Sitting behind Kevin's desk, Carrie snooped through his computer. She could hear Coco, Gilly and Angel in the other room ribbing each other while she skimmed emails and past calendar appointments. She didn't know why she wanted to read it all, at least not in the forefront of her mind, but subconsciously she missed him deeply.
"You're faking," Gilly hollered loudly. "You can take more than that light shit."
"Nah man, it fucking hurts," Coco said ardently. "Shit ain't no joke. How bout I shoot you in the fucking arm?"
"Shut up, man," Angel chided.
She smirked to herself, their constant bickering and jabs were, usually, amusing, and she needed a little chuckle right then. Just as she was about to set everything up for Coco to miraculously find something in an email subject line caught her eye,
"Partial DNA match."
Hesitating for barely a second, Carrie clicked the email to find Kevin was still on the Galindo/EZ chain and his secure government emails were being forwarded directly to his personal account.
"Jesus Kevin," she sighed. "They would have roasted you for this shit if it got out."
Her eyes skimmed the email, nothing really interesting, until the forensic results came up again. The reports from his murder were back and Carrie didn't once hesitate to try to read them.
"What we expected, hispanic male, mid to late thirties, priors but no ID," Heimler wrote. The email also went out to Bowen and a few other names she didn't recognize. "Tons of print hits, the wife and cousins," names we never used in emails for confidentiality reasons, "As we expected, but some others we didn't, all known to the victim."
She immediately went through the prompts to attempt to read the full report but when she typed in Kevin's credentials she was instantly locked out. As was procedure, Kevin's login and credentials were deactivated.
"Of fucking course," she hissed. "It's done," Carrie whimpered. "You have to move on."
"Babe?" She heard Angel call out from the stairs. "You up here?"
"Uh yeah," she answered. "Just getting some pictures and stuff."
The door opened and he frowned, seeing her sullen expression. "You okay?"
"Yeah," she said with a huff. "Just, you know."
"I know," he nodded. "We were gonna hit this room next," he said. They shared a look and she nodded. "Just let me know when you're done."
"I will."
Carrie took another minute at the desk, overwhelmed by emotion, and let out a sob. It was a brief moment of weakness, one she indulged, but calmed herself and, after setting everything up, was out in the hall in just a few minutes. In her hands were a few frames, ones she truly did want to keep, when she yelled down to Angel.
"All done," she frowned.
"You wanna get outta here?" He asked her. "I know you got shit to do for Christmas."
"I don't know," she sighed. "I'm just really tired, I don't want to do shit."
As they were talking Gilly and Coco came up the steps, still joking with each other, and went right into the office.
"You should take a nap then," he said sweetly.
She felt too restless and anxious to nap but rather than be contrary she just nodded. "Yeah, I think I will."
Angel kissed her cheek and walked her down the steps. "I can pick Joey up when we're done here. Okay?"
"Thank you," she smiled. "Everything else goes. Goodwill pickup will be here at four o'clock."
"Yes, ma'am," Angel winked. He watched her drive away before heading back in the house and up the steps. Walking in the office he found Gilly and Coco huddled over the laptop, that was not what Angel expected them to be doing. That wasn't the plan.
"Yo," Coco said, "We got problems."
"What?" Angel walked around the back of the desk.
"I think I left prints," he said. Showing Angel the email, Coco huffed, his fidgeting fingers tapping the desk. "You think she saw this shit?"
"Nah," Angel lied. "Mid to late thirties hispanic? Could be fucking anyone, and the prints," he shrugged, "I brought you up once for some dumb shit, I dunno. It's easy."
"Yeah," he groaned. "Found this shit too," he said. Handing Angel the forged case note Coco smiled a little. They looked at one another and nodded, not saying anything in front of Gilly, and Angel felt that weight lifted only to be replaced by the forensics.
"Let's get this shit outta here," Angel grumbled. "Too much fucking history."
--
*A Few Days Later - Christmas*
Christmas morning lacked much of the usual hyper child behavior as Joey was still so young. They leisurely got up and went downstairs to have coffee before Joey even opened his eyes. Once he was awake they helped him open his presents, nothing too extravagant considering his age and the drama of the last few weeks, then Carrie made breakfast.
Swaying around the kitchen with big band Christmas classics playing through her Bluetooth speaker Carrie whipped up pancakes and eggs with some bacon and fresh orange juice. Angel watched from the doorway, loving how she looked in his T-shirt, until she turned to find him gawking.
"Shit you scared me!" She laughed, pressing her hand to her chest. "It's almost ready."
"Come here," he said to her.
"Lemme finish," she groaned. "Okay?" When Carrie turned she saw Angel grinning, holding mistletoe over his head. "You're a goddamn dork," she laughed.
"Dork or not, you gotta kiss me."
"I don't think that's how it works," she said. Carrie slowly walked across the kitchen.
"Does now." As soon as she was within reach Angel pulled her in and kissed her, pinning her against the wall. "Was that so hard?"
Carrie reached down and grabbed his crotch. "No but this is."
"All I want for Christmas," he groaned into her ear.
"Speaking of," she beamed. "I know we said no gifts, with everything that's been going on and focusing on Joey, but I broke that rule."
"Of course you did," he rolled his eyes. "What is it?"
Carrie handed him a large envelope and, with a skeptical look at her, he opened it quickly. It didn't take long for him to see what the documents were.
"Petition for change of name," he read. "For Joey?"
"Yep." She wasn't exactly smiling, Carrie had such mixed emotions about the change, but she knew it was important to Angel. "Joseph Ignacio Reyes."
"Mi dulce," he sighed. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it," she said. Carrie meant it too. "Oh and this." Out of her apron pocket she pulled a box, wrapped in deep red paper with a gold bow.
"Jesus," he huffed. Inside the box was a gold lighter with an inscription. It read, "You got a light?" Angel said it out loud and looked at her. "The first thing I ever said to you."
"Yep. Four words started this. Four words and 11 years later and now we have a son."
"I love it," Angel said. "Thank you."
"My pleasure," she smiled. "Come on, let's eat."
—
With Bishop, Coco and Gilly in the living room and EZ in the dining room with Felipe, Carrie rushed around the kitchen with Angel wondering how he could help her.
"You can help by getting out of my way, babe," she said quickly. "Really. I'm good you're just always RIGHT where I need to be."
"You're not mad about Bish?" Angel asked her from the doorway on the way out.
"No," she laughed. "Everyone's got complicated family shit, I get it, I'm just glad I can brown nose a little bit with him."
"You don't have to do that shit," he told her. "Seriously."
"I want to. I'm a pleaser."
A playful grin spread across his face. "I know."
"Pig. Now go."
Angel stopped in the dining room to see Felipe and EZ in a serious discussion. He noticed they stopped as soon as he entered the room.
"What?" He asked
"Pop's pissed." EZ said plainly.
"What now?" Angle huffed.
He was hoping seeing him and Carrie in a functioning relationship would please his father but he was sour to say the least. Felipe didn't like how they came to be a couple, he didn't like the years of lies and the mess their love created. He loved Carrie, she was the mother of his grandson and she'd done what she could in an attempt to help his sons but Felipe was still disgusted and frustrated over the entire situation.
"I'm just waiting for this Jimenez mess to end."
"It's done, Pop," Angel said earnestly.
"I hope," Felipe shook his head. "I want you all to be safe." He reached up and tickled Joey, who was on Angel's hip.
"What about being happy?" Angel asked.
"Can't be happy if you're not safe," Felipe said sagely.
"Can we not do this?" EZ interrupted. "It's Christmas. We can pretend to be safe AND happy."
"I'm happy," Angel said, "And my family is safe."
Felipe thought of Marisol, how thrilled she would be to see Angel in love, with a son and another child on the way, and so he smothered his negative feelings. He stood and embraced Angel, his first born. "I am happy for you and I love you and your family, mijo."
"Thanks, Pop," Angel said. "I love you too." His watery eyes gave away how much the words touched him even if Felipe was still uncomfortable with the origins of Angel's new life. "You wanna have a beer with us?" Angel gestured to the living room but his father shook his head.
"I'm too old for that group," he joked.
Angel and EZ knew it was more than that but Angel wasn't going to stir anything else up. He nodded and joined the others.
"Gimmie that baby," Bishop said with a grin. "I love kids."
"You probably got some floating around out there," Coco joked.
"Kid's that aren't mine," Bishop corrected himself. He lifted Joey up over his head holding him out as if he were flying, and the child laughed maniacally. "How do you not love that?"
"I want kids," Gilly said.
"Not me," Coco groaned.
Bishop continued to play with Joey while they chatted casually. It wasn't long before he fell asleep on his father's chest though.
"What's the deal with the next run?" Angel asked, speaking quietly.
"I don't have the route yet," Bishop told him. "Nothing out of the ordinary though."
"And Galindo said everything's good?"
Bishop nodded. "It's settled. How's she?"
"She's good at pretending," Angel said. "She's hurting but she won't tell me."
"You blame her?" Coco blurted out.
"Come on, man," Gilly said quickly.
"He's right," Angel agreed. "She's good with this," he touched his Mayans MC tattoo, "You don't have to worry about that shit. She's just working shit out up here," he said as he tapped his head.
"Dinner's ready," Carrie called out to them. "Grab a seat and eat!"
Dinner was hectic, and loud, but everyone seemed full and, more importantly, satisfied by the end of the meal. EZ and Angel cleared the table and, not surprisingly, Bishop and Felipe were the first to leave.
Bishop flattered Carrie, buttering her up as he did with most women and gave her a hug and kiss but Felipe was much more subdued. He thanked her for the invite and gave her a hug but she followed him out onto the porch.
"I'm sorry." She said sadly.
"I am too."
"I never wanted any of it to be like this. I wanted Angel. I wanted this but, Christ, at what cost?"
"Can't go back now," Felipe said advised her from his own experience. "Go forward. Do right by them both."
She knew what he meant or at least what she thought he meant. "Merry Christmas, Felipe."
"Merry Christmas, mija," he said. When they hugged again Felipe spoke. "Marisol would be very happy you ended up with our Angel."
"That means a lot," she whispered. "Thank you."
When Carrie reappeared she found the rest of her guests relaxing on the couch with beers. She carefully moved Joey into his crib before joining them.
"So why'd Bish run out?"
Angel shrugged. "You know."
"Uh, no I don't," Carrie laughed. "That's why I asked."
"He's hitting something," Coco chuckled.
"Shit you seen her?" Angel asked eagerly. "I thought something was up."
"Nah," Coco said, disappointed. "But I can see it in his eyes."
"You're full of shit," EZ laughed.
"Like that time you almost blew off Carrie's head?" Angle reminded them. "Said she was coming after you."
"Hey man," Coco said defensively, "I was all fucked up from the war. The fucking birds were after me."
"Oh my god," Carrie laughed. "You scared the shit out of me. You really thought I was gonna hurt you?"
"Even the birds were gonna hurt him," Angel told her.
"What about your old man?" Coco asked. "Why'd he dip?"
"He only came to be nice," Angel huffed. "I don't think he wanted to spend his whole Christmas with a bunch of bikers."
Carrie frowned, feeling bad for Angel and the situation he was in with his father, but kept her mouth shut. It wasn't her place to comment especially not in front of anyone else.
"Anyone want coffee?" Carrie offered but they all shook their heads. "Anyone want more alcohol?" That question got a round of yeses so she ran to grab fresh bottles for them all. "Gentlemen, I hope you don't mind but I'm going to bed." Carrie cradled her growing bump. "I forgot how exhausting pregnancy is."
There was a chorus of good nights and thank yous, as well as a sweet kiss from Angel, before Carrie made her to their bedroom. She didn't even want to wash her makeup off, she was too exhausted. Crashing on the mattress she passed out within minutes and slept right through until Angel came to bed.
"Hey," he whispered. "Gilly passed out on the couch don't let him scare you in the morning."
"Okay," she mumbled sleepily.
"Oh babe," he said quietly. "I got you something too."
"What?" She rolled over still half asleep. "You're doing this right now?"
"Yeah," he laughed. "It was my mother's. It's called a Dos Pesos bracelet."
Carrie sat up and looked at the gift, deeply touched by the meaning, and hugged him before even putting it on. "I love it."
"Really?"
"Yes!" She beamed. "Did you ask your dad to bring it to dinner?" Carrie asked he he clipped it on her wrist.
"I did," he laughed. "You caught me."
"I love you," she sighed dreamily. "So, all these gold coins add up to two pesos, I'm assuming?"
"You're the accountant," he joked.
"Really, thank you. I love it."
"Good." He laid down and pulled her to rest her head on his shoulder.
"So, how was it?"
"Christmas?" He asked.
"Yeah."
Angel smiled in the darkness. "Best Christmas ever, amada mia."