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He almost wished they were all back in the sixties again. Sure, none of them had been that far from dying back then, but at least he had felt like somebody. Ever since they’d gotten back from 2019, every day had felt the exact same: clock into his first job cleaning equipment at the gym, then leave and get into a delivery truck for his second job, handing out meals to seniors who couldn’t leave their houses easily. The sense of stability was nice, he had to admit, but he couldn’t help but feel like he was just a worthless cog in some huge machine, punching the clock day in and day out, waking up to the same alarm every day to drive to the same building, to have the same meaningless small talk. It wore on him, day after day, and Lila had gotten sick of his complaining. They started sleeping on different sides of the bed every night.
But it didn’t really matter. He felt empty inside anyway.
____
“Hargreeves, I’m gonna be adding another house to your route.” his boss’ voice crackled on the phone as Diego pounded on Luther’s door. Diego had agreed to watch some show called “Survivor” with him. But really, Luther was the only one (besides Klaus, occasionally) that would actually listen to him.
“Her name’s Silvia.” Gerald continued. The sun sank low in the sky as a cold breeze ruffled the leaves by the door. “Lives alone. She wrote here that she got mugged outside her house a few years ago and since then she hasn’t been able to do much. She’d be the last one you’d visit.”
“Uh-huh.” Damn it, could Luther come to the door any slower?
“Don’t uh-huh me, Hargreeves, did you hear what I just said?”
“Yes, sorry. Sir.” Diego rolled his eyes.
The line crackled again. “Good. I’ll be emailing you the address later tonight.
“Sounds great, Gerald.”
Diego sighed and slumped against the wall, exhausted. Six in the morning to nine at night, five days a week, no breaks. He raised his hand to pound on the door one more time, when Luther opened it.
“Hey, Diego.” Luther looked tired too. Diego nodded a greeting and stepped inside, noticing a bag of Halloween candy on the dining room table.
“Since when do you go trick or treating, man?” Diego smirked. “You dress up as King Kong or what?”
“I don't,” Luther rolled his eyes and turned on the TV. “Another teacher at school brought some to me from this meeting I was supposed to go to.”
“LUTHER.” Diego exclaimed. “You’re dating a girl and you never told me?”
“No, are you crazy? I’ve known her for like, a month. Anyway, are you here to watch the Survivor finale with me or is there some other reason?”
“Why does there always have to be a reason?” He felt his neck prickle defensively and, and he instinctively reached up to rub it.
Luther muted the TV and sat down on the couch. “Look. These get-togethers are really nice, don’t get me wrong. But it seems like you’ve been, you know, going through it lately.”
“Oh, really, what makes you think that? Because I’m doing great.”
“I talked to Lila yesterday. She asked me if it’s normal to want to strangle your boyfriend because he complains ‘like a twelve year old’.”
“Why would she ask you that?” Diego exclaimed. “You’ve dated, like negative zero people, dude.”
“Well, maybe it’s because I give good advice.” Luther replied.
“And I’m not complaining.”
“Really? Because Klaus said you were going through it too.”
Diego fell back onto the futon. “They’re wrong. This-this is a real thing that’s happening to me, Luther. And they’re just too boring and complacent to see it. I’m wasting my god-given talent!” he cried. “I mean for god’s sake, I used to be a detective! I could fight crime! I can angle a knife through a half inch gap if I wanted to.”
“Oh, you’re not complaining. Right.”
“Shut up.” Diego tossed a knife up in the air dejectedly. “Now I’m just a loser ass guy. Driving a loser ass delivery truck. Delivering lukewarm meals to old people.”
Luther nodded sympathetically as Diego continued.
“I don’t-I don’t get a break, man. And it seems like everyone else just magically has their shit together. God, I’m just so tired.”
“Yeah, I get it.” Luther studied Diego’s face. There were dark circles under his eyes. “I think you need to-look, I get that you’re unhappy, but-”
Diego glared at him. “Spit it out, man, jesus.”
“You just need to grow up, okay?”
Diego’s eyes hardened.
“Come on, man, I’m not trying to be mean. All of us miss that adrenaline, too. But there’s no apocalypse coming anytime soon. There’s no presidents in need of saving. We’re adults. We have to do what we have to do to pay the bills. Like the other 300 million taxpaying Americans in this country.”
Diego sighed. “Thanks a lot. Didn’t know I was going to get lectured by my own brother.”
“You. Are being a little dramatic, in my opinion.” Luther rolled his eyes. “I’m just telling the truth, all right?”
“Yeah, truth, my ass.” Diego grabbed his coat. “Thanks a lot. I’m leaving.”
“Oh, come on!” Luther exclaimed as Diego walked out. “You just need to grow up! That’s it! Also, that new comedy is starting next week and you should watch it with me!”
But Diego was already on his way home.
______________________________________________
Luther’s words still rang in his ears after he got home and crawled into bed next to Lila. Grow up. Well, Luther was wrong, because Diego was different. Some people just couldn’t be tied down to a job.
Lila shifted under the covers and turned away from him. “Luther’s again?”
“Mhmm.”
She sighed. “Good.”
“Good? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Uh, good for you that you’re seeing your family.”
Diego picked at a hangnail on his finger. She sounded…more detached than usual. And it made him worried. “No snarky comments about them? This is new.”
“Can you stop talking to me? I’m trying to get to sleep.” she snapped.
“Lila,” he sat up and turned on the light. “Why are you-”
“Oh my god, are you being fucking serious right now?” she exclaimed, pulling the covers over her head.
“You-well, you need to tell me what I’m doing wrong, okay? Because you’re…being weird right now, and it’s making me feel weird.”
“You really want me to tell the truth?”
“Yes, because you’ve been so goddamn robotic for the past two weeks that I’m starting to think you’ve been replaced. I can fix that, though.” He touched her shoulder, but she flinched away.
“I’m not getting replaced, Diego. You’re just acting like a child.” she spat.
Embarrassment rose in Diego’s face. “Me? I’m the one acting like a child? You’re the one who moved to the other side of the bed like some moody thirteen year old!”
“Will you just listen to me for once!” she yelled. The room went silent for a beat.
“I don’t remember you being like this. That’s what’s different. Now you know.”
“Like what?” he gritted through his teeth.
“We finally made it. No more running. No more doomsday. No more commission. And now you just complain all the time. About your jobs and your life and the government and that one cashier lady at the grocery store.”
“Well-”
“I mean, things are shitty now, I’ll give you that. But I didn’t think you could hate it this much.”
Diego huffed and switched off the light, laying down again. “You can’t tell me you don’t miss it either. You killed people for twenty years.”
“I had a choice of which life I could pick. Corporate time clock hell with you and your deranged bunch of siblings. Or I could’ve done anything I wanted. Killed dictators and picked up crazy missions. But I chose you, Diego. So don’t make me regret it. Please.”
“Okay, okay.” he turned on his side and folded his knees up to his chest. “I’ll try. Night.”
But Lila didn’t say anything back.
______________________________________________________
“Have a good one, Rudy!” he waved as he walked out the door. He was 7 hours deep into his shift, and he still had about an hour to go. Yeah, and if my boss wasn’t such a hardass, I’d be home by now, he thought, trying desperately not to focus on his numb fingers or aching legs or empty stomach or-
Rudy hobbled closer to him, smiling. “Wait up, son! My daughter’s comin’ to town next week, and I was wondering if you’d want to come by. Off the clock, of course.” He adjusted his bun under the Vietnam veteran hat he wore all the time.
“I, uh-.” Diego grinned sheepishly. “I have a girlfriend, actually. She’s really cool.”
“Rudy just laughed and patted his arm. “Don’t get your hopes up. My son-in-law is coming too. Anyway, I’m trying my hand at my wife’s corn soup recipe and teaching my little granddaughter how to make frybread. You know, the old ways.”
“That’s awesome, Rudy.” Diego smiled at the old man. “But why would you want me over there?”
“Well, I talk to her as much as I talk to you. Plus, you always look so tired when you get over here. The least I could do is give you some dinner in return.”
“It’s nothing, trust me. Plus, I wouldn’t want to be the asshole that eats all your food.”
Rudy squeezed Diego’s hand. “You’re a real keeper, you know that?”
Diego smiled sadly. “Yeah, sure.”
“Well, I’ll save you some if you decide to come. Keep it nice and hot.”
“Thanks, Rudy.” He was careful to shut the door gently as he walked out again. “You have a good night.”
“See you later, Diego.”
He tensed up and started to shiver as soon as he got back into his van. Rudy’s was usually the last house on the route, but his boss had added one more. The shitty van heater creaked to life and the sticky note he’d written out fluttered on the steering wheel.
Name- silvia
Got mugged, afraid to leave house. Lives alone
No kids
Not married
Cooking
Reading
Jeopardy??
524 crystal Ct.
________________________________________________
The truck juddered to a stop outside a small white house. The streetlights cast an eerie glow onto it, and he could make out a small front porch with a rickety-looking table and chair on it, and a few flowerpots with nothing in them. A warm orange light glowed inside the house. He unloaded, walked up to the door, and rang the bell. It looked like one of those fancy ones with the camera.
“Hello?” a voice chirped from the speaker.
“Hi, I’m Diego with Meals on Wheels. Got two for today. Mind if I come in?” he showed his badge to the camera.
“Oh, it’s you!” A deadbolt unlocked, and he stepped inside. The house smelled like warm incense with a faint tinge of cigarettes. Potted plants and cuttings of leaves in jars covered the kitchen countertop. Paintings and strings of popcorn hung on the walls, and there was a basket of books near the TV. A woman in a simple blue dress and a cardigan walked out, and he snapped to attention. A few metal bracelets jingled on her wrist.
“Well, hello there!” she exclaimed. She had the type of eyes that crinkled at the corners, and she grabbed his hand to shake it. He almost flinched at how warm and soft it felt.
“Yeah, uh, nice to meet you, too.” He set the boxes gently on her dining table. “I’m Diego.”
“You said that already.” she laughed. “I’m Silvia.”
Diego gave her his customer service smile and handed her a clipboard. “Now if you’ll sign this, ma’am.”
“Well, don’t just stand there like some sad toucan!” Silvia exclaimed, taking the clipboard and shuffling into the kitchen. “You look tired, mijo. Why don’t you sit down?”
He awkwardly took a seat on the couch and watched her rummage around the small kitchen.
“I have some hot cocoa.” she shouted. “My neighbor also bought me some peach tea today. Her name’s May. Like the month. Oh, and some guava nectar too, but you might not like how sweet it is.”
“It’s fine!” he called. “I should probably get home anyway. My girlfriend’s waiting on me.”
Silvia came out of the kitchen, red-faced. “Oh, yes, of course! I’m sorry if I kept you. But here, take these.” she handed him two scones wrapped in cellophane. “This sweet girl made them for me the other day. Alexia. Her bus stop is right down the street. She’s twenty and already in some pastry school or something. I can’t believe it.”
“Thank you.” Diego took them hesitantly, and he must’ve looked shocked, because she laughed a little.
“Oh, don’t be scared of me. I don’t bite. I’ll make sure you go home with plenty of baked goods in the future, son.”
Diego smiled. “Thanks. Nice meeting you.”
“Sure. Have a good night.”
____________________________________
He got back home and made some eggs, scarfing them down near the TV when he heard the scratching of boots and the door creaking. Lila walked in and tiredly took off her shoes.
“I might just kill my goddamn boss after the day i’ve just had.”
“I would help you hide the body.”
She smirked. “Oh, really?”
“This lady today called me a sad toucan.” Diego said. “She was….weird.”
Lila laughed. “That’s because you are. Is she the one who gave you these scones?” She unwrapped them excitedly.
“Her neighbor made them, apparently.”
“My god, these are bloody delicious!” she bit into one and joined him on the couch. “Try.”
Diego took a bite and nodded in agreement. “Yeah. It’s good.”
“You Americans obviously can’t appreciate a good scone when you taste one. I would pay for this, you know.”
“Are we okay?” he asked to no one in particular. Lila bristled.
“I don’t know. Depends on you.”
“Oh, here we go again.”
She scowled at him and moved further away. “Well, here’s how I see it. You either realize we’re in this flaming mess together, and that the world doesn’t revolve around you saving people from bad guys. Or you don’t.” she flopped onto her back and situated her legs on Diego’s lap. “Your choice.”
“What, so I’m just supposed to ignore what I was born to do? You think-you think I can live without doing that shit?” he exclaimed.
“You make this so hard, you know that?” Lila sighed.
“Fine. Like I said. I will try.”
“Yeah, you really should.” she curled up into the couch, and went quiet. Within a few minutes, she was asleep. Diego got up and laid a blanket over her, and took another from their bedroom, making himself comfortable on the floor below her. That was how they slept that night.
____________________________________
The three weeks after Halloween passed like a whirlwind. He and Lila were coming to an uneasy truce. Allison called one night and told him she was coming to town, and if she could stay at his apartment. Luther, Klaus, Viktor, and Five were already conspiring on family activities to drag the rest of them into for the next few weeks. He’d also been getting used to the people on his meal delivery routes. Rudy, the veteran. Jim. Audrey. Bill. Rhoda. And Silvia. She was different from the others, though. As the weeks wore on, he grew used to her in a way he hadn’t with any of the others. Maybe it was because of the way she’d tell her stories in a faraway voice, so he could almost picture himself there. Maybe it was the way her house felt, like the inside of a gingerbread house: warm and colorful and alive. Either way, he would look forward to the last stop of the night.
_______________________________________
“You know, I left home when I was young, too.” she said one day. “I was fifteen.” The wind howled outside and Diego hoped the van would start later.
“What made you leave?” he asked.
She hesitated for a second, then got up to pour more hot water into her mug. “My dad. You want more tea?” He shook his head.
“He—he abused me and my sisters. They’re both younger than me. Mary and Lucia. I didn’t keep in contact with them when I left.”
“Yeah, I know how it feels.” Diego said quietly.
“He would hit us all the time. And call us names, too. You know, all that. One day I’d had enough and I packed a bag. Cut my hair this short.” she grabbed a long piece of her hair. “Moved to a halfway house about a train ride east of where I lived.”
Diego shifted on the couch. She looked so small, sitting there at the dining table, with the big mug of tea in her hands. It reminded him of Grace when he would catch her staring wistfully at the paintings, and his heart twisted uncomfortably.
“Did he ever come for you?”
She chuckled and sadness tinged her voice. “No. Sometimes I thought about going back home, and hugging my sisters. Tell them that I would get them out. But I never did. And he never showed up to the house, thank god. I got a job taking care of little ones at an orphanage near there. And that worked, for a while. I could pretend that I was protecting all of them.”
Diego nodded. “Then what happened?”
“Life.” she smiled wryly. “Fell in love with a boy who ended up being just like my father. Started to run again. Worked for a while. I was a cashier at the store down there for a while. Daycares. Call centers.” she sighed. “Then last year the incident happened. And I haven’t been able to leave my house since.”
“You want to tell me about it?”
She smiled, but her eyes looked glassy. “It’s almost eight. You should get home to your girlfriend.”
“Right.” he saw the look on her face, and nodded, putting on his jacket and unlocking the door. “Have a good one, Silvia. Don’t have too much fun without me.”
“Yeah, right.” she laughed. “Well, it’s always nice to see you, Diego.”
He waved and started to close the door, but then stopped. “Hey.”
“Uh-huh?”
“Call me. If you ever need anything. I work somewhere else before I come here, but I have family scattered around.”
“You’re a good man, Diego. You know that?”
“Not so sure about that.” he muttered.
“Well, believe it.” she called. “I’ll see you next time.”
_______________________________________
“I just feel like she never listens to me.” Diego exclaimed, frustrated. He handed Silvia a Lofthouse sugar cookie from the box he’d bought at the store, and took one for himself. It had been two weeks since their last serious talk, and something was eating at him.
“Okay.” Silvia took a bite. “Keep talking.”
“I used to be a cop. You know, protect the city. Save people. You remember the vigilante thing I told you about? Yeah, I did that shit too. On top of it. I could probably get back on the force any day if I wanted to. But she just keeps telling me to keep my head down. Put the hero crap in the past. As if the city doesn’t need me.”
Silvia rolled her eyes.
“What?”
“It sounds like she might be right.”
“Silvia, we’re supposed to be on the same side here!”
She sat down on the couch and smoothed a blanket over her knees. “Diego, who says you’re not saving people now?”
He sighed. “That’s not the p—Before this, I was helping save the world. For real. You know, secret agent shit. Sneaking in to get recon on these sci-fi ass villians. Knocking skulls. Now I’m just a nobody. My boss is a son of a bitch. My girlfriend probably hates me. And I get paid nothing to work like a dog every day.”
“Mijo, don’t say that. Hey. Pick your head up.” Silvia said gently. “Most people don’t do what you did, you know? Saving the world and all that. But they’re still good people.”
“Yeah, but I’m a hero, okay? I’m not like most people.”
Silvia’s mouth formed a thin line. “Diego. Listen.”
“Okay, okay. Sorry.”
“Sometimes you just need to admit when you’re wrong. Your girlfriend will love it.”
He laughed dryly.
“And who says you aren’t saving the world now? You’re saving this old woman from starvation and loneliness. Now, your boss is another story.” she fiddled with one of the couch pillows. “It’s hard out there. But sometimes certain things just have to stay in the past, okay? And you’re a hero in my book, if that helps.”
“I guess so. Thanks.” He checked his watch. “I should get going, though. Early day tomorrow.”
“All right. Drive safe, hon.” she waved. “Tell your girlfriend she’s right, too! I want to meet her before I die!” she added as he walked out the door.
_________________________________________________
“Tell me why we’re doing this again?” Lila asked as the two of them stood outside Silvia’s house. Snow fell around them as the sun set and the breeze felt wet and cold. “It’s New Year’s Eve. We should be inside. Sleeping.”
“We’re doing this because she’s an old woman who shouldn’t be alone.” Diego replied. “But if she would just let us in-”
Lila huddled closer to him. “Since when do you care about old people? I thought you just wanted to go around stabbing criminals.”
He rang the doorbell again. “Yeah, well, she’s made me realize some stuff.”
“Wow.” Lila nodded. “I’m starting to like her already.”
The deadbolt unlocked and they both walked in.
“Hi, Diego.” Silvia said. “I thought service was suspended for this week? And who’s this?”
“It is.” Diego took off his coat. “I felt bad leaving you all alone on Christmas.” he motioned to Lila. “Lila and I baked some cookies for you.”
“Oh my god!” Silvia gasped, shuffling over to give Diego a hug. “These are all for me?” Her voice broke.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t they be?”
She sniffled. “This past week-you know, it’s hard not being able to go outside and turning on the TV to see all those commercials of the sweet little families-”
Diego squeezed her shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. We’re here now.”
Silvia nodded sheepishly and looked over to Lila. “I’m sorry you had to see that, mija. Enough crying for today. You know, Diego’s told me so much about you.”
Lila shot a look at him. “He’s much less of an idiot ever since he met you.”
“So I have been doing something good.” Silvia chuckled. “Okay, come on into the kitchen. I’ll make some tea.”
The three of them ended up staying and talking for a while. Lila and Silvia bonded over obscure nineties bands, and Diego pretended to roll his eyes, but that night he realized that Silvia had brought something into his life that he hadn’t felt in a while.
Warmth.
__________
“I’ll be back in a week, okay?” Diego said as he and Lila got ready to leave.
“Trust me, I won’t miss you too much.” Silvia smiled. “You kids should take some of my scarves. It looks gross out there.”
“I think we’ll be fine.” Lila said, but Silvia had already left. When she came back, she held a red and purple striped scarf in one hand and an orange and brown striped scarf in the other.
“I used to be pretty decent at knitting back in my day.” she said as she held the scarves out timidly. “These were supposed to be your Christmas presents.”
Lila gasped, and shoved Diego with her shoulder.
“Th-thanks.” his heart pounded inside of his chest. Last time he’d gotten a scarf was when Grace had knitted him one.
“You’re welcome, dear.” she switched on the TV. “Well, I hope the roads aren’t bad. And thank you again for the cookies.”
She gave Diego and Lila another tight hug each before they left, and made them promise to wear their seatbelts on the way home.
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
He got the call at the gym, a little after New Year’s. Right before he was scheduled to go back.
“Hey, Diego.”
“Hey, Gerald. What’s up?”
The line crackled with a sigh. “I have some bad news.”
“Okay?”
“Alright. Before I tell you this, it happens, you know? I just want you to know it never gets easier having to make one of these calls.”
Diego resisted the urge to snap at him. “What is it?”
“The last lady on your route, Silvia? Her neighbor went to check on her. Found her dead this morning.”
It felt like someone had sucker punched him. “No, w-wait. No. No. Wait, really?”
“I’m sorry, man. It’s always hard to have to tell our workers like this.”
Diego let the phone drop from his hand.
“Diego, you there? Diego! You still have to clock in today, you know!”
____________________________
Later that night, he sat in front of her house after his shift ended. No one could just die like that, right? There had to have been some sort of sign. Did she look unsteady when he saw her last? Maybe if he had just looked harder…
He stared back up at the house with its chipping white paint and dead plant outside. A sob escaped his throat. How could she just go like that, without telling him? All of it-the jokes, and the stories, and the advice-gone. Just like that. Maybe it was all his fault. Maybe if he had just checked on her more, or gone over there yesterday morning. He looked down and saw that his hands were shaking. He punched the steering wheel, and his hand rang with pain. But it didn’t matter.
She was gone.
____________________________
He laid awake that night, motionless.
“What’s with you?” Lila asked sleepily.
“Nothing.” he sighed.
“Come on.” she clumsily reached over and grabbed his chin. “You’re acting emo again.”
“Silvia died this morning.”
“Shit. She was such a sweet old lady.” she carded her fingers through his hair. “You okay?”
“I think she was the nicest person I’ve ever met.”
“Mhm.” Lila hummed.
“And she didn’t deserve it. I mean, why the hell did it happen to her and not anyone else? Why now?” He propped himself up on his elbows and Lila squinted up at him.
“Diego, we both know that death isn’t fair.”
“Yeah, but she-she-” he shook his head, frustrated. The words felt like blocks in his mouth.
“Shhh. It’s okay, love. We can deal with it tomorrow.”
He begrudgingly settled himself back in bed and stared up at the ceiling again. Soon, he heard Lila’s soft snoring next to him. His mind began to turn.
Maybe she didn’t die of a heart attack or a stroke. Maybe there was someone out there, still lurking around her house. Someone who wanted to hurt her.
He crept out of hed. If that was the case, he would make sure the bastards paid.
_______
He adjusted the domino mask as the truck idled outside of Silvia’s house. Nothing so far. Maybe they’d come around later. And then he’d sink a knife into their heart.
_______________________________________________________
One week later
“Diego.” Allison snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Are you there? I didn’t take a four hour flight for you to not talk to us at all.”
“Gee, I’m so sorry.” he muttered.
“And then I started having a panic attack in the walk-in freezer!” Klaus laughed nervously. “Yeah Diego, you look like a zombie. Even more than you usually do.”
Diego rolled his eyes.
“Should we be concerned?” Allison took a sip of her beer. “You haven’t said a word since we got here.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
Klaus smirked at him.
“I’ve never been better in my life, sis. Normal job. Great hours. Great pay. What else could I possibly need?”
“Yeah, I knew he’d hate it.” she said.
“He’s really been going through it.” Klaus whispered.
“Hate what? I just said I loved it. I love this normal shit.” he leaned back and crossed his arms.
“Well, the numerous bags under your eyes say otherwise.”
“If you two are just gonna psychoanalyze me, I’m leaving.” Diego got up as Allison and Klaus protested, and walked out, alone, into the cold, dark night.
__________________________________________________
“Lila, it’s so lateeee.” Klaus whined in the backseat of Lila’s car. “Where are we going anyways? I’m cold.”
“Shut up, and what are you complaining about? You have the only blanket!” Lila exclaimed. Allison shot him a look from the passenger seat. Not now.
“Remember when I told you I was worried about him? Well, this is why.”
“You’ve been following him, huh?” Allison asked.
“Yeah, what else do you think I would be doing?” Lila sighed. “He thinks someone was out to get her.”
“Okay, okay. What do you want us to do, then? Because he’s not gonna listen to anything we say.” said Klaus.
“I don’t know! That’s why I dragged you two morons here, because you grew up with my idiot boyfriend and I thought you might have some ideas.”
They all watched as Diego crept around the house a few times and tried to pick the lock with his knife.
“Turn around.” said Allison suddenly.
“What?” Lila and Klaus both said at the same time.
“We need to go home. I have some calls to make.”
______________________________________
Diego could sense their irritating, loud, annoying presence before he even stepped into the house the next day. He opened the door and prepared to verbally assault whichever sibling he saw first.
He opened the door. “Why the hell are you in my house?”
Luther looked up from the fridge guiltily. “Uhh, I think the real question is, why are you home so early?”
“This is usually when I get back, you ass. Lila!” he yelled. “Why is Luther here?” He walked through the kitchen and almost threw himself angrily on the couch when he stumbled into Viktor, Allison, Klaus, and Five spread out in the living room.
“Oh my god. Oh my god.” he laughed in disbelief. “This is a goddamn setup.” he turned to leave, but ran into Luther, who pushed him back into the room.
“Family meeting, Diego.”
“And why are we here, exactly?” Five asked.
“Because apparently he’s been participating in, well, how should we say it?” Klaus said. “Vigilante activities.”
Viktor shrugged. “And that’s bad, why?”
“Wait, wait, wait. How did you know about that?” Diego felt his fists clench.
Allison looked guilty. “We, um-”
“We followed you.” Lila said nonchalantly as she walked into the room with a liter bottle of soda. “And um, I didn’t know how you guys do your family meetings, so…I brought this.” she took a seat next to Klaus and he unscrewed the cap and took a swig.
“We’re just worried about you, man.” Luther exclaimed. “Is that okay?”
Diego laughed bitterly. “When has that ever mattered?”
“He’s right.” Five pointed out. “It hasn’t. Historically, at least.”
Luther shot a look at him. “You. Shut-be quiet. Now’s not the time. Look, I know that watching out for each other isn’t really our thing. But at least for me, now that we’re in a normal timeline, I…I still worry about you guys.”
“Could’ve used some of that last timeline.” Diego muttered, pacing back and forth behind the couch.
“Luther’s right.” Viktor agreed.
“Says the one who wrote a tell-all about us.” retorted Diego.
“Okay, Diego, do you want to do this now? Because we can do this right now.”
“Yeah, Viktor, let’s go, man to man, right now-”
“Will you two just shut up and fucking listen!” Lila yelled, and stood up.
“Why are we doing this now, huh?” Diego exclaimed. “Why in front of them?”
“Why the hell not?”
“You love to mess with me, don’t you?”
“It’s my favorite hobby.” Lila smiled dangerously, stepping closer to him.
“So what’s your game here then, huh? Inviting my whole family over so that you could confront me?”
She nodded. “Yeah, pretty much.”
“Well, it was a shit plan. Because I’m not talking to any of you assholes ever again.”
Lila’s eyes hardened. “Thank god for that. You need therapy.”
“Hey, hey, hey.” Klaus stood up. “Enough of this, okay? You two match each other’s freak, as the kids say, and I think that’s a beautiful thing, you know? I would hate to see you break up over Diego’s interesting coping mechanisms.”
Klaus continued. “And since Lila’s too much of a chicken to say it to your face, Diego, she’s really worried about you. I’m serious. I was freezing my ass off in her 2013 toyota corolla last night when we were following you. I mean, she might be a little bit of a psycho, but I think she’s a keeper if she does that.”
“Why now, then?” Diego exclaimed. “Why’s this time any different?”
“Well, we’re not at each other’s throats anymore.” Viktor said. “That makes it a lot easier.”
Luther nodded. “We’re not the best at family stuff. I know that. But you know what? You guys are all I have. And I’m not interested in going back to the way things were.”
“That’s pretty sad.” Diego said.
“I’m with you on that one.” said Five.
“Super productive meeting, guys.” Allison muttered.
“Yeah. And since no one’s said anything of goddamn value, I say meeting’s over. Now everyone get out.” said Diego.
Klaus smirked. “You can’t just kick us out that easily.”
“Oh, you wanna see me try?” he pulled out one of his knives, but a spool of string came flying at his head and whacked his temple.
“OW! What the-”
“Yeah, they’re not leaving.” Lila said.
“Come on. We’re going out to dinner.” Luther grabbed his shoulder.
“What the hell is your plan?” Diego tried to turn to Lila, but Luther steered him out the door. “Ow, get off me.”
“Nope. You’re not getting away.”
Klaus patted his shoulder. “Good old family time’ll fix you.” The rest of the family walked out to the car as Diego groaned.
__________________________________
Lila drove them to a small Vietnamese restaurant in a sketchy strip mall. Ever since they’d gotten back, it had become a gathering place for them. Not only did they have cheap food, but no one ever asked questions there. Plus, it was always open late.
“Why are we here, anyway?” Diego asked after they had gotten their food.
“I was craving it.” Lila said.
“I emailed everyone a poll yesterday.” Luther said excitedly.
Diego rolled his eyes. “I hope you’re kidding.”
Five shoveled more bean sprouts into his soup. “So are we planning to discuss anything over dinner or is your plan to just eat your feelings?”
Everyone paused. “Obviously the second one.” Klaus said through a mouthful of noodles.”
“All of us are shit at dealing with grief.” Viktor sighed.
Diego stared into his soup and thought of the Christmas lights outside of Silvia’s house, and the way her eyes always crinkled up when she smiled. Her roundabout stories would always seem to end up right back where they started. The scarf she’d given him was still folded up in his dresser.
Suddenly, he felt hot. He grasped at the back of his neck and tried to think of something else. “Breathe.” she had told him once. “No point in trying to do anything if your mind is all scattered.” Tears suddenly sprang to his eyes and a disgusting noise slipped out of his mouth.
“Heyyyy.” Klaus put a hand on his shoulder. “There you go. Let it out, man.”
Diego noticed him and flinched away, quickly wiping away his tears. “Shut up. I’m fine.”
Luther gave Klaus a thumbs up. “Diego, you need to stop being such a hardass, okay? It’s just us.”
“I’m not a hardass. All of you are. For bringing me here.”
“That makes zero sense, but okay.” Viktor laughed. Five snorted.
“Oh my god.” Lila tried to hold in a laugh. “Five, you just snorted.”
“No, I didn’t.” he growled.
“No, no, no. You just did. I heard it.”
“I heard it too.” Viktor said. “You’re not getting away with this one.”
“Somebody kill me now, please.” Allison mumbled. Klaus reached across her and grabbed a jalapeño with his chopsticks. “Hey, has anyone tried this pepper yet?”
“I think that’s a-” Luther began.
“Ooh, it’s kinda spicy.”
“-Jalapeño.”
“Shit.” Klaus grabbed Diego’s water and chugged it.
“What the hell, man? That was mine.”
Klaus gulped and wiped his mouth. “Oh, stop being all possessive, Diego. You’ll survive. Oh god, it’s still hitting me. Allison, can I have your water?”
______________________
“Maybe if I hold a bunch of ice in my mouth it’ll stop.” Klaus said as they left the restaurant. “Lila. Gimme your ice.”
“Mm. No thanks.” she emptied her cup onto the ground. “Oh no. That’s such a shame.”
“That’s it. You guys tie for being the two most immature people I know.” Allison huffed.
“Allison, you should sit in the back this time.” Viktor said. “I can’t sit next to Five any longer.”
“Fine.” Five blinked into the passenger seat.
“I still hate that he can do that.” Luther grumbled.
“I don’t care where you assholes sit, okay? As long as you don’t mess up my seats.” Diego said. Everyone piled into the old van and they drove home.
_______________________________________________
After they got back, Luther, Klaus, Viktor, and Five went back home. Since Allison was in town, Diego blew up the air mattress and threw some blankets on it.
“I didn’t think you’d actually blow up a whole air mattress for me.” Allison walked into the living room brushing her teeth.
“Yeah, me neither.”
Allison chuckled. “It’s been nice to see everyone since I’ve been back. Lila’s not so bad after all, either.”
“I’m glad that my girlfriend’s finally won your approval.” he snapped.
She squinted at him. “You’re mean, you know that?”
“Why be nice when there’s probably an old woman dying inside of her house right now and I can’t stop it?” His heart pounded wildly inside of his chest. “Kindness doesn’t get you anywhere. It never does.”
Allison sighed. “Sure. You know what? My flight’s tomorrow. I should get up early.” she opened the door. We should both just get some sleep, alright?”
Diego scoffed and shook his head as he walked out the door.
__________________________________________
Maybe the bed got softer, or Lila jacked up the thermostat, but Diego couldn’t sleep. He kept tossing and turning until Lila woke up and told him that if he didn’t stop, he could sleep on the floor.
“Fine.” He walked out of the bedroom and decided to get some air. He opened the front door to see Allison leaning against his van smoking a cigarette.
“So you didn’t quit after all.”
She whipped around, coughing and waving away the smoke. “I did, I swear! It’s just-I only do this occasionally.”
“Sure.”
“Do you want some? Because if you’re gonna stand there and shame me you can go back inside.”
He hesitantly walked up and stood next to her. “Look, I’m sorry for earlier, okay? Is that what you want?”
Allison blew out a puff of smoke. “Do you want some or not?”
“You know what? Fuck it.” he said under his breath, pinching it away from her and taking a drag.
She laughed. “There you go.”
He smirked and held in a cough. “So why are you out here?”
“Couldn’t sleep. You?”
“Same.”
She jingled her rental car keys absentmindedly. “Actually, you know what? I think I know what we could do.”
___________
Five minutes later, they were driving down the street past all of the dimly lit shops.
“Klaus was right.” Diego said.
“About what?”
“You speed.”
“Give me a break. So do you.” she scoffed. “Probably worse than me.”
A beat of silence passed between them, and Allison switched on the radio.
“Hey, you want to help me out tonight?” Diego asked.
“No.”
“How did you even know what I was going to ask?”
“I knew there was a 75% chance of it being about the bargain Batman crap you always do when things get bad.” she slowed down and pulled into the Griddy’s parking lot. “And I’m not doing that tonight.”
“Oh come on, Allison. Please?”
“Nope.” She turned up the heat.
Diego gave a frustrated sigh. “Then why are we out here? Let’s just go home.”
“Also no to that.”
“Goddamn it. You know you’re the worst, right?”
“If you’re saying I’m the worst, I think I’m doing fine.” she muttered, and killed the engine. “We’re both going through some shit right now. I just needed to get away from it for a while.”
“What’s going on with you?”
“Custody. No one tells you how hard it is to go through all the legal stuff. And I go to therapy every week, too. When I tell you it’s worse than missions-”
He laughed. “No kidding.”
Allison smiled and fiddled with the keys. “What about you? Hero complex getting big again?”
“No.” Diego said quickly.
“Clearly something’s wrong.” said Allison breezily. “And we’re not leaving until you talk.”
Diego didn’t respond.
“Oh my god. Okay, look. You’re the only one I’ve told about what happened to me in Dallas. Klaus knows some of it too, but not the whole thing. So if your ego is too fragile to bear the thought of actually talking to someone, just think of this as me paying you back for that.”
“Okay,” he took a deep breath. “You heard what happened today, didn’t you?”
“The lady from your work?”
“Yup.”
He stared gloomily out the window. “I met her four months ago when I started the delivery job. You know, I kinda thought she was weird at first. She gave me scones the first day we met. And told me I looked thin. Which I’m not, by the way.”
Allison scoffed. “You think she was weird for giving you baked goods?”
“Hell yeah! I mean, what if they had razor blades in them or some shit? Anyways, we’d talk for a while every time I stopped over there.” he cracked a smile. “And she was one of those cool old people. She had a story about everything. Literally. It was like there was a library in her brain or something. And she was kind. She went through…hell. But she was still so nice, and-and grateful, and she…and she c-cared.” he sighed and leaned his head against the window. The words wouldn’t come out. Allison squeezed his shoulder.
“I miss her.”
“I know. It’s cruel, I think.” Allison said. “The world just moves on while you’re in the middle of falling apart.”
“Real shitty place sometimes.”
The car fell silent for a while before Allison spoke up. “I wish Griddy’s was open this late.”
“Yeah. We could just eat our feelings and avoid the therapy shit, right?”
“Right.” she grinned and checked the time. “Maybe we should get back. It’s late.”
“Lila’s gonna make me sleep on the floor again.” Diego yawned.
“As she should.” Allison started the car again. “Okay, let’s get home.”
She turned to Diego, but he was fast asleep.
THE END