Chapter 149: Interlude Thirty-One: Maria - You Can’t Heal That

Pinched face, wrinkles, and heavy expression smoothing over with healthy, rich skin, her second mother opened her eyes wide as her torment faded. "Maria..."

"Thanks for everything you’ve done for Felix and me," she whispered as Elena sniffed back tears, which was big for the honey badger. Leaning down to kiss her forehead, Maria fixed her hat and smiled down at her. "You took that beatin’ for me when I was a kid... So let me take care of you now, okay? I love you."

Zarita stood up and pulled her close, quivering with all her addictions and birth defects purified. "I never did it for payment... When my sister—when she took you girls in when your father got locked up, and then she... You’re my daughter, so don’t go biting off more than you can chew and break my heart...because you can’t heal that."

"Aye... You know I learn fast, Aunt Z," Maria soothed, rubbing her back as the tattooed, rough man she’d looked up to as a kid came through the front, pulling off his sunglasses. "Speaking of...I gotta talk ’ta Uncle Miguel."

Zarita turned to glare at the fifty-year-old bald man. "Don’t you get her wrapped up in more shit."

"Yo, you know I don’t want that smoke, Z. I don’t need an ass beatin’; last time you kicked the shit outta me, ya know? Haha. Lil’ Maria was the one lookin’ for me. Aye, you lookin’ good, though, Z. I like that glow on ya; haven’t seen it since we was young."

"Oh, shut up," she grunted, blushing as she looked into the front room mirror to see how her aging had been healed. "Don’t take all of Maria’s time. This is a party, not a place to discuss street jobs or business."

"Understood."

"Go out back—and not you, El!"

"Aww... You’re always hounding me!"

"El... Haaa."

Sniffing, Miguel chuckled as the teen huffily went to her room to slam the door, turning up her stereo to bump Chino Grande, Under the Sun.

"Teens be teens, Z; they be wylin’. Aye, I keep to myself," he said, holding up his hands at her glare. "Queen."

Maria walked with him to the back, grabbed some water from the fridge, and tossed a beer to the man. He popped it open on the counter, following her to the lawn chairs to sit and stare up at the heavens. She was a little surprised when he started rubbing the cross tattooed atop his head.

"Yo, Maria, eyes open... Everyone’s sayin’ your crew took out Terrell and the Columbian Cartel clique; your name’s gotten pretty big, Kid, so watch your back. A lot of respect for it on the streets, and there’s talk about the Black Devil Bunny in your posse; they say she’s a loco killer off her leash. Naa. A lotta talk hittin’ the streets these days, Kid. We got some new faces cruisin’ the streets, too, lookin’ to get your blessin’ ta set up shop."

She settled in, glaring at the few clouds in the sky. "I don’t run with snake bitches lookin’ for a slide-in. Pop-bitches be lookin’ for a quick leg-in ’ta ruin the blocks and run ’em dry with dope. I ain’t seein’ that as a solution, but, aye, I got a new business proposition, ya know?"

Miguel lifted an eyebrow, turning a bit to look at her through his black sunglasses. "That loco bunny chica, huh? What’s the terms and score? Who you workin’ with?"

Drawing in a long puff of air, Maria breathed it out in a long stream. "Rachel said we could make real money...like major scores. She wants to start some private military shit to run these Crystal gateways, and the feds seem chill on the idea. You heard of them?"

"Bits and pieces here and there. Monster shit," he grunted, fingers tracing his trimmed mustache. "I hear you can bring back space shit. I don’t know; feels kind of sketchy, and who’s to say it doesn’t close on ya? Private military, though, huh? Damn. We talkin’ legit shit—army shit?"

Maria nodded. "Government-funded shit. Big bands. Rachel’s got some connections, for sure. I don’t know all the details, though... Seems a bit too... Haaa. Yeah."

Miguel bobbed his head to the music Elena bumped in her room as he thought. "Hmm. What’s this Rachel bunny like?"

"Hare, actually," she muttered. "Ugh. She’s hella real. I think you’d like her; she doesn’t take shit and takes care of business. She hella moves. Girl’s scary, motivated, and risky. She plays the right cards, though."

He pushed out his lips while stroking his braided beard. "She gets results, huh? She takes necessary risks, hmm? If ya want my thoughts, Kid, I’d say test the waters. See what she’s about. An average chica doesn’t snatch the attention of the US military without reason, you know? Whatever they know, it’s something ’ta evaluate..."

Miguel trailed off as a knock came at the back door, and Roy cleared his throat, stepping through. "Yo, what’s up, Special Forces? Got somethin’ for us?"

Roy nodded at him before addressing her. "Hey, Maria, I just got orders from Captain Barbara. The President wants everyone brought to DC. We leave tomorrow morning."

"The President, eh?" Miguel drew in his mouth and nodded. Rising to his feet, he tapped the side of his glasses twice, telling her to be smart and keep her eyes open. "Catch ya at the park, Kid. We’ll start the cruise around nine to hit the city. You good?"

"Yeah, we’ll get by. Later, Uncle M."

"Eyes open. Keep it real, Special Forces, and thanks for the service."

Roy nodded as he held up his beer to him and left. "Haha. Fiona’s getting a bit nervous from all the kids circling her like sharks. I think she’s looking for some rescue."

"Eh. Aye, chica’s got fire. She’s fine, but I should show her around the block. ’ight. Party and then ’ta DC. Damn. I guess I should pack some shit. The President... Shit."

Getting up, she walked through the house, hugging Zarita and popping in to let Elena know she could tag along. The teen had snuck out of the bathroom window during her talk, though, which was like the honey badger, prompting Zarita to storm out to find her.

Outside, Maria shooed off the enthralled kids, asking Fiona to show them her magic and wondering if they could out-speed their favorite-looking car on the block.

"You good, short-stack?" she asked, hands in her pockets and leaning against the trunk of her ride as Roy came to join her. "The niñas and niños seem ’ta like ya."

Fiona showed a strained grin as she floated at eye level, green wings drawing eyes like a traffic light race. "Eh-heh. I’m sparkly, little, and cute... Haaa. I want to talk to Nora now."

"Lil’ sis?" Maria questioned with her melancholy, downward gaze.

"Yeah, she’s three years younger than me," she whispered, staring after the flirting older teens as they tried to skip out on tasks and sneak away. "Mateo told me a lot of phone grids are down across the world, and Ireland is going through some kind of political thing with the UK not sending enough resources to help. I just want to know if my parents and sister are alright."

Nodding slowly, Maria looked up at the blazing overhead sun. "I feel ya. It’d be nice to know if my familia are good back in LA. Damn, it’s been a while since I talked to them."

Fiona’s face brightened as her lime-green eyes found Felix. "You and your brother seem close. Does he miss family back west, too?"

"Ah." Maria waved her hand dismissively. "Naaw. Felix and I aren’t blood-related like that. My dad moved us out here after gettin’ some heat in Cali and caught a case here. So, my aunt Lita took us in since she just got her green card and got here from Cuba—her sister married my uncle Eustacio," she added at the fairy’s confused stare. "We come from big families."

"What about your mom?" Fiona asked, eyebrows drawing in.

Maria paused, thinking back on her life. "Meh. Ran out on me when I was, like...one? No clue. Lita was my mom growin’ up; she couldn’t have kids, so she took in what niñas and niños she could.

Sucking in her cheeks, she saw her second mom fending off congratulations on her recovery while searching for Elena; the girl didn’t get to know Lita as a mom the way she had.

"Are you okay?" Fiona asked, gliding in front of her, hands held against her chest. "I’m sorry if I brought up bad memories."

"Naaa. I ain’t got nothin’ for my birth mom. Lita and Zarita raised Felix and me. Elena’s like my lil’ sis; she’s a good mujer joven under all that attitude. She’s just tryin’ ’ta find her place in the familia. Hmm. Aye, Roy, you free ’ta chill, or are ya gonna be a killjoy all night, eh? Grab a beer, hombre!"

Roy chuckled and crossed his arms. "I mean, I do need to fit in, right?"

"Pfft! Not with that Spanish accent, mi chico! Aye, loosen up, huh? It’s a block party!"

Fiona’s smile returned. "Show us around your block!"

"Aye, that’s the spirit! Let’s have some fun!"

Guiding them away to enjoy the thrill of the party, Maria took them to join the dances of the mixed Mexican and Cuban cultures in their neighborhood. Eventually, as the night went on and they finished driving around Little Havana, Maria found herself pulling into the little church she’d always attended.

Fiona, Roy, and Felix followed her inside as Maria hugged Father Pomar and sat in the front row. She waved at several others who had come to the sanctified ground. She felt a sense of peace in the place as she looked up at Mother Mary holding baby Jesus, and a soft sigh escaped her lips.

Making the sign of the cross, she kissed her silver rosary and leaned against her thighs, spiritually seeking guidance after everything that had happened swept through her.

Rachel was still a mystery that she had to figure out. If the hare had a way to lift up her community and give these people a better life, she’d do it. The young woman also had to explain this devil shit because Maria didn’t touch evil stuff, and whatever that Nia kid turned into, it certainly felt hellish. Then again, from what Roy told her, Rachel had saved all the children, which was far from evil.

She’d find out soon enough because, as her brain cleared, she realized part of the reason she’d been so overwhelmed was due to three unique souls within or near Rachel, and one had been insanely powerful. Something was inside Rachel’s clothes, and at least one of them would be conscious soon.