Eyes on You

Lin

Luna was asleep again, so I worked quietly on my laptop in the corner chair.  I'd just gotten off the phone with my dad to check on Ellie.  She was having a ball with her grandparents, as usual.  She would stay the night with them and one of us would pick her up mid-afternoon tomorrow.

As I composed an email, Pippa walked back in the room, looking upset.  She went to her tote bag in the other corner, looking around for something.  I furrowed my eyebrows and set my laptop to the side.

"Pips?" I asked gently.  "Everything okay?"

She stopped and stood up, huffing, then put her fingers to the bridge of her nose.  I stood up and walked over, pulling her into a hug.  Everything had been fine before she'd gone on a walk with Isabel.  She gently sobbed into my shoulder as I held her.  I patiently waited for her to get herself together.

After a minute or so, I pulled back, searching her eyes.  "What's wrong?"

Luna was asleep, so she kept her voice down low.  "Isabel thinks we should drop the charges," she said.  "She thinks the Latin Kings will retaliate if Pablo gets prosecuted."

My eyebrows shot up, stunned.  I pulled away, tucking my hands in my pockets as I bit into my lower lip.  This gang shit was serious.

"Lin, he stabbed her," she said, her voice shaking.  "We can't let him get away with that."

"No we can't," I agreed immediately.  No way was some asshole going to nearly murder my niece and go on living his life carefree.  He needed to be locked up.  If he was capable of stabbing an eight year old girl, what the hell else would he do?  "Where's Isabel?  I'll talk to her."

"I don't know," she said, reaching for her tote bag.  "I left her in the cafeteria.  I can't look at her right now."

She looked over at Luna and sighed.  "I need to get out.  I...I can't be around Isabel right now.  Until she gets her senses straight.  Are you okay here by yourself for a while?"

"Yeah," I told her.  "Sure.  You go take a break.  Maybe see if Jazzy or Renee are free?"

She nodded, running her fingers through her hair.  I hated seeing her torn up like this, but I was feeling the same way.  I understood that Isabel was scared, but letting Pablo get away with this wasn't the answer.

I gave Pippa a quick kiss on the lips and then she was gone.  I walked over to Luna's bed and watched her sleeping for a couple minutes.  This kid had been through so much.  The death of her mother, a major hurricane, being shipped off to live with her uncle, and now this.  I'd been trying to give her a safe, stable, happy life and look how it had turned out.

She was sleeping peacefully, her body repairing itself physically.  I knew this would affect her for a long time.  Possibly the rest of her life.  I made a silent pledge that I'd be there for her, no matter what it took.  I wanted her to feel safe again.

I sat back down in my chair and let my head rest in my hands.  Maybe Isabel wasn't responding the way we wanted her to, but she was also right.  If Pablo got prosecuted it was very possible they'd retaliate against Isabel or one of us.  They didn't play around.  If we went through with prosecution, which I fully intended on doing, we'd need to have a game plan.  We had to keep our family safe.

A few minutes later, Isabel walked in, looking worried.  I looked up at her and stood, walking to the door.  I put my hand on her elbow, steering her back out as I closed the door.  My arms crossed, I started to level with her.

"Pippa told me what you said," I began.  "You don't think this guy belongs in prison?"

She let out an exhausted sigh and crossed her arms as well.  "Of course he belongs in prison," she almost whined.  "But at what cost to us?  I guarantee you there will be a hit out on us.  Latin King members don't get away with putting other members in prison?"