Page 7 of Anaki

Emm would just need to learn to stay hidden and not flaunt her butt all over Venezuela.

I stood up and stretched my back, hearing it pop a few times. I winced when I heard my back pop two more times, and I let out a long sigh.

“Get in here, Elena. I need to talk to you.” I heard Abuela’s voice carry through the small house.

I swiftly entered Luis' room, just a stone's throw from where I stood. The sight of him engrossed in a book, with its content far beyond his tender years, filled me with a mixture of awe and disbelief. With a gentle shake of my head, I reluctantly tore my gaze away.

It keeps him occupied. I just wish the school would understand that ifthey gave him more challenging classes, he wouldn’t be such a nuisance to them.

I could homeschool, but then that would take away time from work.

And what about a flare-up?

“Elena!” Abuela shouted. “Are you dreaming about yourdreamman?”

I scoffed and entered the room. Abuela was putting suitcases by the door. They were all lined up in perfect order from the largest to the smallest.

My eyes bugged out of my head as I walked closer. Abuela was humming a song and stepped away from the door. She headed to the kitchen, puttwokettles on and hit the gas. The flames ignited as she smiled. The crinkles around her eyes got deeper by the second.

Slowly, I opened my mouth, afraid of what might come out of it. “What is going on? Why are there suitcases by the door?” I lifted my hand to point at the problem, and Abuela shrugged her shoulders.

“We are moving. Don’t worry, I packed all the necessities.” She waved her hand like it was no big deal. “We won’t need the furniture, everything will be provided. I won’t need much at all. I won’t be knitting anymore. I did bring your computer, because I know how much you want your independence. Your medication is in your purse, along with your medical history. Oh…” Abuela walked to the coffee table and grabbed a clear plastic bag.

I groaned when I realized what it was. MagicMushrooms.

“I told Emm you stopped those.”

“Liar.” Abuela hissed. “I could be an alcoholic. Now let your abuela have her herbs. I rub it on my joints.”

I rubbed one of my temples with my index finger, trying to figure out what to do with her. I could put her in a home, but then I would have to give the place her real identity. I couldn’t do that because somehow thecartel would find out.

We weren’t stupid, they weren’t stupid. I’m sure they could find a way to have someone hunt us down if they thought we were even in Venezuela. “Abuela, are you high right—”

Loud, heavy knocks landed on the door, and I jumped, causing a sharp pain in my hip. I groaned and sat in Abuela’s favorite cushioned rocking chair.

Abuela ran toward me and patted me down. “Now, don’t get stressed. You are having a good day, right?” I nodded, but it appeared she was telling herself that more than me. “Here, let us brush your hair. Make you look presentable. It isn’t every day you, you know, meet… people.”

Maybe she was having a stroke.

“You want to put some gloss on? Make your lips shiny?”

The hell?

“Abuela, open the door!”

Three more raps on the door shook the tiny house and made my chest shake. She went to the door and blocked my view. In a sickly sweet voice I’d never heard before, she said, “We’ve been waiting for you. Please, come in, come in.”

Two people stepped into the room, their slightly confused faces evident. As they entered, the air filled with the scent of trepidation.

The shorter woman, with two buns adorning the top of her head, dropped her perplexed expression and replaced it with a warm smile. Her steps echoed softly on the polished floor, a subtle sound that blended with the hum of the low-quality appliances in our home. I noticed her attire, which surprised me, given her angelic face. She was clad in sleek black tactical gear, her black boots making a soft thud with each step. A bullet-proof vest hugged her torso, adding a weighty presence to her small figure. A walkie-talkie was securely strapped to her chest, its faint staticadding to my mini-freak-out.

As soon as my eyes landed on the man next to her, my senses heightened, and I felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through me. The world around me seemed to sharpen, every sight becoming more vivid, every sound more pronounced. I could almost taste the electrical charge in the air, as my heart pounded in my chest, and the scent of anticipation filled my nostrils.

I gripped my cane, unsure if it was something in my coffee, maybe I was drugged, or my body was finally giving out. But it never stopped, especially when I took my fill of the man next to the woman.

Tall, clean-shaven, lips parted as if shocked he was even here. He was dressed similarly to the woman, overloaded with technical gear, yet his face strove for a non-threatening appearance. His dirty blonde hair was messy, like he ran his fingers through it too many times, and a sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead. And wow, those cheekbones were something.

The man straightened his back, and his eyes widened. His hand touched the woman beside him, and he leaned over and whispered something in her ear.

---