UNKNOWN

VI

Uncle Pablo was shipping in boxes of fruits when Dale went to see him. Michael had offered to give him and the child a lift to Uncle Pablo's shop. Dale fumbled as he stepped out of the Sedan.
"Oh, Dale!" Uncle Pablo called out, clearly surprised by the sudden visit.
"Hey tio, I need help."
"You doin' the sniff sniff, hijo?"
"What?"
"You know, the powder?" Uncle Pablo furthered his effort by closing one nostril and sucking in air with the other.
"You mean drugs?"
"Shhhh, the cops might be around. They like hyenas, know?" Uncle Pablo glanced around like a guilty child after stealing a jar full of cookies.
"Heck no!" Dale looked at Uncle Pablo in disbelief.
"Watch your language, boys!" Aunty Juannita called out from inside the shop.
"Sorry, Tia!" Dale shouted back. "You think your hijo would do such a thing?"
"Sheesh, siento, alright?" Uncle Pablo wiped his sweaty forehead with a grey handkerchief. Was that a sigh? Dale thought. "Can never be too careful these days, know? With all the street gangsters and the getto kids."
"You mean ghetto," Dale corrected.
"Yuh, getto. That's what I said."
Dale led out a grin and patted Uncle Pablo on the back. It sure was sweaty.

Dale spent the next hour explaining the whole story to Uncle Pablo, verbatim. Uncle Pablo wore a worried and amused expression throughout the whole session.
"Okay, so you telling me that you found a child in the forest, all naked?"
Dale nodded.
"Sounds like rape to me."
Dale was shocked. He was both dumbfounded and bemused at the same time. Perhaps it was because Dale has never considered the possibility of this child being sexually assaulted. "You think so, tio?"
"I don't see why not. He not talking, he not eating, just lies there. Could be trauma, know?"
Dale rubbed his chin with his index finger and gave the idea a thought.
"Hm, whatever the reason, can I ask for a favor, tio?"
"You want me to bring him to the office?"
Dale shook his head. "No, no."
Uncle Pablo raised a brow and waited for an answer. Seconds later he sighed and rubbed his forehead with his palm. Perhaps he saw the question in Dale's eyes.
"You want me to take him in. And take care of him. Like a little cerdo."
Dale chuckled at the comparison.
"Yes, tio. Like a little cerdo."

And on that day, Caleb was born.