Hope you had a fun Valentine's Day!
Meanwhile, the doorbell rings and Karla pauses in catching up with Shani to answer it. Natalie, Joe, Diane, Charles, Alex, and her girlfriend Michelle are the next group to arrive and Karla accepts gifts from them. Katie isn't there since she's with the Washingtons. "Thank you so much!" They grin back at Karla and she returns her attention to Shani. "I promise I'll assist you in getting your green card, honey."
"I'm happy you got my back," Shani tells her, smiling. Jaw hanging, the Egyptian squeals delightedly upon seeing Michelle and they embrace tightly. She whispers something to the Latina, who nods.
"What's up, my man?" Joe walks over to Diablo and he rises from his seated position, grinning. The men fist bump in greeting and then hug while clapping each other on the back. "How are ya?"
"Ah, I'm doin' fantastic, got the best girl ever and her kids are pretty cool! You?"
"I'm great! 'Workers in the Mine' has seventeen views now! Sideboob is an indie band, so I expect the low number. Could be worse..."
"Sweet!"
Blanca, Gloria, Fahri, Aleida, and Red wave hello at Joe and Natalie awkwardly, as do the teenagers. It's weird having the two main leaders of their school at such a casual party. Karla doesn't seem to mind, though. Diane has probably gotten used to seeing her boss and the vice principal regularly outside of work.
"I like your shoes!" Flaca points at their vice principal's Louboutin heels.
Natalie smiles at her. "Thank you."
"Mami, can I get ones like hers?" Flaca turns to Theresa.
"Yeah, I'll take you shopping!"
"Yay!" Flaca claps her hands, beaming. "¡Muchas gracias!"
Theresa tousles her daughter's hair. "De nada."
Blanca, Gloria, and Aleida exchange a perplexed look and pull Karla aside. "One question. What are they doin' here?" Aleida asks in a hushed voice. "You know I don't completely trust Fig, that's why I don't tell her my secrets, I only let her spill her own dirty details. She smiles with her lips closed!"
"I used to date him and the kid he don't know anything about, is sitting right there...this is double the awkwardness!" Gloria hisses.
"If you wanted to do it as a favor to Diablo, that's fine, but he and Mr. Caputo can always call each other for a beer or somethin'," Blanca puts in quietly.
"Mira, chicas, Natalie and I caught up in the staff lounge while you were homeless." Karla touches Blanca's arm briefly and leads the women into hers and Ramón's bedroom. "She ain't all that bad...we're not close, like I said before. We're workmates, pretty much. It's just...she really helped Ramón and I out once. Mr. Caputo just happens to be her plus one...lamento que esto sea incómodo para ti, Gloria. Maybe it'll give you a chance to tell him that Benny's his kid...I can't believe you never did, he could've gotten you out of your situation, like Diablo found Blanca and her girls. Plus, I wanted to talk to 'em about Vanessa."
sorry that this is awkward for you, Gloria.
Aleida rolls her eyes. "Bitch, you coulda done that in the break room on Tuesday or whateva!"
"I don't need a great white savior," Gloria adds. "Julio's by some loser who I had a one night stand with, he walked out on me like the girls' fathers did. When I discovered I was pregnant with Caputo's child, I abandoned him first before he could do that to me, so he's got no idea that he has a son out there! I never even had him meet Julio...after I broke it off, he didn't know mi vida anymore, he still doesn't, really. I'm his employee, that's how it'll be 'til the end of time."
"Honey, what's wrong with co-parenting? I know he'd agree to do it...¡él querría saber a su hijo!" Karla insists. "He offered to be a part of his ex-girlfriend Lisa's daughter's life...and that baby wasn't even his! She was Hank's, so Lisa got back together with him."
He'd want to know his kid!
"Yeah, but why do you care? Ahora es solo nuestro jefe," Gloria points out. "What's the point? We've both clearly moved on with our lives."
Now he's just our boss.
Aleida nudges Karla. "Don't pressure her!"
"Lo siento, I'm trying not to, but...it's not fair to keep a decent man away from his children. That's what Sparkle Tits is doin' to Yuri!"
"Yeah, but in their case, he's already close to the kids! Benny is just getting used to Fahri as a father figure...he's so shy and scared of other men in my life still. He cried and wouldn't let go of me when I went on my first date with Fahri. It's been six years...I don't even know how I'd bring it up."
"What do you tell Benny when he asks who or where his papi is?" Blanca asks. "Or why his ain't around?"
"Same thing I told my other babies...que su padre no estaba preparado para ser padre. I doubted Mr. Caputo was too, anyway..."
that their father wasn't ready to be a father
"He might have been...but he definitely is now, he and Natalie want to foster! I strongly advise you to inform him of his hijo's existence," Karla murmurs.
Gloria sighs loudly and shrugs. "I'll think about it. Anyway, um...I gotta confess somethin' to you, Aleida." Biting her lip nervously, she turns to her best friend.
"¿Qué?"
"Leon y yo...casi nos besamos."
Leon and I...we almost kissed.
Aleida glares at her. "¡Dios mío, puta de mierda!" she hisses through gritted teeth. "Fuck you, Glo!"
Oh my god, you fucking whore!
"It wasn't an actual full one, we backed away from each other...and this was before I got with Fahri!" Gloria explains further. Blanca and Karla watch them warily and exchange an eyeroll. "I still feel bad...lo siento mucho, Lei."
Setting her mouth in a thin line, Aleida steps closer. She shakes her head angrily. "You're just a couple of cabrones traidores pendejos...and it's like, why? What the hell did you get out of it?"
traitorous asshole bastards
"It ain't like we did it to spite you," Gloria snaps. "I just wanted to be honest with you 'cause it's been eating at me for days!"
"¿Días?" Aleida scoffs. "No wonder you were acting so weird on Thursday."
"I was trying to find the right way to say it. Mira, ninguno de los dos pensó que tú dejarías a Cesar. Ambos estábamos desconsolados, como amigos, nos necesitábamos el uno al otro, pero dejé que mi cuerpo hablara...él se dio la vuelta y yo también...ambos nos sentimos tan mal. Lo siento, Aleida. Por favor perdóname."
Look, neither of us thought you'd leave Cesar. We were both heartbroken, as friends, we needed each other, but I let my body do the talking...he turned away and I did too...we both felt so bad. I'm sorry, Aleida. Please forgive me.
"That was a real low thing you did," Aleida grumbles, her eyes red-rimmed and glassy. Gloria looks down towards the floor. "I'm shocked you even came clean."
"If it makes you feel any better, neither of us were attracted to the other. Like, the chemistry just wasn't there," Gloria insists.
"Good, but I'm still furious." The hurt in Aleida's voice is obvious. "You snatched my man."
"No, I didn't! God damn it, he ain't your prized possession! You two are not even together, why are you so upset?" Gloria wonders aloud. The other two in the room nod in agreement. "Jesus fucking Christ!"
"I know I was in denial before, but I realize now that I love him...like, I don't wanna be with anyone else. If he and I went steady, I'd totally be cool with it."
"I'm glad! I'm happy with Fahri and I hope you find the strength to jump into Leon's arms again soon!"
Aleida smirks and uses a tissue to wipe away her smudged eyeliner in a mirror. "Imma fuck him real good. I'll make him forget all about your ass."
Gloria spreads her arms and stares at Aleida exasperatedly. "I wasn't even on his mind to begin with!"
"Maybe not, but you really tried it with him! I ain't gonna turn into a blubbering, hyperventilating mess until after la fiesta, but I don't wanna look at you for a while."
"I understand."
"Okay, now that this is out in the open, could we go back to your party?" Aleida practically begs the hostess.
"If you want to, sure," Karla murmurs. "I should probably head out now, actually." She hugs Gloria and then Aleida before leaving the room.
Blanca faces them awkwardly. "¿La fiesta de mi mejor amiga, Gloria? Really?"
My best friend's party, Gloria?
"Yeah, hella bad time to bring that shit up, idiota!" Aleida purses her lips, her nostrils flaring.
"Lo siento, it just had to come out..."
"Then sit on the motherfucking toilet since you're so full of it. ¿O tu enorme trasero no cabe?"
Or does your huge ass not fit?
"Ay dios mío, enough of your bickering!" Blanca interrupts. "You should both own up to your mistakes. Gloria did, pero Aleida...you gotta know that the way you treated Leon in the first place, led to this whole mess. Gloria wouldn't have touched him if you had your head on straight all along, stuck with him, and dumped Cesar that first time he screwed you over!"
"¡Sí!" Gloria sets her fists on her hips.
"Fine. Whateva," Aleida mutters. "I guess I just thought you two would check with me first before deciding to hook up, or even touch each other. One of the most basic rules of friendship, and you broke it!"
"This wasn't meditated, all right? We were just sad and lonely together...and if you wanna be mad at me, that's cool, but you gotta yell at him, too. He didn't push me away or nothin' at first," Gloria mumbles.
"You initiated it!" Aleida nearly hollers, but her voice lowers when Blanca shushes her. "You know why? Porque you're a dumbass bitch!"
"Yo, basta, I don't gotta listen to this!" Gloria throws her hands up in exhaustion. "It's like Blanca said earlier, if you hadn't been stupid, you'd still be with him! I ain't a homewrecker."
"Nah. You just a damn fool." Aleida stares her down. "Havin' kids and then leavin' em-"
Gloria points at her. "Oh, hell no! Don't you dare start that shit with me, when you let Cesar threaten yours with a gun! At least I left the girls with their abuela. I wanted better for them. I know now that it was a mistake. We all make 'em...then have regrets. I'm lucky I got my girls close to me again."
"Mm-hm!" Blanca concurs. "Lei, don't focus on this one little slip-up. Gloria didn't ruin anything between you and Leon...o tu y ella...since you were already broken up and she didn't do it on purpose."
or you and her
Aleida narrows her eyes in Gloria's direction. "I assumed you were smarter than that."
"Done with this lousy drama! Work it out on your own, you're going in circles." Blanca exits at once.
"I asked her to pretend she doesn't know you for now," Shani murmurs, jerking her head toward Michelle. "You can just maybe fake-meet her for the first time, so things aren't awkward next time you go to Starbucks or Hot Topic, 'cause she works at both those places."
Maritza nods in understanding. "Gracias." She heads over to where Alex and Michelle are cackling hysterically about something. They embrace and nuzzle noses, probably in their own private world. "Yo, Alex, this your main squeeze?"
"Yep!" Alex grins.
Michelle beams and throws a sneaky wink Maritza's way. "She gives me everything I could ever want."
Maritza giggles. "That's wonderful! Y'all are super cute together."
"Thanks!" the couple says in unison.
"De nada." Maritza beams as Flaca holds her from behind and kisses her temple. "Lo siento for not introducing myself earlier, but I'm Maritza and this is my girl, Flaca!"
Flaca and Michelle wave at each other. "Yo, did you know your amor gives me piggyback rides sometimes?"
Michelle gives Alex an amused look. "Really? How does that work if you're the same height?"
"That's what I said!" Alex raises her eyebrow at Flaca.
"What? I'm the younger one."
Alex rolls her eyes and gives Flaca a playful glare before she and Michelle grab finger sandwiches and toast with them. Maritza giggles along with Flaca.
The doorbell rings as Karla and Shani are in deep conversation. Blanca is playing with Raiza. Ramón comes out of the kitchen. Benji scampers to the snack table and grabs large snickerdoodle cookies. He breaks off pieces to share with his tiny friends, including Raiza, and Maritza thinks that's so sweet.
Ramón opens the door for the Watsons and Abdullahs, who had apparently carpooled together. Karla joins her husband in greeting more of their guests. After hugging Karla and Ramón hello, Alison, Hassan, their daughter Farah, Alison's aunt Layla, uncle Bartholomew, and cousin Janae, go up to Lida and Vasily. Excited greetings, high-fives, and fist bumps are exchanged. Seeing Alison and Lida standing together makes shivers flash up and down Maritza's spine. She thinks of the last time she saw them like that, just having a casual conversation before she interrupted.
"You okay, chiquita?" Flaca gazes at her in concern.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine." Maritza shrugs the weird feeling off.
Janae appears to be bored otherwise until Poussey, Taystee, and Katie show up with Lila and James, guffawing about something.
"Hey, girls! How was your sleepover?" Janae asks after the Washingtons and her other best friends embrace Karla and then Ramón. They begin enjoying refreshments, such as apple cider and chips, guacamole, and salsa.
They beam at each other. "Fantastic!" Katie answers. "Just wish you coulda been there."
Janae shrugs. "Sorry, but I can't miss my six o'clock run! I'mma be an Olympic athlete one day and win us so much money, man."
"You're such a dreamer!" Ceci points out.
"Oooh, that reminds me, I gotta buy this twenty-seven room mansion with DJs!" Taystee exclaims.
"Now, that's what I'm talkin' about!" Poussey snickers, twiddling her fingers with Taystee's.
"You'll have us all be roommates, right?" Katie asks.
"Can we share a room?" Maritza gestures to herself and Flaca. "'Cause, like, we're in the honeymoon stage where we can't be apart for more than five minutes at a time!"
Flaca waggles her eyebrows and shares a flirtatious look with Maritza. They both start cackling hysterically.
"Same with Nicky and I, 'cause I don't think she's reconnecting with her rich, stuck-up parents anytime soon!" Shani puts in.
"Of course!" Taystee says. "Y'all can sleep wherever you want."
"That'll hopefully be me and Armaria once Adarsh gets his doctorate...we'll finally be able to move out of Ma's apartment!" Daya smiles.
"Since Fahri's got dough, we could be in luck if he decides to marry Mami," Elena murmurs. "They just started dating, but they're so compatible and seem to really like each other a lot!"
"Nah, bitches, I'm for serious!" Janae insists. "I'm gonna be on television, so wealthy and famous!"
"I can't wait!" Layla chucks her daughter's chin and Janae groans in embarrassment. "Either way, though, I'm proud of you, sweetie."
"Thanks, Ma..."
Maritza catches sight of Lila and James on the other side of the room and watches the pair having an invigorating conversation with Diane and Charles. Then, the doorbell chimes and Karla lets in most of the Hayes family, consisting of Lillian, Monica, Joy, and Cindy. "We're the last ones here, sorry," Lillian apologizes. "Monica wanted to finish an episode of Barney." She tousles the little girl's hair. "Also, Lucas has work and the boys are busy."
Karla wraps her arms around each of the taller black women, who return the gesture. "That's quite all right!" Then, she kneels down to squeeze little Monica tightly while beaming impossibly wider. "¡Hola, reinita! That's like, baby queen in Spanish."
"Yay! Hello, Miss Karla!" Monica chirps. She waves at Ramón. "Hi, mister!"
"Hey!"
Lillian grins down at her granddaughter as Karla stands up.
Joy brightens upon seeing Alex, Michelle, Lida, and Alison and makes a beeline for them, shouting in happiness. Monica skips over to Raiza and Christina and they all giggle when she puts her arms around her Latina friends. Cindy trudges in behind her mother, but she hollers boisterously as she races toward Taystee, Poussey, Janae, and Katie. It's just too pure.
Before the games commence, Gloria, and Aleida enter the living room, still appearing to be cross and ignoring each other as Blanca trails ahead of them. She spots Cindy with her slightly younger clique almost immediately. "¡Hola!" she calls out, smiling.
"Yo! Sorry we got separated before, but I reconnected with my folks and my sibs, my mom and Monica, at least, we meet up at Oskie's every Sunday at eleven and I live with my sister at the moment, so I ain't on the streets no more!"
The ladies hug. "Congratulations! I'm not either..." Blanca glances back at Diablo, who's now on the floor and teaching the small children a hand game. "My dude found me and my girls and took us in!"
"Wish Curtis did that with me, too, but..." Cindy waves dismissively, rolling her eyes. "He with Jasmine forever and at least I'm with my people now. It's good seeing you again!"
"Hell to the yeah! Hey, what happened with Camilla?"
"Back with her fam...she said they'll always forgive you, if they're decent human beings. She was a junkie, stole her grandma's jewelry for drugs, but somehow, they re-accepted her into their lives!"
"That's great!"
"It's almost time for lunch!" Karla announces. The guests sitting down get to their feet and gather around her and Ramón, who both swing Benji between them, making everyone smile and chuckle at their cute little family. She comes up to Blanca and waves her over. Blanca follows Karla to where Natalie, Joe, Lila, James, and Charles are talking.
"So, I dunno if you knew already, but someone left their precious baby girl in a barren train car and I found her...I named her Vanessa because she had no form of identification, really. When I rang nine-one-one, they dispatched officers to my location and the baby was taken to be checked out. I know adoption won't be considered until the authorities have investigated the circumstances of this abandoned child, established who she belongs to, and checked if there are suitable family members who can take her. There aren't so far." Karla gestures to Charles. "He let me know which hospital Vanessa was being taken to, so I can call to check if she's okay, but I know the hospital won't give any specific details." She glances between Natalie and Joe. "I know you guys want to adopt, so it's great that you're acquainted with Taystee's social worker Karen Holmes...she can match Vanessa up with you if no one claims her! You'll pass those child protective services inspections with flying colors. I got no idea how long the whole process will take, though."
"Oh wow, well, that's great!" Joe looks at Natalie. "What do you think, babe? I know we said a little guy younger than two, but daddy's girls are just as rad as mama's boys! We could take her in."
Natalie considers him, pursing her lips in thought for a moment. "Sure! We'd love to have her, if it's possible."
Karla chuckles. "I thought so."
"If you guys adopt her, I can babysit her? We'll have a connection 'cause I was a foundling, too," Maritza informs them. "The rules were more lax back then."
Vanessa's prospective parents smile at her and nod.
"Whoo-hoo!" Maritza cheers.
After bobbing for pacifiers, trying not to say the word baby, making a baby quilt, feeding each other baby food, and other fun activities, Karla, Ramón, and their guests have lunch. It's delicious bean and cheese pupusas with an enchilada casserole consisting of rice, beans, nopales, and ground turkey meat topped with cheese and garnished with black pepper. Hot sauce is provided for those who like it. The expecting couple opens presents and they love all of their gifts. They thank everyone and then cake is served.
"Y'all wanna kick back at my pad?" Poussey asks the other teenagers when the baby shower is over.
"Yeah!" is the enthusiastic, unified answer. "We'd love to!" Janae says.
"Only we probably gotta take care of our kid siblings, Benji, and Laronne while our moms, Diablo, Karla, and Ramón go out." Maritza shares a resigned look with Elena and Ceci.
"Pavel and I will," Red offers. "You girls deserve the day and night off."
"Gracias, pero...you're not partying with them?" Elena asks.
"I want to give my sons alone time with their significant others. No one wants their mother meddling when they're trying to impress a special someone. I'll go out for a vodka martini with Blanca another time. We have more an employee-boss relationship than anything."
"I'll hang out with you, if it's okay?" Shani wonders aloud.
"Of course! Everyone is welcome," Poussey lets her know.
"Cool, thanks!"
So, James and Lila decide to drive Poussey back to their house, along with Franziska, Taystee, Elena, Ceci, Shani, Flaca, Maritza, Katie, Daya, and Janae. Since they're such a big group, they need two cars.
"Okay little missy, you be good for Red and Pavel," Blanca tells Raiza, squeezing her tight and pecking her cheek. They're outside Karla's apartment complex.
"I will, Mommy!" Raiza says and looks up at them with a smile.
"¡Muchas gracias otra vez!" Blanca says.
Thank you very much, again!
"Pozhaluysta!" is Red's answer.
You're welcome!
"Da ne problema," Pavel agrees with his wife.
Yes, it's no problem.
After the other parents hug and kiss their kids goodbye, Daya and Aleida settle Lucy and Armaria into a double stroller. Red picks up a squirming Eva and faces Benji, Raiza, Monica, Christina, Emiliano, Benny, Julio, and Laronne. Tricia and Allie stand beside her. "Everyone five or older, please grab a partner and follow Pavel and I like ducklings in twos. We're going to the park and then getting some ice cream!"
"Yaaaaay!"
"I wanna get dooooown," Eva whines.
"Okay, but you make sure to hold Tricia or Allie's hand while we walk there, because you're the littlest one we have who's on foot. We want you all to be safe," Pavel tells her.
She nods and Red sets her back on the pavement. Monica takes her hand and the two smallest girls smile at each other. Raiza pulls Benji along with her and grabs Allie's hand. Benny is on the other side of Benji and Tricia takes the four-year-old's tiny hand. Leading the line, Red pushes the double stroller and Pavel walks alongside her. Behind them in pairs, are Christina and Emiliano, and Julio and Laronne. Tricia and Allie stay in the back with the second youngest three. The preteens and adults start singing camp songs and the smaller children join in.
As she walks to Leon's work site, Aleida steers herself. She hears a machine whirring to life, so she moves closer to the source. A backhoe's digging bucket easily scoops up dirt and dumps it into a truck behind Diablo, Ramón, Weevil, and Hassan, who are wearing yellow hard hats, black gloves, faded, grass-stained blue jeans, heavy brown boots, and green and orange construction vests over their red jackets. They're carrying rebar, setting up forms, laying bricks, and measuring land. The words are caught in her throat as she sees the muscular black man step into view with his back facing her. She really hopes she's not too late, that he hasn't decided to try things with Gloria. It would be pretty dumb of him, considering that Gloria is already dating Fahri now.
"Leon!" she shouts over the noise, wind blowing her hair all around her and making dust from the ground fly up and irritate her eyes. He doesn't turn. "God damn it!" She blinks rapidly and cups her hands over her mouth. "Leon!" she screams impossibly louder. "I lo-" She's cut off by her own coughing, so she takes several steps back in her old gray sneakers and drinks water from her purse. Dressed in casual black pants, a thermal white top, and an oversized fuchsia sweatshirt, she pushes her tangled curls back from her face and wipes her eyes with her sleeve. He leans on a shovel and gestures for some other worker she doesn't know, to spray water in order to keep the dust down.
"Jesus fucking Christ, shut up, he can't hear you," she mutters to herself. "Hey, it ain't like I knew what he was doin' here!" she argues back. Her heart beats erratically.
The person sitting in the backhoe's cab fights with the controls. It doesn't even take three minutes for the backhoe to stop working. The men groan and start grabbing shovels and pickaxes that were previously in a pile on the ground. They dig on either side of the ditch. "Great job, guys! I hope the backhoe will be up and running again in no time. We may need a mechanic. When the depth of this hole is five feet, we'll set up trench boxes!"
Aleida gasps in relief. "Leon! Por favor, mírame..." She's inhaling and exhaling shakily and her lower lip trembles.
Please, look at me.
He finally does. Tears well up and a few trickle down her cheeks. He just stares at her, his expression a mix of shock and confusion. "Aleida..."
"I...I came here to say I love you," she professes. Her breath hitches. "I'm so sorry...for ever making you feel like I didn't...because I do!" After choking on a sob, she continues, albeit brokenly. "I'll be so lost without you..."
"Is this the same crying speech you gave Cesar?" Leon cocks a doubtful eyebrow as he slowly approaches her.
"No." She sniffles and wails a few times, getting Leon's employees to look in their direction. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she walks closer to her hopefully-soon-to-be-boyfriend-again. "I broke up with that hoodlum motherfucker, Margarita went with me to the prison he's in. Honest. I-" Her voice cracks and she whimpers some more. "I...I only want to b-be with you. I love you so m-much, baby. Por favor, forgive me." She takes a few squeaky, uneven breaths while wringing her gray gloved hands. "Daya's even been giving me a few tests lately, like having Gloria nonchalantly follow me around to make sure I don't ever go crawling to him again. I'm pleading with you to take me back..." She gulps and shudders in fear of this not going her way.
"Thank fucking god, because I missed you far too much!" His face softens and he reaches out, beckoning her forward. "Come here, my pretty darling..."
Aleida flies into his open arms and he wraps them around her securely. She closes her eyes and weeps against him, clutching his shirt, taking in his sweet scent, enjoying being in his tight, comforting embrace, at last. "You bein' serious?"
"Oh, yeah! I do need to say this...Gloria and I had a moment where we were about to kiss, but it didn't lead to anything, I swear!"
"I know, she already told me and I had my fit. I deserved it anyways," she emotionally mumbles into his shoulder. "I don't want to get married," she admits. "To-to anyone...except you, handsome." She glances up at him and he cups her face, wiping moisture from her cheeks. "You really swept me off my feet, literally and figuratively."
Leon beams down at her, appearing mesmerized. She finds herself swimming in those chocolate pools once more and she melts at his overall hotness. "You enchanted me, too, sweetie. From the moment you chatted me up in high school."
Loud cheering and whistling is heard. Leon's construction crew starts chanting. "¡Bésala! ¡Bésala! ¡Bésala!"
Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!
"Yo, you heard 'em." Aleida manages a smirk while bouncing on the balls of her feet and leaning up on her tiptoes. "I promise you that from now on, my lips will never touch another man's. They're only for yours. I won't fuck anyone else neither." She raises her hand and then strokes the stubble on his upper lip and then his jawline. "I swear to Dios, I know I wasn't perfect before, but I'll be the most amazing girlfriend ever. If monogamy's what you want, that's fine. I ain't gonna wreck what we have."
He grins wider and his face comes closer to hers. Their mouths immediately crush against one another's, breaths coming in ragged gasps. Their kiss is frantic but gentle and with so much passion that she nearly faints. She'd almost forgotten what he tasted like until now, and a pleasurable sensation bubbles in her nether regions and fills her whole body. They both moan softly as they make out and the workers clap and make exhilarated sounds of approval.
She'll have to thank Maritza for this later.
Thank you for reading and reviewing, Juliette45!