Rosa Valdez

"Come on, kids, it's time to go." I said, standing in the doorway as Raphael and Ruby dragged their feet to leave, as usual. "The ice is all going to melt if we don't hurry and get in the car— papa is waiting."

"Why do we have to go Tia's grave every year, mama?" Raphael asked, making me roll my eyes as his sister ran out to the car, but he still slowly put his shoes on as if they weren't slip ons. "It's not like we'll arrive and she'll suddenly be alive. It's been almost 10 years."

"That is your father's sister you are talking about— be respectful of the dead," I warned my son, lightly smacking the back of his head as he finally made his way out. "She was the youngest of all of your dad's siblings, it was very hard for them to adjust to her and Leo being gone. Going to her grave once a year is your father's way of coping, and it's only polite that we join him and honor your ancestors. After all, she isn't the only Valdez buried there."

"Geez, sorry, I know, I get it."

"Then why must you ask every single year?"

Not answering me, Raphael got in the back seat of the truck while I climbed into shot gun.

You see, about 8 or 9 years ago, my sister-in-law passed away in a fire. She'd been working in her shop with her son, and the little devil did something to light the fucker up. He denied starting it, but I refused to take him in— I could read between the fire marshall's lines. I knew what happened.

To this day, I don't know where the hell the kid is— probably dead, I think he was reported missing last year for some fucking reason. But my husband, Ricardo (yes, we named our children with R names on purpose, we think it's cute) took the loss of his youngest sister very hard, so he insists we visit the grave at least once a year, on her birthday.

Or, in a case like this year, as close to her birthday as we can get. Her birthday was on a Friday this year, and the kids both had sporting events, so we had to postpone a few days.

I myself am indifferent to visiting the Valdez burial site, but the weather is usually nice when we do it since it's spring, so I can't complain all that much.

It's important to Ricardo, though, so I try to emphasize it's importance to the kids.

Getting to the graveyard, it appeared to be empty based off of the lack of cars that were parked in the area, which was typical of our visit here— unless a burial is taking place, we usually don't see others here. It's a smaller graveyard, after all.

The walk to Esperanza Valdez' graveyard isn't very long from where we park along the road, but it was cut abruptly short when one of the kids piped up from behind us, causing my husband and I to pause.

"Is... Somebody else at Tia's grave?" Ruby questioned. "Are others also coming today like they did a couple years ago?"

"Wh... No, nobody told me they'd be meeting here, claimed to all be busy since it ain't actually her birthday today." Ricardo told our daughter as the for of us took a closer look at the only grave we visit here.

And, sure as shit, somebody was there.

"So who the hell is that?" I questioned. "If it ain't anyone from your family..."

"Let's get a little closer— maybe that'll tell us who it is."

•••
Leo Valdez

Pulling a page directly from the Ghost King himself, I got McDonald's once I got into Houston and then made my way to my mom's grave.

Or, the family grave, I guess? Sammy is also buried there, and my grandparents names are also on the tombstone— though they were still alive when Mom got buried.

And, based on what was written on the tombstone, they were still alive.

Since I wasn't trying to actually summon my mom, I just got an extra glass of water with my food to water the flowers at her grave.

Once I found the grave, which took way too long, I just.... Sat there for a while, eating my McDonald's.

It was weirdly comforting.

"Here you go, Mom." I said after finishing my food, pouring the water over the flowers.

Stuffing my garbage into my backpack, I pulled out the metal Rose I'd make when I was like, 10 or 12. It was the first time I was able to work in a shop after my mom died, and I'd wanted to make something for her, so I made a rose.

I've held onto it ever since, bent on being able to give it to her.

And now I could.

I set the golden (well, now more bronze-y) rose down in front of the grave, a wave of emotions overwhelming me.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to come back," I apologized. "I... Didn't want to go, but they forced me to— Tia Rosa wouldn't take me in, and she tried to convince everyone that... I started the fire. So CPS took me away and..."

I choked on my words.

"I met dad." I said, which was a half truth, but I don't think it mattered because I'm not sure she could actually hear me. "Or, I found out who he is. He's been in like, dreams and stuff, but I haven't actually gotten to speak with him, and it's been over a year now since he's appeared at all. Um..."

My hand went over the necklace.

"I lost my best friend." I rambled on, trying to think of all of the important things that have happened in the last 8 years, all of which feels like a blur. "Earlier this week. He was a demigod, like me, and he didn't really have any actual memories of his mom because she gave him up when he was like 2, but we met a year and a half ago at school, and now... He's gone. I haven't been able to see him since August because I like, basically died and then came back to life, but I was so far away and then he moved from New York to California, and I was hoping to see him this week in California, but I... Just got to see his casket get loaded up."

My voice broke, shaking.

"I miss you." I said, hot tears burning down my face once again as I hugged my backpack. "I miss working in the shop with you and speaking Spanish— I can barely speak it anymore— and using Morse code and going on our little adventures to the store or just... Being at home."

I paused, failing to collect myself.

"Feeling like I have a home."

Sealing my eyes shut, I tried to focus on my breathing, to be able to continue to speak, but it was no good.

"Hello?" Hearing a voice made me tense as I instinctively reached towards my tool belt, then jumped and turned around to see who managed to sneak up on me, the most vulnermable I've been since I was last here.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to startle ya," the man apologized. He looked familiar, and further back, I could see a few others that looked like they might be waiting on him. "did you know Esperanza? You don't look to be old enough to have known Sammy."

And then the familiar sensation clicked as I noticed the ring on his finger— a silver ring that was cracked and filled in with gold.

The same ring that my mom repaired for my uncle when I was 5.

And if that's his ring, and he has a woman and two teens with him...

That's Tia Rosa and my cousins. Making this Tio Rico.

Why are they here today? I thought to myself. It's not her death anniversary or her birthday.

How did they pick the one day I came to see my mom to also come see her?

I only want to have a family reunion with the dead people, not the ones that thought I should be dead.

"Tio Rico?" The words fell out of me, though I remained frozen in place.

His initial reaction was confusion.

"Tio.. what?" He asked, because I'm sure it's been a while since he's heard somebody say that. Not that I don't have plenty of question. "The only people who called me Rico was Esperanza and Leo, and the only person who's ever called me Tio Rico..."

He lost his voice, like he was afraid to believe it.

And it's been 8 years and I've literally died, so I guess I don't blame him.

"Leo?" He whispered, stepping towards me, but his legs giving out under him. "You're alive? You're..."

Again, his voice trailed. I didn't respond.

"I... We all thought you died in the fire." but that made no sense to me as I saw the other three start to approach, worried about their dad. "Rosa said that the fire Marshall said that your body was so close to the start point and it was so long before they could put it out that... They were pretty sure you were dead, but there wasn't... Anything left to prove it either way."

"Rosa said..." I started to repeat back, looking back towards my aunt before looking at her husband— my mom's brother. "What do you mean Rosa said..."

I glanced at the grave, but my name wasn't on it at all.

"Rosa saw me after the fire," I told Ricardo, who seemed hesitant to believe me because why would his wife lie to him, right? "She was the only one home, so when the cops and CPS brought me to the house, she screamed at me, called me the devil, and told CPS to take me away— that none of you wanted me. She signed the papers to hand me over to the state the next morning. I vividly remember it because she said she wished me luck killing my next family."

"She... Sorry, hold on." Tio Rico began, taking this in. "So, just... I'm processing. She saw and spoke to you after your mom died?"

I nodded my head.

"Twice— that night and the next morning."

"And CPS asked her to take custody of you?"

I shrugged.

"I'm not sure if it would've been a custody thing, but they asked if she'd take me in for at least a couple days while they sorted out who should get custody of me— I think they wanted to find my dad first? I was 8, Tio Rico, and had just watched my mom die, forgive me if I don't remember every detail."

"No, that's okay, I just... I mean, you and Raphael would bicker occasionally, but there's no reason you couldn't have..."

Ricardo turned to face his wife and kids.

His gaze focused on Rosa, who looked so worried for her husband.

"Papa! Are you—"

Tio Rico put his hand up to his son, effectively silencing him, his expression hardening.

It scared me a little, I won't lie.

"You knew that Leo was alive?" He said between gritted teeth, standing up. "You saw Leo the night Esperanza died and you still told the family— you told my parents— that they didn't know if he was dead or not?"

And, 8 years after the fact, I suppose Rosa figured she'd gotten away with getting rid of me. No consequences besides her own guilt.

Which I'm sure she got over in roughly a day.

She was pretty willing to sign those papers without her husband, after all.

"Wh... Sweetheart, relax— the kid is probably dead by now. It's a miracle he survived that fire in the first place. We'll never see him again." She insisted, as if that was a just reason to tell the entire family I was dead. "It's been 8 years darling, why do you care?"

"Why do I...?"

Standing up, I walked in between my Tio and Tia, standing in front of her and extending my hand out for her to shake it.

Not that she'd ever risk touching me.

"Leonidas Valdez, son of Esperanza Valdez," I introduced myself to the woman who played a leading role in destroying my childhood. "How's telling everyone I'm dead going? Thought you got away with it?"

There was a beat of silence as my cousins both stared in shock. Tia Rosa's mouth curled into a snarl, her southern hospitality mask melting away.

Was I hoping to run into her today?

Not at all— I was actually hoping to never see her again.

But if she's telling everyone I'm dead, I might as well make it so she can never deny the fact that I lived.

"What did you tell my husband?"

I chuckled.

"Nothing that wasn't true, Tia," I informed her. "I told him that you knew I was alive because you saw me twice after the fire— when the cops and CPS brought me to your home, and then in the morning when you signed the papers to hand me over to the state. Oh, and then after signing those papers, you wished me luck on killing my next family, devil. They institutionalized me for 3 months because of that comment, by the way. I was questioned about the fire daily, living in a shoebox with adults who didn't trust me and assumed I should've been medicated for psychosis. It took me two years after that for them to get rid of that diagnosis."

"What are you doing here?"

I raised my eyebrow, wondering how dumb she could be.

"What am I doing? At my mother's grave?" I reframed the question for her. "gee, I don't know, taking a walk? I'm visiting my mother for the first time in 8 years— sorry that it just so happened to be on the same day you decided to be here. Trust me, I didn't come to visit and surprise the woman who signed away any stability I could've had in my childhood like it gave her the chance to win the lottery. Do you know how fucked up that is? I went through foster homes where I was beaten, raped, and robbed because you couldn't stand the thought that I, an eight year old child, didn't actually kill my mom. How do you live with yourself knowing that sending me away could've meant my death?"

I paused.

"Perfectly fine, right?" I answered the question for her. "You sleep like a baby because of what you did— you have no guilt for what you did?"

And, with no good defense, she just looked me up and down.

"Geez, what crawled up your butt and died? In case you forgot, Houston is our home, we have a right to be here." Rosa insisted, as if she owned the city of Houston. "Where are your parents? Or are you on the run after they were found dead?"

"Mama!" Ruby and Raphael chided.

I stifled a breath.

"I don't think it's any of your business where my caretakers are," I insisted. "They know where I am, but last I checked you wanted no responsibility of me, so you don't get that question answered."

"Why you little—"

"Rosa." Tio Rico cut her off, throwing her the keys to their truck, I'm assuming. "Go home if you're only going to accuse Leo of insane things. We'll talk more about it when I get home tonight."

"But—"

"Did I hesitate? Go home."

Grumbling to herself, Rosa dismissed herself, at first attempting to have the kids go with her, but to my (slight) surprise, they both protested. They wanted to stay.

So an awkward family reunion it was.

"I apologize for her behavior, Leo," Tio Rico insisted as Rosa drove off. "I know it's not... My place to apologize, it shpud be coming from her, but..."

"But even if it came from her, I wouldn't easily believe it," I finished for my uncle. "Don't worry— I was planning on never seeing her again. I didn't come here for a big family reunion, I just wanted to see my mom since I was... Sort of in the area. South."

"Do you not want us here?" Raphael asked me, probably the most considerate my older cousin has ever been towards me. He's Percy's age, 17. Ruby was closer to Nico's age, 14 or maybe 15. "Because like... We can visit whenever. We already missed the birthday this year."

"Hm?" I hummed a response, realizing I'd been messing with my tool belt, anxious. "Oh, no, you guys are fine— I got to give my mom a lot of the big updates already and it's not like you guys are the ones I was worried about. I really just... Wasn't sure what your mom had convinced the family of after I was sent away, so..."

I shrugged.

"Yeah."

There was a beat of silence as the family debated whether or not to take me at face value and stay or ere on the side of caution and let me remain here on my own.

"Sorry, this is kind of a random question, but it's bugging me," Ruby prompted, making me look in her direction. "but why are you wearing two of the same necklace?"

I opened my mouth, and then realized that I couldn't just... Tell them what happened.

This is my mom's family.

They're mortals.

And I can't just assume that they knew who my dad was and also believed that he was a god. That they wouldn't take it as a joke or a nickname or some sort.

If they knew him.

"Oh, um..." But, as it had been all week, every time somebody mentioned or asked about or prompted Jason's death, it became overwhelming. "One of them isn't mine— it's my best friend's."

"Then why are you wearing it?"

I crossed my arms, wondering if my eyes were glossy or if I was just in my head.

"Because he..." I stopped myself, feeling my voice shake, which I didn't want it to do. "Because he died— he died earlier this week, and I don't... Know what else to do with it. It's one of the only things I have, so..."

I don't think being locked inside a room with a god of silence could have been more deafening than the silence was after I told them that.

I counted to nine, ten, twelve, fifteen.

It was a 17 seconds before anyone said anything.

"Your best friend..." Raphael broke the silence. "This week?"

I nodded my head.

"I... Was supposed to see him and a mutual friends of ours in California, because that's where they both live." I explained, wondering how possible it would be to get a hug from my abuela after this. I missed her. "I hadn't... Seen either of them since August because I like, almost died and then I had no phone and it was a big mess and then he moved from New York back to his home in California and... I got there and our mutual friend— my other best friend, was there, but she was a wreck and I saw a casket getting loaded onto a helicopter but I wasn't sure if it was like, family or..."

My voice drifted.

"Or what. But it was him." I explained. "He'd died the night before—the autopsy said it was a surfing accident, but I don't... Know if I believe that. That's like, a whole different thing, though. After that, I helped our friend move to Oklahoma and figured that since I was so close..."

I motioned to my mom's grave. The others, reasonably so, at a loss for words. For a response.

"Is... Anyone else coming?" I asked my Tio.

"Wh... Not that I know of." He answered for me, his tone gentle. "why? Is there somebody you want to see? Or somebody you don't want to see?"

But do I want to reopen that door?

I suppose I already have by telling Tio Rico who I am— by going off on Rosa the way I did in front of her family.

But I don't know what they know about my dad.

I don't know what they thought about my dad when he was with my mom— but especially what they thought after he was out of the picture.

"Do you want to talk to your parents about it first?" Raphael suggested, and I appreciated the sentiment. "That helps me sometimes."

But our lives are very different now.

"I don't... Have parents." I admitted. "Right now. Even if I called the people who might foster me next, I don't know... Yeah, no, not that."

I took a breath, trying to get a grip.

"Do y'all know if abuela works today?"