Page 84 of The Broposal

Han collapsed on top of me, and we both sobbed in each other’s arms.

There was no avoiding it now. It was over.

It was all over.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

HAN

Watching Kenny drive down the alley and turn the corner was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do. It was really over now. At least we’d said a hell of a goodbye.

I took my time before even looking for the spare key to figure out what the hell to tell everyone. I sent the family a group text saying I’d be coming over so they wouldn’t think someone was breaking in. I knew as soon as they woke up, Tía Mary and Mariana would ask a million questions I wouldn’t be able to answer. And just the thought of being asked about the breakup made me want to burst out crying all over again.

I waited until Kenny’s car was long gone before finally grabbing the key from under a plant and unlocking the back door. I quietly made my way through the laundry room and into the living room, where I was surprised to see Tío Nacho still awake on his recliner watching TV. He must have seen my text and waited for me. He stood up when I came inside, quickly making his way across the room to meet me.

I felt my lip start to quiver as my tío stared curiously into my eyes, surely wondering what brought me here and why I looked like I’d been crying.

“Kenny and I…” I started, but I couldn’t finish that sentence. Instead I covered my mouth as even more tears flowed out. It was like all the tears I’d held in over the years found their opening. Nacho immediately pulled me into a firm hug without asking any questions.

“You can stay here. You can stay here,” Nacho repeated as he gave my shaking shoulders a reassuring pat before pulling away.

“I’ll tell everyone not to ask,” Nacho reassured me. “Will you be okay on the couch? We got rid of the extra bed in Leti’s room a while ago.”

I nodded. Growing up, Leti and I shared a room, but I didn’t exactly want to intrude on them that way now in the middle of the night, even if I did still have my old bed. I was grateful to at least have somewhere to go.

“I’ll give you some privacy for the night, then, mijo,” he said as he gave me one more quick hug before turning off the TV and disappearing down the hallway.

As soon as the coast was clear, I let myself fall onto the couch for the night. When I’d left the apartment, I hadn’t even thought to stop and pack some clothes or any of my stuff. I just needed to get out of there. I even left without Luna. I made a mental note to go back for Luna and my things the next day. It’d probably be best to do it while Kenny was working, so I wouldn’t have to see him again.

For now, I fell asleep in my work clothes from the job I no longer had, in a house that was no longer mine.

I woke up what felt like moments later to the sound of people shuffling and the smell of bacon grease wafting through the air from the kitchen. It was already morning. I stretched out and breathed in the smell for a while, but despite how hungry I was, I wasn’t ready to get up anytime soon.

As soon as she realized I was conscious, Tía Mary stopped ironing clothes and rushed over to me, pulling me into a seated position so she could hug me.

“If you need anything. To talk. To hang out. Anything, just tell us, okay? We know how hard this time is for you.” I knew she was talking about my mom, but Tía Mary had no idea how right she was. All in one day, I thought I was going to be detained, I got fired, and Kenny broke off the wedding. Not to mention I had a broken ankle. I was having more than just a hard time.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell her I was okay, so instead I just nodded and let her get back to her chores.

“Adiós, Mateo!” Nacho said in his baby voice. He was in his full mariachi gear, getting ready to leave for a gig as he waved goodbye to Mateo, who was sitting in Mariana’s lap at the stool by the counter. Leti, I assumed, was sleeping in as usual. “Don’t you have work, too, Alejandro?”

“Got fired.” I said it as emotionlessly as I could so no one would feel too bad for me.

“What happened?” Tía Mary gasped from the kitchen, where she was using the part of the counter Mariana wasn’t eating on to iron.

“How long do you need to stay for?” Mariana asked.

“I don’t wanna get into that. And I… don’t know.” I felt heat spring into my chest. I needed some time to decompress before thinking about getting a new job. I didn’t want to think abouthow long I needed yet, even though I knew it wasn’t fair to the family.

“Tch!” Tía Mary waved Mariana’s question away, “You can stay here as long as you need, okay, mijo?”

“Thanks, Tía,” I said.

“If you need work, mijo, you can join the band!” Nacho didn’t even turn around to see my reaction as he grabbed his keys. He must have known it was going to be a hard no, as usual.

I just groaned and closed my eyes, rolling over on the couch so I was facing the wall with the couch pillow hugged in my arms.

I must have lain like that for hours before Leti finally woke up and came out to the living room. They greeted me by pushing my legs off the couch, forcing me to sit up.

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