Chapter 12 - THE HOUSE CARMEN BUILT
“You should've sold the land.”
Sebastián's voice trembled.
Rodrigo stepped between him and the staircase.
“It's over.”
“No.”
“It was over the moment Carmen kept those records.”
At the sound of her name, Sebastián's expression twisted.
“She ruined everything.”
Rodrigo stared at his brother.
“No.”
“You did.”
Upstairs, Valentina pulled Mateo and Tomás into Sofía's room.
“We're going out the window.”
Mateo shook his head.
“My dad's downstairs.”
“And your father told me to protect you.”
A crash sounded below.
Tomás began crying.
Valentina opened the window.
The porch roof was six feet below.
She handed Sofía to Mateo.
“Take her.”
“What about you?”
“Go.”
Mateo climbed out.
Tomás followed.
Valentina was halfway through the window when she heard Rodrigo shout.
Then a heavy impact.
She stopped.
“Valentina!”
Mateo was below.
“Go!”
She couldn't.
She turned around.
Downstairs, Rodrigo was on the floor.
Sebastián stood over him.
Gasoline spread across the kitchen tiles.
“You always got everything,” Sebastián said.
“The ranch.”
“Carmen.”
“Father's respect.”
Rodrigo struggled up.
“You think this was about money?”
“It was always about money!”
Sebastián reached for a lighter.
Valentina grabbed the heavy iron skillet beside the stove.
“Sebastián.”
He turned.
She swung.
The skillet struck his wrist.
The lighter flew across the room.
Rodrigo tackled him.
They crashed into the table.
Outside, sirens approached.
Mateo had called 911 from the yard.
Sebastián fought desperately.
Then he heard the sirens.
His strength disappeared.
Police entered seconds later.
They pulled him away from Rodrigo.
As Sebastián was dragged through the doorway, he looked back at the kitchen.
At Carmen's kitchen.
At the house he had nearly destroyed.
Mateo stood outside holding Sofía.
Tomás beside him.
Valentina walked toward them.
Rodrigo followed.
Nobody spoke.
Then Mateo handed Sofía to Valentina.
He turned toward his father.
And hugged him.
Rodrigo held both boys.
Valentina stood beside them.
The house behind them smelled like gasoline.
May you like
But it was still standing.
So were they.
