CHAPTER FOUR – FAMILY TIES

The next day, Nia and Maria were lounging in the living room, watching a comedy special on Netflix. Maria was in rare form, cracking jokes and doing impressions that had Nia in stitches. "Oh man," Nia said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "I'd forgotten how funny you are." Maria grinned, taking a theatrical bow. "Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. Try the veal!" Just then, there was a knock at the door. Maria, still chuckling, got up to answer it. Nia watched as her friend's face changed, the laughter dying in her eyes. Concerned, Nia stood up and made her way to the door. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw who was standing in the hallway. Her family. Elena, her mother, stood at the front, a forced smile on her face. Behind her, Carlos, Nia's father, looked stern and uncomfortable. Luis, her younger brother, hovered uncertainly in the background. "Mamá? Papá?" Nia's voice came out as a whisper. Elena stepped forward, arms outstretched. "Nia, mi hija. It's so good to see you." The hug was stiff and awkward, nothing like the warm embraces Nia remembered from her childhood. As she pulled away, she caught sight of her father's face. His expression was a mix of disappointment and barely concealed anger. "Hello, Nia," he said, his voice cold. Luis gave a small wave. "Hey, sis." Maria, sensing the tension, cleared her throat. "Why don't you all come in? I'll put on some coffee." As they settled in the living room, an uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Elena was the first to break it. "So, Nia," she began, her voice overly cheerful. "How are you finding things? Is Maria taking good care of you?" Nia nodded, grateful for the easy question. "Yes, Maria's been great. She's been showing me around the city, helping me get reacquainted with everything." "That's nice," Elena said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. Another awkward silence descended. Luis fidgeted in his seat, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. Finally, Carlos spoke up, his voice gruff. "Have you started looking for work yet?" Nia felt a flash of irritation at his tone. "I've only been out for two days, Papá. But yes, I'm planning to start my job search soon." Carlos grunted. "You'd better. We can't have you living off Maria's charity forever." "Carlos," Elena hissed, but the damage was done. Nia felt her temper rising. "I'm doing my best, Papá. It's not easy, you know. Not with my... history." "A history you brought upon yourself," Carlos shot back. The room temperature seemed to drop several degrees. Maria, who had been bringing in a tray of coffee, froze in the doorway. "I didn't bring anything upon myself," Nia said, her voice low and intense. "It was an accident. I've told you this a thousand times." Elena jumped in, her voice pleading. "Nia, honey, we know you didn't mean for it to happen. But you have to understand, your actions had consequences. You were driving too fast, you weren't paying attention-" "That's not true!" Nia exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "I wasn't speeding, I wasn't distracted. Something happened to my car, I lost control-" "Enough with the excuses!" Carlos thundered, also standing. "You killed that poor girl. You brought shame to this family. Do you have any idea what we've been through these past three years? The whispers, the stares, the pity?" Nia felt as if she'd been slapped. "What you've been through? What about what I've been through? I lost everything! My freedom, my career, my life!" Luis, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Nia, come on. We're just trying to understand. The evidence-" "The evidence was wrong!" Nia shouted, rounding on her brother. "I was framed, can't you see that? Why won't any of you believe me?" Elena burst into tears. "Oh, Nia. How could you have been so reckless? We raised you better than this." Nia felt a surge of betrayal. "I wasn't reckless, Mamá. I'm telling you, something happened to my car. I think someone tampered with it." Carlos scoffed. "Listen to yourself. Tampering? Framing? You sound paranoid. Why can't you just take responsibility for your actions?" "Because I'm innocent!" Nia cried, tears streaming down her face. "Why can't you understand that? Why won't you believe me?" Luis stood up, his face conflicted. "Nia, I want to believe you, I do. But the evidence... the jury... everyone said-" "I don't care what everyone said!" Nia shouted. "I'm your sister. You're supposed to believe me, to stand by me!" The room fell silent, the weight of Nia's words hanging in the air. Carlos was the first to move, heading for the door. "I can't listen to this anymore," he muttered. Elena hesitated, looking torn between her husband and her daughter. With a sob, she followed Carlos out. Luis lingered for a moment, looking at Nia with a mix of pity and uncertainty. "I'm sorry, Nia. I just... I don't know what to believe anymore." And with that, he too left, leaving Nia standing in the middle of the room, shaking with anger and grief. Maria approached cautiously, placing a hand on Nia's shoulder. "Nia? Are you okay?" Nia turned to her friend, her face crumpling. Without a word, she collapsed into Maria's arms, her body wracked with sobs. Maria held her tightly, murmuring soothing words as she guided Nia to the couch. They sat there for what felt like hours, Nia crying out years of pain and frustration while Maria stroked her hair. Finally, Nia's sobs subsided, replaced by quiet sniffles. She pulled away slightly, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to fall apart like that." Maria shook her head. "Don't apologize. You have every right to be upset." Nia leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "I just... I thought they'd believe me. I thought they'd stand by me." "I know," Maria said softly. "It's not fair." "Nothing about this is fair," Nia replied, her voice hollow. "I lost three years of my life for something I didn't do. And now I've lost my family too." Maria squeezed her hand. "You haven't lost them, Nia. They're just... they're struggling too. They'll come around." Nia shook her head. "You didn't see their faces, Maria. The disappointment, the anger. They see me as nothing but a murderer." "Then they're wrong," Maria said firmly. "I know you, Nia. I've known you since we were kids. You're not a murderer. You're not reckless. You're one of the kindest, most responsible people I know. And if your family can't see that right now, then that's their loss." Nia turned to look at her friend, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "What am I going to do, Maria? How am I supposed to move forward when my own family doesn't believe in me?" Maria pulled Nia into another hug. "One day at a time, remember? We'll figure it out together. And hey, if your family can't be there for you right now, then I'll just have to be your family. You're stuck with me, Moreno." Despite everything, Nia felt a small smile tug at her lips. "Promise?" "Promise," Maria replied, her voice firm. "Now, how about we order some pizza and watch terrible reality TV? I think we both could use a distraction." As Maria went to order the food, Nia curled up on the couch, feeling drained but grateful for her friend's unwavering support.