“I do, but we both know he might not be around for long. Who’s paying for his treatment? He’s going to need that money,” she says.
There’s sadness and anger in her voice that mirror my feelings about the subject. I know firsthand what cancer can do to people.
“If I could afford it, I’d offer you a job.”
She can barely afford the rent of her shop. If she didn’t own this house and the farm… I won’t think about it. We’re both so screwed. If we were in Chicago, I could help her in so many ways, but here… maybe I should start by figuring out my life, then I can help her. I should make a few calls and see if I can sell her products in big department stores. Selling online just hasn’t been enough for Nydia, but I know she has the potential to go far.
I mean, that’s what the flight attendants say before the planes take off, right? Be sure to secure your own mask before helping others. I have to ensure that I’m in a good place before I try to give her a hand.
“Do you think we’re failing ourselves? I just can’t see doing anything differently or leaving this place,” I confess. “It’s as if I’m not ready.”
“Then, talk to your boss,” she suggests.
“I’m in charge of the brewery and the sports bar that he co-owns with Mr. Cantú. Someone told me they co-own everything.”
I’m still terrified they’ll fire me. This was supposed to be a temporary job while Roland and I set up our business. I started as the tour guide for the brewery, and I’m now the manager of Wicked Luna Brewery and their sports bar too.
“Mr. Cantú in Seattle, and Mr. Matthews, his business partner, promised to get someone to help me.” I roll my eyes. “He hasn’t. I’m waiting for him to tell me he’s too busy. He’ll be asking me to work on his other businesses, like fixing the cars in his shop and take over the tattoo parlor.”
Nydia laughs. “Why would he do that?”
She frowns but doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t even ask who mentioned it. I’m glad because I can’t remember. That’s the beauty and curse of small towns. You learn everything that happens in this place, just as people know your business too.
“How is Mr. Cantú?” she asks.
“I don’t know,” I answer. Mr. Matthews always says he’s a fighter.
What does that even mean? Is he getting better? I don’t push for an answer because maybe he doesn’t have it either.
“Poor man, he has to have his business partner look after him because his family doesn’t care.” At least, that’s what I think. His son and his grandchildren never visit him. My shoulders slump. This is going to be my future.
Nydia will have to care for me if I ever get sick. At least she has her aunt and a few cousins who take care of her—I think.
Nydia finally pushes herself off the floor and stretches one last time. “I want to believe that he’s in the city because his family is looking after him. I might be wrong. Why don’t you call a temp agency and ask for a couple of people to come and help you?”
That could be a great solution, but I don’t want to take the liberty of doing something not in my job description.
“What the hell…? Shouldn’t Mr. Matthews or Mr. Cantú have arranged that?”
I’m grateful for everything they’ve given me, but if I overstep and they fire me, what am I supposed to do?
“You’re the manager. You’re in charge. I’m guessing they’d want you to be proactive. You’ve been working for three months straight without a day off. That’s unhealthy.”
Is she right? Probably.
“Fine, it’ll be the first thing I do when I get to the office, but if they fire me for stepping into—”
“You’ll remind them that you’re the only person who’s been helping them for the past three months. If you need me to help tonight, let me know, okay?” she offers.
Roland screwed me in a lot of ways, but because of him, I landed here in the most beautiful town on Earth and met one of my best friends in the world.
“Can I let you know around noon? I’m hoping that everyone will show up today.”
She gives me a strange look. That’s when I notice she’s biting back a laugh. “You’ll let me know at six when someone calls in sick, leaves because they’re having a bad day, or… There’s always something to mess up your day.”
“I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Same, girl.” She rolls up her mat and says, “I’m going to shower. If you need anything, you know where to find me.”
Chapter Two
Iskander
One day.
I only wanted one peaceful day. Is that too much to ask?
If it’s not work, it’s my family. In this case, my father. It’s not like I don’t appreciate the man. He’s my hero, and I respect him. But lately, he has me running his business while he’s been gone in Seattle. What’s next? Managing his life? My chest tightens when I remember why I have to look after his business. Abuelo is sick. And my father is the only one that is out there with him. What if… oh, fuck no. He can’t die.
“Hey, Pa,” I answer, holding the phone tight as I ask, “How’s Abuelo doing?”
Dad exhales. “He wants to stop treatment.”
I close my eyes. That can’t be possible. I mean, the doctor said stage two colon cancer is treatable. He’s been responding well. I dare to ask, “Because it’s not working?”
“No, he says he needs to go back to work. The brewery needs his attention, and the sports bar isn’t doing well,” Dad responds, annoyed. “I need you to come and help us. He needs you in Luna Harbor.”
Are they insane?
I do more than enough for the family. I can’t just pack my stuff and leave New York indefinitely because… I close my eyes, massaging my forehead. I sound like a selfish prick. If my family needs me, I should go.
Family is more important than the empire I run or all the money in the world.
But what if I say no?
The day Abuelo dies, I’m going to regret not giving him at least the peace of mind he needs to go through treatment.
I do have one remaining card up my sleeve to get me out of this ordeal. “No offense, but aren’t there four more grandchildren that should be ready to help their abuelo out?”
“Yes. Of course, I’m counting on you—your three brothers and sister—to help me out while my father is getting treatment. I need you to herd them all back to Luna Harbor,” he says, and I feel slightly better about the situation.
If I make sure my three brothers and my sister are there, I won’t have to move. If I were twelve, I’d love to spend my summer in Luna Harbor, but I’m thirty-four and not in the mood to deal with insects, a brewery, and God knows what else they want me to do there.
“You got it, Pa. I’ll have them shipped to Luna Harbor by next week,” I assure him.
“Listen, Iskander. I know you think that you have a lot on your plate, but please remember these are the family businesses—your heritage. You can run your business and mine from anywhere in the world. Wicked Luna needs your attention—of the entire Cantú family,” he states.