CARL

My trepidation was confirmed the moment my eyes landed on the dismembered body of my best friend. She was lying lifelessly on the road, a few meters from the house. Her digestive system peeked out of her belly which was ripped open. Her snowy fur was tainted with blood and so was the ground where her carcass was sprawled.

Fluffles was dead.

My cat was gone. Just like that.

Tears filling my eyes, I strolled towards her carcass. I crouched and scooped her lifeless body in my arms. Quiet snivels absconded my quivering lips as I cradled her in my arms. Like a machete, pain sliced through my heart, dicing it to pieces.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you..."I addressed the feline, stroking her bloodied fur. Mucus slithered from my nostrils, mixing with the salty hot tears that cascaded my cheeks, like a waterfall.

I felt a hand on my right shoulder. "I'm sorry about your cat, kiddo." A familiar voice of my neighbor, Mrs. Cassidy, landed in my ears. She was standing behind me.

"Thank you." I mumbled, wiping off my tears using the back of my hand then turned to face her. "Fluffles never leaves the house on her own. I don't understand how...she got into an accident." I addressed Mrs. Cassidy who sent a pitiful look my way.

"While I was tending to my rose garden, I saw that girl, Melissa, standing at the balcony with your cat in her arms. The next thing I saw was the cat falling from the balcony to the road where a speeding car ran over it. I know that she had something to do with your cat's death." Her confession tossed me in an abyss of shock.

Melissa killed Fluffles? So it was no accident but a murder? How could she do this to an innocent animal? What did Fluffles do to deserve her animosity?

"Knew that something was off about that girl. If I were you, I'd lodge a police complaint. She deserves to rot in jail for killing an innocent animal." Mrs. Cassidy proposed, then limped away with her wooden walking stick. Fresh tears bathed my cheeks as her words replayed in my mind like a broken record.

"Sobrino, why haven't you brought my suitcases in the house? What's taking you so...." The words caught in her mouth when she saw the state I was in. "What's wrong? Why do you have the dead gata in your arms? Why are you crying?" She fired questions at me while ambling towards me, worry taking over her face.

"She killed my cat. Melissa killed my cat, aunt." The words shakily exited my mouth before I broke down into fresh sobs.

"That puta. I should have killed her right there!" Anger dripped from her voice then her features softened as she drew me for a side hug. "I'm really sorry, Sobrino. I can't imagine how you're feeling. What was her name? The gata."

"Fluffles. I named her Fluffles." I sniffled, resting my head on her shoulder.

"Accurate name and beautiful too." She remarked in a soothing voice.

"Thank you, Tia." I mumbled.

"I know that she's with the angels right now. Probably watching over you." She added.

"She is. I'm gonna miss her so much." I retorted, stroking her fur.

"You know what? We should give her a decent burial." My tia suggested.

"Yes. I would love that." I approved.

Aunt Paloma helped me dig a small grave for fluffles at the back yard. I placed her carcass in a small box and put her in the grave. She asked to say a few words; a farewell speech of some sort and I did. Reminiscing every moment that fluffles and I shared. The belly rubs I would give her in the evenings before bed, the reality shows we would binge on my laptop and she would tap her paw on the screen in excitement whenever someone got eliminated. The sessions where I would tell her about my problems and she would listen without interrupting me.

Fluffles was not just my cat. She was my best friend, confidante and family. She was a symbol of Gavin's love for me and now that she was gone, I couldn't shake this feeling that something terrible was going to happen to Gavin.

I am a superstitious person. I believe in omens. And fluffles' demise, was certainly a bad sign. Especially because Melissa was responsible for her death. A person capable of taking an innocent animal's life is capable of anything.

Suddenly, her threats echoed in my mind. She had threatened to harm Gavin if I didn't give in to her demands. What if she carries through with her plan? What if she harms Gavin? No. I won't let anything bad happen to him.

I'll do anything and everything to protect him from her.

"Rest in peace, my friend." I concluded the farewell speech after which, I covered the grave and planted a flower on top of it.

"Now, go freshen up Sobrino." She stated, wiping a stray tear from my cheek.

***
After taking a warm shower, I wrapped a towel around my waist and strolled out of the bathroom. I headed to my closet to pick out some clothes. I was stupefied to find that most of my clothes were missing. Actually, all the clothes that Gavin had bought me were gone. Only one name came to my mind in that moment.

Melissa.

She did this. I was certain of it. She is an obsessive psychopath who would do anything to have me for herself including throwing away the clothes that Gavin had gotten for me.

How did I not see this side of hers all these years? She was always good-natured. So kind and loveable. It' why mom adored her and wanted me to date her.

At some point, I felt that I didn't deserve to be with someone as good as her. I remember mom asking me, "What's not to like about Melissa?" and I didn't have an answer for her back then. Because I thought Melissa was an angel.

But now. I fear that she is the worst kind of demon to have ever graced the earth. She is a two faced psychopath who is incapable of compassion. If mom knew the truth about her, she would stop insisting that I woo her.

But what if she doesn't believe me? What if she thinks I made everything up in order to get rid of Melissa? Guess, I'll need Aunt Paloma's help convincing mom.

Speaking of Aunt Paloma, I'm really glad she's here. Can't believe that it's been years since she last visited. We have a lot to catch up on.

I put on a pair of blue washed out jeans and a baggy grey t-shirt then exited the room. Aunt Paloma was in the living room. She had changed into a pair of denim shorts and a sleeveless pink shirt. A bold tattoo of a roaring tiger, covered her arm. The tattoo was beautiful and I couldn't help but wonder if it had some significance.

Her sleek raven hair which was initially tied in a pony tail, was loosened and rested gracefully on her small shoulders and back. Unlike mom's aquamarine eyes, hers were gray. Her lips were fuller and mom's were thinner. She was a lot different than mom. One could think they weren't sisters.

"These Americans are funny." She laughed at something one of the characters in the sit com she was watching, said. A bowl of ice cream with crisps sprinkled on top, was perched on her lap and an equally large bowl of pistachio sat idly on the coffee table. My mouth watered at the sight of pistachio, my favourite ice cream.

"Come join me." She tapped on the empty side of the couch she was perched on. She pressed pause on the TV show and shifted her attention on me.

"How are you feeling?" She inquired while I was taking a seat.

"Honestly, like shit." I released a sigh.

"Well, I hear that ice cream is a cure for shitty mood." She declared while handing me the bowl of pistachio. She dipped a potato crisp on the ice cream and placed it in front of my mouth, "Open up." She ordered and I complied.

"This is so good." I moaned at the combo.

"I know. I call it, ice crisp." She stated, proudly while passing me a packet of salted potato crisps. I scooped a handful and sprinkled it on my ice cream. I scooped a spoonful of the mixture and shoved it in my mouth.

"Delicious." I rejoined, munching the ice crisp. The pistachio melted in my mouth, driving my taste buds to bliss city.

"How have you been? How's school? Do you still paint and draw?" She inquired, licking ice cream off her metallic spoon.

"I have been great. School's amazing and yes, I still paint and draw." I sent a series of replies her way.

"I remember how amazing of an artist you were as a kid." She reminisced. "You are a talented young man, sobrino. Someday, you are going to be a renowned artist." She sent a compliment my way.

"Thanks, tia." I retorted, fulfillment swimming through me.

"Now, tell me about this boyfriend of yours." She requested, causing my heart to skip a nervous beat. "And before you deny it, I know you are gay. Have known it since you were a little boy." Her revelation caused my eyes to widen with shock.

"What? Really? How?" The last part of her sentence left me stranded in a jungle of bewilderment.

"I used to see your drawings. They were mostly of boys making out. Like the harry potter and draco one.  I remember how excited you would get whenever there was a cute boy in a movie. I knew then that you were different. That you were special." She revealed.

"I didn't know...that you noticed." I stuttered, examining her features for any sign of disgust or contempt. I was proven wrong when I saw nothing of the sort. In fact, admiration was swimming in her eyes. She was proud of me.

"It was hard not to. I know that your mama noticed it too." She mentioned.

"Maybe it's why she shoved Melissa, on my path. Didn't want me to end up with a boy." I found myself opening up to her.

"What? Luciana did that to you? What a fucking bitch!" She spat, disappointment spilling from her words.

"She never accepted me for being different. Said it was demons and I needed an exorcism. That I was sick and needed to be cured. I felt like some broken toy that needed fixing. Aunt, I tried so hard to explain to her that being gay is normal...that I am normal..." My voice was breaking. I couldn't hold back tears that exited my eyes or the sobs that departed my mouth.

"Oh Sobrino, come here. You are not broken. You don't need fixing and you're not sick. She is the sick one for saying all those things to you." She drew me for a hug, running her hand on my back.

"I wish she could understand me like you do because I love her and I want her to accept all of me." I was sniffling as I spoke.

"Your mother will accept you. I will make sure of it. I promise you." She declared.

"How? She is the most religious person I know." I inquired, breaking off the hug.

"Well, your mother is no saint. She might have fooled everyone around here into believing that she is Mother Theresa, but that's not it." Aunt Paloma stated.

"What do you know about my mom that I don't aunt?" I pried, my interest growing.

She let out a sigh then scooped a spoonful of ice cream from her bowl and shoved it in her mouth. "So this boyfriend of yours, is he hot? Does he treat you right? Because if he doesn't, I will castrate him." She changed the subject, leaving my curiosity unsatisfied. Maybe she wasn't ready to share whatever she had on mom. I need to respect that.

"He is hot and yes, he treats me right." I replied scooping my ice cream.

"Good. I would like to meet him someday. Over dinner maybe?" She suggested.

"Not a good idea. Mom won't like it." I protested, shuddering at the mental image of mom and Gavin seated at the dinning table having dinner. The dinner will end up being a blood bath, of that I'm certain.

"Leave your mother to me. So, how did you guys meet? Was it love at first sight?"

"It was hate at first sight. We couldn't get along. We were practically enemies." I spoke, reminiscing the days when Gavin and I hated each other's guts. I couldn't stand being in the same room with him. But everything changed and honestly, I don't know when exactly I started feeling something other than hatred for him. I just know that the kiss, confirmed what I had refused to admit to myself all along.

That I liked him.

"Enemies to lovers. Nice. Tell me more." She was genuinely interested in what I had to say. It warmed my heart.

"One thing led to another and we fell in love." I skipped most of the details.

"My nephew is in love. That is huge. Shows that you really are serious about him." She released a warm smile, flashing her white set of teeth.

"Yes aunt. I am." I dreamily stated.

"Good. I hope he is treating you right in the bedroom and not starving you." Her statement caused my face to scald with a blush.

"Aunt!" I exclaimed, embarrassment taking over my being.

"What? I needed to make sure that he's satisfying you. These days, people break up because of lack of good sex. I don't want that to happen to you." She boldly stated.

"Well, you don't need to worry about that because he is taking really good care of me in that department." I replied with a blush, my mind drifting off to the many sexual encounters Gavin and I have had since we started dating.

"I am glad that this boy makes you happy. If he ever breaks your heart, I will rip out his heart and serve it to him. Nobody hurts my Sobrino. " She commented with a smile then resumed licking her straw berry flavoured ice cream. I chuckled at her threat, finding it humorous for some reason.

"Aunt, there's something I wanna ask you." I needed to know about mom's brother, Emiliano Cortez. I had tried to search him up online but found nothing. If there's anyone who has answers to my questions, it's Aunt Paloma because she grew up with Emiliano just like mom.

"What is it about, querido?" Her full attention was on me.

"It's about Emiliano Cortez." At the mention of his name, her face was impaled with shock.

"Where did you hear that name? Who told you?" She fired the questions at me.

"I found his things in a trunk in mom's closet. There's a photo of him and mom. I wanna know more about him." I pushed for answers, hoping she would willingly give them to me.

"Luciana kept his things? Why would she do that after everything he put our family through?" I could detect a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"What did he do?" I was trying to understand what she meant. She was about to say something when the front door clicked open.

"Carl. I'm home. Come help me carry these shopping bags." My mother's voice echoed through the house.

****

A/N

R.I.P Fluffles. Your death shall not go in vain. You will be greatly missed.