Sweet Nothings

Love and Sappiness

Laughing, I call Stacia to come back downstairs. Ale has decided to stay for a while longer. This means we need to go to the hardware store to pick up a few things and go to the big box stores. I want to swing by the cafe and grab coffee and sweets to help me make it through the rest of the day.

"Stacia!! You okay?" I asked. "Stacia?" I head toward the stairs to see if I can hear anything from upstairs.

Ale is right behind me. "Back up nosy," I tell him.

I start up the stairs and hear Stacia yell, "Here I come."

I continue up the stairs. I heard something in her voice that I didn't think I liked. At the top of the stairs, I see Stacia coming out of the bathroom and wiping her face.

"Uh uhn, what is wrong with you? You were okay before you walked up here calling ol boy."

"He doesn't like the idea of me staying in the house with Ale here. I told him that Ale is leaving tomorrow, but-"

"He's decided to stay longer. Should I call Aayan? Cause I really need my support system right now. I can't have him being in his feelings about all of this," I tell her.

"Girl no. I get why he's mad. I definitely would not be okay if this were him, but he knows why I'm here. He drove me to get my car this morning. I don't get why he's trying to switch up now. All aggy like a damn weirdo," argues Stacia.

"Pause, why is Ale staying? He is supposed to go home to Cali and his fat-assed friend. His being here is gonna cause problems with me and Aayan."

"You still have not explained why you were up here cryin and sh*t, Stacia," I state. "Looks like ol boy ready to be broken. I already told him if he hurt you, I would break him with a smile. A punto de joder y averiguar." ( About to f*ck around and find out).

" Whoa there, the bold and the reckless, I'm fine. He just put a mirror to my hypocrisy. Aayan and my issues will not affect my ability to be here with you. Do-"

"Hell naw,Staaci. You know that's not how we roll. I want you here, but I will not come between you and Aayan. You finally look like you are falling in love. I want that for you. You deserve happiness, Anastacia," I say.

I wipe my face, just realizing that I am crying now, too. I grab Stacia in a hug.

"Call Aayan back. Let him know that Ale is staying for me. If he kicks up a fuss. Tomorrow we'll gas you up and send you home to the city," I murmur into her shoulder. As I pull away, I look her in the eye. I want to see that she understands I am okay.

"Girl, I am not leaving, but I am going to call him after we get back from that cafe. I wanna see this Young Tyson Beckford. Plus, you have me craving conchas de chocolate. You know those are my favorites."

Stacia spins me around and tells me to get down the stairs. "Let me find out you turning into a sap and sh*t all pregnant. Let me handle Aayan and you keep Ale out of my face...mmkay," she says with a kiss on my cheek.

"Sap, chica, I am the realist you have eva met!! Don't play me," I argued on the way down the stairs.

"Real pregnant!" Stacia laughs.

"What's so funny?" Ale asks at the bottom of the stairs.

"Nothing," Stacia is quick to reply.

" You're so nosy, yo."

"Man, whatever. Are we ready to head out or what?" Ale retorts.

"I wanna get back and get started on that basement. Mara, do you want carpet or to resurface those floors down there? It looks like it would look good either way. I'm thinking you should do a combination. Composite flooring and Berber carpets."

"Ale, I don't care as long as it doesn't end up a dark, leather bachelor pad with a big a*s wet bar. I want to section part of that open space into a bathroom and closet space. There is already a bedroom," I tell him.

We head out the door all bundled up against the cold and snow.

"You need lights up," says Stacia from behind me.

"I'm on it," whispers Ale. "Ol Scrooge a*s over here is gonna get into the spirit if I have to drag her there."

Ale's phone rings as we head to my truck. I toss him the keys as he answers the phone. "Alejandro Sandoval," he says, answering the phone. "Yes, I am her son."

I groan, wondering what Maribela could have done now.

"WHAT!" Ale shouts into the phone. "How can something like this happen?" he demands.

I stop as I climb into the car. Ale waves me into the car. As impatient as I am, I don't have to wait long before Ale hangs up the phone. I turn to him as I put on my seat belt.

"What happened?" I ask quietly.

I am almost afraid of the answer.

"That was an officer at the county lock-up. She tells me that there was a fight among the prisoners and that Maribela escaped during the distraction. They have people searching for her. As her next of kin, I am their fir-"

"Wait, are you telling me that Mo-Maribela escaped county lockup?" I interrupt. " How is that even possible?"