Chapter 15 | The Storm
1100 Words
Dante's POV
_I sent her away. And the apartment broke._
She closed the door.
_Click._
And 4B got quiet.
Too quiet.
Mimi was in her room.
Crying.
“Daddy, why did Ate Cass leave?”
I didn’t answer.
Because if I opened my mouth, I’d run after her.
And I couldn’t.
Atty. Reyes.
Liza.
Custody.
2 weeks.
I sat on the floor.
Where Cassie sat last night.
It still smelled like paint and pandesal.
Stupid.
I stayed there for hours.
Staring at the wall.
At the crack where I fixed the faucet.
At the spot where her head rested on my shoulder.
I knocked on 4A.
No answer.
Her shop was dark.
She didn’t go home.
Where was she?
My phone buzzed.
*Cassie:* `I’m at Ate Nene’s. I’m safe. Don’t come.`
I didn’t.
Because I was a coward.
Mimi refused to eat.
“Daddy, I want Ate Cass.”
“Eat, anak.”
“No.”
She pushed the plate.
I didn’t force her.
I just sat there.
Watching her not eat.
I went to work.
Night shift.
I had hours to kill.
I went to the park.
Alone.
Sat on the bench.
Cassie sat here days ago.
Sunflower in her hair.
Laughing at something Mimi said.
My phone buzzed.
*Dreame:* `Reads: 9,200. Library: 245. Comments: 1,100.`
Top comment:
`@whereiscassie: PLS BRING HER BACK DANTE`
1,100 people.
Yelling at me.
I turned my phone off.
---
Head Chef called me.
“Morales, you look like hell.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not,” he said.
“Take the day.”
“I need the money.”
“You need to breathe,” he said.
“Go.”
So I went.
To 4A.
I knocked.
No answer.
“Ate Nene,” I called.
She opened.
“Anak, wala si Cassie.”
“Where?”
“Hindi ko alam,” she said.
“Pero iniwan niya ito.”
A paper bag.
Inside: 3 sunflowers.
Fresh.
And a note.
`For Mimi. -C`
My chest caved in.
I took the flowers.
I gave them to Mimi.
She hugged them.
Cried.
“Daddy, call her.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m trying to keep you,” I said.
Mimi looked at me.
Eyes too old for 5.
“But you’re losing her.”
She was right.
My phone rang.
Liza.
I didn’t answer.
She texted:
`We need to talk. About Mimi. And the book.`
I didn’t reply.
---
I went to work.
I cut myself.
Twice.
Because my hands were shaking.
I broke down in the walk-in.
Alone.
Cold.
Surrounded by meat and steel.
I couldn’t breathe.
“Go away” worked 3 years ago.
It wasn’t working now.
I clocked out early.
I ran home.
4A dark.
4B dark.
She wasn’t there.
I sat on the hallway floor.
Between both doors.
Like if I sat there long enough,
she’d come back.
I heard footsteps.
Cassie.
She stopped.
Saw me.
She was wearing Ate Nene’s t-shirt.
Hair wet.
No makeup.
Eyes red.
“Dante.”
“Cassie.”
Silence.
The hallway light buzzed.
“You left,” I said.
Stupid.
“You told me to,” she said.
Flat.
“I was scared.”
“I know.”
“Mimi’s crying.”
“I know.”
“Atty. Reyes called again.”
“I know.”
“Cassie.”
“What?”
“Come home.”
She laughed.
Bitter.
“Now you want me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because 4B is empty without you,” I said.
“And I’m an idiot.”
She stared at me.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“If I come back,” she said.
“You don’t get to send me away again.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise?”
I stood up.
“Promise,” I said.
“On Mimi’s life.
On mine.”
She didn’t move.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“I’m scared too,” she said.
“Of Liza.
Of losing.
Of you.”
“Then be scared with me,” I said.
“Not alone.”
A beat.
She nodded.
Once.
I opened 4B.
She followed.
Mimi was at the door.
“Ate Cass!”
She ran.
Hugged Cassie’s legs.
Cassie knelt.
Hugged her.
Hard.
“I’m sorry, baby,” Cassie whispered.
“Don’t leave again,” Mimi said.
“I won’t,” Cassie said.
She looked at me.
“If Daddy says.”
I nodded.
Mimi pulled us both down.
“Group hug,” she ordered.
So we did.
The three of us.
On the floor.
After a storm.
---
Mimi was asleep.
Cassie and I sat at the table.
Laptop open.
Between us.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Lawyer,” she said.
“We need one.”
“I know.”
“Money?”
“$10 a day,” I said.
“Plus tips.
Plus shop.
We’ll find one.”
She nodded.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“The book,” she said.
“Chapter 15.”
“I know.”
“What do I write?”
“The truth,” I said.
“What’s the truth?”
“That I was scared,” I said.
“That I sent you away.
That I was wrong.”
She opened her laptop.
Typed.
`Chapter 15 | The Storm`
`He said go.`
`She went.`
`And the apartment broke.`
`Because walls don’t keep people in.`
`Fear does.`
`And fear is a liar.`
She looked at me.
“Is that right?”
“Yes.”
She published.
My phone buzzed.
*Liza:* `You have 13 days. Or I take her.`
I showed Cassie.
She read it.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“I’m not leaving,” she said.
“Even if the court says.”
“Cassie—”
“No,” she said.
“You promised.
So we fight.”
I looked at her.
Tired.
Wet hair.
Red eyes.
Brave.
“Okay,” I said.
“Okay?”
“Okay,” I said.
“We fight.”
She exhaled.
Like she’d been holding it for hours.
We didn’t sleep.
We planned.
Lawyer list.
Budget.
Proof that we’re stable.
Mimi’s drawings.
My job contract.
Cassie’s Dreame contract.
Evidence.
The sun came up.
Cassie was asleep on my shoulder.
I didn’t move.
Because for the first time,
I wasn’t scared alone.
I was scared with her.
And that was better.
Mimi woke up.
She saw us.
On the couch.
Together.
She smiled.
“Family didn’t break,” she said.
No, anak.
It didn’t.
Not this time.
_End of Chapter 15_
- Writer
