Chapter Twenty-One

Kiev + Kennel

 

Today is our first out-of-jail day. Meaning, we’re done with the pig-related activities. It’s the end of the school day now, and I’m driving home to pick up Pepe on my way to Lia’s. Last night’s make out session was out of the ordinary, to say the least. I mean, for a girl without any kissing experience, she’s a natural. And wild. Yeah, I was dying to kiss her but wanted to go slow, more so when she said she’d never kissed anyone. Then, boom, she was all up on me—I’m not complaining.

When I get home, Mr. Corey is parked in the driveway, Cole leaning on it, waiting for me. He asked to borrow a math book because he’s tutoring a “human of the female kind.” His words, not mine.

I pull up next to Mr. Corey and exit. “You beat me here.”

“That, I did.” Cole jerks a thumb over his shoulder. “Shall you obtain the mathematics’ bible, so I can meet my female friend who is in desperate need of my wise knowledge?”

I laugh. “That’s a mouthful.”

“My mouth isn’t full. Are you hungry?” He points at his car. “I have a three-day-old egg and cheese biscuit down there.”

“I’m fine.” I give him a wide smile.

He cocks his head and examines my face. “Why the goofy smile, Mr. Kiev Jimenez?”

I touch my lips and inspect my fingers. “Um, nothing.”

“Nothing is underrated. Nothing is everything.” He elbows me. “Spill the cat fur.”

“Beans,” I correct him and pace to the door. “I’m gonna get your math book.”

“You still have to tell me about your goofy smile, Mr. Kiev Jimenez,” Cole says behind my back.

A minute later, I return with the book and hand it to him. “Here.” I wave him off. “Now, go. Tutor your friend.”

Cole tosses the book in his car. “Why are you rushing me?”

“Because you said your female friend is waiting.” I lift a brow. “Who is she? Not Monica, right?”

He scratches his ear, a thing he does when nervous. “Just a girl.”

I stare at him. “Why the mystery, dude?”

“There’s no mystery. The girl is just another human of the female kind in the constellation of girls.” Cole scratches his ear again.

“Just another female. Right,” I say sarcastically, stretching out the last word.

“Right, it is, Mr. Kiev Jimenez.” He stares at me. “Are you going to answer why your face still has that dopey smile? Sometime in this millennium?”

Silence. It’s like we’re both hiding something when there’s nothing to hide.

“Fine, I’ll tell you.” I cross my arms. “I kissed Lia last night, and we’re hanging out this afternoon with Pepe.”

He slaps his thigh. “My instincts were right on point—you have hovering bugs flying inside that stomach of yours.”

I incline my head. “Your turn.”

“To spill the corn?”

Those words deserve an eye roll. “Beans—whatever. Just tell me.”

He rubs his double chin. “I can only tell you that this girl, whose name shall not be spoken, is in need of my wisdom.”

I motion a hand for him to elaborate.

“Duty is calling me, Mr. Kiev Jimenez.” He gets in his car, as if running away from me.

“Dude,” I say as he drives in reverse and enters the street.

I don’t have time for this, and I don’t care who this mystery girl is. No. I care because this is Cole, and perhaps he took my advice of focusing on one girl.

Rushing into the house, I stride to my bedroom and grab Pepe’s worn out leash—he nibbles on it all the time. Man, I’ve been meaning to buy a new one but keep forgetting. Letting out a breath, I put him inside his carrying kennel and lift it to eye level.

He looks at me through the kennel’s little window as if asking, “Are you taking me for my daily stroll, Master?”

I shake my head. “We’re hanging out with Lia today.”

Pepe pokes out his pointy snout through the kennel’s front bars, which confuses me. Is he asking for food, or if I kissed Lia—hard to tell with this little guy.

The house is silent, as if no one is here. Kennel in hand, I step to Vi’s room and open the door to find an empty bed. Then I pace to Dad’s office and set the kennel on the carpet, before rapping at the door and opening it.

Dad sits in his chair with his back to me, facing his monitor.

I clear my throat. “Papá.”

He swivels in his chair. “Kiev.”

“How are you?” I ask in Spanish.

“Bien. ¿Tu?” he says, still smiling.

“I’m fine, too,” I reply in Spanish.

He waves me over, and I step toward him, leaving the kennel behind. He turns in his chair and brings up an email.

From Mom.

Pressing my hands on the desk, I inch closer to the monitor and read. She says she’s planning to visit us again next week, just for a few minutes because it still overwhelms her. She also says she misses us a lot, but she has to go about it slowly. Baby steps. I look at Dad and attempt a smile, and he returns it with a nod. I’m not sure how I feel. Mom’s situation confuses me.

Dad touches my hand and squeezes it. “Te quiero mucho, hijo.”

I put my free hand on top of his. “I love you too, Papá.”

Turning around, I exit his office and close the door behind me, then lift Pepe’s kennel. “Ready to rock and roll?” I ask.

He squints at me with his little black eyes, as if saying, “Bring it on, Master.”

In my car, I place the kennel on the floor, sandwiching it between the passenger and back seats. I drive slowly to avoid sudden shifts until I arrive at Lia’s apartment complex. After parking near the entrance, I shoot her a text.

Me: I’m here.

A minute later, Lia knocks on the passenger window, and I unlock the door for her.

She slides in and closes it. “So, I’ve been thinking about something.”

“Um, burger sliders?”

She shakes her head as an SUV enters the apartment complex and cruises by.

“I know,” I say. “You’re craving for pancakes again.”

“No, but I will be craving those tomorrow.” She nudges my shoulder.

I shrug. “I give up.”

Lia looks over her shoulder. “This.” She leans toward me and kisses me quick but intense. Man, I was right—this girl is wild.

“You’re not the only one who has been thinking about that, you know?”

Lia laughs, and when she turns serious, I hug her by the waist and kiss her again, my hands exploring her back underneath her t-shirt. From the corner of my eye, I spot a kid on a tricycle, looking at us with eyes larger than saucers.

I pull back. “I guess we need to visit your dads.”

“Barnabas calls them the Daddies,” she says. “Then we can go freak out my mom with Pepe.”

“Meet-the-parents kind of thing?” I ask.

She gives a playful glare. “I guess, but it isn’t like you’re asking for my hand in marriage or anything crazy like that.”

I grab her hand. “What would I do with just a hand? Actually, that’s freaky.”

She brings my hand to her mouth and nips it. “Zombies would love it.”

That makes me chuckle.

“So, what does your dad do?” she asks, letting go of my hand.

I shrug. “Computer magic I can’t even begin to understand.”

“And your mom?” Lia shakes her head. “Sorry. You said your Mom left.”

“About that … she showed up last night at home.” I rub the back of my neck. “She appeared after being gone for two years.” I sigh. “Can you believe it?”

Nodding, Lia looks at me intently.

“She told us the real reason why she disappeared.” I swallow hard. “She’s sick—depression. But she’s doing better now, thus the visit.”

“Oh.” Lia nibbles at her lower lip. “How do you feel now?”

Angry, not angry, weirded out—I don’t know. That’s a question I can’t answer now. It’s too soon. “A little better.”

“I hope things work out.”

“Yeah.”

We stay silent, looking at each other.

“Okay.” She glances around the car. “Don’t tell me you forgot to bring Pepe.”

I point my chin at the backseat. “He’s right behind you.”

She exits the car and opens the back door. “There you are.” She takes out his kennel. “Did you miss me, Pepe?”

Going around the car, I join her. “He said, ‘Let’s meet the dads.’”

“Wrong.” She shakes her head. “He said he missed his new lady master.”

I smile. “Really.” Not a question.

“Yep.” She heads toward her apartment, kennel in hand.

I motion at it. “Let me carry it—it can get a little heavy.”

Lia gives me a dismissive wave with her free hand. “I got it.”

She guides me toward her dads’ apartment building, and we climb up the stairs.

“This is it.” She stops by a door and hands me Pepe. “Ready?”

I lift the kennel. “Are you sure about him?”

“Are you kidding me?” She bumps my hip. “My dads adore pets—they’ll love him. Plus, they wanted to see him.”

“Okay,” I say.

Lia knocks on the door, and while we wait, my hands break out in a cold sweat, a thing I don’t understand since her dads are cool. I don’t even know why I’m nervous.

The door swings open, uncovering Alex. “Hello, there.” He smiles at Lia. “Hi, peanut.”

Lia gives him a little wave.

He stretches a hand out to me. “Kiev.”

“Good afternoon, sir,” I say, clasping his hand. His formal black pants, white button-up shirt, and loose dark-blue tie makes him look like a different person. I mean, the other day at the festival he wore jeans and a t-shirt, and now he looks like a lawyer who’s just won a tough case.

He points his chin at the kennel. “What is that?”

“His name’s Pepe,” Lia says.

Leaning forward, he squints at him. “Is that the armadillo you were talking about at IHOP?”

I nod.

“Are we going to have to stand here all day?” Lia asks.

He looks at his watch. “Just a few more minutes.” He smiles and steps aside.

We walk into a very clean apartment, the aroma of grilled chicken lingering in the air. A leather couch stands in front of a flat screen TV on one side, and on the other there’s a pristine kitchen with matching silver appliances. Dom’s muscled, bald frame faces the stove.

“We got visitors, Dom,” Alexander calls.

Dom turns around, spatula in hand. “Oh, hi!” He places the spatula aside, wipes his hands on his apron, and comes toward us. “I’m glad to see you again, Kiev,” he practically sings, offering a hand.

For a second, I just look at it, afraid it will crush mine if we shake. “Hi, Dom.” I clasp his hand. To my surprise and for him being all-muscles, his grip is weaker than Alexander’s.

“Don’t be so formal,” Dom says.

“Okay,” I say, but I feel weird calling adults by first name.

Lia takes the kennel from my hands and shows it to him. “Meet Pepe.”

Peeking at it, I find Pepe curled in a ball pressed against the back.

Dom cocks his head. “Is that what I think it is?”

“It is,” Alexander says.

“Yep, Kiev brought the armadillo.” Lia chuckles.

Alex rubs his chin. “It’s smaller than I thought it would be.”

Dom furrows his brows at Alex. “What? How big did you think they were?”

“Larger than that.” Alex holds out both hands about three times the size of Pepe, exchanging a glance with Dom.

“You just found this?” Dom asks.

“Yes.” Here’s the part where I’m going to get grilled with questions. When people meet Pepe, they ask if it’s legal to have a pet armadillo, what does he eat, and how big are his droppings.

“That’s original,” Dom says to Alexander. “Why didn’t we think of this before?”

“We should find one,” Alex replies, then turns his attention to me.

“Set him free,” Dom intervenes.

“Huh?” I lift a brow, thinking he wants me to release Pepe back into the wild.

Dom chuckles and motions at Lia. “I want to see him outside the cage.”

“Um.” I look around. “Pepe may, you know, leave a trace on your carpet.”

“Nonsense,” Alex says. “We have cleaning solution if something happens. Right, Dom?”

Dom hesitates before saying, “Sure.”

“Cool.” Lia sets the kennel on the floor, presses her knees against the carpet, and opens the little door.

After Pepe stays inside for a minute, I kneel besides her and wave him over. “C’mon, Pepe.”

At the sound of my voice, he opens his little eyes, but stays curled in a snug ball. Which is strange because he’s usually ready to socialize. Perhaps Dom’s muscles intimidate him.

I look up at Lia’s dads. “Give him some time to get used to this place.”

“Okay.” Lia stands. “What are you cooking, Dom?”

“Are you guys staying for dinner?” he counter-asks.

Lia shakes her head. “We’re visiting Mom, but I’m going to try to visit Barnabas next.”

Her dads exchange a knowing glance, as if something were wrong.

“Your mom isn’t very fond of pets.” Alex forces a smile. “Maybe you should leave Pepe here while at your Mom’s.”

“She’ll be fine.” Lia gives him a dismissive wave, then addresses me. “You want a soda?”

Standing from the floor, I straighten to full height. “Sure.”

She walks to the fridge and opens the door. “Root beer, or Dr. Pepper?”

“Dr. Pepper,” I say.

She takes out two cans, walks back toward me, and hands me one.

At this, Pepe finally pokes his snout out of his kennel, sniffing around. Lia and her dads freeze, as if breathing would scare the armadillo away. Pepe uncurls and takes cautious steps out, stopping here and there to take more whiffs.

“He’s adorable,” Dom whispers, sliding a hand over his bald head.

For the next few moments, I drink my soda, concentrating on Pepe.

“Can I pet him?” Alex asks in a whisper.

“Go ahead,” I say.

He stretches a hand toward him, but that makes Pepe scurry away into the kitchen.

“He’s fast!” Dom says, going after him. After a moment, he comes back with Pepe in his hands. “We should definitely get one, Alex. Pepe found a dead beetle and ate it.”

“That’s right,” Alex says. “We can have an armadillo instead of calling an exterminator.”

Lia rolls her eyes. “That was the lamest joke I’ve ever heard in my life, Dad.”

Dom puts Pepe on the carpet, and he scampers away.

“Pepe!” I shout to no avail, as he darts to the bedrooms in the back.

“I’ll get him,” Dom says with a smile.

“I don’t want him to ruin your carpet,” I say.

Dom shakes his head. “It’s just carpet, and carpets can be cleaned.” He motions down. “Take a seat.” Then he goes to the other room to retrieve Pepe.

“Okay.” I slide next to Lia.

“So, Kiev,” Alex says, “have you planed anything for college?”

“Dad.” Lia stares at him.

“It’s fine.” I smile at her. “I’m thinking about applying to Texas Tech.”

“That’s a great university.” He turns his attention to her. “Lia—”

“Hasn’t thought about college yet,” she says. “Senior year just started, Dad.”

“That’s right, Alex,” Dom says as he comes back in the living room, holding Pepe.

The next several minutes, we talk about the secret life of armadillos. Meaning, how to take care of a pet armadillo and not die while doing it.

“Okay, we need to head out.” Lia stands and strides for the door.

Alex also stands. “Why the rush, peanut?”

“I’m quite enjoying Pepe’s company,” Dom says while handing him back to me.

Lia sighs. “We’ll come another day, if that’s okay with Kiev.”

“Sure,” I reply.

We leave the apartment to the sun’s scorching heat, still out in full force.

Lia points to her right. “Mom lives in that building.”

As we climb down the stairs, I think of Lia’s family dynamics and decide I like how they get along with each other. Which makes me think of my own family. We’ve been in a somber mood since Mom left.

But now.

Now, the tone is still somber but with sunlight starting to shine in. We have to start slow not because Mom says she needs baby steps, but because we need the baby steps—to make sure she doesn’t disappear again.