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"BÚSCATE UNA MUJER SERIA PA' TI, MUCHACHO 'EL DIABLO!"
Tití had a bad habit of reading all the headlines when Benito was away. Every time he visited his mother back in Puerto Rico, Tití was there with her café con pan and a displeased stare. She demanded Benito sit on the chair beside her, and she swiped through screenshots of all the articles about him like hard evidence to her case.
"Coño!"
"Tití, no lea' eso..."
"Pero pa' que tù quiere' tanta' novia?!"
Bringing her coffee to her lips, his mother sighed and asked her sister to give it a rest. "Va' aprender solo."
"A grown man acting like un cuero," Tití continued to chew him out. "No tiene' vergüenza, muchacho?! Es tiempo de nietos!"
Benito was mid-sip in coffee when his auntie brought up grandchildren, and he choked. Noticing his panic, his mother bit back a laugh.
"Y matrimonio!"
He eyed the clock ticking back and forth in the kitchen. Beside it was a portrait of Jesus holding a cross. The house was filled with pictures and statues of God.
Marriage. He thought.
The truth was, he was having an identity crisis ever since his explosive argument with Jasmine at Anthony's house. Even though they both apologized, her words still stayed with him. I feel so bad for the women who hear 'I love you' from you.
Jasmine boarded the flight to San Juan three hours ago. He'd pick her up in three more, the earliest. Nerves shot up his body, knees jittering up and down below the kitchen table. Today, she would tell him whether or not she'd agree to continue their arrangement indefinitely, instead of getting back on her feet on her own.
I feel so bad for the women who hear 'I love you' from you.
His stomach turned. It bothered him more than he let on. He never brought it up what she said again again, but it followed him.
The past month, he checked her Instagram profile daily to make sure she was still single. Catching an engagement ring in her Instagram story months ago was intense. In fear he'd randomly see something similar again, he checked her Instagram for any updates, but she was never active.
What if she has someone at the apartment, and she's just not posting him?
Or she blocked me from her story so I don't see?
No, she wouldn't do that. Maybe to someone else, but not to me.
His two brothers arrived at his mother's house. They gave their older brother a tight hug, and Benito winced slightly at how sore his muscles were from touring the past two months.
