The words cut through the murmuring prayers like a blade. No one flinched, no one gasped. The priest’s voice faltered for a heartbeat, then continued as if the interruption were a gust of wind.
I felt my throat tighten, a dry scrape that made me think of sandpaper. My heart hammered, and the world seemed to tilt just enough for me to notice a small bead of sweat roll down my cheek.
“If no one is willing to take those girls, I’ll call child protective services on Monday. I’m not throwing away my future for a woman who’s gone.”
He said it as if reciting a line from a play, his tone flat, his eyes flicking toward the van as if already planning the logistics of his new life.
“What did you just say?” I asked, my voice cracking like old plaster.
He exhaled, irritation evident in the way his nostrils flared.
“Don Julián, don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Rosa is gone. I’m allowed to start over.”
His eyes flicked to the girls, a flicker of contempt passing through them.
“And your daughters?”
He gestured toward the children, his hand moving in a lazy arc that made it look like he was shooing away flies.
“My new girlfriend isn’t raising three children who barely listen to me. You’re their grandfather. If you care so much, then take them.”
A few relatives lowered their heads, shoulders slumping. My godmother pressed a hand to her mouth, the sound of a muffled sob lost in the wind. Even the priest’s eyes darted away, his gaze finding the ground.
