17. Rosa
CHAPTER 17
Rosa
“ F our months on the dot,” Dr. Carmy chirps as he takes off his stethoscope and places it on the counter. I look at my reflection in the huge mirror across the room — a small stomach bulges from under my Winnie the Pooh shirt. The clothes Nick got me a month ago are already too small. It doesn’t help that I can’t shop freely without him freaking out that I’ll be spotted. Somehow, months have flown by and I still haven’t been found by the Montoyas. Apparently, Nick’s hideout spot is a lot better than I anticipated. I severely underestimated how serious the underground protection union is.
I didn’t find out about it until a pixie-looking woman showed up in the living room with an earpiece and clipboard. Nick followed behind her, referring to her quietly as, “Jodie”. Jodie runs the protection squad and met Nick when he landed back in New York. What's most shocking is I’m not the only scared, parentless expectant mom on the run.
“Never thought the first trimester would be spent living in a hole,” I complain as I follow Dr. Carmy back into the main area. Jodie is already there with Nick and four cups of coffee.
“Better safe than sorry,” Dr. Carmy says as he sits down at the table. Jodie is a woman of few words. She takes a quick sip of her coffee, her eyes scanning me up and down before settling on my stomach.
“Any word from Vinny?” she asks, although I know she’s really asking Nick.
“Haven’t heard from him since I told him to leave the country,” Nick says, eyeing me apologetically. My heart sinks. I’m mad at him, but it doesn’t change the love I had for him, or the fact that these babies are going to grow up without knowing their dad. I suck in my breath sharply to ease the ache in my chest. Nick clears his throat, pushing my coffee across the table.
“Need a boost?” he asks.
Jodie takes the cup back. “Isn’t caffeine bad for babies?” We lock eyes and I instinctively move towards the cup and take it from her wimpy grasp.
“I’m being hunted, remember? A little caffeine won’t hurt me,” I mutter as I take a savory sip. Jodie rolls her eyes and clicks the earpiece in her ear. The lines in between her forehead crease — she’s getting a message.
“The Montoyas shot a bagel store owner,” she reports. “They’re cracking down on potential helpers of Vinny.”
I feel sick to my stomach. I decide to stop asking about my parents but the question immediately bubbles up and Jodie catches it.
“Your parents haven’t been spotted in two months so I think they ditched New York,” Jodie adds. I nod, hoping to ease the sting. They left like I haven’t been missing.
Nick pulls the chair out beside him. “Sit down, Rosa.” Nick and I have become unlikely companions. Not romantic at all. More like a lost puppy following the wise fox. He’s tended to my every need during these weird few months.
I exhale sharply. “It’s fine. I’m safe, the babies are healthy…I’m pretty lucky. Unlike that bagel owner.”
Dr. Carmy grunts. “None of us are lucky, my dear. We’re just in the right place for now. Eventually we’ll also need to leave.”
Nick throws Dr. Carmy a look. “We’re good here. She doesn’t need to be traveling. The last thing they need to know is that Rosa is pregnant.”
Jodie stands from the table and chugs the rest of her coffee. “But that new safe spot needs to be found, Nick. The Montoyas are gaining a lot more support and I don’t know how much longer we can stay under the radar.” Jodie packs her bag and leaves with her finger pressing her earpiece into her ear. I’m frozen as Dr. Carmy also packs his doctor bag and heads for the back door. It never escapes my mind that he risks his life every day to help us.
Nick pokes me. “Come on, I have somewhere for us to go.”
I snort at the insane thought. “I’m not up for staring down drainage pipes, Nick.”
He tosses me a jacket and hat. “Throw that on and just follow me.”
The safehouse has a back path to more underground homes and stores. It’s like living in an underworld that smells like sour cheese. I don’t like coming out this way since it smells bad and reminds me I can never have a normal life again. But today is different. Nick takes me past the usual path and leads me to a small stairwell. When I look up, I hear the cars and see the last bits of sunlight streaming through.
“We can’t go out there,” I say in a panic.
“We’re not. Jodie’s partner, Jaime, has some great coffee that almost tastes like Starbucks,” Nick tells me. I sigh, almost let down that my taste of the outside world is a tease.
“Why are we here, Nick?” I groan.
“Because I can’t guarantee I’ll always be there to protect you,” he says. “Jodie is right about the Montoyas getting more support. If they find this, you need to know how to get out.” I stare up at the stairs, realizing the six steps would be my stairway to freedom.
“I need to know you won’t throw in the towel when it gets scary,” he adds.
“I’m a mother, Nick. My babies deserve a shot with their mom in this world,” I say. I may not be able to imagine my future as a single mom, but I know I’ll do everything to protect my kids.
Nick points to the orange towards the right. “Now, time for more coffee.”
Jaime’s coffee isn’t a white chocolate mocha but it’s better than Nick’s bland coffee beans. Like Jodie, Jaime has a misunderstood, post-apocalyptic vibe to her, but she’s a lot more welcoming. She also went into hiding when she was pregnant. Sadly, her kid’s father was killed by the Montoyas.
I try to get away with coffee and banana bread without saying a word, but Jaime is intently staring at me.
“Is something wrong?” I finally say.
Jaime leans forward. “You miss him?”
I sigh. “I don’t.”
“It’s okay if you do,” Jaime presses.
“Is this some kind of a test?” I snap. My hormones are through the roof already. I can’t afford to think about Vinny more than I already do.
“It’s just, we need to be sure you won’t go running off trying to find him,” Jaime says. “The odds are he’s gone for good, or dead.”
I glare at Jaime. “Why are you bringing this up? Nick gave me the rundown.”
“Nick is a little soft around you and I need you to understand that if you go down, we all do,” Jaime says. “The only goal is for the Montoyas to be taken down. If you get in the way…” her voice trails off. Suddenly, the knock-off Starbucks isn’t as good. It feels like chalk sitting in my throat. My life has gone down the drain and it isn’t looking very promising.
“I get it,” I say, partially trying to convince myself. Jaime relaxes and swirls the coffee in his can.
“Sorry, I know it's intense when you’re knocked up,” he mutters. I don’t say another word. The day mixes with night, and like most other days, I forget what time it is. My body aches and I wish I could’ve just been shot in the right place to end my misery.