#absolution ch 1

So, this was a prompt given to me by the lovely @cocoskween. I thought I’d give it a shot and turn it into a series. You can find it here as well over as Ao3.

“He is so damn fine,” Gabriella nudged her best friend Yvette and gestured to the man who was currently standing beside her father and godfather. “It has to be illegal to be that fine, right? Look at him Vette, God would want me to have him. I’m sure of it.”

“And I’m sure God wouldn’t want that man to catch a case,” Yvette shook her head. “You keep eyeing him though, my eye is on Coco, you know I love a tortured soul.”

She shook her head and smirked. “But the prospect. Handsome, smart and rugged.” She ran her tongue over her teeth and cleared her throat. “I’m going to make my presence be known.”

“Your dad will kill you and Bishop will help him out,” Yvette rolled her eyes. “Be smart.”

“Got it,” Gabriella checked her reflection in the car window before adjusting the irritating uniform her school requires her to wear. Impractical for day to day wear but whatever, it made her look like a walking fantasy when she wore it just the way she liked it. “Papa,” she stopped beside her dad and looked up at him slightly. “I’m ready to go home now, I don’t see the other prospect.”

Taza nodded, “I sent him to the store, he’ll be back soon. Can you wait thirty more minutes?” He gave her a small smile and wink. “Or is this life or death?”

“I’m kind of bored, I thought Coco’s kid would be here,” She looked at EZ and smiled. “She’s never here anymore.”

“She took off,” EZ chuckled. “No one knows where she went but maybe she’ll blow into town one of these days.”

Bishop looked at his goddaughter, “The prospect can escort her and Yvette home.” He nodded. “All you gotta do is make sure they make it home, they live right next door to each other. Make sure they each go in, give one of us a call and sit for fifteen minutes until Chuy can get there and watch the houses.”

EZ nodded. “Yeah for sure, I’ll get them home for you guys.”

“Love you Papa,” she hugged her dad before moving to Bishop. “Love you Padrino.”

“Having a daughter was the worst thing that has ever happened to me and the best thing at the same damn time.” Taza laughed. “Let me know if they give you any hell, they finally stopped fucking with Chuy after six months. Apparently a Honda Civic is faster than a Harley.”

“I got this,” EZ laughed. “I think my bike can keep up if they tried to slip off.”

Bishop laughed. “My money is on Loma and Vette.” He shrugged. “Have fun.”

“Hurry up Ezekiel!” Gabriella popped up through the sunroof of her car. “I’m trying to get out of this stupid uniform!”

EZ started walking towards his bike before looking over at Gabriella and smiling. “I got this.” He mumbled to himself. “Two teenage girls will not get over on me. You got this EZ, that is the VPs daughter and Presidents goddaughter, you cannot lose her.”

..

“You want to come in?” Gabriella looked at EZ. “Sorry about kicking up dust on the road up the driveway.”

“Never been to Taza’s place before.” EZ dismounted his bike and set his helmet on the seat. “Is this on the reservation?”

“Yeah,” She smiled as she unlocked the front door. “It’s nice out here. I want to go to school out here so bad but I got stuck being sent to Catholic school, mom’s wishes.” She gestured to the uniform. “My final year and I’m out of this thing forever, never looking back.” She walked into the house and glanced back. “It’s okay, Papa is not going to have some coronary that you came into his home. I’ll get you some water.”

He walked into the house and looked around curiously before following Gabriella towards the kitchen. “This is sort of out of the way. Has to be weird to be here on your own most of the time.”

“It’s safe and it’s good,” she turned to look at him. “I think you’re the first person to even ask that or even bring it up.” She held out a glass of ice water. “He’s a good dad.”

EZ accepted the water and nodded. “He’s a good guy all around.”

“Yeah,” She grabbed an orange and shrugged. “I’m gonna go change but make yourself at home. When Chuy gets here just tell him I’m in my room. Otherwise he’ll call Papa and it’ll be a search and rescue situation again.” She held up three fingers. “Three times he’s called Papa without checking the whole house and property for me. Three times he’s gotten chewed out by Bish.”

EZ nodded as he took a sip of the water and wandered back out of the kitchen. His eyes scanning the living room. He smiled as he picked up a picture of Taza and Gabriella. Taza was smiling while a younger version of Gabriella placed a feather in the man’s hair.

“Papa always let me decorate his hair,” Gabriella came down the stairs. “I’m counting the days until I no longer need to wear that damn uniform!” She chuckled. “That’s his favorite picture, he has a worn out copy in his kutte pocket.” She moved towards him before dropping onto the sofa. “Make yourself at home.”

He looked at her carefully before pointing to her thigh. “Kind of young for tattoos? You’re like sixteen.”

“I’m two months shy of my eighteenth.” She laughed. “It’s fine, my dad approves of it. It’s me with a traditional Mayan headdress. Sticking with the culture and giving the old man a heart attack. At first he thought I got it because I was messing with Chuy. Poor Chuy got hung upside down in the garage while being questioned for an hour.”

“She’s nothing but trouble,” Chuy walked into the house. “Don’t let the rosaries and the smile fool you. She’ll get your ass in trouble. So, please tell me that you’re her babysitter now?”

Gabriella pulled her hair into a bun and poked her bottom lip out. “But Chuy we have so much fun together!” She stood up and moved towards him. “I run away from you and you chase me down. Cat and mouse.”

“See, trouble.” Chuy shook his head. “I can watch her from here, usually always do.”

“He sucks,” she shrugged. “Let’s keep this prospect, you can go home Chuy. I’ll call my Papa and let him know that I like Ezekiel better.”

“Clear it with your dad,” Chuy held his phone out to Gabriella. “I cannot leave unless I get Taza’s word that it’s okay.”

The teen took the phone and dialed her dad’s number. “I’ll be back.”

Chuy nodded before he looked at EZ. “You don’t want to be put on babysitting duty. I’d kill to be out in the mix. It’s a big responsibility to look after your VP’s daughter and President’s goddaughter.”

EZ nodded his head slowly. “I think I could manage to keep eyes on her and her not die or anything.” He shrugged. “Gotta think like an unsupervised teen, what would you have done if your parents weren’t around all of the time to stop you?”