Tell It to Me Singing by Tita Ramirez

Author:Tita Ramirez
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books
Published: 2024-07-09T00:00:00+00:00

23

I’m eating Domino’s for dinner on Wednesday night, watching Clara confide in a fellow Sister about her true identity, when someone knocks on the door. I think it’s Rack and Suzie, who offered to get me Tylenol because I’ve had a headache all day, so I open the door without even asking who it is.

It’s Manny. I’m flooded with happiness. Then guilt.

“I can only stay a minute,” he says, and walks right in, a box of pastelitos in one hand and a six-pack in the other. He’s shaved his head back down again, but he’s got a little scruff, so all the hair on his face and head is about the same length. Unfortunately, the effect is sexy as hell.

Meanwhile, I haven’t showered or washed my face in two days. I’ve been wearing the same leggings and T-shirt since Monday, so I don’t smell great, either.

Still, he gives me a kiss hello on the cheek like we’re just friends. Like Friday night never happened. He hands me the box of pastelitos. “Just making sure you get your proper nutrition.”

“Thanks.”

He looks at the TV for a minute. “Is this the one with the vampires? My mom watches the one with the vampires.”

I laugh and turn it off. “No vampires. Not yet, at least.” I’m embarrassed, so I say, “I got into it watching with my mom.”

He pops a beer. “They didn’t have any Diet Dr Pepper at the gas station. Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I point to the can I’m drinking from, sitting on the coffee table. I bought a twelve-pack yesterday.

He sits down at the kitchenette table, takes a swig. “So. You living here?”

“Maybe. For now.”

“You all right? Sandra said you haven’t been to work all week.” A car door slams in the parking lot.

“You talked to Sandra?”

“I called.”

“When?”

“Today.”

I give him a look like What the hell?

“I was worried about you, genius. You’re MIA.” It’s true that I told him I’d keep him posted but then I didn’t. He opens the box of pastelitos, gets the coco out, hands it to me. It’s my favorite. He takes a guayaba, his favorite.

“So what’s up?” he says. “Are you having a nervous breakdown?”

I feel like I am. Last night I stood in front of the bathroom mirror for twenty minutes, trying to see where my mother ends and Juan begins. My cheekbones and the shape of my mouth are both hers. But my eyes are rounder than hers, my nose thinner. Does that mean they’re his, I wondered. “I’m trying to figure some stuff out,” I say to Manny. The A/C in the room switches on, drowning out the sounds of the parking lot.

“What kind of stuff? Family stuff?” He takes a swig of his beer. “Or, like, other stuff?”

“A little of everything. I just feel like I need some time to get my shit together. The Juan thing has me pretty fucked up. You know—all the lies, deceit, betrayals. All I need now is some vampires.”

He laughs and I take a bite of my pastelito.

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