Embittered Ruby (19 page)

Nate turned his pale, open-mouthed expression to his mother. “Is this true?”

“That’s not at all how it happened, son. Don’t listen to her.” Hillary waved her hand. “I was just worried about my boy. Sue me.”

Nodding, Nate turned puppy-dog eyes to Carmen. “Please. She’s just scared. Have a little compassion. This is bad for her and for my dad. Give them some time.”

“Twenty-five thousand dollars, Nate. To get me out of your life. To take your baby far away—or worse, to kill it. You can somehow make excuses for her? Really?”

Hillary sobbed.

A sudden prick of the old conscience, huh? Nice try.

Mrs. McConnell blew her nose. “If that was how it happened, then you’d be right. I’d be a monster. But that wasn’t at all the case. I was trying to help. I care about you both. I love you both.”

Carmen fought against the bile rising in her stomach. “Oh? Is that a fact? Well, since you seem to be all about proof, I’ve got some of my own.” Carmen brought her phone’s display to life and found the app. She pushed P
lay
on the recorded file.

“You want me to sign this document stating Nate isn’t the father of our baby and promise I will never seek proof that he is? You want me to release Nate from all parental rights and responsibilities to his own child? Am I understanding this document correctly?”

“Exactly. Ideally, I’d like for you to have an abortion, but this is a good-enough second best.”

Hillary turned on Carmen with wild eyes. “I will be contacting my attorney. It can’t possibly be legal to record someone without their knowledge.”

“That’s enough.” Nate swiped the phone from Carmen and pressed S
TOP
. He rested his head in his hands and leaned his elbows on the table. “How could you?”

Who did he mean?

“How could you do that, Mother? That’s the ultimate betrayal. I don’t know how I can forgive you.”

Hillary cleared her throat. “I was just looking out for you. You’ll have to realize that sooner or later. But speaking of betrayal, you seem to be forgetting that picture right there. What does she have to say for herself?”

“That’s none of your business, Mother. I’ll have that discussion with Carmen privately.”

“I have the right to hear this conversation. She’s carrying my grandchild.”

“You gave up that right when you tried to pay to have the baby murdered. You’re an assassin.”

Technically, no. Carmen would be the assassin if she’d taken money for murder. But at least he was on the right track with the accusations.

“Fine. Ruin your life. I’m washing my hands of the whole thing.” She huffed toward the kitchen then turned in the doorway, the reflection from the chandelier twinkling on her blond waves like a mirror ball. “Just know, Nate. If you move forward with this, you’re going to have to do it on your own. Your father and I aren’t going to support this ridiculousness.” She strode from the room and never looked back.

Carmen’s turn to face the music.

Nate stared at the picture in his hands. He lifted it up to his eyes and peered closely at it. “Does his neck say ‘Diego’?”

Carmen nodded. How could she convince him that nothing was going on between her and Diego? It would have been way better if she’d told him a long time ago that she needed protection. Maybe he and Diego could even have been friends.

“What’s the deal with this joker? He looks like a gangbanger.” Nate sounded more curious than mad.

“He’s just a friend. He…um…protects me.” Carmen stared at her hands.

“Protects you from what?”

“From other gangbangers mainly.” Carmen stood and paced. “Look, until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes, don’t think you know what it’s like. My new school is scary; the gangbangers are terrifying. Right off the bat I got tagged by this one guy and his gang friends. Diego saw I was in trouble and told them I was his girl so they’d leave me alone. He was a lifesaver. Nothing has ever happened between us, nor will it.”

Nate nodded as the words sank in. “But why didn’t you tell me this before now?”

“It’s so hard to know what to do. I wasn’t sure if you’d laugh at me for being scared, plus I felt like I was being such a drag for complaining all the time.”

“That’s pretty stupid, Carmen. I mean, now my mom has these pictures and people think you’re messing with this guy.” Nate rocked back in his chair and stared into her eyes like he was trying to read her soul.

So that was how criminals felt while waiting for the jury to come back with a verdict. Completely out of control of their own lives.

Nate let the front legs of his chair thud on the tile floor. “That settles it.”

Oh no. He was about to dump her. What would she do? Alone. Pregnant. In Hackensack, New Jersey. The worst of the worst-case scenarios.

“We’re moving out. I found us a little place to rent—the guesthouse of some family friends—but I couldn’t decide if it was smart to jump right into things. But we might as well. We’ll have to get jobs, but I want you out of Hackensack, and I want us to be together.”

No way! “Really?” Carmen squealed and threw her arms around his neck. She squeezed and bounced. She was coming back home. She could go to her old school, at least for a few months. She’d be with Nate all the time. “I’m so excited.” There was a little thing called a baby they’d have to worry about, but it was a small price to pay.

“Yeah, well, there’s still a lot to think about.” He reached behind his head and pulled her arms down. “We need to make some plans. Plus you’ve got to get permission in writing. I’m an adult, and you’re still a minor. We can’t forget that.”

Hmm. Good point. How would she ever get permission from Mom? She’d never agree to this scheme. Even asking her was the surest way to throw a big roadblock in their path. Would Dad give the permission? Maybe he was her best shot. At least he wouldn’t have as many things to react to as Mom would since he’s the one who got Carmen on the pill. Guess it was time to tell him. Mom would have to find out the hard way—after it was too late to do anything to stop them.

“Mr. Castillo, I’d like to marry your daughter.” Nate stood with his chin raised and his shoulders squared. Proud. Manly. He glanced at Tiffany on the couch on the other side of the room.

Tiffany nodded. She seemed to approve, but why not? This would get Carmen even more out of her way.

Dad’s eyebrows shot up. “What? Now? Why?” His gaze darted from Carmen to Nate and back to Carmen. “Are you…pregnant?” He glared at Nate.

“Yes, Dad. I am.” It wasn’t like he didn’t know they were sexually active. Birth control wasn’t for kissing.

“Wow. This is quite a shock.” He slumped back into his recliner. “Just give me a minute to let it sink in.”

They waited.

“A grandpa. I’m going to be a grandfather?” He didn’t exactly smile. He just tried on the label. Carmen nodded.

“I didn’t see that one coming.” Dad exhaled. “What does your mom say?”

Defining moment. “We haven’t told her.”

If Dad got self-righteous now, he’d make Carmen tell her mom.

“What? Why? She’s going to have a fit that you told me first.”

Tiffany cleared her throat.

“Wait. Tiff knew?” Dad chuckled. “Your poor mom is going to go apoplectic. Let’s just keep that bit of info to ourselves, okay?”

Everyone nodded.

“Now, what are your plans?”

Nate sat in the chair across from Dad. “I’ve found us a place to rent, and we want to move in right away so I can get Carmen back in New York, where she belongs. We’ll both get jobs, and then we want to get married as soon as possible.”

“You sound like you’ve thought things through. I just have to wonder if you really know what you’re in for though. Marriage is hard work. Raising a child is hard work. That’s true even when you’re thirty. You guys are so young.”

What did he know about marriage and hard work?

“We know, sir. It’s…it’s what we think is best.” Nate looked down at the floor.

“You know all of your options though? I mean, you’ve looked into abortion, adoption, even simply waiting awhile to get married?”

“We have, Dad. None of those are possible.” He was being cooler about this than Carmen had expected.

“Sounds to me like you guys are handling things well.” Tiffany’s eyes held a ray of hope.

Sorry, Tiff. There won’t be any bonding experiences today
.

“The thing is, sir.” Nate coughed. “We, uh, need your permission. In writing.”

Dad rubbed his chin. “Yeah. I saw that coming. You want me to allow this to happen before your mom even knows any of this is going on?”

Carmen nodded. “You know Mom. She’s strict. She doesn’t even know that we’re…that we…”

Dad held up his hand. “I get it. I wish I didn’t know either.” He closed his eyes for a brief moment and looked five years older when he opened them again. “What do I need to sign?”

“Mom, can we talk?” Carmen leaned on the doorframe to the bathroom Mom shared with Harper. From the looks of things, Mom had about ten more minutes of makeup to apply.

“Sure. You talk while I finish up. I have a facial to do in Edgewater at eight tonight. Should be some good money, but I need to leave in the next fifteen minutes if I have any hope of making it there on time.”

Carmen nodded. This was such a bad time to tell her. She probably wouldn’t go do her party once she got the news. Or she’d storm out mad and drive like a maniac and get in an accident. “Never mind then. We’ll talk later.”

“No, no. I want to talk now. I’ve been worried about you, and I want to know what’s going on.”

She asked for it. Do it like taking off a Band-Aid. “Okay. I’m moving out.”

“Funny. You are so
not
moving out.” Mom continued to apply lip liner.

“I really am. Nate and I have rented a place, and I’m going. Tonight.”

Hair held back with a purple headband, lips lined with dark liner, eyes wild with surprise, Mom looked like a crazy person. “You’d need my permission for that, and there’s no way I’m going to allow such a thing.”

Oh man. This would sting. “I have Dad’s permission in writing. I’m sorry.” Carmen cringed. The last thing she wanted was to be the cause of another blow to Mom.

She sank onto the toilet, her face pale beneath her makeup. “You’re serious?”

“Yeah.” Carmen leaned against the wall, careful not to let her stomach stick out. Was it possible to get out of the house with Mom not even asking about the possibility of pregnancy? She didn’t know Carmen was sexually active, so maybe it wouldn’t occur to her.

“I know you hate it here in New Jersey. I know this move has been hard on you most of all, but don’t you think this is a drastic step?”

“It’s what I have to do.” Don’t crumble under the pressure of pleasing Mom.

“What about your sisters? What kind of message are you sending them?” A tear escaped and left a track through the makeup.

“It’s not like I’m abandoning Harper and Kim. It’s just a choice I’m making for my own life.” Carmen raised her shoulders. “This won’t be the last time a choice I make affects them.” She offered Mom a tissue.

“When is this happening? You said tonight?” She shook her head. “No. We need more time to talk about this.” Mom blew her nose and blotted her eyes.

“I am leaving tonight. After I pack enough for a few days. I’ll get the rest this weekend.” Carmen folded her arms across her chest. Don’t back down.

Mom shook her head. “Oh no. You leave this house against my wishes, you do it with nothing but what you can fit in your backpack or wear on your body. You’re not hauling boxes and boxes from this home without my blessing, and I certainly can’t offer it with nothing but a five-minute conversation.”

She couldn’t be serious. “What about all my other stuff like my books?”

“Everything stays here. I’m not going to argue or negotiate about this, Carmen.” Mom rubbed her temples like she always did at the beginning of a migraine. “You can hang around for a few days, talk it over with me, give me more time—and see what we come up with. But if you leave tonight, you’re going to do it on your own.”

She could probably have backed down and waited a couple of days. But Carmen wanted nothing more than to escape her apartment and hop a train to New York. To Nate. “Fine. There’s nothing I need that I can’t fit in my bag. I’m out of here. Call me if you come to your senses. And my phone
is
going with me. Nate bought it.” She’d have to get on his plan right away. From the sounds of things, Mom probably wouldn’t keep paying for her package. “It didn’t have to be this way, Mom.”