The Take by Mike Dennis Read Free Book Online Page B

you,
nothing is wrong. Eddie — that fellow — and I are just going away
for a while. Just a short while until …”
    Her
mother’s voice escalated to more frantic levels. “My darling, my darling
Felina! You are leaving? Why? Where are you going? Wh-what is all this?”
    “Please,
Mami. Please. It is all right. I will be all right.”
    “Where
are you going?”
    ”I’m … I’m
not sure yet, but I will call you soon. In a few days. I promise.”
    ”You
are leaving Houston? And you don’t know where you are going? How long will you be gone?”
    Felina
hugged her to calm her down. It did, but only a little.
    “Mami,
Mami, listen to me. I’m not leaving for good. Just for a little while, like I
said.” She turned her mother’s head so their eyes locked, then said, “All of
our problems will soon be over. I swear to you. But you must wait for a little
while.”
    “What
are you talking about? What do you me –“
    Felina
held her mother’s shoulders. “Please, Mami. Just wait and trust what I say.
Very soon, I will be able to repay you for all of the wonderful things you did
for me. And for everything you wanted to do but couldn’t.” Her mother started
to speak again, but Felina silenced her. “I will call you and let you know
where I am. I promise I will. In just a couple of days. But now I need to get a
few things and then I must go. Quickly.”
    This
stab of news plunged deep inside her mother’s heart. Her sharp black eyes
turned wet with pain. When the tears came, she buried her face in her hands.
Within moments, Felina came out of the bedroom with a small carrying bag.
    “Please
don’t cry, Mami.” She helped her mother to her feet. “I will call you, just be
patient. I promise I will call you.” Then she added, “Everything will be all
right. You will see.” They hugged again in the doorway. Felina was having her
own problem fighting back the tears. “Mami, Mami! I love you so. I love you.”
    As
Felina pulled away from the embrace and slid down the steps, she heard Eddie
start the car. Then her mother called out through her tears, “I love you too,
honey. Oh, be careful. I love you, I love you.”
    “I love
you, Mami,” she cried as she got in the car. As it pulled away, she looked back
through the rear window at her mother standing in the half-open aluminum screen
door, waving.

 
 
 
 
 
 
8

 
    “E verything
okay?” asked Eddie, as he wound his way to the trailer park exit. His casual
tone told her he didn’t want any details.
    “I feel
terrible, Eddie. I couldn’t tell her anything. Only that I’m leaving, and I don’t
even know where I’m going.”
    “It’s
okay, baby,” he said, trying for consolation. He saw a tear or two had made it
out onto her cheek and he knew it must have been rough.
    A few
large raindrops began splattering the roof of the car. Within moments, they
became a downpour. It didn’t chase away the heat and humidity, though. Eddie
turned up the air conditioning, looking for relief, but it didn’t do the job.
    “Listen,”
he said, “my sister Linda lives in New Orleans. We can stay with her till we
get our bearings. Then we can call your mother later on when we’re sure it’s
safe.”
    “New
Orleans?” she cried. “Eddie, that’s not very far away. Don’t you think Salazar —”
    Eddie
gestured reassuringly with a free hand. “Hey, don’t worry, darlin’. We’ll be
okay there. It’ll just be for a few days, and then we can really take off.”
    Her
voice turned downward. “Eddie, it’s not a good idea. We’ve got our chance now.
We’ve got to get away from here.”
    “We are
getting away from here. New Orleans is not close. It must be three, four
hundred miles from here. And it’s just for a couple of days. Besides, nobody
knows we’re going there. So don’t worry about it.” He pounded the air
conditioning unit with his hand, trying for increased output, then he guided
the car up onto the eastbound