Thanks for the reviews. On to the story.
I do not own.
Rex sat next to Circe later that night at the long dinner table set up outside. The outside was illuminated by dozens of colorful lanterns. The night air was a warm 73 degrees.
"Having fun?" He asked her as he slid into his seat.
"Sure." She smiled. The smile did not reach her eyes.
Rex frowned a little. "I mean if you're bored we can go into town…"
"No, it's not that." Circe shook her head.
"What's wrong?" Rex asked.
Circe was quiet for a moment. "It's just that…" Before she could continue a gaggle of people came in. Everyone was laughing and talking. Rex's frown deepened but there was nothing he could do. He quickly hid his annoyance behind a smile and greeted his extended family. Caesar and Beverly came in with some of his old friends. They were telling her stories about Caesar. Beverly laughed and Caesar blushed. Noah and Claire came in. Noah gallantly pulled a chair out for her. She smiled at him and sat down. He pushed her chair in before running around the table to the seat opposite her. Rex watched as Abuela and some of the older women came out with plates of food. They set the offerings on the table. Annie and Federico followed after them. Annie tripped and accidently pushed one of the women holding a pot. The pot went flying from her hands and landed on Rex's head.
Rex yelped. "Augh! It's muy caliente!" He pushed his seat too far back tipping it over. Both the chair and the boy with the pot on his head crashed to the floor. The clay pot smashed to pieces revealing Rex's head.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Annie fretted. Several women including Abuela came over. The other guests got up from their seats and craned their necks to see what had happened.
"Hi Annie." Rex sighed.
"Let me help you up." Annie reached down. Rex cringed.
Circe put a restraining hand on her shoulder. "I'll do it. Why don't you sit down?"
"Oh, are you sure?" Annie asked uncertainly.
"Circe's got it." Rex assured her with his hands up as if to ward her off. "Really, go enjoy dinner, please."
"Okay, if you're sure." Annie replied. Federico led her to some empty seats. With the excitement over, everyone sat back down.
Circe helped Rex up. She helped him into the house.
He went into his room to grab a clean shirt. When he came out Circe was still standing outside.
"Hey, I've got to rinse this sauce off. You can go back outside. Don't wait for me. It could be a while." Rex told her as he entered the bathroom.
"I'll wait." Circe shrugged. "I'm not hungry."
Rex looked at her before going into the bathroom. Circe heard the lock click and the water turn on. "So what's the problem?" She heard him call from inside the bathroom.
She sighed. "I don't know if shouting through a bathroom door makes for good conversation."
"You can come in." He called out slyly.
"Rex!" Circe said getting red.
"Just kidding." She heard him laughing from the other side. "Abuela's old fashioned, anyway. That's why the guys and girls stay on opposite sides of the compound."
Circe didn't answer. Her face was still red.
"So, seriously you were about to tell me why you're not having a good time." Circe could hear the water splashing inside.
"It's not that I'm not having a good time. I mean everyone's been real nice so far… and I really liked the Posada; it was fun learning to make tamales even though I didn't really want to at first…" She paused.
"So…?" Rex prompted her.
Circe struggled to put her thoughts into a coherent sentence. "I'm just wondering if I fit in."
"What do you mean?" Rex asked.
"I mean, your family is nice… well, Caesar's nuts but that's beside the point, but… well, I'm not exactly friendly, perky, social…"
"Right. You're an old cranky anti-social…" Circe heard the water being shut off.
"I never said old…" Circe interrupted.
"Fine… young, cranky, anti-social EVO who hates everyone." Rex's voice muffled as he pulled his shirt on.
"I don't hate everyone… just mostly everyone…" Circe was trying very hard to not smile.
"Right, you love humanity but hate people." Rex opened the door. Steam came pouring out from the door. Rex's hair was wet and stuck up all over the place.
Circe couldn't help but laugh. Rex smiled. He put an arm around her. She placed her head on his shoulder. He smelled fresh and clean from his shower.
"Rex, I'm serious. I don't know if I fit into your family, your life…" She tried again. Rex placed a finger on her lips.
"You need to stop worrying about where you belong. From where I stand you fit perfectly into my life." He bent down. To her surprise, he kissed her. She closed her eyes and kissed him back.
"Ahem."
They both jumped back. Abuela was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed but there was a glimmer in her eye and a small smile played on her lips.
"La comida is getting cold." She said in an amused tone.
The two blushing teens mumbled their apologies and quickly made their way outside followed by Abuela. The rest of the meal was uneventful except for the several times Rex had to dodge flying objects from Annie. Circe helped to intercept some of the items but Annie's luck seemed bent on taking its full revenge on Rex.
"You know Rex? I was going to prank you but I think you have enough problems with Annie. I'm just going to give you a pass. Consider it my Christmas present to you." Noah said magnimously after Rex was hit by another flying fork.
"Gee, thanks, Noah." Rex said sarcastically.
At the end of dinner, Abuela got up. Everyone quieted down as the diminutive woman stood up and clanked her cup.
"Gracias, for coming to celebrate this Christmas with this old woman." She began. People chuckled appreciatively. Abuela waited until she had everyone's attention again. "I especially want to welcome Federico, Rex, and Caesar's friends." Everyone looked over to the small group at the end of the table and clapped. The friends looked embarrassed but acknowledge the recognition. "I have spent time with them and can see they complete our happy family." She looked pointedly at Beverly and Circe who in turn blushed. She winked at Annie who smiled brightly. Then she turned her attention to Rex and Caesar. "Treat them well because A la ocasión la pintan calva.*"
Beverly and Circe looked at their respective boyfriends questioningly. Rex grinned at Circe. Caesar just looked down at his plate in embarrassment. "She likes you." Caesar told Beverly.
Abuela said beaming, "Now let the real party begin. As you would say… Hit it!"
A mariachi band came out and began playing. People began getting up and dancing. Beverly and Caesar looked at each other before quickly looking away.
Federico pulled Annie up. They moved to the dance floor. As they began dancing, Annie accidently bumped into some dancers who stumbled and fell over causing a chain reaction of people falling over. The ones who did not fall wisely moved away. Federico was unaffected. He just pulled her closer.
"Come on." Claire urged Noah to get up.
"Um, I don't really know that song." Noah said nervously.
"How hard can it be? Just follow the other people." Claire said.
"Sure, why not." Noah tried to sound confident. Rex and Circe jumped up at the same time. Circe took Rex's hand and they began dancing with abandon.
Soon only Beverly and Caesar were left at the table. Beverly tapped her foot to the music. Caesar intently studied his plate. After a while Beverly sighed and her shoulders slumped a little. Caesar noticed. But he was nervous with all his old acquaintances around. He glanced at Beverly who now had leaned back in her chair watching the dance floor wistfully. He followed her gaze. A man from the crowd broke off and came over to Beverly. "Hey, Caesar! Since you're not dancing with your friend, you wouldn't mind if I borrow her?"
Beverly looked at Caesar. He knew she really wanted to dance. "Sure Esteban, I don't mind."
Esteban grabbed her hand and pulled her to the dance floor. When Caesar glanced up briefly, he was shocked to see the disappointment in Beverly's face. She did want to dance, didn't she? He watched her. She was always a graceful dancer compared to him, able to follow rhythms and steps, while he tripped over his own feet. But even though she danced well, she was not into it. Caesar knew what he wanted to do but he couldn't bring himself to. He picked up his fork and idly stabbed at his empty plate.
"Why are you not dancing?"
Caesar gasped dropping his fork. He looked over to see Abuela smiling at him from the previous empty seat beside him. He took a few deep breaths to slow his heart rate before answering.
"You know I can't dance." Caesar answered bending over to pick up his fork.
"Can't dance, won't dance, same thing." Abuela replied.
Caesar raised his head back up so fast that he bumped it under the table. The whole table jolted. He got up rubbing his head and dropping the fallen fork onto his plate. "I'm pretty sure they are not the same thing." He said dryly.
"But the results are the same." Abuela said sagely. "You lose out."
"She's better off with someone else." Caesar said cryptically.
"Really? She doesn't seem to think so." Abuela nudged him. Caesar reluctantly looked up. He saw Beverly looking back at him with sad eyes. Slowly, realization hit him as his eyes widened.
"Excuse me, Abuela. I have a dance to attend." He resolutely pushed his chair back.
Abuela looked on approvingly as her grandson walked up to Esteban and Beverly. Beverly's face lit up and she practically jumped into Caesar's arms.
Abuela chuckled to herself. "Aye, tan inteligente, pero tan tonto*."
She sat back and smiled at her grandsons, satisfied that they had made the right choices.
A la ocasión la pintan calva.=Opportunity knocks only once.
Tan inteligente, pero tan tonto.= So Smart, yet so dumb.