Strength by Angela B. Macala-Guajardo Page B

shorts and undergarments, toweled off, and donned her fresh outfit consisting of a girl’s tee, a white lace strap tank top to go underneath, and beige capris. Brushing her teeth took two arms since she couldn’t raise her elbows past her stomach. Brushing her hair required the same effort, so she decided to let her hair air-dry and to put it back in a ponytail later.
    Roxie left the bathroom with both brushes in hand and found Aerigo at the kitchen table, buckling his boots. In the living room, Grandma placed a plastic grocery bag next to a backpack. She looked at Roxie’s hand.
    “I’ll take those,” she said, extending her own hand.
    Roxie crossed to the couch and handed over the brushes.
    “Say your goodbyes,” Aerigo said. He looked pensive as his gaze fell on the backpack. Then he shouldered his own pack and placed two white objects on top of a piece of paper on the table. The objects looked like quarter-sized pedometers with three fingertip-shaped indents and a small dial on each. Aerigo pushed in his chair, gave Grandma a meaningful look, and headed out onto the porch.
    “Are you ready to go, dear?” Grandma said.
    “I guess.” She could walk, so she didn’t have any reason not to be.
    “You have some oranges and muffins in the bag. I gave you one of my credit cards as well but please don’t go crazy with it.”
    “I won’t.”
    “Aerigo wouldn’t let me call a cab to take you to the bus station. He said you didn’t have the time to wait for one.”
    “Bus station? I thought you said plane.”
    “He didn’t want to take the plane. He said air travel gives you too few escape options. Are you well enough for the walk?”
    “Yeah,” Roxie said, but she wondered if she could manage several miles, feeling sore enough to be carried. She slipped into her running sneakers, although her eyes longed for her slippers lying next to them. Tucker hopped off the couch and sat by the slippers, watching Roxie. He started purring and lazily flicked the tip of his tail back and forth. “I’ll miss you too, you weirdo of a cat.” Roxie scratched Tucker behind the ears and he closed his eyes, enjoying the attention. It looked liked the lines of his mouth were curled up in a smile.
    Grandma handed over the backpack and grocery bag of food.
    “Thanks,” Roxie said, straightening up. “What did Aerigo leave on the table?”
    “I don’t know, but don’t worry about it. Just take care of yourself and listen to Aerigo. Everything you need is in your backpack.”
    “I will.”
    “It was an honor and a pleasure to raise you. I’ll miss you dearly.”
    “I’ll miss you, too.” They hugged, though gingerly in Roxie’s case. The memory of causing her grandmother pain would never let her forget her enhanced strength.
    “I love you very much.”
    “I love you, too.” Roxie wanted to cry but for some reason felt too empty to produce any tears. “Bye.” She let go and waved as she headed out the back door. Grandma waved back and took Tucker in her arms.
    Aerigo waited at the bottom of the porch steps. Once Roxie reached him, he started walking and she fell in step beside him.
    Aerigo said, “I’m sorry.”
    His tired, drawn features showed sorrow. “It’s not your fault. If I hadn’t run off—”
    “It’s not that. I meant having to take you away from your family.”
    “Do you have your own family you had to leave behind?”
    Aerigo’s eyes glowed blue. “Not anymore.”
    “What do you mean?”
    He swallowed and stared ahead. “She’s gone.”
    “Who? What happened?”
    They passed under the trees and were touched by a lazy breeze that carried the scent of rain. Roxie turned around and walked backwards, and sure enough, swollen cumulous clouds were gathering beyond the rooftops.
    “What is it?” Aerigo asked.
    “Rain,” she said, turning around. Just perfect , she mused sarcastically. Crummy weather for a crummy day. “So what happened to your lady friend?”
    “It doesn’t matter