Botanica Blues Read Online Free Page A

know. It gives me a chill. “But hey, you’re off the hook.” It’s the only thing I can offer to lighten the mood.
    “For now,” he said. He smiles and takes a swig of his soda. “You should go home though, Luis,
Hermana
Avila was here looking for you earlier.”
    “My grandma?” I whistle. My grandma doesn’t approve of me helping the religious minorities. She thinks they’re evil. She’s an old lady though so I assure her I’ll be safe and go on my way. She must have really wanted to find me. “Yeah, it’s late. I just wanted to stop by and tell you I’m off the case. Now that it’s not a religious matter.”
    “Yeah. I figured.” He takes another sip of his soda and laughed. “Next time, right?”
    I laugh and walked towards the door, hearing him snap the lights off behind me. “Yeah, next time. See you, Danny.” I let myself out and crack open the soda, hearing the rumble of thunder and the clatter of the metal shade of Danny store being pulled down.
    I get home and my grandma is already asleep. There’s a plate of food in the oven so I finish it off in front of the TV with my soda, the television turned low so I don’t wake her up. Some cartoons are on, stupid ones. I watch them anyway. I could do with something stupid.
    My phone beeps. I know who it is before I even pull it out.
    [You get home ok?]
    [Mugged by feral hobos on St. Antony's] I type. I smear grease on the screen. I don’t care, I laugh at my own stupid joke.
    [Haha. Take care. Call if you need anything.]
    [Thx] I type. I add [Goodnight] before I hit send and set the phone on the table. I don’t feel like lying in my bed so I put my plate in the kitchen and curl back up in the chair. I watch stupid cartoons until I fall asleep. Something about some kids making stupid videos and octopuses.
 
    “Happy Birthday, Francisco,” I say, handing him a card. He’s just a kid so he’s probably wondering where the present is. I smile apologetically as he frowns, opening the card. He smiles when he sees the gift card inside. $50. Not a bad haul when you’re nine.
    My sister’s got the AC pumped up too high so when I sit on the couch it feels cold and uncomfortable. I cringe as I settle into the leather cushions, holding my beer. The food smells good and my sisters’ kids are all running around and whooping and carrying on while some of the older kids play some video game on the TV. I’m not into video games. I gave one of these kids a book for their last birthday and they looked at me like I was fucking nuts. Damn kids.
    “When is
abuela
going to be here, Luis?” my sister asks.
    “I don’t know, Hilda,” I say, exasperated after the fifth time.
    “I don’t know why you didn’t bring her with you,” Merna says. She’s eating a plate of food, her huge belly looking like it might pop at any moment. She's on her fourth kid and her third plate.
    “Because I wasn’t going to take her to see a dead body on the way, jeez.” I got a call to consult on a pair of bodies found in East Park. Ritual suicide. Great way to start the morning. I take a sip of my beer. “She said she would be fine taking the train. She’s been taking the public transportation longer than you’ve been alive.”
    “It’s faster to take the train than to drive,” Gilbert says. He’s my cousin. I point to him. At least he has some sense.
    “I heard that new building on 23rd and Riverside is taking housing applications,” Merna says, finishing her plate. Not this again.
    “Hey, when’s the cake going to be here?” I yell towards the kitchen.
    “Nando is bringing it from the bakery, he should be back soon!” Delia comes out of the kitchen, smiling. My favorite sister. I’m allowed to have a favorite. Especially when the other two are so damn annoying. At least they're not asking me if I’m dating anyone anymore.
    Something rumbles off in the distance and for a moment I think it’s more thunder, another summer storm rolling in. But this rumble