PROMISE ME (OSCAR DIAZ x OC)

Chapter Fifty-Five (Alana)

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Alana

THREE MONTHS LATER

May

"I really don't think I should be going to prom." Vero says as I pin the sides of the dress I made for her. I made it bigger to fit around her bump but since prom is tomorrow it's a little too big on her. "What if I pop on the dance floor? What if people look at me because I'm at prom and my fiancé is dead? I shouldn't go-"

I shake my head. "Nonsense," I tell her as I try not to ruin any of the gems that I'd already started to attach. "I didn't go to my prom and I regret it. Oscar couldn't go to his because well.. Prison. So I really think you shouldn't let what people are going to say no matter what turn you off from going. They'll talk shit if you go and they'll talk shit if you don't go."

Cesar comes into the room and I nearly break my neck to look at him as he has Mia on his hip and puts her into the high chair. "Cesar, you're going to prom.. Right?" I ask and he gives me a nod. "Maybe you can hang out with Vero so she isn't alone."

"Uh... I have a date."

"No you don't." Vero laughs at him. "Monse is going with Jamal. Apparently they're like a thing now?"

"No they're not." Cesar rolls his eyes. "It was one time-"

"Oh. My. God." I pause and start laughing. "You actually believe that happened? Monse literally FaceTimed me as it was happening. Jamal was drunk and pissed his pants and then refused to wear clothes to bed. She was only in that bed cause she was not gonna sleep on the freaking floor."

Cesar pauses and clears his throat. "Well.. It doesn't matter. She and I are done."

"So who's your date?" I push for more knowing he has a hard time lying to me or keeping shit from me. "Come on, Cesar. Tell me."

Vero steps down from the stool I had her standing on and looks in the mirror. "I think I'd like it better if we took it in just a little bit more on the sides and top?"

"I can do that." I turn back to Cesar. "Tell me or I'll just call Monse and ask her-"

"Oh my- Okay, fine. My date to prom... It's Jasmine. Okay?"

I cough and reach for my glass of water on the table. "Jasmine?! Since when-"

Vero blinks at him and then a realization comes across her face. "You know what... When I lived here Cesar was always talking to someone on the phone. I thought he was still gaming but then I realized he only played with Ruby. And with Ruby gone... Cesar totally was talking to Jasmine!"

Cesar glares at her. "I liked you a lot better when you were off at Mario's house and didn't fucking bother us."

"Hey!" I snap my fingers at Cesar. "Don't be a dick to her. She's having a hard enough time."

"It's okay." Vero says softly. "He has every reason to not like me. I get it.. I invaded his space and his life."

I place the pins a little tighter and Vero approves. I made her do the squat and sit test and they hold well, which is good. That means she won't bust a seam tomorrow if she's dancing. I also plan to double sew the seam to be certain of it.

A soft knock at my door before it opens, Mario walks in and gives a nod to Cesar but hugs onto me. It's nice having my big brother living back so close to home now. It took some real fucking tragedy but having him literally fifteen minutes away is the best.

Vero goes to change out of the dress and leave it hanging in my sewing room, while Mario takes a seat at my kitchen island. I sit down next to him while Cesar is giving Mia snacks and talking to her like she's the only girl in this entire world.

My daughter will never have to question ever if she's loved or protected. She has so much love and so many people around her who would burn the world for her and crown her within the ashes.

"How are you feeling? A month left, right?"

"Yeah and he can't come out fast enough." I roll my eyes. "I'm officially outnumbered in this house. I was hoping the tiebreaker baby would have been another girl. Clearly that didn't work out."

Mario snorts. "You know it only counts as a tiebreaker if it's all your kids."

I pinch his skin and he yelps. "Don't you ever say that again. Cesar is my kid even if you disagree with it."

"It's just weird. That'd be like Oscar going around telling people Ruby was his kid. Or that Luis and Luisa are his kids-"

"It's different." I cut him off. "Did you come here to pick up Vero or piss me off?"

Mario rolls his eyes at me. "You're just like Mami. Always on fucking edge lately. You know her and Papi got into it really bad the other day? Like, Papi stayed on an air mattress in my living room kind of bad."

"Luisa texted me. She said that she went to stay with Abuelita because it was really bad. Mami is apparently looking for apartments."

"What do we do?" Mario presses and I shrug, because what the fuck is there for us to do? "We need to remind them that this tragedy doesn't have to be the end all for them."

I sigh and shake my head. "Mario, they've been doing bad since before all this. We all have known that. I'll talk to Mami and see what's really going on, she tells me things..."

"Yeah? Did she tell you Abuelita has cancer?"

My mouth goes suddenly dry and my stomach sinks. "N-No.. I knew something was different but-"

"Yeah, she's dying, Alana. We're going to lose the marriage between our parents and our Abuelita on top of losing our baby brother. What a great fucking thing we've got going for us, huh? Hey, at least when you've gotten knocked up it's actually been Oscar's kids and not like Amber who lied and tried to pass that kid off as mine the entire time."

Vero comes back into the room and I take a long blink. "I'm going to go and lay down... I'm sorry." I turn to Vero. "I'll have your dress ready tomorrow. I'll meet you at my Mom's so you can get ready there."

"Actually," She pauses. "Jasmine and Monse texted me... They asked if we could get ready together so can you bring it to Jasmine's instead? Unless you don't want to. I understand completely if I'm asking too much-"

"It's literally across the street. I think I can manage walking my ass to Jasmine's front door." I laugh and try to shrug off the looming sadness that is hanging over my head like a storm cloud at the news of my Abuelita.

"Thank you..." Vero says softly as she grabs her bag and Mario rises to his feet.

"Too many fucking babies around here." He says with a scoff.

I know it's because inside of him is still that bite of jealousy. He should have had all this. The house, the marriage, the kid. I mean he dodged a bullet with Amber but I know it's what he wanted with Angelica, who dumped him on the spot when she found out that he had a girlfriend. She's yet to unblock him after all that shit.

Cesar takes Mia out of her high chair and she goes running to the living room to play with her toys. I watch her through the door way and she's completely fine. Cesar goes to the fridge and grabs a bottle of water and then looks at me with the shake of his head.

"You let Mario get away with too much."

"He's my brother."

"Disrespect doesn't need to be camouflaged depending on who it comes from. You can slap a pretty pink bow on it and it's still disrespect, Ma."

"You're too smart." I tell him and look at the clock. "Oscar should be home soon. But until then I'm going to call my mom and figure this shit out."