Tangled Webs -Oscar Diaz-

Chapter 26

Sofia had managed to learn too much about the Rollerworld money. She was shocked to find out about her Abuelita knowing the entire time and the fact she managed to keep it a secret. On top of that, Monse came back home, making Cesar homeless once again. In order to keep him off the streets, Geny allowed him to stay at their home.

Keeping that information secret from Oscar was difficult and left Sofia in a tough position. Cesar needed a place to stay, and she was willing to help him, even if it meant lying to Oscar. The hardest part would be the baby shower, which was happening tonight. Sofia was sure Oscar wouldn't go, but if he did, Cesar would also be there.

However, that was a problem for later, and right now, she had to get through the day. Opening her door, she noticed Cesar standing in front of the bathroom with wide eyes. He watched Amber walk around with headphones, Mario panicking about the crib, listening to Ruby and Geny argue, and the twins were running around. She smiled to herself, knowing how chaotic mornings were. Grabbing Cesar's shoulder, she dragged him into her room. "Jesus," he placed his hand on his heart. "You scared me."

"Sorry," Sofia laughed. "I know you're overwhelmed. I'm sorry, mornings here are crazy. If you need peace and quiet, or anything, use my room. It is always open, and if I'm sleeping, talk quietly. I'm usually a heavy sleeper."

The relief on Cesar's face was clear, and he sighed. "Thank you, Sofia. You're honestly the nicest person I know."

The comment was comforting and made her feel appreciated. "It's not a problem, Cesar. Your Ruby's friend and Oscar's brother. And I guess you're my friend too." He grinned at her and looked down at the ground shyly. "I have to get to work, but the room is yours for as long as you need, okay?"

"Thank you, again," he said. "I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything, Cesar. Just be safe. That's all that matters to me." And that was true. Cesar's safety and comfort was a bigger priority than anything else.

~~~~~~~~~~

After work was when the real disaster started, Ruby was panicking about the baby shower, which turned out better than expected. Sofia didn't have to help set up because she spent most of her time distracting Amber, which was fun. The two girls got along really well and were spending a lot of time together. "My feet are killing me," Amber whispered to her.

Sofia chuckled and looked around the room. The party was in full swing at this point, and the room was crowded with strangers. "I'm sorry, Amber. Do you want to sit down? I can get Mario to rub your feet."

"No, no," she stopped her. "He's working on the big surprise for me. I don't want to pull him away. But I would love to sit down."

Sofia nodded, "no, of course." The two walked over to an empty part of the couch, and the heavily pregnant women sat down. "Do you need anything? Water? Ice? Cake?"

"Sofia." Amber grabbed her hand to silence her. "You're an angel. Did you know that?" She chuckled, "but I think I left my slippers on the front patio. Could you grab them for me?"

"I can do that." Sofia squeezed her hand before letting go. Pushing through all the people, the girl made it to her front door. Once she got outside, everything was quiet. It was peaceful, and Sofia took a second to breathe. The silence didn't last long. Her ears picked up on a car engine approaching, a familiar sound. Taking a step around a tree, Sofia noticed Oscar's red impala against the curb. Her heart dropped at the sight, and with the slippers in hand, she ran to meet him. "Oscar?"

The tall man stepped out of his car and flashed her his famous smile. "Hey, baby."

"What are you doing here?" Cesar was inside, and she feared they would have an ugly confrontation. Lying to him wasn't ideal, but it was the best option for now. It was her only option. "I thought you said you were busy?"