Chapter 5

With heavy steps, he strolls around the ocean in silence except for the soothing sound of waves crashing against the shore. And cool air that messes up his hair, when they blow in his face.

Soft giggles pacify his eardrums, he swallows and turns to follow the sound.

A little boy is racing towards the ocean with his mom and dad running behind.

“Tommy! Please slow down, darling” His mother shouts.

“Come on, bud, listen to mommy, okay.” His dad says.

Little Tommy reaches the shore with a grin and a wave washes over him.

Soaked. Water drips from his silk hair down to his khaki shorts. “Yeahhhhh..” his soft voice dances with excitement.

A spark ignites in Leo’s eyes as he watches the clueless young fella.

Little Tommy begins to cross the shallow water to a deeper part.

“Get back!” Leo removes his shoes and sprints towards him.

With one lift his strong hands pull him out of the water.

“Hey, I want to go under the water…” Tommy says with regret.

Leo’s pupil cautiously dilates when Tommy wraps his tiny legs and arms around him.“Yeah, someday you will.”

“Why not now.” Tommy frowns.

“The ocean is big, you might get lost. And you will make your mommy and daddy suffer, yeah.”He walks to the shore, with his shoes in one hand and the other hugging Tommy. “You wouldn’t like that, right?” He puts him down with ease.

Tommy’s curious, bright, blue eyes stare at Leo with confusion.

“Be more careful, alright.” Leo says on his knees to be the same size as him.

Tommy nods, playing with his small hands without breaking eye contact.

“Good boy.” Leo smiles faintly.

“Tommy, my God!” His mother tackles him with a hug, and his father joins in, kissing him on the cheek.

Leo sighs. And rises his drenched self.

“Thank you so much, I don’t know what I would’ve done if something had happened to him.” His mother says.

“Sure, I think you should learn to keep up with him more.” Leo says in a matter of fact kind of way.

“Thank you really, Tommy is always exploring.” His dad brushes his hair.

“Sorry, mommy and daddy, I forgot to introduce you to my new friend.” Tommy holds out his hand. And Leo’s strong jaw softens, he puts his blue veined hand in Tommy’s with perplexity.

The little boy’s sweet gesture makes him laugh, exposing his white sharp teeth.

Leo glances at his watch. “Well, I have to go now”—He pinches his thick eyebrows that nearly meet.

Tommy grins.

“Remember that smart boys listen to their mommies and daddies. And you surely are one of them, right?”

“Uhum..I sure am. I promise I won’t get lost.” Tommy recites.

Leo smiles and bids goodbye to the family. With water soaking out of his black suit, he walks away.

“Hey!!!” Tommy screams while his parents laugh out loud as they watch their son run towards Leo.

He turns baffled. And poses.

“You didn’t tell me your name.” Tommy says, lifting his head up to look at him.

Leo shakes his head, smiling. He bends to be at the same level with him. “I am Leonardo.”

“So, can I call you, Panthera Leo?”

Leo’s face beams and soft laughs elude him. “Uhaa.Sure. I love that, Mr scientist.”

“Okay, bye. Have a good day Panthera Leo.” Tommy cups Leo’s face with one hand.

Leo closes his eyes momentarily. “Bye, Tommy. I hope I run into you again.”

“Yeah. That will be so cool.” Tommy smiles. “And be more careful too.” Tommy stares at his bandaged reddening.

His parents catch up to him and Leo walks off.

*******************************************

Rose is seated on the bed, hugging her knees, her back against the wooden headboard. She yearns for the aromatherapy smell of the fabric conditioner of her apartment. And images of her father leaks across her synapse in a loop.

Alonso enters the room with the woman holding a tray of food.

Here we go again. Her eyes tweak and she looks up.

“Get up! Leo instructed you to stop by the office.” Alonso yanks the white blanket off her.

Today she isn't in the mood to defy anyone. To avoid a mental breakdown, succumbing to this conundrum is one way to go about it.

“I am not hungry—”

“I really don’t give a fuck. If you are going to starve yourself, that's your problem.”

Anger flashes through her almond eyes. Darkening the russet brown in them. “Take a quick shower and get ready because I don’t want to be late because of you.”

“I don’t fit in anything except for the robe I am wearing.” Her jaw tenses.

“Well, then I guess you will leave with the rope. Run along! We don’t have all day." Alonso claps.

Rose gets out of bed sluggishly, traipsing towards the bathroom. He stares at her with furrowed eyebrows. Treading, centuries go by, yet she didn't reach the bathroom.

"She must be trying to aggravate me, la perra." He pushes her into the bathroom. "Seriously! People have real jobs to go to, unlike you, social climbing and stealing is the only thing you are good at."

The door shuts in her face. She removes the robe, looks at the reflection of her pear-shaped body in the massive mirror on the wall. With a glimpse of hate, she glares at her stomach. Disliking how it's not flat as a paper. Especially the little pooch at her lower abdomen.

She finishes freshening up and finds Alonso seated on the bed waiting for her.

“I don’t even have shoes. So how am I supposed to go out? Barefoot?”

"Just get out, woman. I am glad you cracked the code. BINGO!” He shakes his head.

They both descend the stairs.

Alonso directs her to wait at a white Land Rover parked under a yellow shed bordered to the wall. She does as she is told, the coarseness of the interlocked floor rubs against her feet as she walks.

A few instants later, he presses the car’s remote to unlock the doors.

“Get in the back.”

Next to the window, she scoots and they drive off. Along the way, Rose gapes out the window mesmerized by the view of the place.

She smiles at the tall palm trees in an orderly pattern. The breathtaking turquoise color beach gives her goosebumps. They pass by historic rainbow buildings, tourists taking pictures, the scenery is blissful. She places her hand against the window. Wishing to be floating above the water. Perhaps, the heaviness in her chest will disappear.

The car stops in the vicinity of Castillo Grande beach, at a tall silver building analogous to a skyscraper, labeled Phoenix.

Alonso exits the car and Rose follows shortly.

People are staring at her in a condescending way, pointing fingers at her like she is crazy. Observing what’s around her doesn’t make the situation any better. Everyone is dressed formally or semi-casual.

They enter the building, facing them is a reception desk with a young mixed-race lady behind the desk. She appears to be in her early twenties just like Rose. They enter the elevator and Alonso opts for the 12th floor. The last floor. The elevator stops and it opens to another reception desk. With yet another young woman behind it.

“Hey, Kendra. Is the apartment open?” Alonso asks as they walk towards her.

“Good morning Mr Gomez, and yes everything is ready.” She politely replies with a smile and her chocolate skin radiates.

They continue walking down the hallway until a single, wide black door with mirrors around one side of its frame. Alonso turns the doorknob, and it opens to a fully furnished space loft.

Rose sits on the edge of a maroon leather sofa. While Alonso disappears down the hall.

Her legs feel jelly. She mopes around the loft to stretch. Touching stuff as boredom kicks in. It's probably not a good idea, but she does it anyway. Alonso scurries back into the living space, and catches her standing at a bookshelf holding a designer book “The guide to style.”

“What do you think you are doing?” He heads for the door.

“Uhm...” She clears her throat.

“I am going out, sit back down and don’t touch anything.” And the door closes.

Finally, alone, now she can breathe let alone hear herself think.

She lays down on the window seat. Resting her head on a cushion.

Thinking makes her ill. Run-ons of bad memories digging up a twinge of pain.

Ever since her mother left home, her father had been cold and distant towards her because he blames her for it..

“Please do not look for me anymore, you represent everything I am running from. I have a new life now and I don’t want it to be destroyed by you and your father."

"But mom I––"

"Just forget about me, you carry the blood of that rotten man therefore I want nothing to do with you too. Sorry that you ended up being the one paying for his mistakes.” She coldly said.

Those words sliced through her soul. Everyone I care about keeps leaving me. A thousand broken glasses cut all over again like déjà vu.

"Fourteen years without you mom." Laying on her side, staring blankly through the window.

Several hours elapsed since Alonso locked her up in the apartment. She falls asleep after an eternity of thoughts.

Leo enters the apartment and the first thing catching his attention is Rose sleeping at his favorite spot. Why the hell is she still wearing a robe? . He drops his case on a dark brown wooden coffee table and ambles to her.

He yanks the cushion under her, waking her up, shaky when her eyes lock with his.

She clears her throat and pulls her body to sit, bowing her head, playing with her feet, nerves prompting her to run. She contemplates whether to greet him or not. More blank than blank.

“Good day sir—” The words awkwardly escape her mouth, regretting every part of it.

“Where is Alonso?”

She gulps hard “I don’t know; he left a while ago.”

“Why aren't you dressed yet?” His bandaged hand hangs in the air.

“The clothes Alonso brought don’t fit... ” Staring at her toes.

“My face is right up here okay! So, look at me when you speak, don’t aggravate me with this bullshit of you pretending to be scared and vulnerable because it doesn’t move me.”

Lifting her head seems rather difficult, but she swallows her pride and does it anyway.

Deep breaths, fixating her eyes on his. I have nothing to hide and I am not guilty of anything. His words shouldn't bother me in any way.

Alonso walks in with a woman with a pixie cut. French model like type, full of shopping bags.

“It’s about time, Alonso.” Leo says with hands in his pockets.

Alonso simply smiles and directs Rose to follow the woman down the hall.

“We did it, our guy infiltrated Star-trend, we will hear from him soon,” Alonso says, pouring a glass of water.

“Good.” Leo taps his fingers on the modern white kitchen countertop. “I don’t trust her, who knows what else she did? There is something about her that I can’t quite put my finger on. ” Leo says.

“Don’t worry I will keep a close eye on her. ” Alonso gulps down the water.