Rita’s daughter was just sixteen when she told her mother she had a boyfriend. Rita was immediately suspicious because of the way her daughter left off details.

The young man—younger than Rita, at least, but not by much, worked at a local gas station and convenience store. There the couple had met when Rita’s daughter went in to buy a smoothie. Rita’s daughter was impressed by the man’s attention; she flirted back. He told her that if she waited till later in the afternoon he had a break and they could continue their conversation.

Rita’s daughter came back later that day and the two of them continued their conversation in Rita’s car. First one thing, then another. Afterwards, Rita’s daughter’s new boyfriend told her she was his woman and he wanted to meet Rita.

A week later, Rita’s daughter was sitting next to her boyfriend on the living room couch when Rita got home. The boyfriend didn’t get up and kept his arm around Rita’s daughter. She got up, pointed and said, “Mami, this is my new boyfriend.”

—We’ve got some talkin’ to do he said. Rita wasn’t good with American accents. This one came from somewhere in the South.

—My woman

—You mean my daughter? Rita interrupted.

—My woman, the boyfriend continued, she’s had enough enough school. She’ll drop out so she can take care of me.

—Hello to you too, Rita said. Your name is?

—They call me Snake, he said. Rita noticed he sported a tattoo of a scorpion on his left arm.

—We’ll get our own place soon’s as I can get a stake together. Till then, she can live with me and my roommates at the pad. Does she know how to cook? I forgot to ask her. She can cook for us. If she don’t, maybe you can teach her.

Rita didn’t know what to say. Her daughter had a big smile and had returned to the couch, next to Snake.

—Mami, I’m getting married! She looked so happy.

—Quién es ese pendejo? Rita asked her daughter in Spanish. Who is this asshole. Sáquelo de mi casa. Get him out of here.

—Hey, none of that Mex’can talk, Snake said. The eenglish only.

—Snake, you better go. I’ll talk to my mom, Rita’s daughter whispered.

—I’ve got to get back to the gas station, Snake said. End of this courtesy call anyway.

With that, Snake got up and left. He left Rita and her daughter alone in the apartment.

—Mami, aren’t you happy for me?

Rita said nothing.

The next day, Rita went to see Hector. She had known him for a long time, from when he was a teenager. He and the other Latin Kings called her Mami as well, but solely out of respect. Favors run both ways.

—I need a pistol, Rita said. A favor.

They usually spoke in Spanish but now Rita spoke in English, to make it more serious. She knew he understood.

—For what? Hector said. Really, you don’t. Let me help you instead.

Hector knew that Rita did not need a gun to rob a store or to commit some kind of crime. Why she would need a gun, he didn’t know. Rita was a wise woman, with good instincts. In the neighborhood, she helped everyone.

—This time let me help you, he said. Te debo. I owe you.

—You remember that? Rita said. It was nothing.

Several years ago Rita had gone, alone, to the courthouse on 26th Street when no one else would go. After Hector was arrested and put in jail. Sh talked to the judge. No one was sure exactly what she said. They made Hector listen through a translator who couldn’t keep up and he heard some of what Rita said. It was confusing. Something about responsibility, mistakes, second chances. Rita was sincere. The judge nodded.

Whatever it was she said, all the neighborhood and the Latin Kings knew was that she brought Hector home that day. That was a kindness that would not be forgotten. Rita had helped when Hector needed help and now Rita needed help.

—At least let me go with you, Hector said.

—I’ll go alone, Rita said. It’s about my daughter.

—Don’t worry, Hector said.

You never forget a kindness. Especially a kindness that gets you out of jail.

A few days later, a young man Rita’s age knocked at the door of the apartment. Rita’s daughter wasn’t home and she only hoped she wasn’t with Snake. She was at Snake’s apartment; Snake was at work at the gas station. The young man handed Rita a paper bag. Inside the paper bag was a cigar box that once contained Arturo Fuente cigars from the Dominican Republic. Now it contained a revolver and a baggie with seven loose bullets. The young man nodded and left. Rita didn’t know him and did nt want to be able to recognize him.

Rita went back inside, put the cigar box on the kitchen table and loaded the revolver. Her father had taught her back home. “It’s something every woman should know.” Those weren’t his words. He didn’t have time to learn English. Rita put the gun in her purse and left the apartment. She drove to the gas station where Snake worked.

She went inside. Snake was behind the counter and greeted her with a smirk. Not a smile.

—Come outside, Rita said. I want to talk to you.

—You’ll have to wait till my break. Another hour. Unless you’re having trouble pumping gas.

‚Rita put her purse on the counter.

—Up to you. We can talk here.

—What is it, suegra? Again with the smirk. Rita’s daughter had taught him the word for mother-in-law.

Rita opened the clasp on her purse and removed the gun. He stepped back from the counter. Rita was pointing the gun at his head.

—There’s cameras, he said. What are you doing?

A dark spot appeared in the front of his jeans. Rita pulled the hammer back.

—I don’t care, Rita said. I only care about my daughter. You will never see her again. When you go home, you tell her you’re breaking up with her. You don’t want to see her anymore. You do not touch her. If she tells me that you touched her, if you even try to shake hands, I will come back.

—What if she comes in here?

—If she comes in here, if you see her on the street you leave. You walk away. I swear by all the saints that I will find you and I will pull the trigger and pissing in your pants will be the least of your problems. Do you understand me?

Snake nodded.

—Never again, Rita said. And if you have any stupid ideas of taking the cameras to the police, remember that I will find you. I will find you and I will kill you. If they put me in jail I will still find you and kill you.

Rita returned the gun to her purse and left the gas station.

Rita’s daughter came home early. She was crying.

—Snake broke up with me! I don’t know why. I didn’t do anything.

Her tears flowed.

—It was only one box of Kleenex, Rita told Hector. After that she was better.

—No more Snake? Hector asked her.

—No more Snake.

—Keep the gun, Hector told her. You never know.