Sarah
A week after Sydney’s visit, Sarah finally sent her dad an email. She’d taken both Angel’s and Sydney’s advice and kept it simple without giving him any info about herself just yet. Basically, she told him she’d gotten the message that he’d been looking for her and wanted to meet with her but she wasn’t comfortable with that until she knew more about him.
She asked him a few generic questions such as where he lived and what he did now for a living, which was her masked way of finding out if he was still doing illegal things to get by. She also asked about her brother: his age and why he suddenly wanted to meet her. She asked if it were possible for him to send a photo of himself and maybe one of her brother as well.
His response came that night. Sarah stared at the unopened email in her inbox from Omar Ortiz. Even when she’d first gotten the info from Sydney, she’d thought about how, if her mom and dad been together when she was born, she might’ve been an Ortiz instead of a Fierro like her mom.
She’d told both Sydney and Angel that she’d gotten a response but had yet to read it earlier when she saw the email indicator on her phone. Feeling almost silly, she actually considered waiting until Angel got to her place after his practice so he could be there when she opened it. For some reason, she didn’t want to do so in front of her mom. She hadn’t told her yet about receiving the response. Just before she could click on it, her phone dinged with a text. It was from her cousin Valerie.
I’m right around the corner. Let’s go get coffee. I haven’t seen you in too long.
Smiling, Sarah texted back that coffee sounded good to her then exhaled a bit dramatically as she clicked on the email and began to read. There was no way she was waiting until she got back from getting coffee with Valerie.
Hello Sarah,
I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I was to finally hear from you. I guess my trip out to Flagstaff paid off. I completely understand your not wanting to meet until you get to know a little more about me.
First of all, your mom may’ve already told you that I did some time in prison. I’ve been out for over five years now and work at Hanson Beach Memorial Hospital doing maintenance and repair. I’ve been living out here in Hanson Beach ever since my release. My sister and her husband live out here, and I’ve stayed with them until I was able to get a place of my own.
Your brother’s name is Leonardo (Leo) and is just shy of twenty. I think I had it wrong when I spoke to the young man in Flagstaff, which is weird because I’m always a year behind not ahead with his age. He still lives in Arizona and attends the University of Phoenix. I recently reconnected with him since, unfortunately, I missed out on most of his life as well. He actually tracked me down a few years ago, and we’ve met several times since then and stay in touch via text, phone calls, and email. Ever since I told him he had a sister, he’s wanted to meet you. He is an only child, and as far as I know, so are you. I think it would be nice for both of you get to know each other and might not be too inconvenient if you, too, are still in Arizona.
I’ve uploaded a couple of photos of myself and a photo Leo sent me of himself. Feel free to ask whatever else you need to know. I told him you contacted me and that you want to take this slowly. He understands and wants to give you all the time you need, but he did say to tell you he’s very much looking forward to meeting you eventually. He asked me to pass on his contact info in case you want to call and speak with him first or like with me just email.
Warm regards,
Omar (Dad)
Sarah reread the email a second time, taking in her brother’s name and age. If he was just shy of twenty, then those times her dad had been seeing other women, when he was living with her mom, he must’ve gotten someone else pregnant.
Pinching her lips to the side, she thought about that. So far there was little positive she could say about the man who fathered her. She was glad now she’d decided to take it slowly, but she wouldn’t hold her father’s past against her brother. Like her, he had no choice in the matter of who his father was. She wouldn’t be calling him, but she might email him since he did seem anxious to meet her. Sarah had to admit she too was weirdly excited about the prospect of having a sibling. But like Angel had warned, she wouldn’t get her hopes up. She still didn’t know any of this to be fact.
Valerie arrived just as Sarah was opening the photo attachments he’d sent. Sarah had already filled her in earlier that week on the phone when they’d spoken briefly about the new information she now had about her father. So Valerie stood next to Sarah and her laptop, waiting just as curiously when Sarah told her about her father’s response to her email and that he’d sent photos.
The first one was of himself. In it, he was leaning against a doorway with a faint smile. She could now see what Sydney and Angel had been talking about when they said that her eyes were haunting. For years, Sydney had told her and then later Angel tried to explain it, yet she’d never seen what they were talking about in her own eyes. But she saw it now in her father’s. There was something profound about them. Angel said it was the very first thing he noticed about her the first time he’d laid eyes on her. Just like what Sydney had described feeling when he’d met the man, she couldn’t stop looking in his eyes. It almost choked her up.
“Wow,” Valerie said. “Sydney wasn’t lying, Sarah. You look just like him. There’s no way he isn’t your dad. Look at those eyes.”
Sarah didn’t say a thing. For as much as she stared at them, it was all still so surreal. Instead of commenting because she had no words, she clicked on the second photo. It was another one of him, only he was much younger and very good-looking.
“That’s him too?” Valerie asked.
Sarah nodded, reading the caption on the photo. “This was around the time I met your mom.”
“No wonder your mom hooked up with him. He was hot.”
With a smirk, Sarah clicked on the last of the attachments, making no comment again. This was her father, and there was such a resemblance between her and him it felt weird to talk about him being hot.
The last photo popped open. “Holy hotness, Batman!” Valerie said, leaning in more. “Who’s that?”
“My brother,” Sarah said. “His name is Leonardo. Leo.”
Valerie looked at Sarah bright-eyed and then back at the photo. “Well, he doesn’t look anything like you or your dad, but he’s an altogether different kind of hot. And, Jesus, look at the tattoos. Talk about panty-wetting sexy.” She turned to Sarah again. “He’s like . . . intimidating but in a hot way.”
Sarah could see why Valerie would think so. Since she was always going on about her weakness for guys with big physiques, of course she’d think Leonardo was hot. The tattoos only added to his already daunting appearance. The photo was taken lakeside, and he wore swim trunks and a tank that showed off the many tattoos on his muscled arms, shoulders, and chest. There was even one on his neck. There were a lot of people his age all around including many bikini-clad girls. It looked like a spring break type of photo. He was holding a beer, and the big friendly smile and baseball cap gave the otherwise tough-guy exterior a softer feel. His eyes weren’t green like hers. They were dark brown and Valerie was right. He looked nothing like Sarah or her father. But she was also right about something else. Despite his tough appearance, he was good-looking. His jaw was perfectly chiseled, and the gleam in his eyes said he knew he was hot.
“Okay, you have to take me with you when you meet him,” Valerie said, still staring at the photo, smiling big.
Sara turned to her with a disapproving glare. “I’ve already told you. You and Alex can insist you’re not exclusive until you’re blue in the faces. Both of you are equally and ridiculously, I might add, obvious about how pissed you get when hearing about the other one possibly hooking up with someone else. I will not take you with me to meet my brother.” Sarah closed out the photo and her laptop. “How awkward would that be if you two actually hit it off?”
Valerie frowned as Sarah grabbed her purse and they headed out. “Speaking of,” Valerie said as they walked out the door, “Alex is doing one of his disappearing acts right now. I haven’t heard from him in almost a week, have you?”
Sarah told her about having worked the same shift with him at the restaurant the last few days and how Angel told her that not only was football practice getting pretty grueling but the finals for the extra classes Alex had taken over the summer were all sneaking up on him at once. So Valerie wouldn’t feel so bad that he’d been too busy to call her. She left out the part about him also getting his own place soon. Valerie hadn’t mentioned it, and Sarah wasn’t about to get in the middle of this. Too many times already she’d inadvertently let something slip about Alex that she assumed Valerie knew, and Alex would end up in the doghouse. Not that he didn’t deserve it if he was going to be lying or purposely keeping things from Valerie, but Sarah hated that you-ratted-me-out-again look she’d get from him each time it happened. She figured it was just a matter of time before Valerie found out anyway. Angel said his brother got his own apartment because it was cheaper than paying for hotel rooms and there was no way he was bringing all his conquests home. Not only was it disrespectful but their mother would kill him if she knew just how many he had.
That last part was added by Angel and was his own personal assumption, not an actual quote from Alex. But if Sarah had to speculate, based on all the things Valerie told her and how often she was certain he was with other girls, it was likely true. She’d keep it zipped for now about him getting a bachelor pad soon.
“It’s just as well, I guess. I really need to just move on and let things go with him,” Valerie said as they got in her car. “I’m this close to feeling ready to take the state exam. Once I have my real estate license, I’ll likely be meeting a lot of men in the business. I don’t need Alex coming around threatening any of them like he does now when the mood strikes him to resurface from oblivion.” She turned to Sarah. “You do know this year they play Hawaii in Hawaii, right?”
Sarah scrolled through her unread text emails on her phone and shrugged, not sure what that meant. “So?”
“I’m just saying they’ll be there all weekend.” Sarah glanced up at her in time to catch Valerie roll her eyes. “Alex already bragged about it. Do you remember who cheers there?”
It took Sarah a moment and then she remembered—Dana, Angel’s only “thorn in his ass” after meeting and becoming exclusive with Sarah back in high school, the same girl who’d nearly caused a riot at her prom when Sarah and Angel had won prom queen and king. Dana and her minions had all protested, making a huge scene and basically ruining the moment for Sarah. Then afterwards, Angel had still found it in his heart to give the pathetic bitch a moment to explain that she’d had nothing to do with it. It was infuriating, especially since by that time Sarah knew what he’d previously made out to be nothing but a few hookups with Dana had actually been a lot more.
Sarah had been so relieved when she’d heard Dana bragging about getting into Hawaii State and how she’d leave once she graduated and never look back. Good riddance had been both Valerie and Sarah’s reaction the day they overheard her.
Glancing back at her phone, Sarah shrugged again. “It’s been over two years. I’m sure she’s moved on.”
Valerie laughed. “I doubt anyone would want to deal with her annoying ass.”
Refusing to give into what Valerie was insinuating, that, like her, Sarah should be worried about what they might do on their weekend there, Sarah dropped her phone in her purse and turned to her cousin. “Regardless,” she said careful how she phrased this because she didn’t want to sound catty. “Until he gives me reason not to trust him, I’m not gonna start worrying about something like that.”
It was the truth. Unfortunately, Valerie had lots of reasons to think Alex might be going to Hawaii or anywhere else to live it up and hook up with as many girls as he could. There had been two full seasons of Angel leaving for his away games without her, and he’d never given her reason to think he might do something while away. Sarah trusted him completely.
“Well, I’m not saying this to make you paranoid. I’m just giving you a heads up.” Valerie glanced at her then back on the road. “I didn’t say anything last year because I didn’t want to give her the pleasure of doing what I was sure she was trying to do—piss you off. I also knew you’d been at the game since it was here and you were with him the whole time after. But somehow she and I have mutual friends on Facebook, and one of them got tagged on some photos Dana posted after last year’s game against SD. In them, she managed to take photos of herself with players and band members from SD we went to high school with. Among them, Angel and even Alex made her stupid wall. She posted so many I didn’t think it was a big deal. So I guess when the schedule came up for this year’s season she reposted the photos, only not all of them. The caption read something stupid like ‘I can hardly wait to hang out with my friends from SD at this year’s game.’”
Valerie turned into the Starbucks parking lot, and Sarah had to wonder if this is why Valerie had called her out of the blue. She turned to Sarah as she parked and turned the car off. “This time there were only a handful of photos, and, of course, the one she took with Angel was one of them. I guess she didn’t want to look like the big slut she is, because she only posted one guy. The other two were girls in the band.”
Other two.
So it wasn’t even a handful. There were three people Dana was announcing she was looking forward to reuniting with in Hawaii—two girlfriends and Angel.
Valerie’s news about Dana had also come with a warning. As she always had back in high school, Valerie insisted Sarah not sweat Dana for even a moment. “I was just giving you a heads up so you’re not blindsided or anything in case you hear something, but don’t go arguing with Angel over something that wench posted on her Facebook page. Obviously, she hasn’t matured at all and is still trying to push buttons. Don’t give her the pleasure.”
Taking Valerie’s advice, Sarah decided she wouldn’t give it another thought. After Valerie dropped her off, she re-read the email from her dad, and when her mom got home, she confirmed the younger photo of him was definitely him.
“Wow,” Luna said, staring at the photo of what he currently looked like. “Those are definitely the eyes I remember. Time has been a friend to him, I’ll give him that much. I expected him to look even older since he was six years older than I was and you’d think all that time in jail would’ve aged him faster. But, yeah”—Luna nodded—“that’s him.”
Sarah turned to her mom, her insides getting a little more excited as this began to feel like the real deal. She chewed the corner of her lip, wondering if she should mention that she and her brother were almost the same age, but she figured it was just a matter of time before her mother found out, so she may as well just tell her.
Glancing back at the monitor, she clicked on the photo of him. “This is Leonardo,” she said, “my brother. He’s nineteen.”
Luna half-frowned then smiled. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” She leaned over to get a better look. “Your dad had a lot of tattoos too.” She murmured, staring at the photo. “He’s good-looking.” She shrugged. “I guess I’m more surprised he only had one other kid, but I suppose that had a lot to do with him being locked up for so long.”
Sarah was relieved her mom seemed more annoyed than hurt. Sydney called just after her mom left the room. She’d sent him the photos before she’d left with Valerie. His first words when she answered were “That’s him all right.”
More excitement bubbled inside her. “You sure?”
“Yep, that’s the guy. What did your mom say?”
“Well, she said he looks different. Obviously, it’s been twenty years.” She got up and headed to her bed. “She expected him to look different, but she was surprised how well he’s aged.” She plopped down on her bed and lay back. “He is six years older than she is, and he really doesn’t look it, but she said those are definitely his eyes and she’s ninety-nine percent sure that’s him.”
“So what now?”
“I don’t know. He sent me my brother’s contact information and said he really is anxious to meet me, so I guess I’ll write him next. All I know so far is he’s my age and goes to school in Phoenix.”
“I’d still be careful.”
“Of course,” she said, sitting up. “Whatever happens I’ll take baby steps and be cautious. It just . . .” She chewed on her pinky. “I guess it hasn’t sunk in yet. I have more family than just my mom and her sister’s family.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty crazy. Just remember, Lynni. Don’t go into this expecting too much. The novelty of meeting a long lost relative may wear off for both of them once they meet with you, and you all can lose touch again.”
“I know,” Sarah said, secretly hoping he was wrong. “I’m going into this expecting nothing. This way I won’t be disappointed.”
They spoke for a little longer until Angel showed up to pick her up. After telling him about the email and new information she had, Sarah brought the photos up on her phone.
Angel examined them as they stopped at a red light. “So we know for sure this is your dad, but this Leo guy is still not a sure thing.”
Nodding, Sarah thought about how she’d never even considered the possibility that he wouldn’t be. Since this was her dad and he was telling her this was his son, she just assumed it was true. Why would he lie? But she knew Angel. She also knew he’d always thought her to be far too trusting, so she wouldn’t admit that she felt certain this was her brother.
“My dad—” She caught herself because it felt weird. “Uh, Omar sent me Leonardo’s contact information so I can email him or call him and feel him out as well. Omar says Leonardo’s pretty anxious to meet me.”
Angel glanced at her as the light turned green, and he handed her the phone back. “That’s cool. Did you email him yet?”
“Not yet.”
They turned onto Angel’s street. They’d be hanging out at his place for the evening. “Just remember, babe. Don’t share too much about yourself with him until we’re sure this is all legit.”
He must’ve seen the look of disappointment on her face that he still wasn’t nearly as excited about this as she was. As soon as they pulled in his driveway and he turned off the car, he reached for her hand before she could get out, and she looked up at him. “C’mere,” he whispered, leaning into her and kissing her softly. “It’s probably all good.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I don’t mean to rain on your parade or anything, but you know me. When it comes to you or anyone I care about, I trust no one. This dude’s anxious to get to know you and be part of your life.” He raised a brow, smirking playfully. “His ass better be your brother.”
Sarah smiled, remembering Valerie’s reaction to Leonardo’s photo but dared not mention it. She knew Angel was just playing and trying to make up for his skepticism and lack of enthusiasm about this. But she also knew he wasn’t kidding about trusting no one. Somehow she didn’t think mentioning that Valerie thought her brother was hot—a guy who may or may not actually be her brother and one she’d soon be communicating with maybe even skyping or talking on the phone with—was a good idea.
They went inside and out into the backyard where Angel’s brothers and Romero were already hanging by the pool table. Sofie and Eric stood behind the bar area as she giggled and whispered something into Eric’s ear. Sarah could only imagine what that girl must be saying to him.
Sofie looked up just as they reached the pool table. “Did you hear back from your dad yet?” she asked.
Sarah nodded, noticing how she had both Alex and Sal’s attention too. Angel hadn’t mentioned telling them about it, so she wasn’t sure if they knew. Sarah had told Sofie about it days ago.
“So what happened?” Sofie asked all bright-eyed.
Sarah sat across the bar on a stool and started telling her about it. She waited until both Eric and Angel had walked away to take their turn at the pool table before pulling out her phone and showing her the photos. Sofie immediately agreed the resemblance between her and her dad was spooky. Then she showed her the photo of Leonardo. “Holy shit,” Sofie whispered, taking the phone from Sarah for a closer look. “Well, hello.”
Glancing back at the guys, Sarah was relieved none had noticed. All three brothers were busy laughing at whatever Romero was telling them, and Eric was completely engrossed in making his shot. “This is your brother?” Sofie asked, her words still hushed, then glanced up at Eric and smiled sweetly.
Eric smiled back none the wiser as he turned to watch Angel take his shot.
“So it seems,” Sarah said. “I haven’t talked or heard from him yet, but I got his info. I’ll probably email him this weekend.”
“How exciting,” Sofie said, handing the phone back to Sarah then leaned in and whispered. “Leonardo is hot,” she said, staring at the photo some more. “A little scary-looking but . . . damn!”
Sarah smiled but made no comment. She glanced down at the photo of Leonardo again and had to agree. He was pretty hunky, and even though she’d just found out a week ago that she even had a brother, it still felt a little icky to be thinking of her brother that way.
Both Sal and Alex left, saying there was somewhere they each had to be, and Romero suggested they all go to Andolini’s to grab some pizza. At first, Angel protested that, with it being a Friday night, Andolini’s would be too packed, but he was outvoted and they headed out.
Since Valerie had asked Sarah earlier to let her know if they’d be hanging out anywhere without Alex to let her know, Sarah texted her. She smiled when Valerie texted back a while later that she and her friend were already there and she’d try and save them seats.
As they walked in the Italian restaurant, Sarah immediately recognized the girl Valerie was sitting with. It was her friend Monica, who lived a few houses away from Val. Who she didn’t recognize was the guy standing near their table, obviously flirting with them. She was glad now Alex wasn’t with them. She wasn’t joking earlier when she told Valerie she and Alex were ridiculous. Though both pretended to be okay with their open relationship the way it was, neither was any good about hiding their annoyance when hearing about or seeing the other with someone else. In Alex’s case, the few times Valerie had told her about him seeing her with someone else, things had nearly gotten violent.
“Who’s that douche?” Romero asked the moment he spotted the guy with Valerie.
Sarah tensed immediately. She’d forgotten that though Alex wasn’t there Romero being there might be worse. These guys had each other’s backs, and Romero knew better than anyone that while Alex and Valerie were not a couple he would not be thrilled about this douche hitting on her. Romero started toward them with an evil smirk, and Sarah squeezed Angel’s hand.
“Be cool,” Angel warned.
Romero turned to him with an even bigger smirk. “You know me.”
“Well, shit,” Eric said as they all followed through the crowd behind Romero.
“Hey, Val, you save me a seat?” Romero asked, pointing at the seats next to Valerie.
The playful smile Valerie had been wearing up until she saw Romero fell flat. “Yes,” she said. “Sarah texted me, saying you guys were on your way.”
The guy standing next to Valerie wasn’t smiling anymore, but he wasn’t leaving either. He was typical for Valerie’s taste: tall, well-built, and rugged. The only difference from the guys Valerie usually dated was he was blond.
“Who’s your friend?” Romero asked, straddling the seat next to Valerie.
“Here we go,” Angel muttered as he pulled the chair out for Sarah.
“I’m Tex, who are you?” the guy said with a bit of an attitude.
“Tex?” Romero grinned, and Sarah could see in his eyes Tex’s attitude amused him. “Rhymes with Alex, huh, Val?” Romero glanced back at Valerie with a wink then turned back to Tex. “I’m Romero, Alex’s friend.”
Tex stared at Romero for a moment before asking the inevitable. “Who’s Alex?”
“Alex is—”
“Someone I haven’t heard from in over a week,” Valerie said, interrupting Romero with a glare. “Someone who’s probably out on a date as we speak.”
“When he could be here with you?” Tex asked a little too smug. “This Alex guy sounds like a real idiot if—”
Angel was on his feet instantly, but Romero beat him to it, jumping out of his chair and making the unwavering guy finally flinch. “Calling my friend and his brother,” Romero said, motioning to Angel with his thumb and getting in the guy’s face, “an idiot is real fucking stupid.”
Valerie squeezed in between, trying to hold Romero back as Sarah grabbed the front of Angel’s shirt with both fists. Everyone at the tables around them were on their feet now too in anticipation of a brawl. To Sarah’s relief, old man Andolini pushed his way through the crowd, cursing.
“I didn’t start this,” Romero said when Andolini broke through the crowd.
“Yeah, you never do,” Andolini said, pointing at the door. “Out!” he said loudly. “One week!”
“But—” Romero started to say.
“You no come back for one week!” Andolini persisted loudly. “You argue I make it two!”
Some of the people in the crowd chuckled as Romero reluctantly started toward the door. This wasn’t the first time Romero had been put on time out by Andolini. They all started to walk out with Romero. Sarah knew Angel wouldn’t let Romero take the heat on his own. He had been, after all, defending Alex. Even Valerie and Monica began leaving with them.
Sarah glanced back as Andolini started in on Tex. “I don’t know you but you too. Out! One week.”
“I ain’t going nowhere, old man,” Tex said with a frown. “I didn’t do shit.”
Both Romero and Angel spun around. They’d been coming here for years and had known Andolini for too long. Romero had been getting time out since high school even when it really wasn’t his fault. They always walked out respectfully.
“Who the fuck does this guy—” Valerie stepped in front of Romero again.
Two guys in aprons, who’d rushed out of the kitchen, were already in Tex’s face. “They got it, Romero. Let’s go.”
Andolini held his hand up to the guys in aprons. “Wait until that one’s gone,” he said, pointing at Romero, “before you walk this one out.”
With that, Andolini headed back to the kitchen, assuring everyone things were under control and to relax.
As soon as they were outside, Valerie started in on Romero about embarrassing her, and he protested he hadn’t done a damn thing. “What?” Romero asked, holding his hands up. “The douche insults my friend and I’m supposed to just sit there and let him?” His expression turned into a scolding one, and he shook his head. “You know Alex is not gonna be happy when I tell him about Tex.”
That really lit the fire in Valerie’s already blazing eyes. “You think I care if you—”
“Okay, okay,” Sarah said, worried Valerie might say something rude about Alex as she often did when it was just the two of them and she was venting. She didn’t think Angel but especially Sofia would take too kindly to it. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m still starving.”
“I don’t get pizza from anywhere else but this place,” Romero said as they reached both cars in the parking lot. “How ’bout Chinese? Lucky Dragon?”
“Don’t you need reservations for that place?” Eric asked, walking toward his car.
“Nah,” Romero said, walking around Angel’s car to the back seat. “My uncles know the owner. He’ll get us in right quick.”
“I’m out,” Valerie, who’d been reading something on her phone, said as she and Monica passed Angel’s car. She glanced back. “Isabel got off of work earlier than she thought she would. We’re gonna go meet her somewhere.”
“Don’t go causing any more trouble, Val,” Romero said with a big grin.
Valerie rolled her eyes but to Sarah’s relief didn’t say anything else except to remind Sarah to call her. Curiously, just as they pulled out onto the street with Romero yapping away about the Padres game the night before, Sarah noticed a text come in from Valerie. She clicked on it and read it.
I was going to tell you over pizza tonight until Romero ruined that! >.< My friend commented on a post in FB where Dana posted a link to her stupid blog. Just to be nosy, I clicked on it, and the bitch actually has a widget counting down the days down until the SD-HI game. Not a big deal, right? Except the photo she posted on the widget is an old one from way back of her and Angel with their arms wrapped around each other. No arguing with him! But maybe you warn him before the game she might be up to something. Enjoy your Chinese food. I so had a craving for Andolini’s tonight. Grrr!!