Stephen lowered his head immediately.
“If my sister-in-law is not comfortable, I can sleep in the garage for a few days.
That phrase left a knot in my throat.
I took her little suitcase and put her inside the house.
No one is going to sleep in the garage. You're gonna stay in the room by the yard.
My children, Matthew and Alma, were hiding behind me, curiously watching that guy they knew only a few vague stories about. Esteban sat down, took out of his pocket two cheap mint candies and, shyly, offered them to him.
Matthew was the first to accept them. Alma looked at his mother before daring to reach out.
Sofia said nothing more, but throughout the dinner her gaze was as cold as ice.
In the early days, Stephen lived almost like a shadow. He would get up very early, lay his bed, sweep the yard, fix the iron gate that was twisted, change the focus of the entrance, and then go out to look for work.
But everywhere they saw his record, those fifteen years in white and his background, and denied with their heads.
Three weeks later he returned home with his shoulders down. I was sitting in the little office behind the house and I saw him stand at the door for a long time before speaking.
No one hired you, right?
He let out a bitter smile.
"No. In some places they said they would call me. But they certainly won't.
I looked at the driver's uniform of one of my employees, who had just quit and was still hanging.
You know how to drive trucks and cars, right?
Stephen looked up.
"Yes.
“Then, from tomorrow, you’re going to drive for me.
He stood still.
“Diego, you don’t have to do that.
I need someone of trust. And you need work. Nothing more.
When Sofia found out, she immediately objected to our room.
Did you go crazy? Are you going to put an ex-con as your driver? Is he going to transport merchandise, money, even your own children?
I made an effort to keep calm.
“He’s my brother.
“And also someone who was in prison!
He already paid for what he did, Sofia.
She turned around.
“I just hope the day you regret it doesn’t come.
I didn't answer.
Since then, Esteban started working for me. And what surprised me the most was that he did his job more seriously than any of the men I had hired before. I was never late. I checked the vehicle carefully: the tires, the lights, the load. He had detailed notes of the routes. He treated customers, chargers, even people who before would not even have deigned to look at him.
