No Second Chances by Malín Alegría Page B

habits.”
    â€œWhat do you know about bad habits?” the boy asked in a challenging voice. “You don’t know us. I’m sorry about the carrots. I don’t have any money.” The boy emptied out his pockets. “You can call the cops if you want. I don’t care.” The boy crossed his arms in front of his chest.
    â€œWhoa,” Santiago said, raising his hands for him to calm down. “There’s no need to get all testy, all right? You can have the carrots.” He glanced at the younger kids crouched down against the back of the restroom. “Where’s your mom?” he asked, turning to scan the area. She was the one who should be ashamed of herself. How could she let these little ones go hungry? That was just wrong.
    The boy stared down at his red Converse and kicked at the dirt.
    â€œIs she here?”
    He shrugged his shoulders. Santiago didn’t know what to think. He couldn’t let these kids go hungry. So the boy stole some carrots from him? Everyone has a right to food, Santiago thought. He kneeled down to look at the boy eye to eye. “Next time, just ask and I can have you do some stuff around the booth in exchange for food.”
    â€œReally?” the boy asked, his face lighting up.
    â€œSure, little Angel.” Santiago smiled, ruffling the kid’s hair.
    The kid frowned, but then he gave in to Santiago’s charm and shrugged the name change off. He thanked Santiago and then ushered his little brother and sister away from the restroom.
    Santiago waited a moment, watching the children walk away. The image pulled at his heart. He ached to do something, but he didn’tknow what. His mom would know what to do. She was a social worker. It was her job to help people. But he wasn’t talking to his mom quite yet. Santiago decided to talk to Fabi, instead. She had good ideas about stuff like this.
    He walked briskly back to his stand. It was probably out of control with customers fighting to place their orders right now. He smiled as he hurried down the path. However, when Santiago turned the corner to his row, he stopped dead in his tracks.
    El Payaso’s bodyguards were upturning crates and stomping vegetables on the floor of the stand. Alexis and Fabi were screaming for them to stop. They were each hanging from one of the first guy’s arms like ornaments on a Christmas tree. But they were no match for the menacing men in black.
    â€œWhat the hell are you doing?” Santiago cried, jumping in front of the other guy, trying to block him from further destruction.
    The man told him in Spanish to move and without waiting for a response, shoved Santiago into the table, making the pyramid of oranges tumble to the floor.
    â€œStop!” Fabi called out, waving her arms in the air. “Please stop!” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hurried to the ground and began to fill her T-shirt with oranges.
    â€œWhy are you doing this?” Santiago asked. They’d paid their fees. Why were they being harassed?
    â€œBecause I can,” a familiar female voice said from behind him. For a split second, Santiago closed his eyes and prayed for someone to wake him from this horrible dream. But when he turned and looked upon Maria Elena’s evil grin, he knew he was trapped in some sick payback game of hers. Her jeweled hands sparkled as they rested on her full hips. Santiago took in her styled hair, professional makeup, skimpy outfit, and platform heels. She lookedlike one of those glammed-up Bratz dolls — all plastic and no heart.
    â€œHey, baby.” Santiago tried to make his voice honey-sweet. “I’m sorry if I upset you the other day. I really am. But don’t you think this is going a bit too far?”
    â€œToo far?” Maria Elena asked, her voice full of rage. “I wanted them to cut off your fingers but …” She stopped as if pricked. “Daddy wouldn’t let me.” The two