Thank you for beta'ing MsSchneeheide!

"Damn, girl! You really dressed up!" Flaca points out.

"Why wouldn't I?" Maritza asks as she saunters past her girlfriend into her room, turns, and strikes a pose in her black gown that she'd gotten at a thrift store. "We're doing a segment advertising our band, we gotta look good. Ain't like we're in chemistry! Even though we got it."

"Oh, yeah, I'll show you some chemistry!" Flaca giggles and then draws Maritza in for a deep, open-mouthed kiss with their tongues tangling. Maritza remembers the last time they were making out hot and heavy like this; they were also on Flaca's bed, locked onto each other like mermaids upon the sea.

"Mmm…at least you're wearing a sparkly purple top and those black jeans make your ass look good." Maritza gives Flaca's butt a playful slap. The taller girl snickers and then spins her around. Maritza squeals with delight.

"Hell yeah! Used clothing stores are awesome!"

"I know, right?"

"Okay!" Ceci claps a few times. "¡Conseguiduna habitación!"

Get a room.

"Yeah, even though you two are beyond adorbs," Katie adds.

"Fiesta shitters," Flaca teases them and everyone cackles, even Ceci and Katie. She pulls out her phone and aims it at Maritza. "So, tell the people who're gonna be in our band."

"Oh, our amigas…ya know, Elena, Ceci, Katie, Daisy, Cat, Daya, Taystee, Poussey, and Franziska! We all got pipes!"

Elena cups her hands around her mouth. "Fuck yes we do!" The others cheer wildly as Flaca gets them in the frame and then she zooms in on Maritza again.

"My original songs are about dreams and being homeless and my crush I had on Flaca before we got together…but we gotta come up with more! I can't wait to sing 'Helpless' from Hamilton, if I ever get the role of Eliza, if there's even that play in our school. I love la canción so much, I've seen the musical a few times with Flaca and our crew. Eliza Hamilton is a real person, she lived a hella long time ago…she's iconic 'cause she started the first private orphanage in New York and lived to be ninety-seven…almost a hundred!"

"Pretty amazing!" Flaca says as she focuses her phone's camera on herself.

"Totally!" Daisy shouts.

"I got this other song I made up, too." Maritza stands next to Flaca and fluffs her hair so it's around her shoulders and slightly curled at the ends. She clears her throat. "DUI at night got ya moanin', call Kay Sprung, get off in the mornin'! It's more like a jingle for a commercial about a lawyer-" Maritza stops herself as her heavy backpack comes crashing down off her vanity and to the floor, making a loud noise. It seems to coincide with the wild hand gesture she's just made.

"Oh, hell, no, bruja!" Flaca shouts.

"That did not just happen," Taystee mutters.

"Calm down, chicas, it was at the edge of the table!"

"No, it wasn't," Poussey and Franziska both counter Maritza in unison.

"Not the wind, either," Daya chimes in. "It's a nice day, there's just a light breeze, not strong enough to knock over a fifty pound bag of textbooks and journals."

"What you sayin', I made it fall? I ain't telekinetic, even though miracles seem to occur around me, like with Gloria. Ain't you ever had freaky shit happen before?"

"Sí, like this one time two years ago, I found a butter pecan yogurt on the street not even opened and way past its expiration date," Flaca replies. "I was like to my mom, 'oh that's so sad, like it dropped out of somebody's grocery bag and they forgot all about it and nobody ate it…now it's just here, en la calle, spoiled and smellin' bad! Like a food corpse.' So yeah."

"Dark..." Maritza replies.

"Mm-hm, see?"

"You're Goth, you would say things like that," Cat tells Flaca, who just purses her lips and rolls her eyes. She flings her arm around Maritza.

"Whatever. So, anyway, comment below your theories about why Mari's shit fell on the floor, and feel free to blame it on the supernatural!" Flaca smirks and Maritza shakes her head. Although she's somewhat of a witch, she doesn't really feel the need to tell the whole world this.

"Okay, toodeloo!" Maritza smiles at the camera and then they turn so their friends are in the background. Everyone waves goodbye and then Flaca stops the video.

It starts with Nicky and Shani's second reunion. After hugging and kissing each other hello, Nicky has an idea. "Hey, babe, have you, uh…have ya seen our other co-workers? The more favorable ones, not the methheads."

"Yeah, they've been around…you know Michelle is Alex's girlfriend and a barista at Starbucks. Pennsatucky works at the Indigo Club, the legal part, anyway…bartending. Brook got a job at Barney's making artisanal soap. I'm working at Red's store, as you're well aware, and Yessica…that's not her name, but she really was homeless…she just didn't want any of those disgusting pimps finding out who she was online."

"Understandable. She okay now?"

"Yeah, she lives at her mom's boyfriend's place."

"We should meet up with 'em again!"

"Sure! I'd love that!" Shani pulls out a pack of Little Debbie oatmeal creme pies from her purse. "By the way, almost forgot, I brought you something!"

Nicky laughs heartily and takes them from her girlfriend. "Well, hey, thanks! I've been wishing for these, it's been so long! They don't have 'em in the vending machine, those fuckers. Got ya treats, too." She hands a personal sized bag of Lays potato chips to Shani, who gazes down at it with delight.

"Aw, you remembered my favorite snack! Thank you so much!"

"'Course I did! You're welcome!" Another surge of happiness flows within Nicky and she squeezes Shani tightly against her without smashing their food. "I'm so happy you get to stay here, baby!"

"It looks that way, darling, yes! All thanks to Karla and my lawyer, Maria."

"Karla, hmm? My former babysitter?"

Shani nods. "I'm living with her for a bit; I moved in after her new baby came. Wanna see her?"

"I don't live with my dumbass father anymore and I'm a grownup now, just like her, so why not?" Nicky links arms with her girlfriend as they stride to Red's car. "After I join my mother figure and Tricia in the car, and then we meet up with the other ladies, of course."

"Awesome!"

As soon as Nicky approaches the vehicle, Red gets out. Nicky practically knocks her over with a hug and they both chuckle softly. "Oh, my girl, you're finally home!" Red exclaims, chucking her chin.

"Yep, I'm a brand spankin' new person!"

While Red sits behind the wheel again, prepared to drive them home, Nicky and Shani both climb in next to Tricia in the backseat. The older blonde fist bumps the younger one. "Hey, nice seeing you again, big sis!"

"Thanks, little sis!"

"How's withdrawal?"

Nicky winces. "Agony, but I'm pushin' through it, just like I have six times before. It's like I keep switching between being clean and not. I had this weird dream that I saw this girl from my high school at work and I used to think she was cute; that's when I realized it was Lorna. I thought, wow, the years were good to both of us!" Shani raises her eyebrow and Nicky laughs awkwardly. "She's still adorable, but I love you the most, baby."

"I love you, too," Shani tells her and then they kiss.

"That's great!" Tricia exclaims. "I bless the woman who kept me safe when I was stuck on the freeway and the ladies who helped me gather my groceries when they fell out of the useless plastic bag I was carrying on the bus since it ripped…but really, it was Red who turned my life around for the better!"

The aforementioned woman grins at them in the rearview mirror.

"Aw, so sweet!" Nicky comments. "Where's your best friend Allie?"

"Hanging out with Sara…she's happy for me that you're home, though!"

Nicky rests her elbow on Tricia's shoulder. "Me too, kid."

"Same!"

"Yeah!" Red and Shani chorus as they drive to the former's house.

"Then when I got to work, Piper was all, 'it's supposed to be PoPi, not PoPiBro!' while giving me the stink eye," Brook is saying as Maritza approaches the group of her former co-workers at the subway station where she used to live with her mom and sister. She plans to be home before Blanca and Diablo are; she keeps checking her watch. She'd told Flaca and their friends she was out looking for work.

"Hey, well, that's typical Piper Chapman! I know all about her. Thinks she's too good for everyone she meets," Nicky mutters. "She one-ups people without even trying. She isn't afraid of death, she jumped from her grandma's roof into the pool!"

"Mm-hm, college bitch ain't scared of nothin," Pennsatucky chimes in. "She did ballet and played the flute for two years, and she's also a daddy's girl. Sure, all her friends dumped her in middle school, like Marcy Klein, the oh, so popular Ryan, Jessica, not Wedge, Ralph, and Sarah H, and it's all because she's a braggart!"

"Yeah, one time, I heard from Alex that Piper always called her a sexy librarian, but she said her glasses are more important since they help her with her vision problems, duh!" Michelle informs them. "That stanky bitch also bragged that she's so good with her tongue that she can get duct tape off her mouth by pushing the gag through. Alex said to her face that she's a selfish, controlling, bourgeois piece of shit! She also gave herself an infinity tattoo because she thought the power she assumed she had over people would last forever!"

Nicky scoffs. "Stupid cunt! I'm glad neither of you met her ignorant ass." She gestures between Maritza and Shani. "Hey, nice that you could meet up with us…not sure what to call ya, but yeah. Shani said Yessica isn't your name."

"I knew it! That girl you were with said it wasn't," Brook says. "It's totally cool, though; I get why."

"I'm Maritza! So, how's it hangin', my dudes? Err, ladies. Y'all diggin' us together as like, the brothel squad? I'm kinda feelin' that, like I got one other set of friends, then my work peeps."

They appear to be confused as they stare at her. "Why do you sound like you're in a hip-hop or rap music video?" Brook asks.

"Lo siento, that's…" She clears her throat, realizing she's talking the way her school friends do, especially Flaca. "Ummm, look, I'm just glad you thought of me and arranged this reunion," she informs Nicky.

"I'd never leave you out, I'm not a bitch. Remember when we smoked outside the brothel?" Nicky asks.

"Yeah," Maritza tells her with a grin. "Good times!"

"What about you, babe?" Nicky jerks her chin at Shani, who nods back with a friendly smile.

"Mm-hm, that was fun!"

"I was at the Indigo Club the other day, like sneaking there with my girls, but then I spotted my mom, Penns, Alex, and Lorna, talking at the bar, and we all backed out," Maritza pipes up.

"Good thing y'all skedaddled on outta there!" Pennsatucky points out. "The conversation was about bullies, in case you were curious. My boyfriend Nathan recognized you there, but he didn't say nothin' til later; he told me that he turned you down at the brothel."

"If you need help, I can pay you...but you're so young. How old are you?" he asks.

She gasps, slightly offended. "Eighteen, why does it matter to you?"

"Oh yeah, some dude refused to have sex with me 'cause I looked too young," Maritza remembers aloud. "Bullshit, if you ask me!"

"Nah, he made me think about it…I was high off my ass when I saw you that first time; lookin' at you now, hmm…" Pennsatucky taps her chin and glances up in thought. "Your features are softer than a full grown adult's. Plus, you're talkin' like a sassy teen still in high school. Maybe you lied about your age. Nothin' we can do about it now, but-"

"You're outta your damn mind!" Maritza snaps. "I just graduated last summer…I pick up the lingo like anyone else. I haven't forgotten…and my mom's friend talks like that, too, and she's thirty something, so there!"

"Now don't go making accusations," Nicky reprimands Pennsatucky.

"Everyone who would care is dead," Shani puts in.

Maritza sighs with relief. "Gracias. So how are you all?"

"Wonderful! Like our first time a decade and a half ago, Nathan was really slow with me during sex again the other night, he called me beautiful, and gave me the most amazing pussy rub; his fingers were like magic inside me!"

"Okay, too much info," Michelle states. "Someone else talk, please!"

"I ended up writing a letter to my ex-boyfriend Ethan… I told him this," Brook starts solemnly. "I know I have depression. There are signs that can be seen everyday. Polly's been watching me, but Meadow gave up and stopped being my friend after I became a sex worker. We need to figure out something that works for us, I can't be left alone at school walking around and seeing the places that we've been to together, they are haunting me…" Brook trails off. "Should I send it in the mail or rip it up? Gus, who runs an anti-logging blog, and Terry, who sells anti-authoritarian cupcakes, both say I shouldn't bother telling him my problems."

"What happened between you two?" Maritza asks.

"Maybe he got tired of you smellin' like a turtle tank," Pennsatucky comments.

Brook grits her teeth. "For the last time, I don't wash myself since I love my natural body odor, and he was cool with it! I only did when you made me, since it's required before selling my body for sex. Back when I had longer hair and a nose ring at nineteen, I was part of a group, Neighbors Against Corporate Greed, that was going around the neighborhood to get them to sign a petition to convince the city council to make a park be at Exposition and Euclid instead of a Walmart, even though I do enjoy shopping there. It was August twenty-third, two-thousand and five, around Hurricane Katrina. There was this sex offender who lived at thirty-one-thirty fourth tenth street. He was arrested for sex on the beach, but my ex made up a rumor that he was into little boys and Asian girls. He was just being rude because I dumped him for Oren, even after telling him I loved him."

"Okay, finally, you got to the point! So, send it, but also apologize for your behavior, don't just make excuses," Nicky advises her.

"I know, it was a spiel…not sure if I'm saying that correctly. I will talk to someone about anything until they like me since I'm desperate-I do admit that. Anyway…at least he respects that I'm a vegetarian, and he paid me fifty bucks after betting me that I wouldn't go to the sex offender's house, so I bought a Hemp messenger bag and strawberry lube for Oren with his money. I may have been an RA in college until the brothel, but I'm not perfect, ya know! Me and my sister went to a drive-thru and cracked up for no reason at all-"

"You got a sister? Why don't you live with her?" Shani cuts into Brook's rambling.

"We're not close anymore…she sided with my parents, who want nothing to do with me. So, I got to be besties with Meadow, who told me to be a grasshopper, whatever that means. We volunteered in Ohio to live in trees for eight months so they wouldn't get cut down…but she turned out to be a terrible friend. I also watched The Wire, which made me assume crappy things about Poussey, but when I got with her, the Nazi girls called me an N-word lover, but also Diane Vause while she started dating Charles, and Aleida, who's also seeing a black guy-"

"Hey, this is why we can't be pals, it's too awkward…your constant chit-chat drives people bananas!" Nicky interrupts Brook. "Going from one topic to the next about your problems… I understand venting, but maybe you should get help…before you think about getting back together with that dude."

"I am. Berdie Rogers is counseling me; she has a masters in Psychology while Healy has one in social work. I'm depressed since everyone says I'm a blabbermouth who can't seem to shut up. I used to sit alone in Berdie's class at lunch. She said Leanne was just jealous of my perfect Pocahontas hair, teeth, and skin, and making fun of the fact that I'm Japanese-Scottish because she's racist. I would also take Doxepin for my depression and anxiety. Mr. Healy recommended that, but I hate medicine, so I don't touch the stuff anymore. He sucks as a counselor, but Berdie is better. None of the girls like him, that's what I told Jamie Fletcher back in college. He heard me and furrowed his brow before exiting the room."

"Oh yeah, he was a big asshole. He hated how women were taking over the world!" Pennsatucky exclaims.

"He thinks depression is all in my head," Brook says. "When I used to go to Martin Van Buren High, I heard from Mr. Caputo that he liked this employee at the Siren Smoothie named Rebecca, but she didn't like him, she was half his age. Then there's Katya, his mail order bride who does pole dancing; she doesn't even love him! They're probably not even together anymore."

"A homeless drunk guy resembling Jesus Christ fell on Healy when he was a boy and vomited all over him; maybe that's why he's fucked up," Michelle comments. "Not that it's a bad thing to be…well it is, but it doesn't make you awful people or something," she states quickly while glancing in Maritza's direction, appearing to be apologetic. "Uh, my girlfriend and her mom were once homeless after their trailer park got torn to shreds by a rainstorm, but luckily, they had Charles."

"Nah, it's cool, but it ain't an excuse to grow up and be shitty," Maritza says.

"True! I didn't have the best growin' up days, but still, when I was in prison for shooting an abortion nurse, it turned me into a better person. I was weaving this basket out of pink soap, green mush from peas, and threads of socks that people threw away, over trash bags. I spent three hundred hours on it and people loved my work!"

Maritza gasps. "You shot-"

"Hey, don't judge, she survived, but I'm always gonna feel bad…and I was jacked up on drugs! I had babies with my ex Arlen and aborted all six of 'em. Arlen was good at dirty talk…sayin' shit like I'll blank your blank, like I'd butter your muffin or whatever. Anyway…I got nine years, but got out early for good behavior. My pimp and his buddies all worked at the craphole I used to stay at, so I wasn't there for too long. They've stopped looking for me."

"Okay, why don't you tell Maritza about that weird photo on your bedroom wall?" Nicky asks. "That's a little more interesting of a story and not as sad as making barf baskets in the hoosegow and dating a pervert who thought of you as a baby machine."

"Oh," Pennsatucky laughs. "Well, my grandma broke her pelvis and me and my brother and cousins got X-rays; the doctor was friendly and Mama was fuckin' him, so he took an x-ray of my whole body and I put the picture of my entire skeleton on the wall in my childhood bedroom and took it with me to my apartment when I moved out!"

"Oh, that's really strange, but funny to imagine!" Maritza giggles while folding her arms across her chest. "Did she end up marrying him?"

"You'd think so, right? She broke it off with him because she was an idiot! The only guy who ever treated us all right, and she said they weren't compatible. I'll always miss him, good ol' Doc Wilhite."

"That's too bad!" Shani tells her. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, it's all right. Y'all might find it interesting to know that I was the prison van driver!"

"You? You're so short!" Maritza points out.

"Yes, thank you Captain Obvious, but you'd be shocked…I've driven a tow truck, a dump truck…plus three different haulers for this dude who stole trucks. My cousin Sierra was impressed! So was Reverend Lawlor, but fuck him, 'cause he ditched me for changing my ways. I used to be a girl in pigtails and had blonde highlights as side bangs…" She gestures to her short hair, cropped to her chin. "Look at me now! Abe was a regular client of mine, but he's abusive and rapey and I'm glad he no longer wanted to see me at the end…ya know, when our pimps and madam were gone for good."

"That's great!" Michelle says.

"I know…I'm a badass, in case you weren't aware, Maritza. You see, I was friends with a guy named Ricky and his wife and they were all cooking meth in their trailer, then their baby JoJo was making his way down the street when a car hit him, and I pushed the damn thing off him, I got muscles for go, but then JoJo later shot his own mother with an assault rifle under the bed. If I were psychic, I'd probably let the kid die. Fucking asshole."

Brook rolls her eyes. "Now look who's rambling!"

"My stories make sense and they go in order."

"Whatever."

Pennsatucky faces the others. "So, should we get ice cream and soda to celebrate us all bein' together again? My personal faves are chocolate ice cream and Mountain Dew…those are what I had as a congratulations from Mama for getting my period when I was ten. I can also make y'all my mom's famous yellow drink, which is my specialty now."

"Sure!" Shani murmurs, and the others agree excitedly.

They start heading to the grocery store. "I got one more story for y'all! Boo used to date Linda Ferguson. That bitch Linda later learned what it's like to be poor when Boo, in revenge, stole her money, but she still did not change her petty attitude! Then, Boo had a one-night-stand with Ching Chang Chong, or Ms. Chang, the pharmacist, but they broke up 'cause Boo can't repair machines to save her life, and she confessed she shot a homophobe when she was seeing this Tracy chick in her early thirties. What can I say, she hates when men overpower her. We all do!"

"Yeah! Wow, I thought your foster mom was a lot stronger than that, both mentally and physically," Maritza says confusedly.

"When Boo was thirteen, she passed out after an electric shock. She's mostly tough, but she has her weaknesses."

"Yes, but Linda Ferguson?! The wicked cunt of New York? That one?" Nicky asks, and she looks as horrified as Maritza feels. "She must've really been needing to get laid."

"I guess so." Pennsatucky shrugs. "At least they're done with each other."

"Linda terrorized my mami in high school," Maritza lets them know. "She only deserves shit in her life, not any kind of relationship. She's with Carlos anyway…why was she havin' sex with a woman?"

"How would I know?" Pennsatucky blows out a huge breath.

"I thought Boo would've told you, considering how close y'all are!"

"Eh, I didn't wanna discuss her sex life. She's like my mom! Gross."

Maritza nods. "I feel ya. Speaking of disgusting shit, I still get nightmares about that baby mouse Humps forced me to swallow whole." They gaze at her sympathetically. "I can't look at a mouse the same way again…I can deal with watching Charlotte's Web with my mom and Raiza, but not Stuart Little or An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. That ugly bastard ruined those movies for me. I just pretend I grew out of 'em 'cause they're animated, which isn't a total lie, because I did anyway."

"Jesus Christ, I'm sorry, kid." Nicky pulls out a bag of pretzels from her oversized sweatshirt pocket and starts munching on them. She shares it with the others since there's plenty for everyone.

"At least he's dead now!" Maritza starts eating the salty snack.

"Mm-hm!" the others chorus.

"How was rehab?" Maritza asks Nicky.

"Ninety-four days with a creepy, unstable roommate named Barb who'd call me her Nicky baby and hook her arm around me, pulling me in tightly. She'd hold my shoulders and look into my eyes as she discussed murder plans…it was the drugs, I betcha anything. She sounded like she had a cold, but her scratchy voice was from all the heroin she's been taking since her teenage years. She's like thirty, but looks two decades older. We played piano together sometimes, and we'd both lived on the streets before, so we connected over that. I helped her get sober and she made me realize that I shouldn't ever touch another piece of smack again!"

"I've met a weirdo with a raspy voice named Barb before…" Maritza frowns. "She was trying to kidnap my little sister and sort-of-cousin."

"So that's where she went for those few days…yeah, they caught her and I never saw her again. I apologize sincerely, I've got a habit of telling dangerous people personal info about my past…like I let Vee know that I was on the debate team-I won first place in the Original Oratory for two years in a row, but then I broke my coach's toe, so I was expelled. I opened up to Barb about how I used to collect beanie babies and sold it to my friend Katie's brother and had sex with him while I was so high. That's when I knew I had to quit…the first time!"

"It's okay, you didn't know," Shani murmurs, rubbing Nicky's back in soothing circles. They link arms and lean into each other.

"Yeah! It's like Barb and I played poker together and had fun chatting. She seemed okay until she didn't. She had some kind of violent streak. She never hurt me, but she tried to kill her baby sister. With Vee, we talked about my friend Michel, who runs a strip joint underneath the Queensboro Bridge. They don't serve alcohol, but it's full nude…she didn't want to merge her business with his like I suggested, because she preferred to run it on her own. Then, she showed her true colors and became a bitch."

"Damn, that sucks," Pennsatucky mutters. "I got a problem of trusting the wrong people, too."

Maritza and the slightly older women venture into the ice cream shop and order their desserts. "So did my mom, until she got close with her boyfriend. I'm so glad she's with him now."

The others smile at her and nod in agreement.

"Our feet would get dirty when walking down the street and on the bus in stockings when our shoes got too uncomfortable. One time, around two in the morning, a stray Doberman sniffed at me and stole Raiza's food, scaring the shit out of both of us because we were afraid to get bit," Blanca is explaining to Diablo while they sit on the park bench together. Little Abel sleeps in her arms and they're watching Raiza and Benji have fun on the playground. "I was afraid of being out on the streets every night and the girls were too, so I did my best to get us into a shelter. Sometimes, it wasn't possible."

"That sounds so scary and desolate, baby, lo siento mucho," Diablo says, gazing at her sadly.

"Yeah." Tears come to Blanca's eyes at the memory and she sniffles. "Someone tried to take Raiza from me and I got sexually assaulted for saving my daughter! Later, Maritza came back from work with a black eye, I saw her getting harassed on the street and Raiza pointed her out. Somehow, she kicked the bastard's ass, but…¡estaba tan preocupada!"

I was so worried!

"I bet! Gracias a Dios you're all okay," Diablo tells her. "I love you all so much and wouldn't know what to do without you." He strokes his thumb along her cheek softly and then kisses her. She beams into it, despite thinking about being homeless.

"We need sixty-four ounces of water a day, but sometimes, we couldn't get it all. We used drinking fountains whenever they were available and asked for free agua at fast food places. The only reason we were hungry sometimes was when the soup kitchen was full or if Maritza, who always bought cheap food with her maid money, got it stolen from her. The food bank was a first come first served basis and no more than eighty to a hundred people were allowed to attend, as Cindy told me. I also learned hours differ, some nine til five, others opened at the same time, but closed at eight. I dumpster dived, but not very often. We weren't always starving or thirsty, but I don't think I ever want to skip a meal in my entire life again, and neither do the girls. Maritza and I had an emergency plan, to meet at a specific place if one of us couldn't find the other since that means we're at the hospital or urgent care. I…I know I'm just going on and on, I'm sorry."

He listens to her with sad eyes. "No necesitas disculparte, mi amor. You can open up to me anytime."

You don't have to apologize, my love.

"Gracias." She rests her head on his shoulder and Abel coos in her arms, looking so peaceful. "When we all first moved into our apartment away from Dean, I was taking something out of the oven when my skirt caught fire, so I called for Maritza and she helped me put it out. Another time, we were all cold and we started un poco de fuego in the backyard, since we didn't have a fireplace. I've always known how to survive, Diablo…it's how Dean never killed me, or maybe I'm just afortunada."

A little fire - lucky

"It's both," he lets her know with a grin as he kisses her hand. "You've always been strong, too, not to mention sweet and bonita."

"Tu también." They exchange a smile and Blanca wipes underneath her eyes. "Remember how we both loved Selena Quintanilla?"

"Yeah, and I mourned her the day she was murdered. March thirty-first, nineteen ninety-five."

"It's been twelve years now. I was twenty-one and I was so devastated when I found out she was gone. Dean cheered at the news and said he was in the best mood, and the reason why was so sickening! He treated me and little Maritza really well too, he took me out for my first legal drink and made a toast as I held back tears."

"Wow, what a cruel douchebag!"

"I was fifteen when Dame tu Amor came out and at senior prom, I was dancing to Missing my Baby with that asshole while thinking of you. He left not even thirty seconds into la canción." Blanca shakes her head with disgust. "I hate this fucking bullshit song, let's go!" she hisses, repeating what Dean had said. "Those were his exact words. He agreed with Howard Stern, who also made fun of Selena's music. I just wish I had been with you when she was killed…I needed you and Karla so badly, because I knew you'd both get it."

"I know, I wish we could've been sad together. Her songs would get me through anything."

"Same here. Now we've got Salma Hayek's movies, and I hope she'll be here our whole lives!"

"Me too. Selena will live forever in our hearts, my darling," Diablo assures Blanca, and she nods, feeling somewhat better.

"Mm-hm. Her songs are gonna last for eternity y ¡siempre podemos bailar con sus canciones!"

we can always dance to her songs!

"Sí. Muy cierto, sweetheart."

"¡Mamá! Señor Diablo! Come play with us!" Raiza calls out and she and Benji wave them forward. They get up with Blanca still holding Abel. He stirs in his sleep and lets out a slight wail.

"Whoops," Blanca and Diablo chorus and then laugh together.

Thank you for reading and reviewing, Juliette45 and MsSchneeheide!