, nothin' much happened...he's just been suspended and relieved of duty until some unknown time. There's unfortunately no law against freedom of speech, no matter how inappropriate it is. He's still out there, ready to make more vile comments about other girls and women to their faces. Sin embargo, gracias por todo lo que hiciste." She gazes at them appreciatively, but her face clouds with gloom again. She bows her head, staring down at her fresh French manicure.

Thanks for all that you did, though.

They let out dispirited, angry sighs and Ceci lays her hand on top of Elena's, squeezing it gently. "We're all here for you, hermanita."

"Sí," the others murmur in agreement.

Thanks for reading and reviewing, Juliette45!