Thank you for beta'ing, MsSchneeheide!
To everyone's satisfaction, Maureen was first accused of killing Humps, not only because she'd blown bubbles in his IV, but she'd apparently also been caught having sex with his corpse after Cindy dragged him down the street in a wheelchair and dumped him over in a sewer. Maureen eventually got elephantiasis from Suzanne punching her over and over again while repeating we don't do that to kids until she died from her infection a few days into her prison stay. Suzanne had told Pennsatucky everything, and the short brunette passed the news onto Blanca, Diablo, and their friends. The girls then found out from the adults what had happened to the bitch and laughed out loud together.
"Okay, boys and girls, let's practice loud screaming!" Karla announces just before outside time on Friday. The kids, dressed in their warm puffy jackets, mittens, boots, hats, and scarves, jump up and down in anticipation. "We don't just do it for fun, we can do it if we feel like we're in danger, too. It needs to be ear-splitting. When someone is doing something bad to us, anything we don't like, we have to shout for-"
"Help!" Raiza shrieks at the top of her lungs.
"Oh good job, high five!" Karla praises her and holds up her hand. Raiza slaps it. "That's how you do it!"
"Yaaaaay!" Raiza claps and the other children follow suit. Karla, Ella, and Mariana soon lead them out onto the playground where they can holler even louder.
"It's been five months now that we've lived here, me, Mami, and Raiza. Not even half a year and we've changed so much…mi hermanita thought boys had cooties, she doesn't anymore, Mami is no longer that afraid of men and she even has male friends besides being with Diablo, and as for me? I don't hate most dudes no más! I know there's some good hombres in the world; Diablo and his buddies have taught me that. I'm also totally comfortable talking to Darius and our other guy pals!" Maritza announces to some of her crew at lunch. They're eating sloppy joes and enjoying the combination of sourdough bread and hamburger meat mixed with barbecue sauce.
"Wow, that's fantastic!" Flaca exclaims and the others happily agree.
"Still, lo siento for being standoffish to you before, Darius…I didn't even know who I was yet, really…like I didn't come out as bi until recently," Maritza tells him.
"That's all right." An understanding look crosses his face. "I got where you were coming from."
"I thought you were homeless," someone says as they walk by. "I've seen you before."
"What, no, impossible!" Maritza waves them away. "Pa fuera, I dunno you." The person scowls, huffs, and then leaves her be.
"That's Maria's gangbanger friend A-Rod! Irene Rosario, if you've only heard her actual name…she doesn't like people sassing her," Daya says.
"Scary as fuck," Adarsh puts in.
Maritza groans. "I don't care! I don't like people knowing my personal business…she probably saw me on the street or whatever. Ain't like I have to confirm it that I really was…I've seriously never seen that cabrona before."
"She's complained about the food here multiple times and it's like, the cafeteria ladies make do with what they have to cook with! Jeez! Give them a break, god damn!" Elena gives an awkward chuckle.
"Right, babe!" Sergio chimes in. "It's hella wack!"
"It was funny when they gave A-Rod a laxative in her food as punishment!" Katie says, and the group guffaws together.
"Yeah…I don't want her beating you up, though, Zaza," Daisy points out when everyone calms down.
"Oh, with all of us around her, A-Rod won't fuckin' dare!" Flaca says.
"Besides, we got the kitchen workers on our side," Ceci puts in.
"Mm-hm!" Cat pipes up and there's a murmur of assent.
Adriana has gone back home to California, and now it's just Blanca, Diablo, Maritza, Laronne, and Raiza, all dressed in green since it's St. Patrick's Day. They go to Starbucks for coffee and treats. Blanca splits the cost with Diablo. She rustles the white paper bakery bag in front of the kids, pulls out three chocolate chip scones, and offers them one each. They take their sweets with delight and thank her and Diablo.
"You're welcome, niños," Blanca tells them with a smile.
"Sí, enjoy!" Diablo starts eating his coffee cake and Blanca has her chocolate cake pop. "¡Delicioso!"
"Mm-hm!" Blanca agrees through a bite. They later get their vanilla lattes, with the exception of the two youngest. She's always checking up on Raiza now, and the little girl seems to be doing better, thanks to Debbie. Carol and Barb have left everyone alone for now, but Debbie has had to move with Nita a few towns away just in case. Diablo putting on a magic show for Raiza and Blanca, Maritza, and Laronne helping him do it, has definitely brightened her spirits as well.
"Bueno, ¿qué vas a hacer con cincuenta cajas de bronceador, Tía Graciela?" Margarita asks later that same Saturday afternoon. "No one seems interested in buying that shit."
Well, what are you gonna do with fifty cases of bronzer?
"Darlo a las personas sin hogar, por supuesto. Lord knows they could use it!"
Give it to the homeless, of course.
"Did you pay back the Mary Kay people?" Margarita asks.
"Después de muchos años, sí. I had to give up my dream of owning a Pink Cadillac."
After many years, yes.
"Maybe a handsome suitor could buy that for you, Mami," Margarita's cousin Mirna suggests.
"Desafortunadamente, todavía no he tenido tanta suerte."
Unfortunately, I haven't had that much luck yet.
"That sucks, Abuela," Antoni says. "Lo siento."
Graciela smiles and squeezes her grandson's shoulder fondly. "At least I've ridden in one a few times. There are more important things in the world…como tu prima." She turns to Margarita. "Blanquita reached out to us…is she in the area, living near you?"
Like your cousin
Margarita nods. "She'll be happy y'all are gonna surprise her with a visit."
"We haven't seen her since she married that maldito idiota racista," Margarita's mom Lorena mutters.
fucking racist idiot
"She finally left him," Roberto says.
"About time!" Antoni adds.
"I'll drive y'all to see her," Margarita volunteers.
"¡Gracias!" everyone choruses.
The doorbell rings suddenly when Blanca and Gloria are hanging out with their boyfriends and kids, watching Hocus Pocus. "Although it's normally a Halloween movie, I don't mind…it's about witches and as Flaca says, every month can be a spooky season for películas," Maritza comments and they all smile. She gets up and answers the door while still keeping her eyes trained on the screen. Blanca then pauses it, despite the kids' whining, and Maritza turns to see who's standing there. "Hola…are you Mamí's familia?"
"Sí," one of them responds. Blanca's eyes go wide upon recognizing her aunt's voice and she gets up immediately. "Abuela, Tía Mirna, Tío Roberto, Antoni, you're here…y Lorena." She looks over at Margarita, who just grins.
"¡Sorpresa!" the group tells her excitedly.
"Hola…" Blanca waves at them and she's pleasantly shocked when each of her relatives gives her a hug. A lump rises in her throat and she swallows it back down. When she didn't get a response from anyone, she was sure they hated her.
"¡Ay, cariño, te hemos echado mucho de menos!" Graciela exclaims.
Oh, sweetie, we missed you so much!
"¡Nos alegramos mucho de saber de ti, pero queríamos salir y sorprenderte!" Mirna puts in.
We were so happy to hear from you, but we wanted to come out and surprise you!
"Perdón por todo," Blanca says softly.
I'm sorry for everything.
"Está bien, todos cometemos errores, pero sacamos lo mejor de ellos," Roberto points out. "Golpeé un armadillo con mi auto, pero luego lo cociné y me lo comí. Sabe bien, pero hay que ponerle salsa picante de Cholula. Never made that mistake again." They give him quizzical looks.
It's okay, we all make mistakes, but we make the best out of them. I hit an armadillo with my car, but then cooked and ate it. It tastes okay, but you gotta put Cholula hot sauce on it.
"You don't have to apologize, Blanca. Intentamos comunicarnos con usted antes, pero nunca respondiste," Antoni informs her. "Probably 'cause Dean wouldn't let you, but I thought it was because I swallowed Tequila on a dare."
We tried to reach out to you before, but you never responded.
"Why would she care about you drinking alcohol, dude?" Margarita asks.
Blanca chuckles and rolls her eyes. "Tequila era mi pez dorado. I won him at a fair when I was una niña and only fed him Fruit Loops. He survived for twelve years until mi primo decided to be an idiot pendejo."
Tequila was my goldfish.
"Lo siento," Antoni mutters as Mirna bops the back of her son's head. Her husband Roberto just looks at him disapprovingly.
"Está bien."
Maritza pretends to gag. "I'm sorry, but that's disgusting!"
"Sí," the others agree. "Lamento que hayas perdido tu pez dorado, Blanca," Diablo says. He and Gloria walk up to the newcomers with the kids in tow. "Soy el nuevo novio de Blanca, Diablo, por cierto. No te preocupes, la trato con el mayor respeto y cuidado. La amo mucho." He sticks his hand out, but nobody shakes it. Their wary facial expressions remind Blanca of how Maritza used to look at him back then.
I'm sorry you lost your goldfish, Blanca. I'm Blanca's new boyfriend Diablo, by the way. Don't worry, I treat her with the utmost respect and care. I love her dearly.
"Está diciendo la verdad. Confío en él con todo mi corazón y mi alma." Blanca smiles dreamily as Diablo pulls her in for a hug and kisses her cheek gently, showing he's not at all a threat.
He's telling the truth. I trust him with all my heart and soul.
"Lo hemos escuchado de ti antes," Blanca's tía abuela Lorena mutters.
We've heard that one from you before.
Margarita gives her a look. "Mami, por favor. ¡Se conocían desde la secundaria!"
They knew each other since high school!
"Sí, volví a encontrarme con Diablo cuando regresé aquí."
I ran into Diablo again when I came back here.
"Son muy felices el uno con la otra, ella no le tiene miedo en absoluto, él la ama," Gloria insists. She offers her hand for them to shake, and they do. "Soy una de sus mejores amigas, Gloria Mendoza. Call me Glo." She jerks her thumb over her shoulder at her kids. "Mis niños…Elena, Ceci, Benny, y Julio." Gloria points at each one as she says their names. They give Blanca's extended family shy waves of greeting.
They're really happy with each other, she ain't scared of him at all, he loves her. I'm one of her best friends
"I'm her oldest daughter Maritza." She gestures to Raiza, who's now being picked up by Diablo. "That's mi hermanita, Raiza."
Diablo nods toward his son. "Mi hijo, Laronne."
The boy holds up the peace sign. "Yo."
"Nice to meet you!" Antoni tells him.
"Hola," the other newcomers chorus and smile at the kids.
"Can we watch the movie now?" Raiza asks.
"Pleeeeeaaaase?" Benny and Julio chorus together.
"You niños can," Gloria says. "We gotta make your mami's relatives feel welcome, though."
"Yay!" Raiza cheers and Diablo sets her down. She scampers off with the boys and teen girls.
"So, you're Blanca's tía abuela and Margarita's madre…" Gloria gestures to Lorena and then looks between Blanca and Margarita. "I can't believe you two are related! I know I've heard about that before, but…wow!"
"That's amazing!" Diablo exclaims.
"I babysat Maggie a few times when I was twelve and she was four, pero olvidé que ella era mi prima segunda," Blanca murmurs. "Those specifics were confusing back then."
but I forgot she was my second cousin
"That's okay, it doesn't matter," Margarita tells her. "I remember playing hide-and-go-seek with you and making you chase me all the time."
Blanca giggles. "Me too. You were fast! Nunca podía atraparte."
I could never catch you.
Margarita chuckles. "Kids are like that."
"Yep! My little one sure is," Blanca comments.
The adults move to the kitchen and sit around the table. "Sí, Graciela es mi hermana mayor por quince años," Lorena informs Gloria. "Margarita tenía cinco años cuando Aleida tenía quince y Blanca trece, y Trina tenía mi edad, cuarenta."
Graciela is my older sister by fifteen years. Margarita was five when Aleida was fifteen and Blanca thirteen, and Trina was my age, forty.
Margarita sighs. "Good ol' Trina. We used to go to City Island in the Bronx and clubbing. She really liked Big Red and that's the first thing she wanted when she was released from prison. Not all these fucking douchebags."
"Dios mío, I told Trina she was better off single," Graciela mutters. She pats Blanca's hand. "Tu madre, bendita sea su alma. Primero fue Rodrigo, luego Antonio, luego Chad…" She gazes around at the group. "Mi hija used to be a maid for the Chapman familia. She suggested the boy, Cal, name his rat after her ex Antonio…porque era un ratón." They laugh together. Thinking about her mom makes Blanca tear up and she wipes her eyes. Diablo rubs soothing circles on her back.
Your mother, bless her soul, could never find a good man. First, there was Rodrigo, then Antonio, then Chad...because he was a rat.
"Really? I thought the worst one was Rodrigo, 'cause he couldn't keep it in his pants…tuvo sexo no solo con Trina, creando a Blanca, pero lo hizo conmigo y con Aleida también, teníamos dieciocho años y era al mismo tiempo, pero dejó a Aleida y se quedó conmigo un tiempo como una relación intermitente," Gloria murmurs.
he had sex with not only Trina, creating Blanca, but he did it with me and Aleida, too, we were eighteen and it was at the same time, but he dumped Aleida and stayed with me for a while like an on-off relationship.
"He sounds like a scumbag, but if not for him, we wouldn't be here!" Blanca motions to herself and Gloria.
"Verdad," everyone choruses.
"Estoy tan contento de que estés aquí, baby," Diablo tells Blanca, putting his arm around her shoulders and kissing her lips gently.
I'm so glad you're here
Blanca smiles into it and cups his chin. "Yo también, mi amor."
"Aww, aren't they sweet together?" Margarita asks, patting her heart and beaming.
"I gotta say sí," Gloria says with a grin.
Mirna shrugs. "If you chicas say so."
Roberto leans across the table to fist bump Diablo. "Seems like you treat mi sobrina right, pero en el momento en que le haces mal como lo hizo Dean, eres hombre muerto."
but the second you do her wrong like Dean did, you're a dead man.
Diablo nods, looking serious. "I promise, Blanca's safe with me. Ninguno de ustedes tiene que preocuparse."
None of you have to worry.
"¡Bien!" Graciela says and the other guests agree.
"Blanca Flores-seriously, your parents named you white flowers? That's the first thing I said to her when we met," Margarita lets the group know. They chuckle together.
"You had an attitude back then, you still do," Blanca teases her.
"Ay, cállate, mujer," Margarita mutters, punching Blanca's shoulder playfully.
"Yo Mags, you still with that idiot Cesar?" Antoni wonders aloud.
"Nah, never again, primo. Cesar would tell me to make dinner in a misogynistic way. Even if he has snake tattoos on both his biceps, his attitude towards me and other women and the kids make him hella nasty! So the attraction I once felt for him is gone. I helped Aleida dump him, too."
Antoni grins. "Nice!" The others nod in approval and Blanca and Gloria each hi-five Margarita.
"One of the cool things about prison is that you can conceal things under big boobs like pills that can't melt or botox needles, according to Trina," Margarita says. "That's what I told Aleida when I borrowed a car to pick her up from the big house one time. After going out for waffles with her, we shopped together; she needed more outfits. I bought clothes for RJ…not Cesar, since he's so picky, and Aleida fucking flipped her shit! Later, though, we got along better…she stayed with me for a while and did some interview on the New York Metro with Susan, or as Aleida called her, Suzie Q." Margarita rubs her belly that holds her future daughter. "Don't tell Lei, but she's gonna be my niña's godmother. She's real good with babies."
"Cool! How did I know that was gonna happen?" Gloria asks.
"Porque eres una bruja psíquica," Blanca jokes.
Because you're a psychic witch
Gloria laughs. "Maybe I am!"
"Entonces, cuéntanos sobre tu vida aquí hasta ahora, Blanquita." Mirna says.
So, tell us about your life here so far, Blanca.
"Primero fui camarera en Friendly's y Diane, la gerente, me mostró las cuerdas." Blanca goes on to describe her other jobs as a home health aide for Millie, where she saw Diablo as the gardener and her favorite co-worker, and the one where she was, and still is, a cafeteria lady with Gloria. "Diane y mi jefa en la escuela, Roja, o Galina, piensan en mí, Gloria y Aleida, como hermanas pequeñas." She adds that she was struggling until Karla offered her and her girls a place to live. She tells her extended family how she and her daughters were homeless for a while until Diablo rescued them off the streets and took them in. "Sin embargo, desde el susto con Maritza al ver a Carlos en la escuela, no lo hemos visto ni nos hemos encontrado con él o Dean."
I was first a waitress at Friendly's and Diane, the manager, showed me the ropes. Diane and my boss at the school, Red, or Galina, think of me, Gloria, and Aleida, like little sisters. However, since the scare with Maritza seeing Carlos at school, we have not seen or encountered him or Dean.
"¡Oh, gracias a Dios!" Graciela says, pressing her hand to her heart. "Estoy tan contenta de que usted y sus hijas estén encontrando su lugar aquí. Espero que ese monstruo esté muerto en algún agujero en alguna parte."
Oh, thank God! I'm so glad you and your daughters are finding your places here. I hope that monster is dead in a hole somewhere.
Blanca smiles. "Yo también, Abuela. Entonces, ¿qué ha estado pasando en sus vidas desde la última vez que los vi?"
So what has been going on in your lives since I saw you last?
"Nada comparado con lo que has pasado," Lorena tells her.
Nothing compared to what you've been through
"All good in the hood…and when you messaged us, we couldn't wait to hop on a plane and get to you!" Antoni murmurs, bumping Blanca's fist with his own. She beams.
Later, she decides to invite Karla, Theresa, and Aleida and their kids and partners too and Margarita has RJ join. "It's a fiesta, come join us!" Maritza is telling Flaca over the phone. "Sí, your mom and Yuri can come, too."
Once more guests arrive, Maritza, Elena, Ceci, and their baby siblings stop at the doorway. Raiza, Benny, and Julio squeal upon seeing their friends and run up to Christina, Emiliano, Eva, and Benji to gather in a group embrace. Daya is holding Armaria while Aleida's carrying Lucy. The adults hug each other hello and kiss the babies' cheeks and then Daya strides up to the older girls. She sets her daughter on the floor before throwing her arms around the other teens.
Gloria and Fahri leave together to make out a little on the porch, out of the kids' view. Then, they return and her children are still shy around him, but politely say hi.
Margarita and RJ exchange a short but sweet kiss before she introduces her boyfriend to her mom. Blanca watches the interaction with tears budding in her eyes. "Ojalá fuera yo…presentándote a mi mamá."
I wish it were me…introducing you to my mom
Diablo seems to sense her sadness the way he puts his arm around her and looks at her with full understanding and sympathy. She blinks away the moisture building and gulps down the lump that's lodged in her throat. "Lo sé."
"Damn, any day now, huh?" Blanca smiles and blows out a shaky exhale. She pats Karla's very pregnant belly. It's a time for happiness and she can't change the past; only enjoy the present and future.
Karla grins and squeezes Blanca's hand. "Mm-hm…can't wait for Abel to come out! He's been kicking a lot!"
"Oh, wow, that's great, healthy and active! Me neither!"
After the men set up the big table they've built to replace Diablo's smaller one, Maritza lets Flaca, Theresa, and Yuri in. "Gracias por invitarme, pero what are we celebrating, yo?"
Thanks for inviting me
"The fact that Mami's reconnected with her relatives!" Maritza answers her girlfriend and then they lock lips for a few seconds.
"Oh, ¡felicidades, Blanca!" Flaca calls out with a wave.
"¡Gracias!"
"¡De nada!"
They all spend a couple of hours catching up until it's time for dinner, which is tostadas with beans, rice, cheese, hamburger meat, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Blanca and Diablo also serve Caesar salad with it, along with tomatoes and avocados. Everything is delicious and everyone is getting along so well.
Karla appears to be uncomfortable, and Blanca can only infer that she's about to go into labor. She keeps checking to make sure Karla is okay, but her shorter friend assures her that she is, but she's experiencing contractions and breathing through the pain. "They're like strong period cramps. Just distract me from it. I'll be fine," she whispers.
Blanca gazes at Karla sympathetically. "I will."
Since there are so many people, some have to take the couch or the floor-but not without plastic trays for their laps. Blanca doesn't believe in a higher being, but she likes to imagine her mom is an angel watching over her and smiling down at the scene happening right now.
"Why were you showing Leon your boys' baby pictures without me the other day?" Aleida asks Gloria in a hushed voice. Daya, on the other side of her mom, rolls her eyes.
"I offered for you to see 'em too, but you said no gracias."
"Right. Lo siento for acting envious and suspicious…he'd get more of a kick out of it, he's closer to them than I am."
"Sí, I wanted to show off my babies is all."
"That reminds me, I gotta pull out the photo albums of all my niños as bebés. He should see my little ones, too. All the other motherfuckers I dated before didn't deserve to be around them, but Leon does. He's a good man."
"Hell yeah, he is! Leon all the way!" Daya gives her mom a thumbs up.
"What were we talking about, ladies?" Leon asks as he sits down between Aleida and Gloria with a second helping of food.
"You rock, dude, that's all!" Daya exclaims.
Leon grins. "Thanks!"
"Plus, you my rock, babe. Lo siento I had my head in the sand about crappy Cesar, he was familiar and the only thing I really had…but I've realized you're so much better!"
"Yep! No problem, sweetie, you are too."
"¿Cómo conociste a Blanca?" Graciela asks. "Sé que conoció a Diablo en el hospital y a Karla en la clase de ESL."
How did you meet Blanca? I know she met Diablo in the hospital and Karla in ESL class.
"Una fiesta en la escuela secundaria," Gloria answers.
A party in high school
"Yo también. Gloria, Theresa, Lila y yo las salvamos a ella y a Karla de un par de idiotas que no las dejaban en paz," Aleida chimes in.
Gloria, Theresa, Lila and I saved her and Karla from a couple of douchebags who wouldn't leave them alone.
"¡Oh, bueno, esa es una buena manera de comenzar una amistad!" Mirna points out.
Oh, well that's a good way to start a friendship!
"Sí, las chicas tenemos que cuidarnos la una a la otra, y lo hicimos," Theresa says.
Yep, us girls have to look out for each other, and we did
Blanca and Karla nod quietly and smile at their saviors from so many years ago.
"Sometimes, I wished you were there to help us, mi amor," Blanca mumbles to Diablo. "If you went to our same high school…"
"Me too! I would've protected you both from them if I was around, punched 'em out, but I didn't go to a lot of parties until high school started. Lo siento mucho, mi corazón."
"Está bien."
Gloria remembers that night like it was yesterday and she's sure the others who were there, do too. Fahri, Leon, and Yuri appear to be surprised that this happened. Maritza almost looks nauseous, but she composes herself. Gloria thinks maybe Blanca told her about it, as a warning to watch her drink every time she goes out to parties, and she feels like telling her own daughters the story, but not in graphic detail.
The girls are squished on the couch and Gloria is enjoying the high from how strong she made her drink. She wanted to just hang out with her closest friends since the party had gotten rowdy; several college boys had crashed it. Luckily, this isn't her aunt's house that's getting messed up, it's Linda's. She couldn't give a single shit how much trouble that cunt gets in later.
"Where's Cesar?" Lila wonders aloud just before gulping down some of her beer. She'd just been twirling around in her yellow dress with James in his gray top and black slacks.
"Busy cooking heroin, and I wanted to go to the party with you bitches and our other boys, so I did." Aleida smiles at Leon, who returns the gesture as he, Fahri, and James set up the table for beer pong in the garage. "I was already arrested for prostitution, thanks to fucking Juana. She also ratted me out for shoplifting, I got us my favorite drink. After running away from my alcoholic mom, I lived with Ricky and Rita, but they got picked up for slingin' dope, so glad I wasn't there for that! I decided to live with my prima Yas and tía Lola instead. Juana seemed more pure, like she didn't know what I was doing in that ice cream truck…" Aleida takes a swig of her vodka orange soda and clinks her glass against Gloria's, which holds a homemade piña colada.
"She's a victim blaming puta, that's rape," Theresa insists and then downs the last of her hard seltzer. She straightens a wrinkle in her purple skirt and checks her white blouse for stains, presumably.
"Mm-hm. You shouldn't have been taken into juvy for that," Gloria mutters. She sips her beverage.
"I'm probably never speaking to Juana's ass again," Aleida mutters with a roll of her eyes. "We grew apart a while ago…she had a great home life and I kinda hated her for it. Especially when she complained about her own mom and dad being so overprotective. Like, the rage was slowly building, and then it was like, 'okay, you're way too blind to how the world really is'. She's got no parents in prison or with addictions."
"That's understandable! I agree, how you were thrown behind bars was unfair, especially because you never wanted to sell yourself…I'm glad you got a better home life now," Leon tells Aleida, raising a plastic blue cup that matches his button-up.
"Aw, you just sayin' that 'cause my tía likes you better than Cesar."
"I also care about you, Aleida. So much." He walks over to her and tilts her chin up so their lips can meet.
Aleida giggles at how he kisses her so softly and she sways from side to side, bumping Gloria's shoulder with her own a few times.
"Oye, ¡cuidado, chica!" Gloria holds her drink away from her glittery red shirt. "This can't get washed! My tía can't know I had alcohol."
Careful, girl!
"Ay, lo siento, but you should've worn something that could get dirty." Aleida gestures to her own pink casual dress. "The guys are just wearing jeans and cotton shirts…"
"Quería usar esto para Fahri, dijo que el rojo es mi color."
I wanted to wear this for Fahri, he said red is my color.
Theresa waggles her eyebrows suggestively. "¿Te gusta?"
You like him?
Gloria blushes and shrugs. "¡Es divertido pasar el rato con él!"
He's fun to hang out with!
"Fahri, you like that on her?" Aleida jerks her thumb toward Gloria's outfit.
He turns around. "Mm-hm, it's pretty!"
"Thanks!" Gloria beams.
"You're welcome." He adjusts his black shirt. "We go good together. Red and black, ya know?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Karla Córdon from my photography class is here," Yuri announces as he comes in the room. A shock runs through Gloria; she hadn't expected the small sophomore to be at this party. Yuri has a soft spot for Karla and talks about her at lunch sometimes and points her out from afar; she's usually studying by herself or chilling with the same one friend, but Gloria has never formally met the girl. He stuffs his hands in his sweatshirt pockets. "She's wearing a black crop top and a green plaid skirt…she's so wasted! She slurred, 'nah, you ain't my type' as I put a blanket on her…but she still snuggled into it and thanked me in Spanish."
Theresa laughs. "Well, you ain't compatible…for one thing, she's hard-working and you're lazy as shit, but no worries, I am too!"
"Same here," Aleida says and clumsily high-fives Theresa, missing each other's hands slightly.
"That was sweet of you, though, Yuri, your mother would be proud," Gloria tells him.
"Yep, she raised you boys right," Lila chimes in.
"Except for teaching you that straight vodka ain't that bad," James teases him.
"Disgusting, man!" Fahri goes on.
"Come on! It's a big thing in Russia."
"Ugh," the others chorus.
"Anyway…Karla's here? How did she get so hammered?" Gloria wonders aloud. "She doesn't seem like much of a party chick."
"Maybe wanted to try a new thing. Life's short, and we won't be teens forever," Aleida points out.
"True!" Lila says.
"Sí," Theresa agrees.
"Just how wild is it in there?" Fahri asks as they jump at the sound of screaming, swearing, and something breaking.
Yuri folds his arms over his chest. "It wouldn't have been that bad if those punks didn't come. Karla went with her best friend, she said, so that's good, safety in numbers. It smells like they had a lot of champagne, though."
"God damn Linda turning eighteen and then getting herself a college freshman who brought all his dumbass buddies!" Gloria yells. "I can't even hear over the music, it's so loud!"
"I know, it sucks, but at least we got each other!" Fahri shouts. "All right, dudes and gals, beer pong!"
They cheer and spend a while playing. "Shit, we've run out of beer!" James groans after about fifteen minutes.
Lila looks at Gloria. "Let's go get more."
"We can do it, the party is a bit crazy. Why don't you stay here?" Leon offers as the girls head to the door leading to the rest of the house.
"Yeah, nah, don't come with us, we're good, it's fine, we can handle it," Aleida tells him, waving dismissively.
"I want to walk around a bit anyway!" Gloria puts in.
Theresa glances over her shoulder at the boys. "Just wait here and finish off your bottles!"
Yuri salutes her. "Yes, ma'am!"
"He's such a dork!" Aleida says through a chuckle and the girls cackle as they carefully go up the stairs and stroll to the kitchen, stepping over broken glass and tightly linking arms, as they're slightly wobbly on their feet.
They suddenly stop at the couch to see Karla's younger, yet taller friend comforting her as she cries. A protective, older-sisterly feeling comes over Gloria as she sees the bastards towering over the poor girls and acting like complete animals. Together, she and her crew storm through the monstrous crowd and are able to help the freshman and sophomore get home in a taxi.
"Wow, Mami, you ladies were heroines!" Elena says in an impressed manner. "¡Gran trabajo!"
Great job!
"Sí, that's awesome!" Ceci adds.
"Yeah!" Maritza and Flaca holler excitedly in unison. Everyone takes turns high-fiving Blanca and Karla's protectors.
"Why don't I remember you giving me a blanket?" Karla asks Yuri as Ramón massages her back and shoulders.
"I think you were on your way to being passed out!"
"Oh! I guess so." Karla gives an embarrassed laugh.
Ramón keeps rubbing her back soothingly. "Estoy tan feliz de que estuvieran ahí para ti, querida."
I'm so happy they were there for you, darling.
"Yo también," Karla murmurs. She inhales and exhales sharply through her contractions that are slowly becoming closer together.
"Sí, baby, es excelente, las cuidaron muy bien a ambas," Diablo tells Blanca and pecks her temple.
that's excellent, they took such good care of you both.
"They really did," Blanca murmurs with her chin resting on her fist.
Karla stands up after finishing her dinner, wincing in pain again like she had been for the whole meal. "I think my water may have broken! We gotta head to the hospital!"
"¿¡Ahora?!" Ramón asks, his eyes wide.
"¡Va a tener su bebé!" Margarita tells her and Blanca's relatives quickly.
She's having her baby!
"¡Sí, vamos!" Karla waddles ahead of her husband, pulling him along. "I don't think Abel can wait!"
The others follow. There's excited and anxious chatter in between Karla's groans of anguish as she slows down a few times to gasp in and out. Ramón helps her to their car. Each family slides into their respective vehicle and they all rush to the hospital.
Thank you for reading and reviewing, Juliette45 and MsSchneeheide!