Dear Diary,
Will wonders never cease. After browbeating me and terrorizing my son for months, the Corinthos have provided the means of our escape.
This morning we were getting ready to leave for the day, as usual. As we headed for the door Mr. Corinthos told me to go back upstairs and start packing for the island. At least, I think that's what he said. It might have been "get cracking on the tiling" or "Frank Black sure is styling," but he had our suitcases out so I think he meant the island.
Mrs. Corinthos came upstairs while we were packing. She was wearing a blouse that wrapped around her waist, sort of like a shiny straight-jacket, and she looked furious. "How dare he send me away to that stupid island with you two! Sonny Corinthos is my husband! We're family! No way in hell am I leaving him alone here. God knows what -- or who -- he would do!"
I told Mrs. Corinthos that I couldn't leave immediately, as I needed a couple of days to prepare for Michael's absence from school. She looked at me blankly. "School?"
"You know, that place my son goes every day? To learn? With other children?"
"He goes to school? You told me he was going to the .. the green place with the trees every day. Hey, are you lying about where you go?" Mrs. Corinthos screamed down the stairs. "SONNY! That MEXICAN woman ... what's her name? She's been LYING to us! She SAID she was taking the kid to that TREE PLACE--"
"The park?" I interjected with a sigh.
"Yeah, that's it, the park!" She started screeching again, which was unnecessary seeing as Mr. Corinthos had joined us by then. "She SAYS she took the KID to the PARK, but REALLY they went to some THING called a SCHOOL! SHE LIED! SHE BETRAYED YOU! SONNY CORINTHOS! MY HUSBAND!"
It was difficult to contain my exasperation. "I'm not Mexican, I'm Colombian." Mrs. Corinthos shrugged. "And Michael went to the park in the summer. Now that it's September, he's back in school. I told you about this two weeks ago. Remember? When we bought all the school supplies?" I held up Michael's book bag.
Mrs. Corinthos shrank back. "What's in there? A bomb?"
Fortunately, Mr. Corinthos reminded her that no one brings bombs to the penthouse but him. "Oh yeah!" giggled Mrs. Corinthos. "I forgot!"
Michael worked up his nerve to speak to Mr. Corinthos. "Why do I have to go away? Why can't you and the scary lady go, and let me and my mommy stay here? And take Stare Daddy with you!"
Mr. Corinthos muttered something about how he had to stay and do his work (the sort of work he talked about on that videotape? I wondered to myself), and he wanted to make sure Michael would "never stick your goddamn nose into my business, if you know what's good for you."
With that he sent Mrs. Corinthos to her room to pack and walked out, leaving my poor frightened son and I alone.
"Don't worry Mijo," I reassured him. "We'll be away from him on that island soon. I bet we'll hardly even see the scary lady. We'll walk Lupita on the beach every morning, and you can play with the other children." I helped him pack his clothes and toys, and get Lupita into her travel carrier. Not a moment too soon, as Mr. Corinthos hustled us out the door and off to the airport.
Mr. Corinthos saw us into his private jet, and left with another admonition to Michael to stay the hell out of his business. As soon as he was gone, Mrs. Corinthos stood up. "I'm out of here!" I asked her if she wasn't coming with us?
"Are you kidding?" she smirked. "That island is so-o-o boring! There's no one but you two losers to talk to, no one to spy on, lock in boathouses, lie to, or steal from! And to top it off, no sex! That place is a total waste!" She put her hands on her hips, threw back her elbows, and left the plane.
Our bodyguard, Johnny I think his name is, smiled sheepishly. "Ready to take off, Miss Juarez?"
I smiled back. "I'm ready. And call me Leticia."
Free. My son and I are free.