Rose Bridges

Fifty

Romero

I have to hold back the lump in my throat when I walk up to the partition. My family sits on the other side with concern stitched along their expressions.

Avó sits with Mariana on her lap and the phone already up against her ear.

"Hi avó," I greet croakily. Mariana reaches out to try to touch me, but the glass stops her. Her brows pinch in confusion.

I have to look away.

"Oi filho," she whispers with teary eyes.

Lifting my hand to face, I rub my jaw.

Fuck this is rough.

What do I even say?

"I'm so sorry avó. Everything I've ever done has just been to try to help out. And I'm so sorry you have to see me like this-"

A cry leaves her mouth and I have to look away and wipe the stray tear that escapes my warming eyes. Fuck.

"O qué que aconteceu?" Her head tilts, a pleading look in her eye.

Another tear rolls down my cheek and I sniffle and clear my throat. "I don't know avó. I don't know," I mutter through a shaky breath as I pinch my nose bridge.

Tia Vitoria grabs the phone and leans into the booth. "We will pay for lawyer and all that-"

"Ms. Flores already came earlier and said she's representing me for free," I state, cutting her off.

All their mouths fall open.

Karine grabs the phone next. "What?! Why? Also when the fuck is your sentencing? And-"

"Because she's my girlfriend's mom and said she wants to do this for me, so I'll gladly take it."

Karine's yes widen. "Holy shit she's her mom?"

I nod.

"Damn no wonder she's rich as fu-"

Tia Vitoria grabs the phone and looks to avó. "Eu falei com você, ela e senhora flores são gêmeas." She looks back to me. "You got very lucky with girlfriend."

My face immediately cracks a half smile at the idea of Carmen. "When is Carmen coming by the way?"

Karine snatches the phone back. "Soon. Now when is your sentencing?"

I rub the back of my neck. "Tomorrow at eight."

She scrambles to write it down on her phone. "You better fucking cry and make that goddamn judge feel bad for you or-"

Tia Vitoria snatches the phone back and smiles at me. "You need anything from us while in here? I going to call Ms. Flores after we leave and talk with her."

"I'm okay tia," I assure her.

She half smiles at me sadly before avó takes the phone. "Te amo. Vou orar pra você depois."

I smile dejectedly at her. "Te amo, avó."

~

Not even twenty minutes after my family leaves, the guy whose name I don't know brings me back over to the partition.

My heart and nerves jump at the sight of Carmen sitting there with a worried expression on her face as she holds the phone up to her ear.

I sit down and lift the phone up to my ear. "Hey," I say quietly as I stare at her through the glass.

A sad smile pulls onto her face as she waves at me. "Hi."

We continue staring at each other. Our eyes darting around each other's faces.