Chapter Seven: Mexico City:

Now, let’s leave the US, but stay on the continent. Let’s go south. South of the border, that is.

Iris touched down about three hours ago. She pulled her bag over her shoulder. She hadn’t spoken to her dad in years. Things had been a bit strained lately. (Long story.) However, Iris did promise to be home for Christmas. So here she was.

Iris called herself a cab. Why didn’t she call her dad? Even she didn’t know. All that she knew was that his girlfriend was going to be there too. Iris rubbed her forehead and sighed. She looked up in time to see a cab pulling up. The girl stood up straight.

“Where are you headed?” the driver asked. Iris showed him the address on a sheet of paper. The driver read it for himself.

“No problem,” he said. Iris put her bags in the back and climbed in. The taxi pulled away from the airport.

The driver looked up at her in his rearview on the road.

“Heading home for Christmas?” he asked. Iris looked out the window.

“Yeah,” she said. The driver caught onto her tone.

“Not looking forward to it?” he asked. Iris shook her head.

“Well, this is Christmas after all,” he added. “This is the time to make up with the ones you love.” Iris glanced over at him.

“Do you have any family?” she asked.

“Yes,” the driver said. “A wife and a newborn son.”

“Oh,” Iris said.

“So how long are you going to be staying in Mexico?” he asked. She glanced over at him, frowning. Did she have to get a chatty driver?

“A couple of weeks,” Iris said.

“Oh, I see,” the older man said. “You’re not in a chatty mood, are you?” The girl shook her head. The driver shrugged to himself.

“Alright,” he said. Iris put in her earbuds and turned on her music. For the rest of the trip, the driver didn’t try to talk to her anymore. Still, that did little to ease Iris for her upcoming visit. What would she say to her dad? Maybe she would text Antonio when she made it home. He probably wouldn’t pick up right away anyway. Iris pressed her lips together as she shook her head. She noticed that the driver said something to her. The girl took out one earbud.

“Hm?” she asked.

“I was asking if you were okay back there?” the driver asked.

“Not really,” Iris answered. She put her earbud back into her ear and slipped back into her world. The driver just shrugged to himself again.

“Alright then,” he said to himself.

They finally made it to Iris’ childhood home. The driver turned around after he stopped the cab.

“We’re here,” he said. His passenger paused her music and looked up.

“Huh?” she asked. She turned and looked out the window again.

“Oh,” Iris said. The girl turned back to the driver.

“Thank you,” she said in a small voice. She paid her fee and pulled out her bags.

“Have a good Christmas,” the driver said before driving off. Iris pressed her lips together as she waved at the cab. She turned back to the house and frowned. It looked the same as she left it. Right now, there was one car parked in front of the house. Iris frowned and shook her head. Here she goes. There was no turning back now. Iris took a breath and walked down the path. She felt so small at the black-painted door. Iris breathed in and knocked on the door.

“Coming,” a man’s voice said. The girl counted down the footsteps it would take to get to the door. She backed up when it opened. Her father stood in the doorway. A puzzled and surprised look washed over his face.

“Iris?” he asked.

“It’s me, dad,” she said. “I’m home.”