Page 40 of Reno

Upon seeing Carma do it, I swelled with pride.

Cash cocked his head to the side and scanned the table, spreading his shitty look from person to person. When he reached Carma, he looked up. “It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“What wasn’t that big of a deal?” she asked. “Me carrying the tray of drinks, or you disrupting everyone while they were trying to eat?”

Clutching his menu in one hand, Cash glared back at her, obviously ill-prepared to argue.

Statue-still, Carma waited for him to either speak or blink. He did neither.

I studied her. Uncertain if she was joking or serious, I scanned the table. Everyone’s eyes were glued on Carma.

After a tense moment of silence, the corners of Cash’s mouth curled up. “You passed.” He extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, I’m Cash.”

She glanced at his hand. “Passed what?”

“The test.”

“What test?”

He leaned forward. “This little mess with your ex-boyfriend?” he whispered. “You’re gonna need me at some point. If you weren’t willing to stand up for yourself, I wasn’t going to be willing to stand up for you. Figured I’d fuck with you and see how you reacted.”

She shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Cash. I’m Carma.”

“Karma’s a cool name,” he said. “You can get even with people and say, ‘Karma’s gonna get ya, you better watch out. Be careful, Karma’s a bitch. Shit like that.”

“It’s not that kind of Karma,” she said.

His eyes narrowed. “What kind of Karma is it?”

“It’s short for Carmelita,” she said. “If you’re going to stand up for me, you should know who you’re standing up for. I’m Hispanic.”

I was completely shocked at her revelation. With bated breath, I waited for Cash’s response, hoping it didn’t prompt me to jump up and start a fight with him.

“In this club, we’re all siblings,” Cash replied. “We might fight and bicker, but when the time comes to stand our ground, we stand as a group. I don’t give a fuck if you’re from Mars. If someone’s going to try and kidnap you, they’re going to have to get through me to do it.”

Obviously shocked by his little speech, she stared back at him in disbelief.

He handed her his menu. “I’ll have the enchilada dinner.”

Just when I thought I was ready to jump the fence, Cash gave me all the reason in the world not to.

I scanned the table.

Bound by blood or not, each person seated at the table was just as Cash described them.

My siblings.

15

Carma

Reno allowed the others to leave, and he stayed. Despite my mother’s demand, I knew I couldn’t walk away from him. The mere thought of it caused my stomach to ball into a knot.

“She wants me to quit my job,” I said. “She’s really disappointed that I told you about us coming here from Mexico.”

“She thinks I’m going to turn you in?”

“Not you, specifically,” I responded. “But someone. A friend of a friend, or whatever. Think about it. All it takes is one person to make a phone call.”