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Don't own a thing.

The places mentioned do exist.

HOME WORK - DRINKS AT SOBE

"Well well well, look at what the tide brought in. It's so good to see you Mickie, what's it been? Nearly a year since you've been here." Celia grabbed me in a hug&shake. "Come, sit, chat."

"Good to see you too Celia. I'm sorry it's been so long. I've been crazy busy with finishing up at MIKG and then the whole California Plum Christmas. I just got back a week ago. Everybody sends their love by the way."

"Thank you for that. What do you mean finishing up at MIKG? I thought you loved that job?"

"I did, but my contract ended and I got an offer I couldn't refuse from some where else."

"You're not leaving Miami for California are you? You can't do that. I'll miss you too much."

"You'd miss my pool and jetty and you know it. But no, I'm not leaving Miami. You know my friend Melinda, the Home Economics teacher, well, she's taking a leave of absence and I'm filling in for spring term at Miami Beach Senior High School."

"You, filling in for a HE teacher, girl, you can't even boil an egg." Celia is literally bent over laughing.

"Hardy har har, I know I cant cook but you know hat they say 'Those who can't - they teach'. And my lesson plan is a bit different, I don't need to cook. Come summer I hope some of the kids teach me how to cook. It's a win-win situation."

"You said Miami Beach Senior High? I have a niece attending, Julie Martine. Is she in your class?"

"I was actually gonna ask you about her. She said her mom and dad were on a cruise and she'll be staying with a Carlos Mañoso. Is that your baby brother?"

""Yeah, that's Ranger all right."

"Why do you call him Ranger? I was asking if he was a Park Ranger and Julie started laughing hysterically. What's up with that?"

"You remember me telling you that he was career military? Well, he got the moniker in the Army Rangers. Something about him being the best of the best."

"How come I've never met him? We've known each other for six years. And how come I don't have a tall cold spritser in my hand?"

"He doesn't visit us much. He was about ten when the family moved to New Jersey. He was a real pretty boy, long wavy hair, small build and an angelic face. I know me and my sisters treated him like our living doll. Dressing him up and doing his hair. He got teased quite a lot up north. Down here he didn't stand out as much, with there being a lot of other Cubans and other latinos , but in Newark he stood out like a sore thumb among the pale Italians and Polacs. Oh, here's your drink. So, anyway, in time he got in a bad crowd, by the time he was fifteen he was running with The Latin Kings. And I don't mean the salsa band. He got in some serious trouble and was sent back here. Mama and papa thought Abuela Rosa could straighten him out. She'd done a good job with me and Enrique. Only problem was The Latin Kings has a really strong hold in Miami. They soon found out he was here. And what's more tempting to a hormonal fifteen year old boy than pussy and wheels. The Kings had plenty of both and didn't spare any when luring him in. He had quick fingers and could hot wire any car under 30 seconds. He was an asset. But then he got caught. The girl he was hanging with saw a brand new BMW she just had to have. So, he stole a car for some pussy.

Still being a minor he got sent to juvie for 6 months. Mama and papa begged and pleaded that he'd be sent out of state, out of Kings reach. They sent him to Georgia, The Aaron Cohn Regional Youth Detention Center. He knew nobody and being kind of a loner didn't make many friends. Witch I think is just for the best.

Some of those boys were in for far more serious crimes than car theft and joy riding. His cellmate, a big black man from Louisiana, took him under his wing. Thomas, or Tank as he goes by now, was in for involuntary manslaughter by vehicle. He and his brother took their grandmas car and crashed it in to some industrial trash bins. Unlucky for them there was a homeless man sleeping in one of the bins. Tank was thirteen. His brother Louie, the driver, was fifteen and high as a kite. Tank was sentenced for five years while Louie got 12. The brothers were separated and Louie was later killed in a prison riot.

Anyway, Tank had 6 months left when he got a new cell mate, Carlos. Tank was a quiet man, he studied and got his GED, spent time in the gym and did his assigned chores. A week before their time was up a recruiter from the Army came for career day. Fort Benning being literally next door. Carlos and Tank both signed up. That was 16 years ago, they've been inseparable ever since."

"You mean like a couple? They're gay?"

"No, not gay. More like brothers like from a different mother. They have each others six."

"Huh?"

"They watch out over each other, have each others backs. You know, like don't do anything stupid or dangerous or reckless. Tank only managed the dangerous."

"What do you mean? He let Carlos do something stupid and reckless?"

"You've met Julie, right?"

"Ah, I see. How'd that happen?"

"They had just finished basic training and came to Miami for some r & r before shipping out overseas. They got stupid drunk, Carlos met Rachel at a bonfire on the beach and got reckless. Condom broke and nine months later Julie was born."

"Wow. So Rachels last name is Martine?"

"It is now. Her maiden name was Sullivan, Ron Martine adopted Julie when they got married."

"Did Carlos know about Julie?"

"Yeah, somehow Rachel got hold of him and told him she was pregnant. Carlos got a two day pass and married her so she would have financial support and army spousal health benefits. He was stationed overseas during the whole pregnancy. Julie was four months old when he first got to hold her. Rachel kept sending him letters and pictures. But being were he was the mail didn't always reach them. He got the letters when he came home. They tried the married with kid thing for a while but Carlos was away a lot. Rachel filed for divorce when she met Ron. Julie was two at the time. Carlos was more than happy to sign the divorce papers but I think the adoption request hit him hard. He finally caved, and Julie Isabella Mañoso became Julie Isabella Martine."