PROMISE ME (OSCAR DIAZ x OC)

Chapter Forty-Five (Alana)

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Alana

Later That Night

October

"Don't do this! He's still my brother!" I beg Oscar as he's grabbing his coat to leave the house. His keys in his hand but his gun strapped to his waist. "Oscar, please. I'm begging you do not hurt my brother. Ruby is troubled and that's all this is. He's having a mental breakdown-"

"Yeah?" He stops and looks at me. Cesar waiting by the door. "I thought everything was fine and dandy. Until I walked back over and he told me I'm a dead man walking. He made a gun with his fingers and pointed it at me, Jose, and Cesar. This shit ain't a damn game, mami. He's off the fucking rails. Jose agrees-"

"I don't give a fuck!" I shout at him. "Do you even hear yourself right now? How backwards you're moving? Two years ago I'd expect this type of shit. But I'm not going to stand here while you're off hurting people!"

"Then take a damn seat." He points to the couch. "I love you, mi amor. But Ruby is a threat. He needs to be taught a lesson."

I push Oscar as he heads for the door and he towers over me. "Ruby needs help. Not to be hurt. He doesn't understand what the fuck is going on and he's struggling to process how his entire life is changing. He's about to be a father!"

"Why are you defending him?" Cesar asks from the doorway. "Ma, he trashed your car! He brought violence to the home that is meant to keep your daughter safe. Mia is more than my niece, she's basically my baby sister. For Ruby to have done that it's unforgivable."

My bones are shaking down the core. I turn to Oscar who only nods in agreement. I shake my head at him and put my hands onto his chest to keep from him walking away from me. Gripping his shirt as tears slide down my face.

"Just shut him out, Oscar. Shut him out and ignore him. Please! Remember when it was Cesar? When all you did was shut him out because you knew eventually he'd come around and it would all work out? Which it did. Oscar please... This is scaring me. Seeing you become who you used to be. I thought we were past all of this."

"We were." He takes my hands into his and holds then close to his heart. "But Ruby is to blame for this. Spooky is coming back out to play one last time."

"No." I feel sick hearing that. So fucking sick. "We agreed that part of you was dead and gone. If you don't sit the fuck down and calm down for me then do it for Mia. For your daughter! If you walk out of that door then you're walking out on us."

He releases my hands and brushes past me.

"Oscar!" I shout at him as he and Cesar trek through the yard to where his car is parked out front. "If you get in that car that's it. We're done. We're over."

He blinks at me and Cesar's face falls.

"And Cesar... If you do this... That makes me break my promise of protecting you. Because you going off and hurting someone else? That means I failed you. Don't make me break my promise."

They both close the car doors and come back up the yard. Oscar wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly. I cry more than I've cried in years. For once he finally listens to me. And Cesar comes back into the house, locking the door and sitting down at the dining room table. It's quiet but it's what I wanted. Even if it's me holding Oscar and crying.

"I'm sorry..." He says as he holds me. "I just got so angry... I wanted to teach him a lesson."

"Don't teach him a lesson by hurting him. Sit him down and talk to him. That's how you can teach him a lesson. He's scared and when he's scared he acts out of pocket. He was wrong for what he did but he needs guidance. Be that for him. Not just someone else who's going to put more fear into him."

Oscar nods and kisses my temple. As angry as I am I'm content at the same exact time. "Put the guns away." I demand of both of them. "Now."

Cesar hands his over to Oscar and Oscar puts them in two separate and completely out of reach places. Always close to the front though from nights like this. It's scary we have to live this way but it's why I want out.

And I want to get my brother out too. I want him to be able to be saved and free from all of this. Because it's just become a never ending cycle and I fucking hate it. Each time I think Ruby is back to normal and the annoying brother he once was... Something horrific happens that puts him right back into that mentality again.

It's late so I go to check on Mia and she's sound asleep. I run my hand over her head and she snores just like Oscar. I chuckle a little before climbing into my bed. After a few minutes Oscar comes in and joins me.

He reaches into his nightstand and I assume he's grabbing a condom for once in his life but he doesn't. What he pulls out leaves me completely speechless.

In Oscar's hand is a ring box. Wide open and a gorgeous princess cut diamond is staring right back up at me. My jaw is dropped with shock and surprise and he just smiles at me. Horrible timing on his part or maybe incredible considering now I'm far from mad at him.

"I've waited years to ask you this, mami... Fearful that you'll say no or run away from me. But now you can't run away because we have our daughter.. So.. Will you marry me?" He asks and I immediately kiss him. Slipping the ring onto my finger.. Holy fuck.

I'm finally engaged.

-

TWO MONTHS LATER

Christmas Eve

"You look fine." Oscar tells me for the tenth time in a row. "Your hair is perfect and your outfit is something your mother would certainly have picked out for you."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" I look in the mirror again and sigh. "I need more bronzer. I look washed out."

Oscar shakes his head at me. "You look fine. It's winter anyways no one is going to point out how pale you look in the middle of winter."

"Technically it's only been winter for three days." I correct him. "So no, not the middle. Middle is February. Close to Valentine's Day which I expect a very nice gift this year. Start shopping."

"Oh I'm sorry because the engagement ring and putting in an offer on a house wasn't enough? You need more?" He teases me as I grab my powder bronzer and start applying it all over my face. Hoping to bring some more warmth back to my drained face.

"I don't understand why you just won't tell your family yet." Oscar says as he sits Mia on the bed and puts her shoes on for her. "Your mother is going to know instantly anyways."

I put the makeup away and exit the bathroom hoping that I look good enough to convince everyone that I didn't throw up sixteen times this morning and that I'm totally fine. I grab my earrings off the dresser and start putting them into my ears.

"Our engagement was overshadowed because Ruby proposed to Vero on Halloween. Tonight they're announcing their baby's gender. I can't walk in there and tell everyone that I'm pregnant and know what I'm having when this is their night."

"Ruby knew I proposed to you and that's why he proposed to Vero. With a ring pop. Like a child."

I shrug it off. "Doesn't matter. We had to wait until Thanksgiving to tell everyone that we were engaged way before that."

"And now we're going to wait until when to tell them we're having another baby and moving to Brentwood? Until we're in the house and the baby is crowning? Come on." He scoffs.

I nod. "I'll hold it in tonight but if anyone asks I'm telling them. I just won't be the one to bring it up first. Neither will you."

Mia looks at me and smiles before pointing to my midsection. "Mama! Baby!"

"Why did you have to teach her that?" I scoff at Oscar before we leave for my parents'.