The next morning I woke up to a child sitting on my chest staring at me.
"Yes?"
"You said last night we had to pack early to go home," Luke smiled.
"Yes I did. I didn't mean to ambush us silly."
"Mama, what is ambush?"
"What you did to me!" I laughed and scooped him up. "Let's go pack bubba."
"Mama!" He stopped us in the doorway of the guestroom.
"Yes?"
"Lily and I already packed!"
"Oh really?" I questioned raising my eyebrow.
"Yes Mama," he laughed.
"When was that bubba?"
"When you and Mommy were dancing in the garden?"
"Luke, we were dancing at midnight and one o'clock in the morning."
"I know Mama."
"What were you and Lily doing up so late?" I asked as we walked down the stairs.
"Mama, I told you. We were packing."
"And you both finished?"
"Yes Mama."
"How about we go see?"
"Okay," Luke agreed hopping down from my hip. He took my hand and led me to the back guest room that he and Lily were staying in. We opened the door together and Lily was watching a movie.
"Lily! It's seven o'clock in the morning. Luke told me that you guys were up until one o'clock."
"He's right Mama."
"So what are you doing up?
"I, for some reason, have loads of energy right now!" She said jumping from the bed and leaping onto me.
"Well how about we go make some breakfast that we can take with us to the airport so we can eat before we get on the plane." I figured we'd eat in the car.
"Great idea Mama!" The both of them sauntered off to the kitchen with me slowly walking behind them. As we entered the kitchen, I saw Rosa walking down the stairs. She looked very unhappy.
"Baby what's wrong?"
"You have a text from Miracle," she said sounding as though she was holding back tears.
"What? What did it say?"
"She broke up with Jakob and now he going to come after us!" She whispered yelled so she wouldn't let the kids hear.
"Why can't my sister just join a damn convent! Then none of her psychotic maniac boyfriends can freaking trying to kill everybody in t-!"
"I think it's best that we get going now. I got the twins all packed."
"Babe our flight is not for a few more hours. Going to the airport almost four hours early just makes us sitting ducks."
"Okay, maybe. But I don't want to stay here. I can't let my mom get hurt."
"She left last night. But I see what you're saying. Have Luci help you put some things in the car and then I'll be out with the kids."
I quickly helped Luke and Lily make breakfast for us --- they were only egg sandwiches but it brought me so much joy to see them so happy that they created this. I put them in a container.
"Lyric we're done putting stuff in the car. Do you need help with anything?" Luci came behind me and asked.
"No I just have to put the twins in the c-"
"We did that too."
"Well damn, Luce."
"Haha!" She laughed mockingly at me.
"Let's just put Lily and Luke in and then we're good to go. You have all your stuff?"
"Yeah. Lyric, everything is fine. All that's left is you, Luke, Lily and that bombass food you're holding. Do I get one?"
"Nope!" she frowned. "Damn, I'm just kidding. Of course you have food."
"Better be kidding."
"You think I wanna hear your loud ass going 'No one got be food.' 'I'm hungry' 'Feed me'. You're damn near my six child."
"And don't your ass ever forget it." Rosa walked toward us.
"Why are you guys cursing so much there are children here!"
"Luke and Lily are on the porch and besides Rosy, you know I curse like crazy."
"I know I just don't like when you do it in front of the kids." She looked down and held her stomach. "And the baby might hear you."
"Okay."
"I'm sorry." She walked away with her head down.
"Where's she going?" Luci whispered to me.
"Hopefully to the car." I looked out the window to see Rosa helping Lily and Luke into the car. Afterward, she got in herself. I left a note for Carina telling her to call us when her and Jacob get home next week.
"Lyric we should get going, Rosa looks super afraid and worried and I think she's crying."
"What makes you think that?"
"Look out the damn window!" Luci crossed her arms. I looked out the window and saw Rosa sitting in the car hugging her knees with her head down. I know it's probably a hormonal thing but last time I assumed it was a hormonal thing she got really mad. I walked out to the car and opened the door. I grabbed Rosa and gently pushed her against the car. She was looking down at her feet so I could tell she was crying.
"Rosy why are you crying?" She shook her head. "Please tell me." I took her hands and kissed both of them. She glanced up at me a little with tears streaming down her face.
"I know the twins are fine and everything but I just really want this pregnancy to be perfect. You know I was in a coma last time so this time I want to make sure everything goes well. And I'm also really worried that Miracle's boyfriend will come and hurt you, the kids, Luci. I just really wanna hurry! I'm so scared!" By now she was balling her eyes out. She was shaking too. I picked her up and put her in the car and strapped her in.
"Mama is Mommy okay?"
"Yes Elena she's okay, she's just a little worried that's all." I walked back into the house and grabbed my keys and the twins' diaper bag. I pushed Luci out the door and quickly locked it.
"Damn Lyric you don't have to push me like that."
"Do you not see Rosa? She's having a freaking panic attack right now so we gotta go before anything bad happens." We both got in the car and I sat the diaper bag on the floor next to Rosa's feet. I drove off and headed toward the highway.
"Mama I'm hungry!"
"Luke eat your sandwich."
"But I did! We all did and we're still hungry!"
"Fine we'll stop somewhere." I looked over at Rosa knowing she'd probably have something to say but she was fast asleep. I stopped at the gas station and decided to get some gas and buy the kids some snacks. I went inside to pay for the gas and get the snacks while Luci pumped the gas for me. I went down the chips aisle and searched for Rosa's favorite flavor. All of a sudden I hear gunshots outside. I glanced out the door and everything seemed to be fine so I went to pay for everything. They were probably just firecrackers. All the kids around here played with them for some reason. Then, there were more, this time they were louder. I heard Luci scream. I threw the money at the cashier and told him to keep the change. I rushed outside and saw Luci running toward me. "What the hell happened!?"
"ROSA! SOMEONE SHOT HER!"
"WHAT!?" I dropped the bags and rushed over to Rosa. I opened the car door and saw that she has been shot multiple times in her stomach and chest. She was unconscious. I checked her pulse as I quickly dialed 911. Thank God she still had one.
"I'm gonna take the kids inside the store to keep them safe," I helped each of them out of the car and hurried them into the store with Luci. The ambulance came ten minutes later.
"WHY ARE YOU PEOPLE SO LATE! WE COULD LOSE HER! I CAN'T LOSE MY WIFE! I JUST CAN'T!" They checked her pulse.
"She's still breathing but not very well ma'am."
"THEN HELP HER!"
"We're trying ma'am. Please back up we need some room."
........
"We have a Latina female with gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen. We're coming in three."
"She's also 3 months pregnant." I said to the paramedic. My heart was racing and my stomach was in knots.
"She is about 3 months pregnant and she's losing a lot of blood have the OR ready for surgery and either B+ or O- blood ready." I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I quickly took it out and saw that it was Luci.
"Luci what's wrong!?" She still had the kids and I was worried sick. I told her to take them to the airport and take them home. They need to get home right now.
"We're about to get on the plane Lyric."
"Are you safe? Is everything okay?"
"Yes everything is fine. How's Rosa?"
"She's still breathing and she has a pulse but she's losing a lot of blood."
"That's g-"
"Luci we're at the hospital I have to go. I'll call you when I know something. Tell the kids I love them," I hung up and jumped out of the ambulance as they pulled Rosa out.
"Ma'am you have to stay here," an EMT told me.
"I'm sorry but I can't leave her."
"Well Ma'am it's not like you can be with her when she's in surgery, so it's best that you stay here. We'll stabilize her and move her to surgery and then we will come and retrieve you," I watched as they pushed Rosa through the doors. I ran after them despite what the EMT had just told me. They quickly hooked Rosa up to several machines.
"Okay she's st-" As soon as a small nurse started to speak a machine started to go off.
"What is happening!?"
"Ma'am you have to leave."
"I can't l-"
"Ma'am!" A nurse started to push me toward the doors. I looked back to see Rosa slowly convulsing. A tall, skinny doctor reached for a defibrillator telling everyone to back up.
"Charge 50 CC's." He said pushing against Rosa's chest. She moved with it but nothing happened.
"Push 75." Again nothing happened.
"100."
"What is happening!?" I pushed the nurse off of me.
"Clear."