Mentality.

Chapter 36 - Breakthrough.

Romelo had returned home on a Thursda afternoon after being dropped off by the bus. Even though he was only 6, Chresanto gave him a key to get inside of the house since he always got home beforehand. Chresanto worked as a truck driver in the mexico city area, and he was able to work without covering his identity since nobody knew about what he'd done in the US.

When he got back home, Romelo sat on the bed and started taking out his homework. However, he wasn't in the mood to do any of his homework. 6 months later, he was still homesick as if he'd left the day before. He glanced down at his picture of his grandma that he always kept in his backpack, then decided to call her on the home phone.

"Hello?" His grandmother answered.

"Gramma?" Romelo squealed.

His grandmother didn't respond. She knew by the sound of his voice who he was. Romelo. She gasped loudly, then started to cry on the other line from hearing her grandsons voice from the first 6 months.

"R-Romelo?" His grandmother said in a shaken up tone.

"I miss you Gramma!" Romelo cheered over the other line.

"I miss you too, Romelo!" His grandmother bawled. "W-Where are you?"

"I'm in Mexico! Daddy flew us out here!" Romelo said as he glanced out of the window. "I don't know where we are. We're by a beach!"

"Chresanto....." His grandmother growled under his breath. "D-don't worry, Melo. I'm gonna come get you! I'll track the information down to the home!"

"Kay! I go to Velton Elementary school!" Romelo cheered in an excited tone.

"How does the school loo-"

"What the hell are you doing?" Chresanto barked as he walked into Romelo's room.

Romelo froze as he glanced at the fury in his fathers eyes. He dropped the home phone as Chresanto grabbed the cord connecting the home phone to the electricity, snatched it out, then snatched the home phone off of the floor. Chresanto walked up to Romelo and grabbed his arm, snatching him up as Romelo teared up out of fear.

"Didn't I tell you not to touch this damn home phone?" Chresanto barked. "I told you NOT to call anybody back at home! How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

"I wanted to talk to gramma-"

"I told you not to touch this home phone under any circumstances!" Chresanto shouted as he gave him a furious look. "If you touch it again, i'ma whoop your ass. Do you understand me?"

Romelo didn't respond. He looked at Chresanto as he snatched off his belt and held his close to his face, causing him to jump a little.

"Do you understand me?!" Chresanto repeatedi n a louder tone as he inched closer to his face.

"Yes..." Romelo responded in a quick tone.

Chresanto looked down at him for a few more seconds, then let his arm go as he placed his belt back around him, shook his head, then let out a loud sigh as he made his way towards his bedroom door. Romelo curled up in his bed and started crying tears of frustration as Chresanto made his way out of the door.

"I wish mommy was here instead..." Romelo mumbled angrily under his breath, glancing at the wall.

Chresanto slowly turned back around and gave Romelo a look that shattered his heart. Romelo didn't bother to look at him. He kept his eyes on the wall, allowing tears to stream out onto the side of his face. Romelo didn't say it, but Chresanto knew exactly what he was saying. He wished that him and his mother were switched when it came to their positions. Chresanto glanced down at the floor, relishing what his son had said.