DECEPTION - A Family Affair (2 page)

Once they arrived to the apartment complex Freddie helped them out of the van along with their few belongings.  It was incredible the amount of gratitude pouring from their expressions as his father shook their hands when they arrived to their destination.  They were led inside the old three story complex building by a Hispanic woman on the heavy side wearing a floral house coat the kind with the snaps lined up in front, she met them by the entranceway while Marco waited in the van.  He gazed at the woman through the side view mirror, she looked liked the stereotype figure of a grandmother who bakes cookies and spoils her grandchildren with good cooking.  Maybe it was his stomach that did the thinking since it grumbled and reminded him the gage of hunger had surpassed and now shifted to starvation.  His father quickly returned and headed back on the road without so much of a word.  Freddie never shared the details with his family on any of these missions for precaution purposes so they never badgered him with questions. By the time they had stopped to eat, the timing could not have been more perfect, the skies finally decided to open up and let out a downpour of crystal clear raindrops as they entered into the local diner.  Inside they were led to their booth by a chatty waitress who acted like she knew them all her life and expected them to arrive that very moment.  Once they ordered from the sticky menu covered with a combination of syrup and dried up ketchup; Marco looked around and noticed the western décor.  He glanced at the upholstery of the booth; it was covered with a scene of cowboys and horses.  He felt more like the missing Indian that was left out of the scene instead of the roaring cowboy.  Similar to the Indians defending their land he was constantly defending his love for Marisol with his dad.  He raised his head and looked pensively at his father, their conversations were minimal and they stuck to safe topics until the food arrived.  They have been arguing a lot since Marco’s High School graduation that took place a month ago.  His father wanted him to go to college, Marco on the other hand wanted to work at the family auto shop and take a year off from school.  He was good with his hands and loved fixing and building things from scratch.  He could take a part any engine and put it back together like new.  They both avoided the topic all day; he was going to share his plans with Marisol tonight.  He wanted to take a year to save money and wait for her to graduate.  While Marco demolished his food, Freddie just picked at his plate as he ordered one beer after another.  The greasy burgers were juicy and quite delicious enticing Marco to savor every bite as he licked his fingers clean.  Once Freddie paid the bill and finally got the waitress to stop talking they anxiously headed home once again.

Freddie turned to look at his son as he shook his head back and forth with a tired grin and answered him.  “No son, nothing out of the ordinary and I’m okay to drive.”  He paused and looked on the road ahead before adding, “You know when a man gets to be my age you begin to see things differently.  You start to question all the events in your life and think what you could have done differently, you know?  If you had the chance to go back knowing what you know now life could be so much better.  Just remember one thing and promise me this, whatever decisions you make from this point on think them through so you can live life with no regrets.”  He let out a deep sigh. “A man with regrets is a man with heavy shoulders.”  Marco never saw him look so tormented. Before he had the opportunity to ask him to elaborate on what those regrets might be, the sirens lit up the rear windows of the truck.  He suddenly felt that bad vibe again and his body started to shudder, his heartbeat began to race and the fear took his body hostage because his premonitions never let him down.

Officer William Braxton with his burly 220 pound body slowly approached the driver side window holding his flash light with a look of pure arrogance.  One would think a man of his age would have toned down his temper by now but in his case it only made him fiercer.  He raised and pointed the flash light directly into Freddie’s eyes.  “What do we have here?  Do I smell alcohol?” as he poked his head in and took a better whiff he cringed, “Oh tonight I see you preferred cheap beer.  Here I thought you would rather have tequila with your latest group of illegal amigos.” He stared Freddie down with his face only an inch away from his, an intimidation tactic he constantly used.  Freddie appeared in total control and tucked away all the annoyance he felt. 

He then lifted the flash light over to Marco and saw the uneasiness on his face and looked pleased by it.  Marco gave a polite nervous smile as he muttered “Hello Mr.…. I mean Officer Braxton, I’m… I’m sorry if we inconvenienced you; if you could give us a break this one time we would be happy to be on our way home, sir.” 

Officer Braxton gave a disgruntled look and replied shaking his head in a negative response.  “Boy, you know I can’t do that?  You think just because you know me and hang around my daughter gives your family the right to break the law?”  He shifted his stance as his chest protruded then flashed the light back and forth first to Freddie and then Marco playing a game of scare tactics.  With squinted eyes he declared “No way, no how!”  Marco now in shock of his attitude towards them, Officer Braxton was no stranger to them.  Marco’s family has known his daughter since birth and she was the love of Marco’s life the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.  Officer Braxton’s wife Valencia had been a longtime family friend; their families were from the same home town back in Mexico and allies for four generations.  Freddie had helped her flee Mexico, they both hid between mattresses that were loaded onto a truck, talking about risking one’s life.   The story was often told by both of them with laughter until that horrible day Valencia died in a tragic car accident.   Marco remembered the pure sadness of the tragedy especially for Marisol and Freddie.  He remembers Mr. Braxton sitting in the front of the church facing the casket like a statue with lack of feeling.  He let out an aura that troubled the guests as they approached him to offer their condolences.  Guests quickly left as they had entered, to avoid being a casualty of the time bomb that ticked away waiting to explode within him.  Mona, Marco’s mother tried to provide him comfort to no avail she knew he needed time to heal.  She too loved Valencia; she took her under her wing when she first arrived.  She respected the relationship her and Freddie shared, he thought of her as a sister, she was but 15 years old when she arrived.  Mona and Freddie were already married at the time and she welcomed her into their home with open arms.  She lived with them until a year later when she was forced to marry William Braxton Jr.  His father owned the tobacco farm “The Big T” where they were all employed at the time.  He started off so smitten with her until it whirled into a raged obsession of his.  He was so much older than her but she saw him as a ticket out of poverty and hard labor.  The wedding was on a warm and bright day in the month of May an unforgettable event.  Mona had just given birth to Marco two weeks prior when discovering Valencia was carrying William’s child causing the madden rush to the alter.  The vow “for better or worse” worried Mona causing a knot in the pit of her stomach for she knew there will be a lot more worse days than better for Valencia. 

William carried a vendetta for Freddie which was no secret to anyone in town, but even this behavior seemed ludicrous, he began talking irrational, the fear left Marco immobile.  “I didn’t hear you?  I know you ain’t disrespecting me?” 

“No sir, I understand sir.” He whispered and refused to put his head down as he stuck his chin out, met his eyes in defiance and began to control the rhythm of his heartbeat.

Stepping to the side of the van he barked irrationally, “Good to hear, now Mr. Ortiz please step out your vehicle with your hands visible and place them above your head and onto the van!”  Freddie had remained silent since being pulled over; and finally broke it as he looked him in the eye pleading his defense, “William, do we really need to do this here?  I had a couple of beers, I was not speeding and I am more than capable to drive.  For God’s sake, I have my son here.”

He lunged and pulled the door handle to swing it open in full force and shouted back “I said get out of the vehicle now!!”

“Okay, we’ll have it your way, I’m getting out and I don’t want any trouble with you.”  He stated in a submissive voice turning to Marco “Stay in this vehicle no matter what happens.” He demanded in a calm voice.  He reluctantly glided down off his seat with both hands up, stepping over to the side of the van and raised his hands over his head.  Officer Braxton came over to him and kicked his feet with full force to widen his stance and grabbed his arms and yanked them down behind his back to place the cold metal handcuffs over his wrists and whispered into his ears. “You and your family will pay for your indiscretions which destroyed my family.  You are a low life son of a bitch and I have been waiting a long time for this day.” And his anger erupted like a volcano as he began punching him on each of his sides until the blows caused him to fall to the ground.  Freddie’s body took punch for punch and provided no retaliation as if his spirit was removed from his body.  There was emptiness in his eyes a shield in its place accepting his fate.  Marco watched the injustice of the brutal beating and tried to hear the words whispered in his father’s ear.  Unable to watch another second of it he leaped out of the van and ran towards them while his adrenaline heightened. He began shouting, “No! Stop, you are going to kill him.”  He was about to use his body to shield his father from another blow when Officer Braxton leaped over and grabbed him by the back of his neck and threw him up against the wall of the van.  Before he could catch his breath to react he found an iron grip around his neck.  Shaking with fury Officer Braxton barked out his demands to Marco as they stared eye to eye it was like an evil predator preying on his young victim who doesn’t even have a chance; “I have an ultimatum for you Marco so listen clearly.  I have enough evidence on your father for illegal immigration and drug trafficking that could put him away for a lifetime not to mention all the legal fees involved will leave your family penniless and how would your whore mother take care of that retard brother of yours?”  His words generated rage within Marco, his mother was sacred to him and Cisco his youngest brother born with down-syndrome was off limits.  He protected Cisco from the unfair cruelties that faced him on a daily basis and his insults triggered him to struggle from the grip around his neck only to cause a rise out of Officer Braxton while he released his hold and swiftly brought the back of his hand across Marco’s face instantly splitting his lip open. 

Freddie cried out “Dammit William, your beef is with me, keep him out of it.  He is just a kid.”  Officer Braxton switched over to extreme measures with haste as he pulled out his gun and struck Freddie on the side of his head with the butt of the gun.  Blackness quickly engulfed him.

Marco lifted his eyes up as he wiped the blood from his lip slouched against the van he became intense with curiosity and anger.  “It appears you want something from me - what’s your ultimatum that’s bringing on this insanity?  You have my undivided attention.”

William turned and stepped over to him gawking with contentment “Glad to hear you have come to your senses, I will make it plain and simple.  I resent everything about you and your family and I don’t want you near my daughter.  She has no future with the likes of you and she knows it.  To assure our wishes I have an envelope containing what you need to leave including a one way ticket to Texas in your name leaving first thing in the morning.  You are to board that plane and never show your face here again and in return I will kindly misplace all my evidence against your father and if you renege then God help your family.  It’s all in your hands.” 

Clearly bewildered with this preposterous proposal presented to him, he asked himself, how can anyone be so vindictive?  Shaking his head in disbelief that this is happening to him and could Marisol really feel that way about him.  He sighed with uncertainty.  “Why? Why do you hate us so much?”

“Hate doesn’t come close to how I feel.  You should ask your father about his indiscretions with my wife.”  He shifted his gaze down at Freddie with pure disgust.  Freddie still sprawled out on the ground oblivious to what his son had to endure.

In his father’s defense Marco stated “This has to be a misunderstanding on your part, my father loved Valencia as a sister.  He risked his life to help bring her here for God’s sake.”  He just stared at him; he had the look of a mad man - berserk - off the edge - the words just flowed through his head.  He felt foolish to even try to reason with this insane man, he was long gone. 

“Oh there is no misunderstanding, I know the truth.  The day she died in the car accident she was on her way to meet your father with her luggage.  She never denied her love for him.  Your family is nothing but trash and I tried to keep her away from all that, to rise above but she failed.  She was a whore and I will not have Marisol follow her foot steps and disgrace me even more.  You have nothing worthy to offer Marisol.  Which brings us back to you, are you going to man up and do what’s right?  What will it be Marco?”  He asked with agitation, intoxicated with pure hatred.

Marco refused to shed a tear in front of the demon of flesh standing before him.  No matter the injustice thrown upon him, he knew his obligation. The sacrifice to surrender his life without Marisol seemed unbearable.  He silently promised himself that he will one day seek revenge.  Coldness began to flow through his veins numbing all his senses and then numbing his heart as he sold his soul to the devil himself.

Chapter One –
12 years later

Marisol sat in a trance unable to focus as she gazed out the window leaning back against her chair.  She noticed how gloomy it looked outside but nothing compared to how she was feeling.  Today she faced her utmost challenge as a guidance counselor.  Until today she thought she could conquer any circumstance thrown her way by her students at the middle school. Even with her experience nothing prepared her for the emotional rollercoaster ride she was on.  She received the phone call at home early this morning from Mr. Johnson the middle school principal informing her of Savannah Prescott, a sixth grade student who committed suicide.   Apparently, she hung herself inside her bedroom closet and her mother found her late that evening.  From what Marisol knew of the girl, she came from a middle class family who moved into town about six years ago; they own a local antique shop downtown and extremely involved in the community.  Savannah had a lot of friends, always on the honor roll and avoided trouble at school which only baffled Marisol.  She marveled on what kind of pain or hidden secrets she may have kept to result to such an extremity.   This brought her back to how many times the notion of suicide entered her very own mind years back.  Growing up with a dysfunctional family was one thing to contend with; having a demented father was a whole other story.  When she lost her mother she thought it was the hardest thing in life she would have to deal with.  Truth be told; the abandonment of Marco who she gave her heart and soul to was severe devastation.  He left her holding the bag and she had to face the music alone.  A high price she paid for loving him and it practically destroyed her entirely.  Marco left with no word in the middle of the night and leaving her no closure.   She waited hours for him in that old red shed scared out of her mind, knowing in her gut something terrible must have happened.  Even after all these years, none of it made sense to her.  They confided in each other about everything important, their fears, dreams, secrets and future plans.  Except for the one time it mattered, he coward away with no explanation that caused him to flee like an escaped criminal which kept him away for twelve years.  His family behaved strangely when she appeared at their door step to seek answers of his whereabouts and the only response given was a sympathetic apology with the explanation that Marco wished to get away and start a new life, he felt tied down.  Sharing nothing else on how to reach him she gave up after a few failed attempts.  Her father even appeared in high spirits of the news and said she should be thankful he was gone.  The mystery of it all has torn apart her very soul into millions of pieces.  What saved her from madness was Nate her only ally, who was also at a loss.  Her biggest regret was waiting to tell Marco that she was pregnant since he left before she was able to share the news with him.  Her only solace was having a part of him growing within her until her world came crashing down once again the day she spilled the beans to her father.  From that moment forward she became a prisoner in her own home, the embarrassment was too much for him to bear.  He punished her and demanded to have the tutors come to the house since attending school was out of the question.  She disgraced him and he took every opportunity to let her know it.  He would get so angry at times that he would leave the house for hours and come home toasted.  She was only grateful he never physically harmed her or the baby.  Her depression made her passive and she just complied with all his demands.  She buried herself in her studies and by the time the baby was born she had completed her classes to graduate.  Without warning her water broke leaving its mark in the middle of the kitchen floor causing her to go into labor three weeks early.  With Nate away at college her only alternative was to call Freddie since her father was on duty.  His astonishment was heard through his silence but he appeared at her front door within three minutes time.  He stood by her side as she screamed and cried for her mother and Marco.  When she looked up at him she saw his eyes well up with tears and sadness.  The baby’s heart beat began to slow down and causing for an immediate c-section - anxiety took over.  With the grace of God it was over quickly, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl with reddish brown hair.  She named her Marissa Ortiz Braxton.  Freddie just stared at both mother and child thinking of the sacrifices his son made to protect the family.  Remorse set in and he was ashamed to be such a hindrance to his own family.