Page 49 of Capicú Summer

Lenny doesn’t answer, he only glares before he turns, still holding his bloody nose and walks away.

CHAPTER 21

Adri

Merengue drifts from the small speaker, while I busy myself cleaning up Abuelo’s room. His scent of cologne and cigar still clings to the air, stubborn as the memories. Dust gathers in the corners, sunlight spills through the sheer curtains painting golden stripes against the harsh greys. Every item feels important, it didn’t matter that it’s a yellowed newspaper clipping when he first started the tournament. Tears swell in my eyes, grabbing his favorite white shirt, the one with the Dominican Republic printed across the chest and bringing it to my nose. I inhale deeply, closing my eyes as his scent fills my lungs.

For a moment, it feels like he’s still here… humming along to the music, telling me to keep the hope alive, and I need that today more than ever. I’m a good player, but Lenny is a better one. The idea of going up against him makes my stomach twist, but I push it down, refusing to drown in the what if’s. There’s no other option. I have to win.

My phone pings. I grab it off the bed, smiling when I see all the notifications from the video we recorded a couple days ago. Surprisingly, it wasn’t a thirst trap, it was Yael frying empanadas, teaching how to make the masa and the meat. I read over the comment.

Mamichula69:

Luckkyy… looks good and can cook.

I guess… I am lucky.

In many ways, there’s still so much to sort out, but I’m not in a rush. Right now, this isn’t about Yael and me. It’s about me, myself, and I. I have to show up for myself before I can be there for someone else, and something in my heart tells me he will understand. A small knock on the door snaps me out of my head. I look up and find my mother leaning against the wooden frame.

“Hi,” she murmurs, her eyes roaming over, assessing me like only a mother can.

“Hi,” I repeat, watching as she slowly creeps inside, scanning the room like it might detonate at any moment. My mother takes a deep breath in through her nose, hand resting on the walls, like she’s trying to force air into her lungs. It’s painful to watch. I lost my Abuelo, but she lost her daddy. And her only son. My hand twitches to console her but I don’t. Some grief doesn’t need touch, it just needs space to be felt. This is what she needs, this is what drugs took away from her…

She’s been asleep for so long, and now it’s time to dance to the music the way her father always taught us. I blink away the tears, but all I do is make them fall faster. Mom turns to me, face wet with tears.

“I’m so sorry,” she chokes out, I extend my hand then. A small mercy, to someone who has carried the same heaviness. “I’m so sorry.”

There’s nothing for me to say. I hold my mom, the same way she would when I was little. “I’m willing to move forward,” I tell her, rubbing patterns across her back. “But you have to keep going, ma. No more running. No more numbing. Feel it. Let it settle and live with it.”

My words break alongside her sobs. Her arms wrap around me, and in the silence we just hold on. My heart evens out, my pulse steady as I hold her through the brunt of it. I don’t know how long we remain in each other's embrace, but the sun begins to dip, replacing the sliver of golds with shadows. Music filters from outside, and I know my time has come.

“I heard you’re up against Lenny tonight,” my mom says, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. “You got this, Adri. You’re stronger than what you give yourself credit for. When Neno died, I used to watch you. And in a way, it angered me that you carried it so well. While I was falling apart, and that’s where I fucked up. But you are so strong. So full of mercy and this is why you’ll win. Nadie gana con mala fe.⁠*”

I smile at her words, and with a deep exhale, I rise to my feet, smoothing out my black dress, and head out the room. Down the stairs, and outside. Like always the street is alive, neighbors gather outside, grilling and chatting. Children play hopscotch on the sidewalks, their contagious laughter spilling between the burst of music. The older ones crowd by the court, and this is home. A place worth fighting for.

Across the street, the familiar clack of the domino tiles cut through the noise, sharp and electric. My pulse matches it. Altura’s energy hums through me like electricity, and I know this where I’m meant to be. Even though he’s busy playing, Yael finds my gaze, and his fingers spin the tile once before he slams it with a capicú. Alex erupts in a fight of curses, while Chinito and Manny laugh.

Just like that, the air shifts when the black SUV Lenny drives pulls up. Everyone stops to watch, and I brace myself, squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin with each step. Feeling the presence of Neno and Abuelo beside me, teaching me and guiding me. It’s hard not to smile, even as my pulse sky rockets. Blood rushing through my ears, like vicious tidal waves. My knees shake but I keep moving.

Lenny steps out of the SUV, dressed in cargo shorts, and a purple graphic shirt. The sight of him almost makes me laugh. The clothes look wrong, like a costume. It’s pathetic, his attempt to pull at my heartstrings, dressing like the boy I used to admire from across the street.

But that Lenny is long gone.

And tonight, I’m not the girl who looked up to him. I’m the one who’s about to beat him.

Ruben sets the table, pulling two milk crates to the side, making sure it's only Lenny and me sitting across from each other. His gaze roams over, his brown eyes softening when they meet mine. I take my seat, scraping the plastic against the concrete. He follows suit. No one speaks as they circle us. Everyone places their silent bets while Yael writes them down in his notepad.

I don’t look his way, but I can feel his stare.

The game starts slow, tense and full of silence. Each tile hits the table with a sharp clack, echoing through the streets like thunder. Sweat beads at my temple, but I keep my focus. Lenny’s smile falters with every move I make. He’s losing ground, and he knows it. My body begins to relax.

The victory is so close. I can taste it.

Only for the rug to be pulled from under me. He slams a double five, blocking me. My eyes widen, staring at the tile in disbelief. My heart sinks into my stomach. My mouth instantly dries, making it painful to swallow.

“No,” I whisper to myself. There’s no way.

Lenny leans back with a smug look on his face as he taps the table with his ring. “Guess you’re not as good as you thought,” he says, loud enough for everyone to hear. My eyes dart to Yael, watching the muscle in his jaw tick with rage.