BOUND BY HIS NAME

ella

g to finish the morning duties, when

is weekend?" she asked, lea

, I was in the hospital with my mom al

that new café downtown.

ed, curious. "The

free pastries on Sundays?" An

ut our weekend plans when

ly, her dress perfectly tight and shining under the lights. Her

low and silky. "The boss demands your

ly, then whispered again, "You better not keep him waiti

looks and whispered behind o

how she walke

oes she always dress lik

just to impress the bos

he notices?" I

much," Ana added, shakin

realized something. My bos

art j

fice, my shoes clicking

Mexico City stretched behind him, full of life, but he seemed los

ll you?" He asked

d," I w

do as you wished?" His voice w

e what to say. Then I whisp

to look at me, h

r. We don't condone

ured, my voice bar

whisky and pointed at the

The paper inside was crisp, but my stomach sank w

e... it wasn't intentional! I... I have no other j

ice cr

immering in his dark eyes. "I don't want you to go back to your seat. Or ev

ease, I'

his back t

At least let m

r belongings are outside, waiting fo

hands trembling, as

elt I had been bo

fer

ht of g

t.

not. I

her, who was breathing with the help of a machine in the hospit

ds. No helper. Just

r weren't friendly; it was dark, and the weight o

In tears and pain I wrapped my arms around

n my hand that I cou

he storming rain as the rain flog

w lonely I was on

han the last as I walked through

wiped the rain from my face, s

the news to Alex

an unfamiliar fragrance hit me. I

as strong. Chal

ual, the kind of way it does when you are abou

racked more from f

of a living crea

ome, a

follows seems hea

m when I heard a voice from the

carrying me toward the half-closed bedroom d

prise, it was real

" I cr

rt half unbuttoned. Alex wasn't even surprised whe

sa," he said, "we need to talk,"

t barely a whisper; for five

what?" He interrupted wit

look dramatic."

ng like you didn'

x ad

ted like blood, especially when it wa

; I'm tired. I've been paying your rent and your mother's bills; n

e harder than t

disbelief; tears began to d

urself." He continued, "How am

shaky ste

Alex; you cheat

gaze to the woma

y slipped off from my

m anymore, so I shamefully dr

ngings at the back gate; don't

. He had already thrown my cloth out

outside his apartment under the ra

r's old house, the one she and

ntained, with cracks all over

chained; the kind of chain that was used was for b

p was wri

t overdue and pr