Page 5 of Bound By A Promise

Miguel knew I wasn’t in there.

Maybe it was Em looking for me.

That was the argument I used to calm my trembling.

I had the revelation that perhaps one of our people could be deceiving the intruders, telling them I was in the safe room. Maybe they gave them the wrong combination. The chimes began again, and then silence.

My hearing strained for a sound, any sound.

And then I heard it.

I willed my eyes to remain open as the door moved inward. A light from outside the room allowed me to see the lower legs and feet of the person entering. The sauna filled with light.

“Camila,” my mother called as she crouched down, peering at me on the floor.

“Mama.”

I scrambled from my hiding place. We collided before I could register her appearance. I pushed away and with my mouth agape, stared at her nightgown. The color of the material was hidden beneath the saturation of blood. A copper scent filled the air. It was then I noticed the stain on her hands.

Taking her sticky hand in mine, I asked, “Are you hurt?”

She pulled me back into her embrace and shook her head.

The door opened wider as Miguel and Em entered.

“You’re safe,” Em said.

“What…?” I tried to articulate a question.

My brother came closer. Under the bright lights I saw blood speckles on his face and shirt. The dark black cotton did a better job of hiding the crimson spray than on Mama’s nightgown. He wrapped Mom and me in his arms. “Clean yourselves. You’re leaving.”

“Leaving, to where?” I asked.

“Papá’s spoken to the capo dei capi.”

“Dario.” Our brother-in-law. It wasn’t a question; I was simply trying to understand.

Mama reached for my shoulders. “We’re going to Kansas City to Catalina.”

“Is Papá okay?” I asked.

Em was the one to answer. “Three of the Russians are dead.”

“Anyone of our people?”

Mama’s eyes closed and her chin dropped. “Luis.”

My heart ached as I shook my head. “No. Luis can’t be dead.”

“He saved me. The shot came from beyond the window.” She shook her head. “I tried to save him.”

The blood on her nightgown.

“Oh, Mama, I’m so sorry.”

“If Miguel hadn’t made me leave him, they probably would have gotten me too.”

I turned to Miguel. “You saved us both.”