Thank you for beta'ing, MsSchneeheide!
ingles-English
mi trabajo-my job
She's on her hands and knees, wiping up the spill while he's sweeping the shattered pieces of the plate and all the food that had been on it, into a large dustpan. Her black locks are in a bun and loose strands hang down on either side of her face, the ends lightly touching her chin. Her curly tendrils of hair fall in front of her eyes as she leans further down, scrubbing away the mess of the milkshakes. Diablo wants to tuck them behind her ears so she can see what she's doing better, but he gives her the space she needs. He wonders where Dean is at the moment. It doesn't matter, as long as he's not here, or better yet, just plain dead or in jail for life. She's so pretty, though, and he can't take his eyes off her. She's in a navy blue Friendly's uniform, black slacks, and dress shoes. He's just wearing old gray jeans with rips in the knees and a ratty black shirt with the sleeves cut off in a messy fashion. He's just as stunned to see her as she appeared to be when he'd walked through the door. If he'd known she'd be here, he would've dressed a lot better. Maybe sprayed on some cologne, too, and washed his hair.
Blanca is of course just as lovely as she was when they were teenagers, but the woman in front of him seems more cautious, a little like she had been during their last conversation a decade and a half ago. When they're both finished cleaning, they stand up together.
"Gracias," she mumbles, barely looking at him. She glances up to meet his gaze for a second, but her eyes drop back down to the floor. Her shoulders are hunched and she doesn't look very confident, which breaks his heart, because she'd been so vibrant when he first met her. "Lo siento, soy torpe," she apologizes.
Sorry, I'm clumsy
"Está bien. I think we're even, don't you?" Diablo asks her.
It's okay
"¿Oh, sí? How so?"
"Derramé mi cerveza por ti en la secundaria, ¿recuerdas? I thought you were gonna fall! Justo ahora, dejaste todo eso bigot's shit as soon as you saw me."
I spilled my beer for you back in high school, remember? Just now, you dropped all that
Blanca chuckles and rolls her eyes. "That was different. You weren't working at that lame party. I have a job here."
"No, see, I was the cause of your clumsiness, just like you were for mine."
Blanca nods. "Okay, tienes razón. Qué extraña coincidencia. Um...so I gotta go back to mi trabajo. I-I'll wash up first." She hurries away to the bathroom and he takes a seat and thinks about what he'd like to get.
You're right. What a weird coincidence.
"Is that him?" Diablo overhears the Hispanic teenage girl across from Karla ask. Her eyes are glowing with interest and Karla nods, much to the girl's apparent delight. She turns around in her spot to face him. "Are you seriously that guy who liked my mom in high school?" Diablo nods and she frowns. "Well, you can forget your stupid crush on her. She's off-limits. I ain't letting nobody fuck her up again."
"Maritza, por favor-" Karla starts while shaking her head and putting a finger on her lips. She stops the two small Latino children from pounding on the table together by putting a hand on both of theirs.
"No, no, it's fine, Karla. I get where she's coming from." Diablo looks over at Maritza. "I promise, I would never do anything evil to your mother that would harm her. We were extremely good friends back then, that's all."
Maritza raises an eyebrow and purses her lips. "Really?"
"Sí."
"She dropped everything she was holding right when you walked in. She's never had that kind of reaction to anyone before...she didn't even seem afraid of you, which is muy extraño," Maritza lets him know.
very weird
"I told you, honey, he's not a threat," Karla assures her. "He's perfectly harmless."
"¡No tienes idea!" Maritza glares at him. "Sorry, dude, but I don't trust you. Stay away from my mother. Okay?"
You got no idea!
Diablo nods solemnly. "All right."
"You should go before she comes back. You obviously had a huge effect on her."
"No, está bien, he can eat here," Karla tells her. Lo siento, she mouths at Diablo. "She can have male friends, it doesn't mean it'll turn into anything more than that."
It's okay
Maritza taps her nails on the table and sighs through gritted teeth. Her eyes bore into his. "Fine. Just don't fall in love with her. You got it?"
"I won't do anything without her permission, I swear."
"Good."
He goes to sit at his own table to read the menu and Blanca comes up to him with a notepad in her hands. "What would you like to eat, sir?"
"You can just call me Diablo," he tells her with a grin.
"Gotta stay professional. My slip-up can't happen again. Um...so, I kinda gotta take your order," she says nervously.
He notices Maritza and Karla watching their interaction as the man next to Karla plays around with the little ones. "Right, so...the mini cheeseburgers, por favor, with fries. Gracias, señorita."
"De nada, señor." He hears her stifle a cute little giggle as she goes to the next customer.
He's there until the end of her shift, and then she goes up to him, holding a small girl most likely in preschool or kindergarten. Maritza trails behind her, probably reluctantly. "Maritza, Raiza, este es mi amigo I went to high school with. His name is Dario. Su apodo es Diablo."
this is my friend. His nickname is Diablo.
"We've met," Maritza grumbles.
Raiza waves at him for a second, but then hides her face in her mother's shirt. "Mommy, why did the food and milkshakes fall down?" she asks shyly.
"I wasn't concentrating," Blanca answers and then kisses the top of little Raiza's head.
"Hola muchachas, it was nice to meet you," he says politely.
Hi girls
"You too," Maritza responds icily. "We'd best be getting home now, Mom."
"Sí..."
"¿Está bien si les acompaño a su carro?" Diablo asks.
Is it okay if I accompany you to your car?
"Vinimos con Karla y Ramón, so no gracias, estamos bien." Blanca grins at him, her eyes bright with cheerfulness. "Pero, thank you for offering."
We came with Karla and Ramón, so no thanks, we're fine.
"De nada."
"Besides that, Mamá no puede conducir. Tomamos el aútobus," Maritza informs him.
Mom can't drive. We take the bus.
That makes sense, heart-wrenchingly so. Of course Dean wouldn't have let Blanca learn to drive, and she was extremely under his control ever since she was at the age that one can start taking lessons if they so desire.
"Maritza," Blanca hisses. "¿Puedes parar por favor?"
Can you stop, please?
"¿Realmente?" Karla wonders aloud. A guilty expression flashes across her face. "¡No lo sabia! Puedo llevarles a la escuela, niñas, y usted a su trabajo, Blanca."
Really? I didn't know! I can take you to school, girls, and you to work, Blanca.
"No, está es bien. Tu puedes llevar mis chicas a la escuela, pero por favor, don't make an extra trip for me."
No, it's okay. You can take my girls to school, but please
"Girl, please, ¡quiero ayudar!" Karla insists.
I want to help.
"Yo también. De todas las formas posibles," Diablo adds to Karla's statement.
Me too. In all possible ways.
"Mamá, por favor, acepta la oferta de Señora Córdova. ¡Ella es tu mejor amiga!"
Mom, please, accept Mrs. Córdova's offer. She's your best friend!
Blanca shakes her head no. "No es necesario, pero gracias. I don't wanna be a burden on anybody. Vamos, todos." She pulls Karla along and the rest follow her.
It's not necessary. Let's go, everyone.
"No eres una carga," Diablo tells her, and Karla and Maritza both nod in agreement. Blanca smiles and ducks her head. Her cheeks flush pink.
You're not a burden.
"Gracias, Diablo," Blanca mumbles. She twirls a strand of her hair around her delicate finger.
"I think that's the smartest thing you've said all night, tattooed giant," Maritza says. "Thought you was solo un cabrón."
just a dumbass
Blanca elbows her. "Maritza Diana, no seas grosera."
Don't be rude.
"It's fine." Diablo waves Maritza's comment off. "I made you drop that entire meal. Soy estúpido."
I'm stupid.
"I was just startled to see you después de deiciseis años," Blanca admits over Maritza's snickering. "Adiós, Diablo. Ten una buena noche."
after sixteen years
Goodbye. You have a good night.
They part ways. "You, too!" he calls back over his shoulder.
Long after the girls have drifted off to their prospective dreamworlds, Blanca stands at the window, gazing out at the stars and the moonlight with her arms wrapped around herself. She's sick of staring blankly at the ceiling, trying to count sheep and failing at resting her mind and body. So, she'd quietly gotten out of bed and tiptoed to the view outside their apartment. It's nothing much, just a bunch of buildings and the occasional vehicle zooming down the street, but the lights in the night sky are so enchanting. They make her overthink things, but she doesn't mind. It's worth it to see the beauty at two in the morning.
Suddenly, she hears someone's feet shuffling toward her, so she whirls around, gasping in surprise with her hand pressed to her heart. "Maritza!" she hisses. "Regresa a la cama, nena. Tienes escuela mañana."
Go back to bed. You have school tomorrow.
"Quite the example you're setting...don't you got work bright and early?" Maritza stifles a yawn behind her hand and Blanca does, too. She puts her free arm around her daughter and holds her close. Maritza's eyes follow Blanca's to the wonderful sight of the great outdoors. "This is not helping." The girl closes the curtains and the room grows slightly darker. Blanca sighs in disappointment, but she's also relieved Maritza has taken away the distraction.
"Lo sè, pero...I can't sleep..." Blanca whispers.
I know, but...
"Yo tampoco puedo dormir...Mamá, do you like him?"
I can't sleep either.
"Who?" Blanca asks.
"Don't play dumb. He's gotta be the reason you're staying up so late."
"Being back in New York and seeing Diablo again..." Blanca shrugs. "Yeah...sí, I guess me gusta él, I mean, he's pretty nice...and handsome." She sighs. "I dunno...tal vez estoy pensando demasiado, pero, I just wanna scream at my fifteen-year-old self for letting him get away."
I like him. maybe I'm overthinking, but
"¿Por qué lo hiciste?" Maritza wonders quietly. "Quiero decir, Diablo could've turned into an abuser, too, though. His nickname is literally El Diablo. The devil en ingles."
Why did you? I mean...
"Oh, he's far from it. He isn't cruel like Dean!" Blanca insists strongly.
"Why didn't you break up with that pendejo for Diablo, if he held such a strong candle for you? Debería superarlo ahora."
He should kinda get over it now.
"I was in love with both of them, I suppose. Or...at least very interested in Diablo. Feelings are complicated, Mari. Plus, even if I tried to leave Dean, he had already sunken his claws into me and wouldn't let me go. He was far too possessive, even when he wasn't...hurting me. When I was pregnant at first, I thought of suggesting us to be co-parents if I were to leave him for Diablo, pero la oportunidad nunca vine," Blanca explains sadly.
The opportunity never came.
"Ay, Mami, lo siento." Maritza leans up to kiss Blanca's cheek and rests her head on Blanca's shoulder as they sluggishly walk back to bed. "At least Diablo graced you with his presence, right?"
I'm sorry
"I know that's usually said in a sarcastic manner, pero es la pura verdad." Blanca pecks the top of Maritza's head. "Está bien. Si no fuera por Dean, nunca las habría tenido chicas." She beams. "Mi vida."
but it's the pure truth. It's okay. If it weren't for Dean, I would've never had you girls. My life.
"Yo también te amo, Mami," Maritza tells her.
I love you too, Mom.
"...y El Mariachi, Manito, he's soooo protective of Carolina, too! I swear to Dios, he loves her so much. He touches her gently and they kiss, and I swoon! Their story was just beautiful, but ended so tragically! ¿Por qué tuvo que morir con su pequeña hija? ¿Por qué?" Flaca asks the girls dramatically at her sleepover. "They was both fucking murdered, that's why. Don't even get me started on Ask the Dust, like A Walk to Remember, but in the nineteen-thirties and not so white. Salmita dies in too many movies! Why couldn't that white guy go? He was rude and racist as shit!"
Why did she have to die with her little girl? Why?
Maritza sighs and rolls her eyes. "Girl, I still don't know why your mom lets you watch R-rated films, pero soy celosa. Once Upon a Time in Mexico is the sequel to Desperado, right?"
but I'm jealous
Flaca nods and grins. "Sí. Pero...the first one's better, since Salma Hayek survives it."
"At least she's in flashbacks," Cat points out.
"Their first two scenes together were hella cool," Ceci says.
"Yeah, but she's in it very little," Flaca complains. She turns to Maritza. "It's okay, chiquita. None of the other girls are allowed to see these over-eighteen movies, either, pero mi madre simplemente me deja verlos con ella y me tapa los ojos ante las escenas súper sangrientas...y el sexo."
but my mom just lets me watch them with her and she covers my eyes at the super gory scenes...and the sex.
"A mi mamá también. Es molesto perder cosas, pero siempre podemos verlos cuando cumplimos dieciocho años," Maritza says.
So does my mom. It's annoying to miss stuff, but we could always watch them when we turn eighteen.
"Hey..." Daya points to herself. "Could we speak English, since I can't understand much Spanish."
"Ay dios mío," Daisy mutters while rolling her eyes, and Maritza copies her, followed by Flaca, Cat, Sirena, and Elena. "Okay..."
"The confessions of a coconut," Maritza grumbles and everyone cracks up, even Daya. "Ohh..." Maritza sighs and her light mood turns somber. "Hey, can I tell y'all somethin'?"
"Go ahead," Elena says, and they all lean toward her in anticipation.
"So, my mom is like, smitten for this dude she knew in high school...and I dunno, it's just kinda..." Maritza laughs awkwardly. "It's strange, seeing her super in love...she always dreams about him. It's cute, but...I don't feel comfortable with some other guy tryin' to get in her pants."
"Oh, shit, that's gotta be hard, your dad just died and everything," Flaca sympathizes with her.
He's dead to me, at least, Maritza wants to say. "Yeah...I guess she's trying her best to move on. People cope with death in a lot of different ways."
"Ain't she afraid of his ghost haunting her at Día de los Muertos?" Elena wonders aloud and everyone giggles except Maritza.
"Does she even put his picture up as part of the ofrenda?" Cat joins in.
"Bitches, I ain't even Mexican, we don't celebrate the dead! Like, we have a funeral for them, but that's it," Maritza clarifies. "I'm Colombian, but I don't really know my family traditions, except quinces when I turned fifteen last year, since I was raised Dominican. My parents adopted me when I was a baby. I was on their doorstep and my mom...she just took me in like it was no big deal."
"Really?" Sirena asks, and Maritza nods. "That was nice of your mom."
"Yeah." Maritza's eyes travel over her group of friends who are all sitting on their colorful sleeping bags. "Sometimes, I think about my birth mom, what she's doing, how she is...I hope she's okay...you know, safe. I know she wanted me, but she was just too poor. I wouldn't have had a good life in Colombia, so I'm glad she left me with my adoptive mom."
"Me too. Blanca seems great," Flaca comments. "You deserve an awesome mama."
Maritza grins widely. "Thanks. She is one."
"Yeah, just maybe tell her to lay off being like Aleida," Daya recommends. "Not saying your mom's a slut, but mine is. The woman seriously cannot pick one man to be with!"
"You better not be callin' my mom a puta!" Maritza says defensively. "Or Imma call you one, too!"
"I never said-"
"Ladies, ¡cálmese!" Elena cuts in. "Quit raising your voices!"
Calm down!
"Sorry," they mumble.
"Gracias," Flaca responds.
"Honestly...I don't think a respectful man would ever try sleepin' with a widow until he knew for sure she was okay with it...and if she has kids, he'd wait to see if they were comfortable with him being around them at all," Daisy points out.
"Nah, not necessarily. Sometimes, he just sees her when the children are with a babysitter or relative...and usually, he doesn't even meet the cherubs until like, a month or two has passed of him dating their mother." Maritza counters her. "Diablo wasn't supposed to try getting to know us, but I interrogated him, trying to be protective, so I probably screwed that up, but my mom introduced us to him anyway..."
"When did this take place?" Flaca asks.
Maritza runs a hand through her hair. "Oh, god, um...yesterday. I got no idea if they're dating now or...doing the nasty." She shudders. "I hope not either. Maybe they're just flirty friends or somethin'."
"He's probably just like, her rock, bein' there for her in this tough time," Cat says. "Nothing actually romantic about it."
"I'm praying that's all it is," Maritza tells her.
"Real men go slow," Sirena chimes in.
"That's right. Now...let's raid the refrigerator for some midnight snacks!" Elena announces.
Flaca giggles. "I'll try to swipe some of my mom's wine!"
"Whoo-hoo!" Maritza cheers quietly and the others beam in excitement.
"Are you sure this looks good on me?" Blanca asks as she, Karla, Theresa, Aleida, Layla, and Lillian walk into the Sparrow Tavern in clubwear after a night of shopping. She poses in her flowing crimson-colored evening gown that has three-quarter length sleeves and sequins all over the material.
"Yeah, girl, that's why we recommended you get it and we all chipped in to buy it for you," Layla says sweetly as Karla and Aleida link arms with Blanca.
"¡Gracias!" They all take their seats at the bar and start ordering food and drinks.
"Mm-hm, you look hot!" Aleida compliments her.
"Muy caliente," Theresa stresses while fanning herself.
"Sí, y tan hermosa también," Karla puts in. "Besides, it's gonna be your birthday this coming Wednesday! As your homegirls for life, we gotta get you somethin'. Consider this an early present."
Yes, and so beautiful too
Blanca gulps down a lump rising in her throat and her eyes fill with happy tears. "Muchas gracias, señoras..." She rests her chin atop her fist and beams at her friends.
Thank you so much, ladies.
"Aw, you're welcome," they murmur in unison.
"It kinda looks like a mix of Esmeralda's dresses in both the nineteen-fifty-six live action and the nineteen-ninety-seven version with Salma Hayek," Theresa comments.
"You would say that," Lillian tells her.
Theresa rolls her eyes. "My daughter's the one obsessed, not me! She makes me watch them with her. It's her favorite Disney story...y princesa."
"You do it outta love," Lillian points out, and everyone nods in agreement.
"Esmeralda wasn't a princess, she was a gypsy...and I should've worn a red dress. That's why I was staring at this one so much," Blanca mutters. "It would've matched Diablo's costume perfectly, but nooo, I had to wear the stupid purple like...him." She says that last part about Dean in such a low voice that no one hears her.
"Do you mean at that Halloween party when Diablo had the hots for you?" Layla asks and the women smirk. Blanca fixes her gaze to the counter.
"How do you even remember that?" she wonders aloud.
Aleida wolf whistles. "Who could forget? Bitch, the chemistry you two had was...palpable!" she exclaims.
"Sí, estoy de acuerdo, so intense!" Karla gushes.
Yes, I agree
"Too bad I didn't realize that at the time," Blanca says darkly. Dean would've never freed her anyway.
"Well, hey, it's never too late. You've already seen each other, and it was still there between you...the passion," Karla tells her. Blanca had already opened up to the ladies about her reaction to seeing Diablo and they'd teased her the whole time. It was just in lighthearted fun, though.
"Whatcha gonna do now that you're single? Get back in the saddle con Diablo, that's what!" Aleida cheers as she swigs her vodka orange soda. The others giggle hysterically.
"Ay, no..." Blanca shakes her head no while waving her hands at Aleida. "¡Cállate, mujer!" Her cheeks warm up and she covers them.
Shut up, woman!
"Come on, you're blushing at the mere thought of being with him," Karla whispers. "You can't deny that." She clears her throat. "Um, but her husband just died, so...I think she needs some time, okay?"
"Sí, pero, what if he asks you out on una cita?" Theresa wants to know.
a date
"Maybe I'll say yes," Blanca responds. She circles her finger around her glass of cold beer and sips it through a straw. "I've got my girls, though, so I gotta pensar en ellas. If I ever were to wade into the dating pool, I would need to take it extremely slow. Para mi y mis hijas."
think about them. For me and my daughters.
"Brilliant idea," Lillian says and they murmur their agreements.
Pretty soon, they're telling Blanca about their other friends and reminiscing the old days. The children and teenagers Blanca knew back then are all grown up and some of their lives have changed significantly. Blanca hadn't been too close to Tiffany, nor does she have any idea who Shani, Brook, or Michelle are. She briefly remembers Nicky-such a sassy little girl she was, but still so cute and she gave such good hugs. Blanca has seen the signs hung everywhere, saying the girls had vanished, but she never really wished to say anything about them. It's a hard topic to bring up. She can't bear to imagine Maritza or Raiza in their situations. Then, another name comes to her mind.
"You girls know what happened to Gloria? Is she okay?"
Karla pales. "Gloria..."
Aleida scoffs. "She was mi mejor amiga...so dumb!"
"Blanca, she left us around the time you did," Karla mumbles.
"We haven't seen her since," Theresa chimes in somberly.
"Why isn't her picture anywhere? Lourdes must be worried sick!" Blanca exclaims, feeling a little queasy herself. She doesn't know what's going on. "I hope she comes back eventually like me."
"There was nothing posted about you...we knew where you were. I assume that's the same in Lourdes' case. Gloria ran off with that Arturo," Lillian mutters.
"Gloria probably keeps in contact with her aunt," Layla assumes.
Blanca wants to ask them about her own mom, but when she starts to do just that, an awful feeling settles in the pit of her stomach. So, she clamps her mouth shut. "That's smart." Good thing Arturo lets Gloria speak to Lourdes. "I'll throw a birthday party! Um...can it be at the Monte Carlo Room? Ladies only!"
"Sure!" they chorus. The positive vibes come back as they cheer in excitement and clink their glasses together. "To your return, Blanca," Karla informs her.
"Yay!" Blanca shouts through a laugh.
Thank you for reading and reviewing, MsSchneeheide, Juliette45, and VeraRose19!