Thank you for beta'ing, MsSchneeheide!
Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas if you celebrate :)
"You're tellin' me nothing interesting happened between your mami and Yuri?"
"That's what I said, Mari. So, the movies it is!" Flaca exclaims. "To even it out, though, I'll pay for our pizza before."
"Oh, you don't gotta do that..."
"Nah, I wanna be nice!"
Maritza smiles. "Well, gracias."
"De nada." Flaca beams back at her.
"What película you wanna see?"
"Anything with Salma Hayek! Well, there's just one of hers in theaters right now, Bandidas. I've seen it, of course, but I don't mind watching it again with you!"
"Oh, okay!"
Katie rests her elbow on Maritza's shoulder. "I'd put more of my money on your mama and Diablo."
"Yeah, that's not happenin'," Maritza grumbles. "I was trying hard not to look at them..."
"Yo, but they're so cute together!" Flaca insists. She lightly hits Maritza's shoulder. "Remember when he took us all out to Dave and Busters?"
"Aww, he did?" Elena asks, her eyes lighting up with interest, and Flaca nods eagerly.
Maritza shrugs. "I guess. One time."
"That's so sweet!" Daya joins in delightedly.
"Sí, it warms my cold, dead heart," Ceci murmurs with a grin.
"It's just fuckin' weird, okay?" Maritza bursts out. She glances around at her friends sitting in the circle on their sleeping bags and wraps her arms around her knees. "He probably just pities us..."
Flaca rubs her back in soothing circles. "Oh, I doubt that. I mean, sure, he feels sympathetic that your papi passed away, but that's not the only reason he wanted to treat us to Dave and Busters! He had a genuine interest in getting to know us and Raiza a little better and he's quite the gentleman!"
"Oh, that's what you think! I saw them about to swap spit before he even came into the kitchen! Luckily, Gloria was right near me, so I got her attention and made her stop them."
"I'd probably have the same reaction if I caught Mami and Fahri doing that," Ceci admits.
"Yeah, I kept wondering if they would go for it, but they didn't. They were exchanging some heavy eye-contact and flirtatious smiles," Elena points out.
"Is it true that your moms have known these guys since high school?" Daya wants to know. "Aleida says so, but she gossips so much that I don't know whether or not she's just spreading rumors."
"Well, she's right," Alex confirms, stepping inside Katie's room. They all turn their heads to look at her. "I went to Martin Van Buren with them and I remember that those two pairs had been super connected, to the point that Blanca's and Gloria's boyfriends at the time were incredibly jealous. Looks like the chemistry never went away."
Flaca presses her hand to her heart and beams. "Oh, how romantic!"
"Um, how long have you been standing outside Katie's door and listening in, Alex?" Maritza asks.
"Creep," Katie mutters, and Alex sticks her tongue out at her baby sister. She then switches her attention to Maritza.
"Since you mentioned that you're upset that your mother and Diablo are getting closer. I wanted to offer some insight, but was waiting for the right time to interrupt. Look, kiddo...it was hard for me to get used to Charles at first, too. My dad didn't die, he's just a deadbeat sperm donor, but I really didn't want to see my mom get hurt again. She'd gone out with a few losers, including Lee, and they all broke her heart. After I was born, she stopped dating for fifteen years, until Charles walked into Friendly's and our lives. I was pleasantly surprised when Charles turned out to be one of the good men on this planet." Alex grins, probably thinking of years passed. "She made a list of all the sweet things Charles had done for us...the best was probably that time he took us in after we became homeless when a serious rainstorm took our trailer park. They weren't even a couple yet then. Also, when he'd soothe her from panic attacks and comforted me about my bullies."
"Oh, that's nice!" Maritza says jovially. She can't believe what she has in common with Alex. "Do you ever call him Dad?"
Alex shakes her head no. "Just Charles...it's what I feel most comfortable with. He's fine with that. Sometimes, though, I refer to them both as my parents."
"I enjoy hearing about how Diane and Charles met and fell in love," Flaca gushes.
Elena squeals. "I know, it's such a cute story!"
"Yeah! The moral of it is just give the dude a chance. Maybe write down positive stuff about him, what he does that makes him so kind...you don't need to accept him as a stepdad or anything like that, but don't shut him down so fast if he's never done something incredibly awful." Alex is looking at Maritza, Elena, and Ceci as she says this. "Watch how he is to you and your moms. I gave Charles the approval to date my mom the second he put a blanket on her when she was cold while watching a movie and then she fell asleep on the couch. He put her to bed, tucking her in and everything."
"Aww..." the girls murmur.
Distant music suddenly comes on and Alex waves them all forward. "You gotta see them dancing to their song, The First Cut is the Deepest by Sheryl Crow! It's so awesome, it relates to them, with the second-chance love theme and all."
They follow Alex, tiptoeing to the kitchen and she shushes them when they start giggling. They stand just at the doorway and peer inside.
I would have given you all of my heart
But there's someone who's torn it apart
And he's taking just all that I had
But if you want, I'll try to love again
Baby, I'll try to love again, but I know
The first cut is the deepest, baby, I know
The first cut is the deepest
But when it comes to being lucky, he's cursed
When it comes to lovin' me, he's worse...
Diane is an amazing dancer and Charles is just as fantastic, as he spins her around, making her dyed brown hair fan out and he dips her lithe frame as she laughs loudly and he beams down at her before placing a soft kiss to her lips. It's like they're Prince Charming and Cinderella. Even after about eighteen years, their adoration for each other hasn't gone away. Not even wrinkles and silver hair can keep them apart. Maritza's cheerful seeing another couple as much in love as Karla and Ramón are. She swoons inside.
I still want you by my side
Just to help me dry the tears that I've cried
And I'm sure gonna give you a try
If you want, I'll try to love again, try
Baby, I'll try to love again, but I know, oh
The first cut is the deepest, baby, I know
The first cut is the deepest
But when it comes to being lucky, he's cursed
When it comes to lovin' me, he's worse...
"Wow," Maritza whispers, exchanging excited glances with her friends. "Holy amor..."
"I know, so beautiful, right?" Flaca responds in a hushed tone.
She nods and leans her head on Flaca's upper arm. "Growing old with someone must be absolutely lovely."
"Sí, chiquita..."
Maritza smiles at her nickname.
"Like a fairytale come to life, that's what I always call them," Katie says softly.
"Me, too," Alex murmurs. "You see? True love is possible after heartbreak."
"They don't even notice us," Ceci points out.
"They're in their own world," Elena adds.
I still want you by my side
Just to help me dry the tears that I've cried
But I'm sure gonna give you a try
'Cause if you want, I'll try to love again
(Try to love again, try to love again)
Baby, I'll try to love again, but I know, oh...
"El primer corte es el más profundo," Maritza sings along, translating the next few lyrics to Spanish. The girls and Alex share smiles. While Alex goes to the living room, Maritza and her friends return to Katie's bedroom.
The first cut is the deepest
"Next order of business," Katie announces as they sit down again, leaning back on their hands with their legs stretched out. "Two truths and a lie."
"Oh, yes, I love that game!" Daya exclaims.
"Same here, girl," Elena says. The others enthusiastically voice their agreements.
"It's so fun! I played it with my mom once," Maritza remembers. It's how she found out Blanca had lived on the Greyhound bus for a year in middle school and also has six toes on her right foot.
"That's hella cool! So, here's the rule. No secrets spilled in this room are ever allowed to come out of it," Katie instructs them.
"Who says we got secrets?" Elena asks.
Ceci snickers. "Hermanita, everybody got secretos."
"Okay, well, I'm not much of a gabber, so y'all can trust me," Daya says.
Elena gestures between herself and Ceci. "Same with us."
"I'm more like...a real quiet gossiper," Flaca admits. "Like, just to my chicas, though, pero, I won't tell Pidge and Ouija shit. I don't spread shit around school or whatever. So if there's something you wanna spill, make sure you don't mind our other friends knowing. I have zero filter, lo siento."
Maritza purses her lips and hits her taller friend's shoulder lightly. "Yo, Flaquita, I'm exactly that way, too!"
Flaca chuckles. "No shit, really?"
"I ain't frontin' with ya, homie."
They hold each other's gaze and grin widely while exchanging a high-five.
"Okay, well, that's cool and all, 'cause I don't care if you tell Cat, Daisy, Maria, Sirena, Taystee, Poussey, Cindy, or Janae anything that I say tonight, they know almost everything about me," Katie tells them.
"Yeah, I mean, T and her main crew don't got a clue of what I've kept private, but Daisy, Sirena, Maria, and Cat do," Ceci puts in.
"Alright! Well, let's start." Daya glances around the room. "Who's first?"
Flaca raises her hand. "Okay...so, I once slept with my art teacher and he gave me crabs and got fired right after. I'm in an open relationship with my boyfriend since we wanted to try out being like Frida and Diego, minus the fucking my sister, or in my case, besties, bit. I actually met the Smiths in person and they were so super nice!"
Elena raises an eyebrow, appearing to be stunned. "Those...all sound like lies, they're outrageous!"
"Jeez, yeah, who would openly confess to the first two things like that? We didn't even tell y'all our mom was homeless until Maria saw her on a street corner a couple days ago," Ceci mutters.
Maritza shrugs at them. "You gonna guess la mentira or nah?" She's unfazed to everything Flaca has just said, since she, Blanca, and Raiza have gone through some pretty crazy times themselves. "So, um...I think you're fuckin' with us on numero tres. You love Salma Hayek and she starred as Frida Kahlo, so of course, you'd maybe wanna do what she did. Being with an older man romantically? Been there, done that...well, not exactly, we didn't go as far as sleeping together, just making out. It's hard to meet famous people in real life, and the backstage passes are hella expensive!"
the lie
"It's not impossible. Alex met her dad after one of his concerts when she was nineteen," Katie contradicts her. "According to my mom, he was so famous that girls would strip themselves as he sang and toss their bras at him."
"Yuck," Maritza grumbles, shaking her head and sticking her tongue out.
Flaca's jaw drops and she slowly points at Maritza. "Dude...how could you know all that?"
"I'm right?"
"Sí..."
"Your boyfriend...Ian?" He obviously lied about having sexual encounters with Flaca's close friends, unless he doesn't know Maritza is tight with Flaca. That could be the case, but she still feels even dirtier and guiltier the more she thinks about him being one of her customers.
Flaca nods in confirmation. "See, love is having five hot chicos massaging you, I dream of it all the time...also sinking into a warm bath of chocolate pudding."
"That sounds...erotic," Daya comments.
"It kinda does," Maritza agrees with a giggle.
"Mm, yeah, but sorta makes me feel like a puta at the same time, ya know? I've only dated other boys and had some flings while Ian's out with his chicks."
"You're actually cool with that?" Elena wants to know.
Flaca shrugs. "As long as it's nobody I'm familiar with and he never sees them again. First skank who tried to be his new actual girlfriend ended up leaving Martin Van Buren after the third time I caught 'em together 'cause I told peeps to call her Chicken Nugget. She had a honey mustard scent."
"Damn, it sounds like he's the asshole, though...for continuing to date her instead of just having her be a one-time only side piece," Maritza blurts out.
"Oh, sweetie, girls are much smarter than boys." Flaca taps her own temple. "So we expect more from them! Boys are just dumb and think with their stupid boners. Janice simply had bigger tetas than me and a way better ass and came onto him and he fell in lust with her and started going out with her all the time! It was her fucking fault, she should've turned him down since he had a girlfriend."
"Did you ever stop to think that maybe he forced himself on her?" Maritza wonders out loud. She's suddenly afraid she'd said too much.
Flaca rolls her eyes and scoffs. "He don't do that, I know him. You wanna go next?"
Maritza gives up trying to convince Flaca that her boyfriend is a jerk. It's so hard, since she really doesn't wish to tell Flaca that Ian has had sex with her multiple times when she hadn't even wanted anything more to do with him. "Nah, maybe not yet."
"Okay, then, I will! I think of my mom and Leon as my parents, even though he ain't even my stepdad," Daya begins. "I've been trashed to the point of throwing up and slipping in my own vomit...aaaaand I did heroin and had sex with that Daddy chick before during my experimenting phase."
"Well, we all know you want him and your ma to get married," Elena says.
Daya sighs loudly. "I keep begging her...but she's so fuckin' stubborn. Classic Aleida. She can't see that Leon is the best man for her. He treats us all good and everything."
"Mm-hm, and it's believable you've gotten wasted, it happens to teenagers a lot since they can't handle their liquor when a party gets too much," Ceci adds.
"So...the third one's not true," Katie decides.
"Nope, never got that drunk!" Daya insists.
Flaca gasps. "You said you'd never go out with that cunt in a million years!"
"Yes, well, I didn't actually wanna tell anyone, it's embarrassing! I was at a low point in my life. Not even Claire and Paolo are aware of it, and they've been my buddies since first grade. I only said it tonight 'cause Flaca talked about her thing with her art teacher."
Maritza couldn't speak for a while after hearing Daddy's name, but now she thinks she can. "Daddy...the um, the pimp?"
Daya nods. "I'm not proud of myself either, so don't shame me!"
"I-I'm not! I was just shocked...she's...she's a junkie lesbian slut and you're straight! This must have been before Adarsh. Wait, are you bi?"
"I might be, yeah."
"Oh, that's cool, it's just that Daddy doesn't seem like that great of a girlfriend. I'm thankful you realized it!"
"Me, too."
Maritza clears her throat and dives into her turn. "I really love Coldplay. I'm trying out for the school play, Rent, in the spring and I'm real good, especially since we just recently watched the Rosario Dawson movie. I love reggaeton, and sorry, Flaca, but The Smiths is like, pussy music. Just throwin' it out there."
"Bitch, you loca," Flaca mutters, but everyone chuckles. "No way could you love reggaeton, it's repetitive."
"Nah, bitch, it's my shit!" Maritza insists. "What the fuck you know anyway, you a ninety-two bebé! I got two years on you..."
"Well, we just heard you sing a little back there by the kitchen and you was hella wonderful, like you got such a sweet, melodic voice," Flaca compliments her, ending their little tiff, and Maritza bows her head, blushing under the curtain of dark hair that covers the sides of her face.
"¡Gracias!"
"¡De nada! So I guess Coldplay ain't your jam, huh?"
"Nah." Maritza glances up at Flaca and laughs softly. "They suck. Anyone who listens to them are super annoying, to me, anyway."
"Tu voz, it reminds me of mine...maybe we oughta hang for karaoke sometime. I'm going for Rent, too," Flaca states proudly.
your voice
Maritza gasps happily. "Oh, sure, that sounds fun! Which part are you vying for?"
"Um, Mimi Marquez, duh! She's the only Hispanic female character..."
"Played by Rosario Dawson in the film from last year...and my mom looks like the actress, so...I was gonna play Mimi too," Maritza says sheepishly. Plus, I can so relate to her, she adds in her head. "Lo siento."
"You don't gotta apologize," Flaca mumbles. "You can't read minds. Blanca really is the spitting image of Rosario, whoa, total mind fuck..."
"Mm-hm! Anyway, I thought you just love Salma Hayek..."
"I do, but unfortunately, they never made a musical for 'Desperado'. I can belt out 'Quedate Aquí' like nobody else, and in my middle school talent show this past spring, I did both 'Siente Mi Amor' y 'El Triste' by Salma and there was thunderous applause and not a dry eye in the auditorium!"
Maritza beams. "Wow, that's totally cool!"
"I suppose you're gonna have to fight for the role of Mimi now," Daya teases them. "I'm tellin' you, Maritza, Taystee and this other chick Joyce had a big one earlier in the fall production, over who would play Big Mama in Chicago."
"Oh, shit, who won?" Maritza wants to know.
"Taystee. Joyce is her understudy, though. So, she did get to do some stuff, like practice in case Taystee gets sick for one or all of the big nights, but she may not be the star," Daya informs her.
"Good, I hope Taystee stays healthy, because Joyce is gross with her mentioning her cuatro cacas per day bullshit and she's a cheap version of Taystee," Elena murmurs and they all giggle.
"Oh wow, yeah, and Taystee's a much better singer," Ceci adds. "She'll end up on Broadway in the future, for sure!"
"She's more perfect for Big Mama. She's our mom friend anyways!" Katie chimes in. "Oh...my sister was Velma Kelly when Martin Van Buren had Chicago in the eighties. I suppose they're bringing it back!"
"That's neat, she and Diane really look alike, that was perfect casting, because you know who Diane resembles, right?" Flaca asks. "Catherine Zeta-Jones, who played Velma Kelly in the movie!"
"And all...that...jaaaaazz!" Maritza recites dramatically while shimmying her shoulders. She strikes a pose.
"Yes!" Flaca cheers. "So, do you have a canción favorita of Mimi's? I'm always practicing 'Light My Candle' and 'I Should Tell You' with Ian, even if he sucks." The girls crack up at this.
favorite song
"Would you light myyyyy caaaaaandlllle?" Maritza sings while cupping her hands around a small candle that isn't there. "Or in Spanish, sounds more sexy...¿prenderías miiii velaaaaa? That's probably my fave song."
"Mine, too. Holy shit, that was good! You can really carry a tune," Flaca praises her.
Maritza smirks. "Thanks! Maybe we could practice together and have the girls judge us. Like a singin' competition?"
"Oh, hell yeah!" Flaca hums a little, probably to get the tune going. She hands her phone to Daya. "Here, take a video of us!"
"Sure!" Daya begins filming them.
She pretends to strum a guitar and put it down. Then, she grabs a pink hairbrush and holds it to her lips. They stand up, walk to the center of the group, and lock eyes. "So, usually, Ian would put his leather coat around me since my character's cold or withdrawing from heroin or somethin', but I'll give mine to you, since we're seeing how you do as Mimi." Flaca grins while taking her black motorcycle jacket off and placing it over Maritza's shoulders. "Now what's your next lyric?"
"What are you staring at?" Maritza belts out, taking a step back. She closes her eyes and reopens them while smiling.
"Nothing. Your hair in the moooonliiiiight. You look familiar. Can you make it?" Flaca croons as she strolls closer to Maritza.
A beat. "Just haven't eaten much today. At least the room stopped spinning...anyway...what?" Maritza continues, twirling around once and setting her fists to her hips. She knows all the movements since watching Rent with Blanca and then again with her friends when they'd gotten home from Thanksgiving dinner tonight.
"Nothing. Your smile reminded me of-"
"Hey, this ain't no contest! You're equally talented!" Daya shouts over everyone's clapping and whooping. "Encore! Encore!" they chant.
"What a performance, I could feel the romance blooming!" Katie gushes.
Elena fans herself. "Yeah, is it hot in here, or is it just you two? The way your voices mixed like that was beautiful, harmonious, enchanting, and so much lovelier than Flaca's with Ian's. Way to go, Flaritza!"
"Gracias!" Flaca and Maritza holler in unison while blowing their audience kisses. They curtsy a few times and then hold hands as they bow.
"Too bad there can't be two girl-on-girl couples in the play. Poussey and Franziska already got Joanne and Maureen down pat, they'll get the parts," Ceci chimes in.
Maritza folds her arms across her chest and frowns. "Why do Roger gotta be a dude?"
"A white boy, too. He don't even treat Mimi right all the time," Flaca grumbles.
"She's a junkie, and he should help her," Maritza says.
"Maybe he just doesn't know she's HIV positive too, so that's why he rejects her advances at first, but whatever. We oughta talk to the production manager. See if we can change up the play a bit, make Roger nonbinary. We got one straight white guy in there, there don't need to be dos. There ain't anyone going for Roger's part yet, Ian doesn't really shine on stage, he knows it, too. That gringo cabrón can't hold a note to save his life," Flaca mutters.
Maritza stifles a laugh. "So, you're sayin' I could maybe just play a girl who has never questioned herself and her identity and preferences who happens to fall for somebody who doesn't identify as either gender or somethin'?" she asks, and Flaca nods. "Why not? There's also a Caucasian, maybe Latino, drag queen and a black gay man and a white bisexual girl and a black lesbiana! Bring on all the diversity of sexualities and races!"
"Yeah! Now you're talkin'! ¡Más actrices Latinas!" Flaca shrieks excitedly and then she and Maritza slap their palms against one another's. They smile at each other and giggle. Elena and Daya pump their fists in the air while dancing wildly to random pop music that Katie puts on and the others join in. Then, they continue on with their game.
more Latina actresses!
A knock on the door is heard a while later and Katie gets it. "What you want, 'rents?" At Diane's and Charles' raised eyebrows, she chuckles. "Sorry, we're all in a silly mood! So, what's happenin', Mama and Daddy? Flaritza was just practicing for the school play!"
"It's half past midnight, time for you girls to go to bed! Or at the very least, keep it way down, but don't stay up too late, you all need your rest," Diane says with a smile and pats her youngest daughter's cheek. She glances over at Maritza and Flaca sitting together, and her brilliant blue eyes are twinkling with delight. "¡Buena suerte!"
"Yes, best of luck, girls!" Charles puts in.
"¡Gracias!"
Charles turns back to Katie. "Your mother's right. Believe me, I've pulled all nighters before, and slept the entirety of the next day, so not good! Also, we wanna sleeeep, so does Alex." He pouts and then grins. "Please? Not past three and silent as church mice?"
"Okay. We'll probably wake up at ten or eleven, then!" Katie turns down the volume of the music that's playing.
"Alright!" Diane and Charles kiss Katie's cheeks, hug her, and then wave at her friends. "Good night, everyone!" they say together.
"¡Buenas noches!" the girls respond in unison while beaming.
Katie turns around and they all snicker quietly. "I'm glad we raided the refrigerator when we first got here," Maritza notes.
"Me, too," Flaca whispers and the others nod in agreement.
"So...you must know a lot about art, not just because you love Frida Kahlo," Daya teases her. She's on the other side of Flaca.
"Sí. Picasso started the idea of building sculpture and did a lotta shit with collages when he was into cubism, so simply a painter, he was not, and Frida, well, come on, every Mexican knows her like the back of their hand, or they were taught about her as children, and we've all seen the movie. She had polio as a kid and then was badly injured from her trolley accident. Through her life, she had many hospital visits and she sadly died at age forty-seven. She educated herself on painting and wore Tijuana dresses and flowers in her hair and she loved butterflies. I bet you got away with everything to do with the law," Flaca shoots back.
"What are we talking about?" Maritza wonders aloud.
"I had sex with a young police officer seven years my senior," Daya admits. "I was fifteen...and hella stupid. Bennett left toward the end of my pregnancy...and yes, I had his child. I'm a teen mom."
"Oh, wow," Maritza breathes. "My mom was, too...and what an asshole deadbeat that Bennett was! I'm sorry that happened."
"Thanks. It was a year ago. He was a teacher when we were secretly dating, but then he became a cop. Armaria...she's our daughter-I mean, mine...and Adarsh is helping me with her, so are Leon and my ma. That's now, but before...I gave her up. I cannot believe I did that...and then got her back right after breaking up with Daddy and pulling Adarsh in for a makeout session, that was mid-October. He encouraged me to contact my baby's foster mom...it was a closed adoption at first. Then, I missed her so much...but I'm relieved to have gotten my life back on track."
"I'm sure!" Elena says, smiling. "I hope our mami does, too..."
"I'm not too confident she will," Ceci mutters.
"Give her time," Maritza recommends. "Like y'all are basically telling me to do with Diablo, getting used to having him around."
"Yeah! He makes your mom happy, don't he?" Katie asks.
"She's over the moon when he's around her. It's...different. Like nothin' I seen before." Maritza presses her lips together and shakes her head. Those last two comments had just slipped out. "So maybe he ain't too bad after all."
"What do you mean?" Flaca asks. She, along with their other friends, are staring at Maritza curiously.
"Just that they're the same age, unlike my parents, who were six years apart." Good save! She takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. "I was twelve. I went out with an eighteen-year-old boy, following in my mami's footsteps. We just French kissed, he wanted to go further and I didn't, so I ended up dumping his ass. Mami advised me to as well, and I listened to her 'cause...I could see the red flags as time went by. What she told me made sense. Grown men have power over us, and we shouldn't be dating them."
"That's right!" Elena and Ceci say at the same time and then hook their pinkies together. "Jinx!"
Daya salutes Maritza. "Word."
"Mm-hm," Katie murmurs. "I can be with a dude that age, though, since I'm sixteen."
Flaca averts her eyes to her lap when everyone stares at her, waiting for her to speak.
"Well, damn, girl, you ain't said nothin' yet," Maritza points out, trying to make her tone light. "You're fourteen...how old is Ian? He looks-"
"I'm almost fifteen," Flaca snaps. "He's...we're three and a half years apart. I'm tall, so that makes up for the age difference," she says, calmer now.
"I'm just trying to protect you," Maritza tells her defensively.
"Sí, and I appreciate that. Pero, por favor...I wanna have my fun. I can let my mom boss me around. Not my girls."
"I wasn't-okay, lo siento. I'll stay out of it." Maritza puts her hands up in surrender. "I'll also be here if you get hurt."
"Us, too! What are friends for?" Ceci asks rhetorically.
"Gracias." Flaca beams at them all.
They keep talking softly through the night and then drift off at around two-thirty in the morning.
Tonight had changed Maritza a little; now she wouldn't mind if her mother and Diablo went out on a date by themselves. He's been in their lives for a while now, and never scared or hurt Blanca in any way. Raiza seemed okay with him in their presence, too. Maritza didn't feel the need to keep her away from him or anything. Her heart feels a little more open, thanks to those facts, what the girls and Alex had told her, and witnessing Diane and Charles' swaying around the kitchen so charmingly.
It could've had something to do with her and Flaca singing side-by-side, too.
Thank you for reading and reviewing, MsSchneeheide and Juliette45!