Later in the story there is a song that is heavily mentioned, it is by Elvin Bishop called I Fooled Around and Fell In Love. When you get to that part of the story, it would make the story much better if you looked it up on Youtube. It really adds to the story and I think is perfect for the scenario.
"Mijo, what do you intend to do about her?"
My mother stood before me with her hands perched upon her hips with an impatient look on her face. I took in that my mother was not the only one waiting for an answer, my father and siblings were sporting similar looks, I was being eyeballed by more than half of my immediate family. I saw lips moving but no words were registering, my mind was still reeling from the exchange between Steph and Uncle Manny. She's always been outspoken, unpredictable, stubborn and its common knowledge she has problems controlling herself. She wrecks my orderly life and lord help me if I didn't love it every single time she did it. She always seems to be able to surprise me, thrill me, make me feel.
My mother did ask a good question, just what am I going to do about her? She said she was proud of me, no that isn't quite right, she said she was damn proud of me. I've never heard those words come from her, I've not really heard many people say that if I am honest, one of the drawbacks of being a leader. Most people see the amount of confidence I exhibit and assume that words of encouragement were unnecessary or for men that serve under me it would be inappropriate since the words of encouragement should go down the totem pole, not up. It felt surprisingly good to hear, made me feel like I was 10-feet tall and maybe even a little like Batman. Steph admires me, all the horrendous things I've done in my life and it doesn't seem to bother her. Of course, she doesn't know about everything, I've never talked to her about specifics. She thinks my soul is beautiful, pure and gentle; unbelievable. I've never seen Stephanie speak so sure about anything, there was no hesitation with her words, the tone of her voice left no question that everything she said was solidified concretely in her mind.
I do love her, in my own way, and she is my best friend just as she proclaimed I was hers. A niggling inside of me is making me think there seems to be more to how I feel though but what is it? We had a great night together, an incredible night and I definitely want that to happen again, I can hardly contain how much I want it again. Since her breakup we've been spending even more time together, on the days that she comes to Rangeman, I wait for her downstairs in the garage so I can walk her up to her desk. I've even discovered her love of history, something I never knew of before, we read books together over a wide range of subjects from art to colonization to war. She told me the fascination she has always had over World War II because of her grandfather that served in the Army. She spent time with him and other veterans, overheard many stories, some that were probably not appropriate for a child to hear but maybe that is why she is so accepting of me and my men, her love of her grandfather created a soft spot in her and an understanding the average person doesn't have. Right now, we are reading through The Holocaust Chronicles, each time she comes up to my apartment we sit together, her leaning over my lap resting her elbow on a pillow or she sits with her legs across my lap, leaning her body against mine. I told myself it didn't mean anything, that we sat with each other that way to make it easier to read the book together, it was ergonomical. Who am I kidding, I loved her sitting that way with me and I don't know if she was the one to initiate our seating arrangement or I did but if she for some reason ever sat differently during our reading time, I wouldn't like it.
"Carlos! Did you hear Mama, you have to do something about Stephanie so what is it going to be?"
Celia copied our mother's pose, hands on hip but with the addition of an eyebrow raise.
My family had herded me out of the room like they were a pack of wild chihuahuas, nipping at my heels and their voices nothing more than little yips. They didn't stop until were in the enclosed grotto, I had bought this house for my parents when I first had a surplus of cash. It was a large house, 5 bedrooms, my parents didn't have children in the home anymore but they often had friends or grandchildren visiting. The backyard was no different in size, my father had always wanted an area to enjoy his cigars and he always loved smoking different meats. The backyard was beautiful, a custom pool with a hot tub, 3 large tables and a covered bar. I also had a state-of-the-art sound system installed that worked with any smart phone, one of my teenage nieces, Estelle, always designated herself as DJ whenever she was around. For some reason she had become obsessed with music of the 1970's and 1980's, she and my babe had similar tastes when it came to that. Despite my family hovering around me, I sat down in the closest lounger not listening to whatever words were still coming out of my family's mouths but somehow the corny sounding 70's guitar sounds penetrated my mind, the wah wah of the guitar reminded me of a droopy faced dog, where was the Christmas music? Then I heard the lyrics,
I must've been through about a million girls
I'd love 'em and I'd leave 'em alone
Hmm, that sounds familiar.
I didn't care how much they cried, no sir
Their tears left me cold as a stone
I don't think that is an accurate description, a selfish bastard is more apt. I was always up front about what was going to happen with any woman I hooked up with, there would be no second dates, but there had been instances when women got attached despite my warnings. I didn't have time or interest in their tears, I have a business to run, have neither the time nor the inclination for emotions.
But then I fooled around and fell in love
Ok, no more comparisons with this song. Why am I listening to this again?
I fooled around and fell in love
I fooled around and fell in love
Fooled around and fell in love
Ha! Not going to happen, my motto of a condom but not a ring still stands firm.
It used to be when I'd see a girl that I liked
It was too easy…
I'd get out my book and write down her name
This song is so out of date, I saved it in the "special" group I created in my phone
Ah, but when the, the grass got a little greener over on the other side
I'd just tear out that page
The delete and block button have served me well
But then I fooled around and fell in love
Back to that again
I fooled around and fell in love, since I met you baby
Baby, hmmph, Babe, maybe a few things have changed since I met her. Now that I'm thinking of it, I haven't added any new names to my list in a very long time, in fact I might have deleted all those contacts. It has nothing to do with her, there is no sense using up storage space, phones do after all have limited memory capacity and I don't want to take the chance of my important applications to be compromised. I know contacts on their own don't take up much memory but when you combine them all together, it makes sense, right? Right. Shiiiit.
I fooled around and fell in love
Stephanie. I almost laughed out at the memory of the time I caught her singing in the bathroom, she nearly pummeled me. Freshly dried curls were bouncing around as much as her hips were. I was surprised to hear that she actually had a beautiful singing voice, it was rich and full of life like the woman herself. Why did I start thinking of her?
Fooled around and fell in love
I can picture how her nose scrunches up sometimes, that is so damn adorable or how her eyes twinkle when she is up to no good which is just about all the time. That woman is a handful.
Free, on my own is the way I used to be
On my own, alone. Yup, that is the way it is, the way I like it and how it will stay. Why does it feel different though? Because you aren't on your own anymore dumbass, she's invaded your life just like she has clawed her way into your brain.
Ah, but since I met you baby, love's got a hold on me
How long is this damn song? I feel like I should be wearing a polyester suit with bell bottoms like John Travolta did in Saturday Ni…oh fuck, how do I even know that?! I know how, the curly haired devil made me watch it a few weeks ago.
(Fooled around and fell in love)
Her infectious smile, plump full lips that are just begging for me to place my mouth over them
It's got a hold on me now
She calls and I come running, I follow her around like a little puppy, a blissfully happy little puppy that just wants to be near the center of my world.
(Fooled around and fell in love)
Seeing her so proudly holding up her capture receipt to me, her first big bond on her own. She had chicken lo mein noodles hanging from her hair and most likely soy sauce was covering half of her shirt but my god she looked beautiful.
I can't let go of you baby
Her face looking up at me, her cerulean blue eyes probably hold the secret to life, they display so much. Her complete faith in me as a man, her mentor, her friend. She makes me want to be the best person I possibly can. The thought of disappointing her is like a knife twisted in my gut, I'll never let her down, never.
(Fooled around and fell in love)
Nights we've spent just enjoying each other's company, nights when I didn't feel like I had to be Ranger, moments when I felt like Carlos again. A feeling I haven't had in many years.
I can't stop loving you now
I do love her in my own way but no, it's…in every way possible, in ways I can't even explain.
(Fooled around and fell in love)
Do I…did I….
'Cause I fooled around, I fooled around
My babe
I fooled around, I fooled around
Buttery smooth, creamy white skin
I fooled around,
Rosy, sensuous full lips, I remember how they felt when I ran my thumb over her mouth, felt the wetness of her mouth
I fooled around, and I fell in love
The electrical storm that strikes me when she is near
I fooled around
Soft chestnut curls wrapped around my finger
I fooled around, yes I did,
Incredulously a bark of laughter escapes from me, I fooled around alright, yes I did.
I fooled around
What did she do to me? She did the dirtiest, backstabbing thing anyone has ever done me. She made me love her.
I fooled around (and I fell in love), I fooled around
Made me fall in love with her
'Cause I fooled around, and I fell in love
I love Stephanie Michelle Plum, or how about Stephanie Michelle Manoso. Holy shit, I just thought that! Mrs. Manoso, my babe, hell yeah that sounds good.
I fooled around
I've never admitted to myself that we are more than just the mentee and mentoree, more than just friends, not just professional colleagues or two people with an intense attraction to one another.
I fooled around, and I fell in love
I am in love with this fucking woman, she is my everything. I want her and I think she wants me also, not for a night but for the rest of my life. I'm going to tell her, to hell with being afraid, I need to claim her in no uncertain terms. She belongs to me just as I belong to her, it's time to make that happen. It's time for someday.
Luisa Manoso (Mom) POV:
The whole family stood shellshocked at the look that was on Carlos' face, it started as smirk and slowly turned into a grin and now it had morphed into an unmistakable smile of contentment. His whole face seemed to relax.
His sister Celia was the first to speak, "do you think he is having a stroke?"
I scolded her saying not to say such things for fear it could come true! But inside I couldn't help but to wonder if there was some medical issue happening with my son. It was very uncommon for Carlos to show any emotion much less a positive one, that was evident by the way the family had slowly stopped talking and began staring at Carlos for an entirely different reason than before and started quietly whispering. Celia is my oldest and unmistakably loudest child, she pointed out that there has to be some reason for the expression on his face and now light mumbling he's doing to himself. Random words here and there is all I could make out, "curly" and "I don't know what happened" and "I am?" He seems to have forgotten he was with us all but that is very unlike Carlos. One of the children playing in the yard squealed and it brought Carlos out of his bubble, the look on his face said he knew he had exposed himself. I waited for that blank face I hate to appear but just stared back at everyone keeping the large smile on his face and laughed. When his sisters gasped it only made him laugh harder. After hearing what Stephanie said to my brother Manny before I knew what I wanted Carlos to do about her but from the way he was acting now, it left no doubt in my mind. He's going to marry this woman or I will disown him!