Vignette Summary: Diego's dad meets Diego's mom while on a business trip to the Dominican Republic. They feel an instant connection.

Tags: Meet-Cute/Romance/Tragedy

Word Count: 7,225

Date: Saturday, July 28th, 1984

Time: 3:39 pm

Location: Paraíso Resort & Spa, Puerto Plata, The Dominican Republic

Jackson "Jack" Myers touched down at the Santo Domingo airport at 10:30am that morning and then drove four hours in a rental car to his hotel. His boss, the manager at the Fresh Choice Produce Co., had given him money for his business trip and told Jack that he didn't care when he arrived, so long as he was at the office until the end of his shift on Friday, and was able to make his first plantation meeting at 9:00 am that coming Monday.

Jack couldn't get a direct flight to Puerto Plata until Sunday, but he didn't care. He booked the earliest flight he could on Saturday morning, doing his final packing the evening prior. On previous business trips, he'd arrive as late as possible and would leave the second he finished his last meeting. He'd also stay at the cheapest motel he could find and only eat at hole-in-the-wall restaurants. That's all his stipends covered.

On this trip, however, he went all out for the first time. This was his eighth business trip for the company, and he didn't know when he'd have another one. What he did know is that he'd be 30 in March, and he wanted to do something fun and exciting before then.

He only made okay money at his job, but he had been saving since he started there five years earlier. Saving for what exactly? He wasn't sure. When his boss asked him a few weeks earlier to go on this trip, he jumped at the opportunity, as he always did, but decided to dip into those savings and turn this trip into an experience.

Jack booked a room at an all-inclusive resort, and, minutes after check-in, he was already grateful for the decision. His hotel room had air conditioning, and he wouldn't sweat his ass off like he did at the motels he usually stayed at. He also bought a brand-new suit and felt like a high roller when he boarded his flight, even though he still flew coach.

Further, he appreciated his choice as he sat at the bar of one of the resort's restaurants and sipped on a gratis cocktail, relaxing after a long day. He enjoyed traveling but he was an anxious flyer and was still coming down from the eight-hour flight. He was also exhausted, and no amount of coffee seemed to help.

However, he told himself that he couldn't waste any of the time he had as he would be working most of the week. He didn't have the energy to go sightseeing today but figured he'd explore the rest of the resort and maybe take in some of its entertainment and private beaches. For now, he was content to sip his drink at the bar. This venue already provided adequate entertainment for him.

The restaurant was empty at this time of day. Too late for lunch, too early for dinner, and most resort patrons weren't inside on such a beautiful day. The only other guests were a retired couple having an early supper. Seated at the other end of the bar though was a housekeeper who had just gotten off her shift and was chatting with the bartender.

She was so cute; he thought. She was a small thing, short and wiry from physical work; he guessed. Her dark brown hair was tied into a ponytail and some loose strands had fallen out, softly framing her face. She had flawless dark tan skin, long lashes, and a beautiful smile. She was also a verbal assassin, thoroughly dressing down many of the resort's patrons in between bites of her post-shift meal.

Jack tried not to laugh as she regaled her tales of trashed hotel rooms and guest debauchery to the very amused bartender, and he made mental notes not to make any of the same mistakes. He knew he wasn't supposed to be hearing any of this though. She wasn't being discrete, but she was also speaking Spanish and likely assumed that the three restaurant patrons couldn't. An assumption he'd soon prove to her was wrong.

The bartender would occasionally eye Jack's drink, and, once he noticed Jack was finished, excused himself from the conversation and walked to the other side of the bar. "Would you like another daiquiri, sir?" the bartender asked in English.

"Yes, that would be great. Thanks," Jack replied. He smiled and switched to Spanish. "And one for her too. Sounds like she could use it."

The bartender laughed and called out to the woman in his native tongue. "Uh-oh, Maria. Looks like we've been had."

Maria's face sank in realization. She just ranted in front of one of the guests for nearly a half hour. For once, she didn't know what to say.

"I'm no…" Jack paused, trying to find the word. "…snitch. I won't tell on you."

"I'm sorry I said all of that," she apologized.

"Don't be sorry. I found it entertaining. Learned a lot too."

She smiled slightly. "I just didn't realize you spoke Spanish."

"Because I'm white?" he asked.

Maria was taken aback. "We have white people here too. You're a guest though and you look American."

"I'm joking. Didn't know we had a look."

"We can usually tell."

"I'll have to correct you though. I'm Californian. Not American."

"Really?

Jack nodded. "Lived there all my life. Couldn't leave."

"Is it alright living there?" Maria wasn't well-versed in all the minutia surrounding the split but had heard about it on the news. What she did know is that California hadn't been doing well after the secession. The US made sure of that.

He hemmed and hawed. "I still like it. It's my home. The past few years have been… not so great. But I'm surviving."

"You're here though, at a nice resort," Maria reasoned. "Must be doing okay."

"True. Here on business though. Guess I'm lucky to have work."

"Have you been to the country before?"

He shook his head. "First time. Flew in this morning."

"What do you think so far?"

"The views are spectacular."

"Yes, it's quite beautiful here," she replied. "The north side in particular."

Jack smiled. "I agree." His comment was meant to be a come-on, but his flirting skills were handicapped from speaking another language. He decided to be more direct. "Would it be okay if I sat closer?" he asked, gesturing to the four empty barstools between them.

"Oh," Maria reacted. Instinctively, she looked up to her senior colleague for an answer.

Ramon, the bartender, had been trying to busy himself behind the bar once he realized there was a love connection forming in front of him. "You're off-duty," he reassured her.

Maria nodded to Jack, and he got up, taking his second daiquiri with him. Meanwhile Ramon moved to Jack's original side of the bar, preparing garnishes for the evening rush.

Jack held out his hand. "Jack Myers."

Maria shook it. "Maria Armando. Nice to meet you, Jack."

"You too."

Date: Saturday, August 4th, 1984

Time: 9:26 pm

Location: Paraíso Resort & Spa, Puerto Plata, The Dominican Republic

The evening they met, the pair talked for hours at the bar, only leaving once the restaurant had become crowded with other guests. Just as Jack thought she was cute, Maria thought he was handsome with his tall build, nice suit, and winning smile. Despite occasional language barriers, they both made each other laugh so much. He liked to tease her, and she could dish it back to him just as well as she could take it.

After they left the bar, Maria showed Jack around the resort, and they walked along the beach. At the end of the night, they agreed to meet again on Monday evening. They were both off the following day, but Maria had family and religious commitments, as she always did on Sundays.

Every evening the rest of the week, they saw each other after they were done with work, exploring the nearby tourist spots and the places only locals knew about it. They went sightseeing and Maria took lots of pictures. They went dancing and ate delicious food.

Jack soon realized that the all-inclusive he paid so much for was being wasted as he barely spent any time there that week. And yet, he had no regrets. If he hadn't booked his stay at that resort, he never would have met her.

As the youngest of four daughters and an unmarried woman, Maria still lived with her parents, who were alarmed that she never seemed to be at home that week. As it was, her dad never liked that Maria worked or drove, always wanting her to marry, have kids, and be a homemaker by 20, as all her older sisters had done. Since she refused to marry one of the nice boys from church that he and her mother had picked out for her, he begrudgingly agreed to the arrangement since Maria's income helped pay his bills.

Maria didn't like lying to her parents, but she felt she had no choice, given the circumstances. Not only was she out seeing a man they hadn't selected for her, but he was both a Californian man and protestant. On some days, she told them that work was busy, and she had picked up some extra shifts. On others, she said she was hanging out with a new female friend of hers from work.

She was worried that they didn't believe her, but they didn't say much about it nor try to obstruct her plans. She had never given them a reason to distrust her, so they gave her the benefit of the doubt. The following Saturday though, she knew no lie would completely satisfy them.

Saturday was Jack's last evening there, and he had to drive to the airport early the next morning. Neither of them wanted to say goodbye though. They took his rental car out for their excursions that evening and, when he drove them back to the resort parking lot, so Maria could retrieve her car, they wouldn't exit the vehicle.

For good reason, as they were ardently making out in the semi-privacy of the enclosed space. What started out as hand-holding and good night kisses earlier in the week, had become more frantic as their timeline together shrank.

After many minutes of this, Jack pulled away from her and whined, "I wish I didn't have to leave tomorrow."

"I know," Maria agreed. "I'll miss you." They embraced again for several more minutes, until Maria spoke up again. "Maybe I could stay tonight."

"Oh?" he answered. Jack wanted that too, but wouldn't dare say anything else, scared that one wrong word would make her change her mind.

"Maybe," she said hesitantly. She had never done anything like this before and was nervous. She looked at him for reassurance.

He realized that he couldn't remain silent with her looking at him like that, but he was at a loss for words. "If… you want to. I'm not… expecting that."

"What do you want to do?"

He smiled. "Obviously, that."

"Me too. This is all so… new to me," she admitted.

"I know."

"Is it new to you too?"

"Uhhhh."

"Well, there's my answer," she said plainly.

"I'm only a man," he joked.

"Charming."

"I was good for a while," he added. "I'm almost thirty."

She sighed. "I'm not surprised to hear that. It's just hard to have confirmation of what I suspected."

"If I knew you were here, I would have waited," he said genuinely.

She had no way to know if that was just a line, but she smiled despite herself. "And, before you knew I was out there, how many were there?"

"I could count them all on one hand," he answered, trying to downplay it.

"And with me counted in?"

Jack laughed. She was too smart for him. "Uh, two hands."

"I thought you told me you were a good protestant boy," Maria teased.

"I am," he countered.

"But?"

"I don't have a good answer." He grinned. "Just not as pure as you catholic girls," he teased back.

Maria smiled slightly and nodded. Neither said anything for a while. "Forget we said anything," he suggested. "I'm not pressuring you."

"Okay," she agreed. She wouldn't leave though, and they started kissing again. After several more minutes of this, she spoke once more. "Or…"

"Or?"

"I could stay, but we'll just talk. It doesn't have to be like that."

"Okay." Jack was skeptical of this plan, but he wasn't going to say no. "What will you tell your parents?"

"I'm staying at a friend's house."

"They'll believe that?"

Probably not, she thought, but they couldn't stop her either. "Yes."

"You're sure?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Okay."

Maria called her parents from a payphone and was grateful when her mom picked up. Her mom didn't interrogate her as much as her dad would have, but Maria could tell that she was suspicious. She simply reminded Maria of the church service the next morning and dinner with her sisters in the evening. Maria assured her that she wouldn't miss either.

After the call, they walked up to Jack's room and sat apart from one another, him lounging on the bed and her seated on the loveseat. She told him how surreal it was to be a guest in a room she had only ever cleaned. Maria complimented him on keeping it so pristine after her rant on guest cleanliness last Saturday, or lack thereof. Jack laughed and reminded her that he was hardly ever there this past week.

After about an hour of talking, she remarked how uncomfortable it was sitting on the couch, but it was too short for even her to lay down comfortably. He offered to switch places, but she laid down next to him instead.

The physical barrier between them removed, it was only a matter of time before talking turned into kissing and kissing turned into other things. Before they knew it, Jack had to count on two hands instead of one.

After it was over and they were lying in bed together, Maria thought she should feel ashamed and regret it, but she didn't. Quite the opposite. She thought she would have regretted it if she went home like she should have. She didn't know when she'd see him again. Maria would never say this out loud, for fear of looking foolish, but she knew she was falling in love with him.

On the other side of the bed, Jack was having many of the same thoughts. After Maria fell asleep, he was still wide awake, calculating. He couldn't leave now, but he didn't know if he could afford to stay. He could rebook his flight for a small fee, but what about the cost of staying? He started tabulating the price of each extra day at the resort, of the rental car, and of excursions. One extra week would clean out his savings and use up all his vacation time, but he knew it was worth it.

He put his boxers back on and crept quietly to the phone. As quiet as he was, Maria still woke up. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I have to make some calls."

"At this time of night?"

"My flight's in less than 12 hours. I have to rebook."

She smiled. "What about your work? Will they be okay with you taking time off like this?"

Probably not, he thought, but it's not like they could do anything about it. Besides, he was the only person in the office who could converse with their Spanish suppliers, and he was their best negotiator. Even if his boss was mad, he needed him. "They'll live," Jack replied.

Maria beamed. Any lingering doubts about the night had melted away. "You better get to it, then."

Date: Wednesday, October 17th, 1984

Time: 4:18 pm

Location: Public Payphone, Puerto Plata, The Dominican Republic

Jack got his flight changed to the following Saturday and was able to extend both his room stay and car rental. His boss grumbled when Jack called on Monday morning but accepted it because he had no other choice.

For her grand gesture, Maria went to the staff room that Sunday morning and called up every other housekeeper on the payroll, trying to get her shifts covered. She unloaded four of her five shifts, giving the pair even more time together.

When she went home on Sunday, her reception was notably cold from her parents, but they also didn't say anything. If she did as they feared the previous night, the damage was already done. They were also too embarrassed to talk about it out loud. They prayed that she had been sensible, like they raised her, and wondered what had gotten into her lately.

Wanting as much time as possible with Jack and too ashamed to stay home, Maria packed a bag and left early Monday morning. She called later that day and told them she'd be staying with a friend that week and wouldn't be home until Saturday evening. Her parents knew now that there was no way to lie to themselves, but they couldn't do anything. They didn't even know where she was. They never assumed she would be at the resort with a guest.

Maria stayed with Jack that week and they explored the country further with all their extra days. They also spent a lot of time in his hotel room and ordered room service, Jack finally getting his money's worth out of his all-inclusive package.

When he finally had to leave, it was even more painful than the first time, but they promised each other it wouldn't be the end. They exchanged phone numbers and addresses and said they would write and call. They said and kissed goodbye so many times that Jack thought he might miss his flight.

Maria asked him to call her at a specific time so that she could answer before her parents and he obliged, calling two days later. They began calling each other back and forth every day. It was hard to maintain privacy at her parents' place, but they tried to keep their calls tasteful, so as not to upset her parents even further. Her parents knew for certain that she was seeing someone now, but they still didn't know who he was.

Everything was going perfectly until Maria missed a period. She ignored it at first. Just her body playing tricks on her since it was the first time in her life where she could get pregnant. After two in a row, she knew she couldn't ignore it any longer. Not wanting to bring a home test into her parent's house, she went to her doctor and got her confirmation.

Maria was in shock. She didn't know what she wanted out of life, but she knew she didn't want the life all her sisters had. Now, here she was. Technically, compared to her sisters, she was a late bloomer. She was 24 and would be 25 shortly after the baby came. However, she always hoped she would be married before she got pregnant. She felt stupid. If she really cared about that, she wouldn't have been so reckless.

Part of her didn't want to tell Jack; she was scared it would ruin everything. As she paced outside the clinic though, she realized that she couldn't keep this information inside. When they talked on the phone later, she wouldn't be able to hold it in, but she couldn't reveal this information to him in front of her parents. Not yet. She went to the nearest payphone and called him.

He picked up after three rings, answering in English. "Fresh Choice Produce, Jack speaking."

"Jack, it's Maria."

He switched to Spanish. "Hey, miss me already?" he teased. "You're calling early."

"Are you on your lunch break?" she asked.

He was alarmed that she didn't joke back with him like usual. He checked his watch. "I can be. What's going on?"

"Are you alone?"

Jack shared an office with three other workers and only one of them had left for lunch. "I'm at work, so no. No one here speaks Spanish."

"Right."

"Are you okay?"

"I just left my doctor's."

"Are you sick?"

She took a deep breath. "I'm… pregnant."

"Oh."

"Yes." He paused for what felt like an eternity, so Maria spoke up. "Your silence worries me."

"Sorry. It's okay. I'm just surprised." Jack chuckled. "I shouldn't be. We weren't that careful."

"Is this really the time for jokes?" Maria chided.

"You're right."

"What will we do?"

"We'll raise the baby. Together."

She was relieved that this was his first instinct, but she couldn't wrap her head around the logistics. "How?"

Jack thought again. "You'll move here."

"Really?"

"You said you wanted a change."

She did, but now that it was a possibility, she was scared. California was so far away from home. "I thought you said it was difficult living there."

"It is. I've heard Japan is going to buy the country though. That could help."

"You think so?"

"I try to keep positive. Besides, I'll have to work while you take care of the baby. Probably easier if I keep my job." Money. Mentioning work reminded him how little of it he had saved and now there was a baby coming. He pushed the thought away. Now wasn't the time to worry her. "Who knows, next year, we could both be Japanifornian," he joked.

Maria laughed, the tension slowly releasing the more they talked. "They wouldn't name the country 'Japanifornia,' would they?"

"Hopefully not. Sounds stupid. The word… how do you say… 'annexation' has been tossed around. Japan probably wanted to make California part of Japan, but they'll rename it to avoid the outrage."

"I don't speak English though. Or Japanese."

"I can teach you. There are a lot of Spanish speakers here too. How do you think I learned?"

"That's true." She took a moment, digesting it all. "We're doing this?"

"We're doing this," he agreed.

"Okay."

"Okay."

Date: Saturday, February 2nd, 1985

Time: 6:11 pm

Location: Armando Residence, Puerto Plata, The Dominican Republic

Maria finally told her parents about it a month after she told Jack. She wanted to avoid telling them for as long as she could, but the symptoms were getting harder to hide. While she wasn't showing at three months, she had bad morning sickness, and she could only lie about having food poisoning for so long. Moreover, she would be leaving the country in a few months and wanted to give them time to mentally prepare.

All the things they were too scared or embarrassed to say finally came out, and she listened, cried, and yelled back at them as they lectured her for over six hours. They told her how disappointed in her they were, how shameful it would look to the community, and how they couldn't believe they had trusted her with so much independence for so long. This wouldn't have happened if she had listened to them like her sisters had.

Never a shrinking violet, Maria countered that she had been independent for years and never did anything like this before. One mistake wasn't worth losing their trust. She also argued that she had been pure for much longer than her sisters and would only be with one person, so what difference did it make? Jack said he would marry her once she moved.

Her parents told her that God would know and that was the difference. Feeling particularly bold, Maria stated that she didn't think their God was so great if he would look down on her for her mistake. For the first time, Maria was glad that she was pregnant because it looked like her father wanted to smack that statement out of her mouth. Knowing her delicate condition, he only yelled, swore, and threw something at the wall.

After that day, Maria lost most of her privileges. Her dad made her sell her car and he drove her to and from work, forcing her to change her availability so that he could get her before and after his shifts. While he would never admit it out loud, he liked the fact that she could drive and was annoyed by this development. He was traditional but driving her himself took so much time out of his day. He almost got her to quit her job too, but the extra money was hard to pass up, especially knowing it would end soon.

Maria wanted to argue with them, but they said they would kick her out if she didn't obey. She didn't know if they meant it, but she didn't want to risk it. She thought this was unfair and tried to reason that she was already pregnant and couldn't get pregnant again. Her dad told her that being pregnant didn't mean she wouldn't get into any more trouble.

While Maria insisted that she and Jack were in love, her parents weren't so convinced. They hadn't met him or even spoken to him on the phone, but what they knew about him, they detested. What good man would ruin a respectable girl's reputation like that? A good catholic man from her community wouldn't have done this. They let Maria take his calls though because what other choice did they have? They didn't want their baby girl to leave, but, allegedly, this man was going to marry and take care of her.

Essentially on lockdown, barely leaving the house other than for church or work, their phone calls were the bright spot of Maria's days. Jack would usually call after he got home from work, and they'd have an hour to talk before she went to bed. On Saturdays Maria didn't work, they'd usually have much more time and flexibility for their calls, but that changed as time went on.

After he found out, Jack had a mix of emotions: shock, excitement, fear, and stress. He wanted to get married and have a family someday but, always the eternal optimist, didn't want to settle down until he found the right person. Now he had and she was pregnant.

However, he wasn't financially prepared for a child. He used all his savings to be with Maria and now he had no money to care for the result of their passionate love affair. Jack told Maria where he worked, but she probably thought he made more money than he did. When she met him, he was a businessman in a fancy suit, with an executive rental car, staying at a nice resort. He never lied to her about his income, but he didn't correct her assumptions either.

He thought maybe he could get a better job before she moved, but he had little luck in his job search. The economy wasn't great and most of the top-tier jobs in his field required a business degree, something he didn't have. He was lucky to have the job he did because he wasn't experienced. He only got it because his boss liked "his look" and that he could speak Spanish. His boss didn't say the quiet part out loud, but Jack knew what that meant. Jack couldn't say no though because he needed the work.

His solution was to get a second job so he could replenish his savings. Babies required clothes, toys, furniture, medical care, and food and he had one more adult he'd be taking care of too. Maria said she had a small nest egg that she would be taking with her but, after she bought her plane ticket, it would barely make a dent. Despite how bad the Californian economy was, the dollar conversion still wasn't in their favor.

Besides, he had pride and wanted to prove his worth as a man. Maria wouldn't learn the truth until she arrived, but she'd feel reassured knowing he'd do whatever it took to take care of his burgeoning family.

Jack got a job as a bartender because it was something he could do in the evening and on weekends. On weekdays, after his 9–5, and on Sundays, he'd work until midnight or 1 am. On Fridays and Saturdays, he'd work until 3 am. He didn't love it, and it was tiring but he had done the job for years in his early 20s and he was good at it. He was friendly, fast, and made decent tips.

This 85-hour-a-week work schedule left him with little time to talk to Maria though. Jack couldn't call her every day like they did before, but he'd call on weekends, weekday evenings he didn't work, and sometimes quick calls in between his two shifts.

Today, he and Maria both worked, her until 3 pm her time and him at 3 pm his time, so he called her after she got home and finished eating supper. They were making plans for her move in the coming weeks.

"You all set to move over?" Jack asked.

"Almost," Maria replied. "Still packing my things. Put in my notice with work today though. My last day will be February 16th."

"That day will come quick. You book your ticket yet?"

"Not yet. I will soon."

"Are you still nervous about flying?"

"A little," she admitted. "I know it'll be fine, but I don't know what to expect."

"I won't lie; it's a little freaky. I've flown over 20 times now and I still don't love it. The plane always lands safely though. Safer than driving, I've heard."

"Thanks. That makes me feel better."

"You probably should book soon," he suggested. He laughed. "Wait too long and that baby could be born over international waters."

She laughed back. "I won't leave it that late. I'll at least be there before your birthday. Wouldn't miss that."

"Yes, come and see me while I still have my youth. By March 11th, I'll be over the hill and walking with a cane."

"At least you'll have me to take care of you."

"How generous of you to look after an old man like me," he joked. "Have you given more thought to the name?"

"I have. It's a hard decision. What about Sofia or Carmen if it's a girl?"

"Whatever you think, dear."

She laughed. "I have you well-trained. This marriage will go perfectly."

He chuckled. "And if it's a boy?"

"I always liked the name Diego. What do you think?"

"That's a good name. Where did you hear that one?"

"I read it in a book when I was a kid. I always liked it."

"I like it too. If it's a boy, can I pick his middle name?"

"What were you thinking?" Maria asked.

"I'd like to name him after my dad."

"Jack?"

"No, John."

Maria was confused. "I thought you were named after your dad. Jackson means 'son of Jack', right?"

"I am, but Jack is a nickname for John."

"But they're the same number of letters."

He chuckled again. "English doesn't make sense sometimes. You'll get used to it. Besides, if we name him Jack, everyone will assume I named him after myself."

"Would that be bad?"

"I don't know. Feels wrong."

She giggled. "You're funny. I'm okay with John though. Actually, I think our dads have the same name. His name is Juan. I think that's the Spanish version of John."

"I think so. We could name him after your father, if you want. Maybe that would go better with a name like Diego."

Maria scoffed. "No." She looked around her to make sure her dad wasn't listening. "My dad and I aren't on great terms right now."

"I know," Jack sympathized. "You'd miss him if he wasn't around though." Jack's dad died in a workplace accident when he was a toddler, and he never got to know him.

Maria knew about his dad and nodded even though he couldn't see it. "You're right." She paused. "Diego John Myers Armando."

He laughed. "A little long, but that sounds good."

"If it's a girl, do you want to name her after your mother?" she joked.

"No, no. That's okay. She's still alive and Sofia Lydia doesn't sound good. She also isn't my greatest supporter right now."

"She's still upset?"

"Yeah. Turns out you Catholics don't have a… 'monopoly' on hating out-of-wedlock pregnancy."

That wasn't the only reason his mom was upset, but Jack didn't care to explain either. While he grew up in a low-income Hispanic community – that's what Lydia could afford as a single mother – he recently learned that her acceptance of other cultures didn't extend to marrying into them. Jack hoped that, once she met Maria and their new baby, she'd change her opinion on interracial marriage.

Lydia also hated how much he worked because she rarely got to see her only child anymore. As a grown man, Jack didn't like being lectured or her criticizing his girlfriend, so he shut down any conversations she tried to start. In his mind, this work arrangement was only temporary, and he had everything under control.

Without a satisfactory explanation, Lydia took the worst interpretation: that Jack's soon-to-be-wife had large financial expectations of him, and he was working himself to death to meet them. Lydia wasn't looking forward to meeting her.

"Parents, huh?" Maria asked rhetorically.

"They'll get over it." Jack sighed. "Unfortunately, I have to leave in a few minutes."

"So soon?"

"I know. Just picking up some slack at work." He knew he shouldn't lie, especially since she'd learn the truth soon. He just kept hoping some miracle would happen. That he'd win the lottery in the next few weeks, even though he hadn't bought a ticket, and he'd never have to come clean. Working overtime at his business job sounded better than being so broke that he needed to work two jobs. So, he held onto the lie for as long as he could.

"That's too bad. I miss talking to you every day."

"Me too, but the overtime will help when the baby comes."

"I'm sure we could make it work without it."

Jack wasn't so sure of that. "Yeah," he agreed anyway. "With our schedules, I think I'll be able to call on Tuesday evening."

"I'll talk to you then. Get some sleep too. You sound tired."

"I'm exhausted. Haven't been sleeping well."

"Second thoughts aren't keeping you awake at night, are they?"

"Never," he assured her. He just didn't have the time. "I'll try to sleep more. Talk to you on Tuesday."

"Talk soon. Love you."

"Love you too."

That was the last time they ever spoke. Months of excessive work and lack of sleep had started to catch up with Jack. He drank cup after cup of coffee every day, but it never seemed to give him the energy it gave everyone else. He assumed he must have had a strong caffeine tolerance.

Early in the morning that Tuesday, driving home from his bartending shift, he started drifting off. He thought about pulling over, but he had to be at work in the morning and he was so close to home. He didn't end up making it to his destination. He fell asleep at the wheel and hit an electrical pole. Jack died almost instantly from the impact.

That evening, Maria waited for a call from him that never came. She got worried. That wasn't like him. She called him at work the next day and no one answered until her third call. It was his boss. She asked him where Jack was in broken English and he angrily replied, "I'd also like to know," before hanging up. He hadn't heard the news yet, so thought Jack had no-showed two days in a row.

Maria didn't understand his boss fully but was concerned. She called Jack's apartment several times over the next couple of days and there was no answer. She called his work again on Friday and, this time, a man from a temp agency picked up the phone. He knew he was there to cover the last guy until the company could find a replacement, but he didn't know that the last guy had died. He explained this to Maria in English, until she understood, and she became more concerned.

Eventually, after calling his apartment again multiple times a day for over a week, the number was put out of service. His mom had cancelled all his utilities and cleaned out his place.

Maria didn't know what to think. Either he died or he ran out on her. She couldn't decide which she preferred; it was a no-win situation. If he died, then she was devastated. He was the love of her life. If he left, at least she could see him again, but she didn't know if she wanted that if he had lied to her this whole time and left her when it was most important.

She didn't know what to do. She didn't have his mom's phone number so she couldn't call her. She also didn't have access to Californian newspapers where she could find an obituary posted, if there was one. She thought she might travel there anyway, but she wouldn't have a place to stay, and she didn't know the language. Plus, she was over six months pregnant and couldn't risk having the baby all alone in a foreign country.

Maria withdrew her resignation from work and told her parents she would be staying. She became even more embarrassed of her situation now that she was so visibly pregnant. Pregnant women normally didn't work in the Dominican; their husbands took care of them. Single mothers did though. Maria wasn't the first resort worker to have a relationship with a guest, but she was the only one she knew of who had to wear that shame under her uniform every day.

The "I told you so"s from her parents were also sobering. She was wrong and they were right after all. This is why waiting until marriage was so important; they argued. She didn't have a rebuttal for them. Ultimately, she did agree with them that being married would have entitled her to some legal recourse or information she didn't have.

Maria gave birth to Diego on her own that May and raised him at home. Once she was well enough to go back to work, her dad continued to drive her, and her mom took care of Diego during the day. She also helped her mother with more of the domestic tasks around the house: the cooking, cleaning, and gardening. Her parents required her to be more involved with the church too. She taught Sunday school and helped with fundraisers. She went to confession every week.

Maria was always an agnostic member of the faith. She had questions, but she rarely made her doubts known. After recent events, she started to wonder if there really was a God, and he had punished her for her mistakes. Scared of what could happen if she didn't follow the faith, she decided to walk the straight and narrow from then on and became increasingly devout.

After three years of living at home as a single mother, she decided to make the trip to Japanifornia. She thought Diego was finally old enough to come with her. Her parents didn't want her to go, but she told them that she would try to secure child support, and they agreed that this was sensible. In reality, she just wanted to know the truth.

Once there, Maria paid for cheap motel rooms a month at a time. She managed to find work in positions that didn't require English or a visa, and she found a bilingual babysitter she felt she could trust and whom she could afford. Working and raising a child on her own took most of her time and energy, but she investigated Jack's disappearance when she could.

She went to Jack's old apartment and talked to the current tenants, but they didn't know anything. She went to the newspaper archives for various publications but had no luck. If there was an obituary, it was too late to find a copy of that newspaper and too soon to find it in the archives.

She called up all the Lydia Myers in the phone book but none of them said they were his mother. Not even his real mother. Lydia was shocked, realizing who the woman speaking very broken English on the phone was, but she didn't want to talk to her. Lydia blamed Maria for her son's death. In Lydia's mind, Maria had used Jack for money and a green card and he died trying to appease her.

Lydia also didn't have the opportunity to fall in love with her new daughter-in-law and grandson, like Jack had hoped, and so her prejudices remained. When Maria asked her if she knew Jack, Lydia told her that she had the wrong number.

Maria continued to travel back and forth between Japanifornia and the Dominican Republic for years until a kind lawyer helped her and Diego obtain green cards. By the time she achieved this goal, she didn't even know what the point was anymore. She had no more leads, and she thought it unlikely that Jack would ever come out of the woodwork.

However, while the jobs she worked there were similar to the ones she had at home, she had more freedom to live life on her own terms once out of her parents' house. Diego also picked up the English language like a sponge and was in love with North American culture, obsessed with its books, music, shows, and movies. Living there was a struggle, but it was just the two of them against the world and, given the difficult hand she was dealt, she wouldn't trade it for anything.

Once Diego became a teenager and she finally felt confident enough in her English, Maria went back to school to become a nurse. Shortly after, he went to school to become a lawyer. Their life was an unorthodox one, but she felt proud for finally making up for her mistakes and getting her life on track, and that her son had made something of himself too.

A little part of her still hoped she'd find the truth someday, but she had all but given up on trying. She never learned what happened until her son was hospitalized and his attempted murder was reported in the news. Lydia saw his picture and last name and finally atoned for her mistake, going to the hospital and asking the staff to give Maria her number.

After decades of bitterness, anger, and hurt, Maria forgave her, knowing a recent terminal cancer diagnosis didn't give her much time to hold grudges. She invited Lydia to her house, and they reminisced about Jack and Diego and looked at old photographs together.

Maria was sad to learn that Jack had been dead for over 28 years, but she felt vindicated that the love between them was true. She prayed that she'd be reunited with him after she died, so she could tell him that she loved and forgave him. She knew he had meant well.