Ch 4 - Did you steal it or did you buy it? There's no fun in buying it!
Scenes from S2E7 El Precio de la Fe and S2E8, Sacar Con Sifón del Mar
"I just wanna be together, no matter what!", Guero had said to Teresa and the pain he had felt because he had been watching his girlfriend slip through his fingers over the last two weeks had shown on his face in his green eyes, and she had succumbed to his charms without the need for a second invitation.
The Chicago job was a real opportunity for them to get out as they were away from Camila, and as they both knew La Jefa was not eager to have him back. She either had told Teresa to dump him or intended to ensure James would kill him after the near close call with the cops in Dallas the other day. So, Chicago sounded like a test for Teresa as well; Camila wanted to hear her opinion and was putting down James, so Guero wondered if Teresa had figured that out! This strange cabron James still hadn't lost his cool, but if he was being treated like this, and left, then it would be even more difficult to convince Teresa to run! Hence, he needed to act fast!
Guero truly believed he wanted to give her 'what she wanted' as he told her; for the life of him could not understand where deep and gloomy thoughts like 'Life doesn't care what you want, we don't get to choose' were coming from. Of course, they could choose! She could choose him…them…and as Chicago really was a long way from Dallas, they could get out and continue their chosen path despite the little interruption of Epifanio Vargas having caught him stealing and having tried to kill him.
The sex had been good but subdued; the joy and the euphoria of their intimate life together from before was missing; he felt that she was there but her eyes were sad, if she smiled it was a sad smile, like the whole affair was a sad cry for the past and the person he had lived with had died and been replaced by this other girl, who felt and tasted the same, but who thought like a seasoned narco and regretfully showed no outright faith in or excitement about his ideas.
She wasn't fun to be around like she had been before. That's why he had told her 'paying was no fun' when she had asked about if he had bought or stolen the globe souvenir! The sad and disbelieving eyes she had looked him with had underlined her obvious rebuke of him enjoying risky things for their being fun!
It struck him that maybe he was so far behind in the race that's why he had thought he had been thinking he was leading! The worst part was that he couldn't say who he was racing against: Camila, who could provide a spring board for Teresa's new found ambitions; James, who worked with Teresa very well and seemed to care for her more than just a mentor, or his woman herself, who was definitely another person, not the one he had picked up from the street in Culiacan!
He still hadn't processed her cool and composed behavior when she had come to his rescue under the noses of the cops a few days back in Dallas How did she learn not to even flinch when she drove next to the police cruiser with him, the fugitive, in her car? She must have had quite the training!
Guero was overly happy that she had saved his ass, but her words that 'there's no dealing with Camila' and that he needed to leave had sounded sincere. He had tried to assure her that there wasn't a place he'd rather be, but in the crosshairs with her, however he couldn't shake the feeling that her whole demeanor was one long sad goodbye. He just had doubts of she had realized that, if she had made a conscious decision or her sub-conscience was just leading her behavior.
Therefore, he was overjoyed when she had said that they had to leave now, before James and Pote would find out! He was getting what was his after all, screw Camila and her business, James and his training, Pote and his grumbling.
"This is one flight you're not gonna get on!" pinche Pote had said in his drawl, as if he was less of a traitor! He had moved his allegiances from Epifanio to Camila with no issues whatsoever; he had obviously not stopped the pendejo Gato from raping her because he was a damn follower is all! And now he had the gall to talk to him that Camila didn't bend and that Teresa was a strong woman standing on her won. As if he didn't see that, carajo!
Guero had been shocked that Pote had left Gato rape Teresa, but what hurt him the most was the meanness in the gordo's voice when he told him that it had been his fault! Had it been his fault? He had looked in the mirror, as Pote had told him, hundreds of times, but he could not see what he had done so wrong! He had tried to secure a more stable future for both of them, so that they could leave the crime life behind.
Pote's accusation that he had stolen from his Padrino was meant to hurt his pride, but Guero saw no other way to get more from Epifanio, despite the fact that Epi had never been stingy with his godson!
Pote considered him a snitch, and he had had no choice but to tell the DEA things to buy time! It was so unfair! What were they all expecting of him? The one thing he knew for sure was that Epifanio had hurt his male ego and his macho honor by ordering his girlfriend raped, and as much as he felt sorry for what she had gone through, he was avenging it alone! And so, he had told her in a subdued voice at the private airport that this is 'what is gonna happen'.
She had looked at him again with her deep, disillusioned eyes, and despite his earnest promise that he would be back, her hug had been full of grief for something past, her face had not expressed any hope and she had not told him back that she loved him. Screw them all! He was avenging what was done to him, then he was coming back to take what was his, and Pote could take his advice and shove it!
The last thought gave him solace and comfort with his own actions when James had been taken by the Feds, and his own participation in saving the man! Guero would've liked James gone out of Teresa's life because he had seen and had enough romance in his life to see the path these two were on, but with James out of commission, Teresa would feel even more needed by Camila's side. So he had chosen the lesser evil and it was to tolerate James around until he could figure out their escape!
He had known damn well the man was way smarter than muscle, but he guessed his mouth had spoken what he wanted to be true, not what he knew to be true.
He was leaving now before Camila got out of the Finch's airplane for sure. He wasn't dying out of some misunderstood bravery. Even before Chicago they had discussed him getting out, at the same time avoiding the discussion that this would be their end as a couple! Teresa had promised to talk to Camila on his behalf as if out of some obligation instead of just running off with him!
It was clear that they both had their doubts, as if wanting things to be as happy and as peaceful as before, but knowing that it would not be possible; wondering if there was more to the present situation than met the eye, questioning if the developments that brought them to here and now were not meant to change things, were not a sign from above.
Guero was making his exit from the airport and couldn't help but wonder if his Teresa was wondering herself if she really wanted to go back to the life they had!
