Chapter 33

Kim stood up with Joey and turned towards us. Joey was just playing with her hair and Stood next to dad. I looked at Bru and he was still looking at Kim, wide eyed and with a look of Disbelief . He sat down on the couch & I sat next to him, running his hands through his hair he looked at Kim

“I thought you were dead” Bru said

“No Bruno, I didn't die.” Kim said

“But I was there, Mom, I was there at your funeral.”

“No Bruno..”

“NO!..No I seen them put you into the ground!”

“Bruno, listen to me. I'm not your mother”

“What?!”

“Yes.”

“Well where the hell is she & who the hell are you?”

“It's a long story..”

“I got nothing but time”

“Bruno, I think it'll be better explained if you ask your father”

“What Does dad have anything to do with this?”

“Just..Ask him ok”

Bruno got up & paced back and forth, fingers running through his hair and all. Baby Joey started to fuss watching his dad walk back & forth like that. He was squirming in Kim's arms & putting his hands out. Bru stopped at looked at Joey then smiled, Joey started screaming of joy, Bru went over there and took him off of Kim.

“Dadadadadada” Joey cooed

“Hey Jojo” Bru said

“Dada”

“That's Right Jojo i'm dada”

Bruno smiled at Joey er Jojo and he smiled back but then his face got serious. He put his little hand on Bru's nose and stared at him. Then that's when Bru put a serious face on, he just nodded and jojo kept staring at him.

It was like jojo was trying to tell him something, trying yo say something important. Bru put his forehead on jojo's and made a funny face. As he did this Jojo started Laughing all crazy and clapping his little hands. Bru smiled, kissed him then looked at me nodding his head.

“Ok, OK. Babe, go grab Linda. We're going to go see dad.” Bru said

“Are you sure you want to go over there now?” Kim said

“Yeah, I need to know what the hell is going on.”

“But..”

“No buts, he needs to explain this. Today”

“Okay..”

“I just wonder What's his excuse”

I ran up the stairs to get Linda, I went into the twins room and there she was. Fast asleep in her crib, every time I step into this room I have to take a deep breath. The room just moves me every single time I walk through the door, dad captured it like he was there himself when Bruno first purposed to me.

I looked over at the rocking chair and seen LJ knocked out and curled up. I walk over to him and kiss him on the cheek. I pick him up, take him to the guest room and lay him on the bed, damn he looks just like dad but his hair was hers, Kims' hair. Looking at LJ made me smile, one day Jojo and Linda will be his age. Just running around the house driving me crazy.

I walked back into the twins room and pick up Linda , she woke up right away and starting crying. I bounced her a little and she laid her head on my shoulder and went back to sleep. Packing their bag and going downstairs, I notice that Dad & Kim were sitting on the sofa and Bruno and Jojo were missing.

“Hey where did they go?” I asked

“They're in my car, waiting for you guys” Dad said

“Oh ok”

“Angel, make sure things don't get out of hand, at least not in front of the kids”

“I wont. I'll make sure that he keeps his a cool head.”

“Ok angel, I just..wanted to make sure”

“...How long did you know this?”

“Know what?”

“Dad don't play that air head.”

“How do you know that I know?”

“I don't know but I just know.”

“But how?”

“Dad, how long did you know?”

He sighed and rubbed his eyes like he always does when he's agitated or stressed. He looked over at Kim as if he was asking for approval, she shook her head no and he closed his eyes then turned to look at me.

“Baby..” Dad said

“No, every time you call me baby, I know i'm going to be upset by the answer.”

“But Angel, please hear me out.”

“J I told you that she wasn't ready.” Kim said

“Who are you to tell me if i'm ready or not, I deserve to know and so does Bruno.” I said

“Show some respect, Alicia. You were raised better than that.” Dad said

“No, no it's OK J. I understand that I have no right but I know that you are not ready.” Kim said

“Well I know that I need to hear this before I hear it from someone else” I said

Just then there was a car horn honking and i'm assuming that it's Bruno. I sighed and closed my eyes. I hate this, I need to know what the hell Dad is talking about and hear his story. I Looked at her, she already knew how I felt about her and how dare she. She knew who I was the whole time, I know she did but she didn't speak up about it. Just as the Coward the she is.

“Fine, we'll talk about this when we get back.”I said

“Angel, I don't think that's a good idea” Dad said

“Why not? You just said..”

“I Know what I said, it's just..maybe another time”

“Dad..”

“Alicia.”

“Dad..”

“Don't Push me Alicia.”

“Well I deserve to know”

Bruno held the car horn and I ran to the door and swung it open.

“GOODNESS GRACIOUS I'M COMING!” I screamed

I turned to look at Dad but his head was down while Kim was rubbing his back and talking to him so low that I could barely hear what she was saying. He kept nodding his head and sighing and shaking his head every once in a while. I guess what ever he had to tell me was really eating him on the inside, so as the nice person that I am. I didn't care about what he had to say about it, I don't like to see my dad this way.

“It's OK.” I said

“What?” Dad said

“I said, it's OK..Don't worry about it right now OK.”

“Are you sure angel?”

“No..but if it's that bad, I guess it can wait.”

“Thank you.”

I walk out the door with Linda and go towards the Car, putting her in the back seat I get into the passenger seat.

“Damn I think I should write my will now that i'm 120 years old” Bru said

“Ugh Shut up! I wasn't that long” I said pushing his shoulder

“Yeah like I said, 120 years.”

I roll my eyes and fold my arms, Bru starts the car and we get going...

I look out the window and I have no idea where we are. I look around some more and then things gets real familiar. Eric pops into my head and my heart drops, no we can't be going there. I'll be heartbroken if we end up there..

“Were here.” Bru said unenthusiasticly

“Oh Goodness Bruno..”

“I don't want to talk about it.”

“How...Why..Bruno i'm so sorry.”

“Don't..Please Don't.”

“Can, I ask for how long?”

“No, lets just get this over with OK.”

“Ok fine.”

“What's with the aptitude?”

“I don't have one.”

“It seems like it to me.”

“Huh don’t start.”

“What ever lets go.”

We get out of the car and I grab Joey as Bru grabs Linda, I look up at the music store. Damn, I feel so bad the he lives here. It's like he can't escape the grips of Eric..Damn I haven't seen Eric in a long time. I wonder what's going on with him.

We walk around back and walk up some stairs that had a porch on it. Bruno began to knock on the door.

“I wonder if he's home.” I said

“He never leaves home.” he said

“Really?”

“yeah, so more than likely, he'll be here.”

“Don't seem like it.”

“Give him a minute.”

We waited at the door and I didn't hear anyone coming. The Twins were both up and just looking around at things and occasionally stare at us but then the door swung open and there he was. I smiled as he smiled back at me. I could defiantly tell that Bru has his fathers smile and that was really cute but as I looked at Bruno, he was not smiling.

“Well hello to you too son.” He said

“Hey dad.” Bru said

“Hello Mr. Hernandez” I said

“Hello Alicia, well come in, come in. Bring those beautiful babies in.”

We walked inside and sat on the couch. His living room was filled with instruments, Congo and bongos and guitars and a drum set, everything. It was as if he had his own music shop in his house. Mr. Hernandez disappeared to somewhere then came back with drinks in his hand and set them on the coffee table.