Page 109 of My Secret Bandit

Mateo: HOW IS SHE??

Mateo: I’m going to kill you when I see you.

Mateo: Why aren’t you answering?

Mateo: That’s it. I’m coming.

“Answer him, please. He can’t come here,” I said, pushing the phone back to Xander, watching as he typed out a message.

Xander: Everything’s glitter and rainbows over here, pal. How the hell do you think she is? You ripped her heart out and stomped on it right in front of her. You deserve to wait around with no answers.

Mateo: You’re right. Tell her I love her and I’m sorry.

“Shit,” Xander hissed, pulling his phone away. “Pretend you didn’t see that. That’s something he needs to tell you in person, not relay through goddamn, motherfucking text messages!” he yelled and shook his phone like Mateo could actually hear him.

“So… he’s good then?” I asked mockingly.

He wasn’t okay. It was obvious he was doing about as well as I was, which was pretty fucking shitty.

Xander gave a sharp laugh, “I wouldn’t say good. The day you left, he quit taking the pain meds and started seeing the team’s therapist, so he’s not as angry. He’s sad and frustrated. He kinda hates himself right now.”

He hates himself right now.

I knew the phrase would stick with me. Haunt me.

Without realizing it, my hands rubbed against my chest, trying to ease the heartbreak. Useless effort as even the smallest fragments exploded into an even finer dust.

How I’d recover from this, I wasn’t sure.

Iansweredmyofficephone, not bothering to glance at the caller display. The line stayed quiet; the only noise offered was soft rustling followed by a single hiccup of breath.

“Hello?” I asked, finally swiveling in my chair.Mariana Linxshowed in the rectangular panel. “Mari? Is that you?” I asked when no one spoke.

“Honey.” Finally, Mariana’s muffled voice came from the background. “You wanted to talk to her, so talk, Mill.”

But instead of speaking, she just whimpered.

“Milly. What’s wrong, sweet girl?”

“The kids at school were mean, thenTíowas mean too. Why is everyone being so mean today,Tía?“ she asked, her little voice cracking, verging on tears.

I sunk into my chair, breathing deep to hold off my own emotions. Before I could answer, she shot out another question.

“Why don’t you live withTíoanymore? He said you left. That he doesn’t know if you’re coming back. Why did you leave? Where did you go?“ Her words rushed out and more rustling came through the line.

“Mariposa.¿Qué te dije?I’m sorry, Jamie,“ Mariana apologized. The sincerity in her voice only helped the heaviness in my chest to grow and tears spill down my cheeks faster.

“It’s okay,” I choked out. “What happened?”

Mariana sighed, preparing herself to relive what her daughter went through today. “There’s a group of kids at school that have been picking on her for a few weeks. Mom’s already talked to the teacher and the principal, but they’re not doing anything about it. Today at recess, one kid pushed her off the monkey bars while the other little assholes stood around and laughed.”

“What the hell? Is she okay? What did the school say?” I spewed the questions out in rapid fire. I was seconds away from stomping out of my office, driving to Sarasota, and laying into her principal before I caught sight of the clock on the wall that read 7:18pm. It wouldn’t do me any good to march into the school if no one was around to hear my complaints.

“They suspended the kid that pushed her. She’s okay. She has some scrapes on her hands and knees. Mostly just hurt her feelings. That didn’t help when the only person she wanted to see barely even looked at her when she walked in. Then she asked where you were and yeah… we had to leave before I injured my brother more than he already was.”

“That bad?” I asked, surprised that he could act that way toward Amelia or his sister.

“Worse.” She sighed again. “I mean I get it, he’s going through a lot of sucky ass firsts. First surgery. First heartbreak. First time acting like a tried-and-true asshole. But that isn’t an excuse to be an even bigger asshole when your niece thinks you’re the only person who can make her feel better, you know?”

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