Divorce

(Santana)

Thank God, I was so close to enjoy my first holiday weekend of the summer. I still had to solve some pending at Columbia during the week, but nothing that makes me staying in college for a long time or need to get up early. Another year in college and I'm done. Soon I would begin to put my knowledge in practice and make small investments to make good money. I was also thinking about finance friends like Andrew. He has a firm with a colleague to develop games for smartphones. If he launches the next Angry Birds, I am rich. But for now, I wouldn't worry about these things. I just wanted to rest my mind a little bit.

I woke up early in the force of habit and looked out the window to see if how weather was. I had breakfast, took my bike and went for rides in Central Park and did some abdominal there as usual. As I didn't really like the gym, practicing exercises outdoors is a healthier and better option to keep fit. At least to me.

Unlike my sister, I was always backyard, parks and green spaces girl. While she had dancing lessons at gyms, I was playing soccer with other kids with daddy looking and cheering for me. It was ever thus. The best thing about living in my neighborhood was to have the Central Park so close. It was good to ride my bike and feel the breeze on my face in light clothes, my shoes and sunglasses.

Johnny and I were planning spend two weeks in Hawaii after Quinn's Graduation. I can't believe she would graduate first than I. My boyfriend was finally writing his book. His editor suggested some changes in the original story. Johnny felt offended at first, but after the adrenaline subsided, he realized that some things made sense to modify. He began working like a madman on the book to deliver it all within the tight deadline. He decided it was better to stay isolated in his place in Jersey. All right, I was on my period anyway.

After two turns in Central Park and do 500 sit-ups, I came home.

That's when I saw them.

I almost died of fright when I ran into Shelby and Beth in the lobby of my building.

"Hi San." She smirked. "Surprise!"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

After leaving my bike in the warehouse, I accompanied my mother and Beth to my apartment. There was a strange silence and I realized that something was up.

"I'm always amazed at how much this place is huge." She broke the silence as soon as I opened the door. "Caleb Weiz must feel really guilty about Hiram." My mom said as the three of us entered the hall that gave access to the rooms, the service area and the living room.

"You know the story." I hung the keys in the proper place in front of the kitchen entrance down the aisle of the service area. "It's not for free."

"I know, Weiz is a bastard dictator."

"I don't want to talk about this and not even remember him, okay? It's bad enough that I have a deal with him."

"Sorry." She flinched.

"Did you book a hotel room this time?"

"Oh, no. As your sister is in Los Angeles, I assume you have a spare room. Unless Quinn is sleeping here."

"Quinn has her place."

"And Johnny?"

"He also has his own place." I was a bit harsh in response and soon regretted. "You know… he comes here a lot, but I don't want to have the impression of living with a guy... not yet."

"You're right, San. You're only 22 and it's too early for that kind of thing."

I didn't answer. I agreed with Shelby in part: it wasn't time to move in with any boyfriend. But it's not because of my age: Rachel and I have been by our own in New York since we were 17. The point is that Johnny and I were dating just four months and I didn't feel like joining our toothbrushes yet. I had my sister's relationship as a reference, that's why I don't want a married life without being married. I mean, Johnny and I are enjoying each other without the burden of serious commitment.

I put Shelby and Beth's small luggage in my sister's room, and it reminded me that Shelby must change the sheets. Although Bena, our maid who worked here twice a week, leave everything organized and clean, she kind of left the Rachel's room without attention with my endorsement. She just clean the room, change the sheets and everything when my sister has a longer break in Los Angeles and flight to here or when she has some kind of meeting. Anyway, Rachel hasn't showed up here for two weeks, so it was two weeks of accumulated dust in that part of the house. Beth climbed into the bed and started jumping, as if it were a trampoline.

"Beth!" Shelby called her attention.

"But it's fun mom." She apologized. "I don't know why someone so little has a bed this size if she's not married."

I laughed hard. It's the innocence and the sweetness of a seven years old. Beth didn't know the evil and not understand the subtleties of adulthood. Good for her. Hopefully that she won't hurry to grow.

"Are you hungry?"

"Do you have some fries?" Beth said excitedly, but faded when she saw Shelby's frown.

"How about yogurt?" I offered. "You can take some cookies and watch some TV while I talk to Mom. You can play my PS5 if you want. I keep the games that large drawer of my office."

"Okay."

Beth was growing fast and she was in that terrible phase in which kids lose their front teeth and grows in place those huge, that you think they won't fit in the mouth. The dark blond hair passed her shoulders, she was wearing bangs, and was looking like Quinn more and more. The difference was that Beth was a little brat who liked space, running and playing with other kids: something very different from the image and memories that I had about Quinn when we were at the same age. Quinn was that boring girl that used to show up at the park but never to play with the kids, including me. It's because her father didn't allow her to play with us, but at that time, as a kid, I thought that Fabray girl was a snob. Well, she kind of was.

"Don't think that I am not happy to see you two here, although you should have done this surprise to Rachel in Los Angeles, but what's the reason behind it all?" I crossed my arms and leaned against the counter of kitchen sink.

"The truth?" I nodded. Shelby sighed and shook her head. "I ran away. I ran away from Lima and came here."

"What!" I jumped. "Why did you run away? What about papi?"

"Your father knows I'm here..." She ran her hand through her hair.

"So..." I hesitated a bit to ask, but had to do it. "Is everything ok with your marriage?"

"Oh no! Your father and I are great. Don't worry about that. I'm here because I panicked. This moving out to Columbus is killing me. Your father is busy at the hospital and I'm dealing with most part of the reform of the new house, Beth's new school, my new job, Lima's house sale… I should be in Columbus right now deciding the new floor of wood that will replace that terrible carpet. Instead of going to the studio apartment your father rented, I went straight to the airport and caught the first flight to New York. I called your father in tears when we arrived and do you know what he said?" I didn't try to guess, I just waited for the answer. "He was confused, of course, but he said that he understand that I was under so much stress and he asked me to send you a kiss."

"My father did this?" I was incredulous. Dr. Juan Lopez was ok with this sudden trip? It was a miracle or an evolution.

"Hard to believe, isn't it? We both are under so much stress. He's dealing with the fact he isn't the boss anymore. It's harder than he thought it would be. So, I have to solve most of the problems about our new and old house, and I have job interviews, and there's Beth… She doesn't like to spend time in Maria's and I don't want her to stay at her friend's house. She's complaining about the moving and because Lassie is on a kennel. But it's just until the dog could go to the new house. I need to bring Beth to all the boring places and she's hating everything. It's not easy."

"I can imagine all of it. To be fair, I hated staying at aunt Maria's. Julio didn't pay much attention to Rachel and I, and our cousin Daniella was a bitch with us. It wasn't always that abuela could take care of us. So, sometimes we had to go to the hospital with papi and we used to spend most of our time at the recreation room. Some kids of the hospital staff and kids with cancer stayed there to pass some time. I didn't mind playing with them, but the hospital smell..." The memory made the hair on my body stand. "But it was how I met Brittany."

"She was hospitalized?"

"No, she did not. Her mother had to undergo emergency surgery. A nurse took Brittany to the recreation room on a day Rachel and I were there. I was drawing dragons and she offered to help. It was empathy at first sight, as if Brittany and I have known each other in a long time."

"Beth actually likes going to the hospital. She walks all over the place, making you father crazy! That was ok when he was the boss, but now it's different. We are in rush, we have 15 days to move out since the new owner already wants to move in."

"And are you wasting three days here?"

"I need it!"

"I see."

"It's just three days! I promise!" Shelby sighed. "Furthermore, it's also good to take a break about your abuela's problem."

"Is abuela worse?" My heart was pounding.

"She no longer interacts with anybody. Your father said it was a matter of time and I'm sure this is the major part of Juan's stress."

I started thinking about abuela.

The last time I saw her, to introduce Johnny, she was so feeble and barely acknowledged me. She didn't leave the chair the whole time we were there. But she smiled at Johnny, said he was beautiful, blessed our dating and then fell silent. It was a shock because abuela always liked to talk. I spent an hour doing small talking, inventing stories. She listened, sometimes smiled, sometimes made a small nod to let us know that she was understanding. I left there with my heart broken. I understand papi's attitude because I know how awful is losing a parent. Dad's death was the worst pain I felt in my life so far.

"How's your mother?" I asked and Shelby looked at me surprised. I never asked for my maternal grandmother, because out contact was minimal. But anyway, she was family.

"She's all right. Actually I'm thinking on renting a small house to her in Columbus after this turmoil, because it will be easier for me to assist her if she lives less than 10 minutes from my house. She's too old to be all by herself in Findlay."

"What about your brother? Can't he help?"

"Thomas lives in other state and that's great to me. I don't want to see him near my house."

"Why? What happened?"

"How can I say it nicely? Well, my brother thinks homosexuality is a disease that can be cured. He said I 'healed' you father, and we should do something about Rachel. About 'help', he suggested rape between the lines. When he said this, I told him to leave my house and stay far far away from any of us or I would kill him."

"Papi knows that?" I was shocked.

"He doesn't need to." I nodded in agreement. Papi would kill her brother first. "I swear I would kill Thomas if he or any of he's crony leaned a hand in any of you three."

"Ok… let's change the subject!" I don't want to think about killing right now. I went to the fridge and grabbed a juice bottle. "Are you sure you want nothing?"

"Just water for now. I'm pleased with the airplane peanuts. How is Johnny?"

"Working on his book."

"Still doing it? You told me about it weeks ago."

"His editor asked him to. They need to change some parts and improve others before print. It's a small publisher, you know? They can't make mistakes. They will print a thousand copies without burdening Johnny."

"So few."

"It's hard to sell a thousand books of an unknown writer."

Shelby looked through the living room window. It's a sunny day and it was almost lunch time. I would suggest her to eat in a nice restaurant in the block in front my building since I didn't want to cook anything.

"This is really a great neighborhood. I remember dreaming of living here someday."

"Really?" I smiled. "Rachel said something like that once when we were living on Brooklyn."

"I lived in the Bronx and come to this neighborhood was a dream. But the prices here were already stratospheric since that time… The best thing about my neighborhood was a restaurant I worked after my money dried. I resigned when the owner decided to harass me sexually, but the food was really great. Free meals everyday!"

"Do you want to go there?" Shelby seemed wistful.

"Don't be silly. What I would like to do is going out to do some shopping with two of my kids and update a little bit my wardrobe."

Shelby and Beth arriving was a good was a good thing after all. We had lunch in the restaurant that I liked and then went out to walk around New York without compromise. We walked through the streets looking shops and discussing fashion. We also talked about the latest Rachel choices influenced by Kurt Hummel. Shelby commented that there was a world away from the girl who asked her for help because of Lady Gaga's costume and the actress whose style was praised in the events: she embraced the classic with some touches of daring. Amazing considering that Rachel's personal stylist was Kurt Hummel, who was still able to use the hippo brooch.

We got some bags. Beth was over the moon to have new sunglasses and she felt like a model on the catwalk. She had so much charm that caught the attention of people on the streets. It was hilarious! For dinner, the little one asked for pizza and it frustrated Shelby's plans o eating something more elaborate. I loved it. Once we got home, I ordered a pizza eat accompanied by frozen coke: the best kind.

"Enjoy while you still can eat junk food, girls. Everything changes after thirty." Shelby prophesied, but that didn't stop her rolling a piece of melted cheese on her finger and eat it.

Papi called to ask if everything was ok. I had the opportunity to talk about the sudden presence of Shelby and Beth and he said everything was all right between him and Shelby. Papi confessed he was a little shocked, but admitted that Shelby was really under a lot of pressure, that this little trip could help. Shelby, Beth and I saw some television and commented platitudes before my guests went to my sister's room to bath and eventually sleep.

I called Johnny and all was well with him. He has already done half the work, but couldn't think of anything else: he needed some rest. After talking with my boyfriend, I was checking some messages when Brittany called me after a month without news.

I closed the door to my room to have more privacy and sat on my bed to talk to her.

"Hi Britt Britt!" I said not wanting to appear that I had been taken by surprise. "How are you?"

"Moving on." Her voice was a little hoarse.

"Moving on? Did something happen?" I got worried.

"Jim left me last week." She shot and it was as if the world had frozen for a second.

"Oh Britt! I... I'm so sorry."

"He said he fell in love with another woman and left home. I'm so lost, Sanny."

"What about your kid?"

"Jim said he would talk to me about it later, the he wouldn't want to lose touch with our son."

"If I can help with something… Mr. White is Mr. Weiz's lawyer and kind of my lawyer as well. I can talk to him… I'm sure he knows somebody in L.A."

"My parents already contacted a lawyer to discuss with Jim's our son's guard. But thanks anyway."

"Ok… ok, so… what about your job? You worked for Jim, right?"

"Yeah. He let me to continue teaching at his gym, but I don't know San. He said this because I'm an awesome teacher. My classes have a lot of kids and teens, and they all are paying for it. It's about money. That's why I might accept Mike's old job offer. He's bought a small dance studio so we could do some Hollywood stuffs, teach and all of this."

"Rachel said Mike will try something different with his dancing, but I didn't pay much attention. I'm glad that he has a new project and counting on you… well Britt, go for it if you don't want to work for your ex."

"I'm thinking carefully about it. Don't worry, San. But, you know? It's hurt so much. I wish you could be here with me."

"I'm sorry I'm not, Britt. I'm so sorry. What can I do to make you feel better now?"

"I don't know, San. Just talk to me. What are you doing?"

"Right now I'm in my room talking with you." I heard a slight chuckle over the phone. "Well... I haven't done anything out of my routine. My classes in college are almost done this semester, my small company is fine and I'm thinking of hire a manager for it since I'll restart my internship at Weiz next year. Oh, Shelby and Beth are spending some days here."

"Are you still dating that friend of yours?"

"Yes, I'm still dating Johnny." Brittany made me feel guilty about it. I hate it. "We're happy."

"You do love him, right?" Suddenly felt like it was the Inquisition.

"Yes, Britt. I do love him." I said with surprising conviction.

"How is Quinn?" She said abruptly.

"She's fine, I think. I haven't seen her that much these days but she will graduate in two weeks."

"That's nice."

"Yes, it is. Don't say it to anyone cause I'll deny, but I'm proud of her."

"The unholy trinity must cheer to each other, right?"

"Well, you're the one who always liked her. I spend part of my high school years hating on Quinn even thought I was her watch dog until she got pregnant."

"Don't be silly San."

"It's true. It took me a bit of time to like and trust Quinn. But she's family now. I learned to love her and there's no return. I'm glad she made it."

I talked to Brittany all kinds of subjects for nearly an hour. I realized how much was missing my best friend. But she was on the other side of the country, as well as my sister. Talk to Britt gave me a chill in the stomach, a strange feeling that I used to enjoy. What the hell was happening to me?