Spices (FIRST DRAFT) ~ An Alejandro and Alfred Story

𝓢𝓲𝔁

I speed walk away from the building nervously, breathing heavily, something eating at me. I decided to stop by Casa Vallarta to calm my nerves before walking back to my hotel.

I sit at a bar stool, the bag on the chair next to me. I’m served by the bartender, and I stare at my glass, any thrill, excitement, or want to see Alejandro gone. 

He’s definitely seen me enter, but hasn’t said hello yet. Instead, we occasionally make eye contact as he dashes in and out of the kitchen carrying plates. 

Zoned out, I think about my interaction with Kenneth and my recent choices. Am I able to keep the company going? And even if I am, is it worth it if my workers do not respect me? 

My heart jumps out of my body as I feel a strong hand on my shoulder. Alejandro walked behind me with a half smile. “You have dinner yet?” he asked me. I shake my head and turn back to the bar counter. “I don’t want any, thank you.” 

He leaves, placing a plate of hot food on a table. Returning, he leans onto the counter, encouraging me to sit down and eat something. I reluctantly agree, dragging my bag off the stool and plopping myself down into a booth in the corner of the restaurant. 

“I’ll bring you something,” he tells me, squeezing my shoulder. I hate the way I’m feeling right now. It’s authentic and true, yet it twists my insides around, and it makes me feel selfish. My emotions are an act, a play. In the audience sits the entire world. Business partners, employees, interviewers, Alejandro. My role is to give them what they want, be a hero, a source of entertainment, please the crowd. If I trip, I disappoint the people, receiving the dreaded “boo’s”, and thrown tomatoes.

Once I begin eating, I start to feel better. The deep, empty feeling in my stomach goes away, and I forget all that happened earlier today. Near closing time, Alejandro sits across from me in the booth and asks how I’m feeling. I still feel some lingering emotions in my tight throat, so I spit it all out, telling him what happened with Kenneth and the details of my trip.

“I’m losing hope a little, you know?” I tell him, scraping the last bits of food off my plate.

He sits quietly, watching me, and then says, “this is what you do…” He reaches over the table and pushes my chin up with his index finger. We lock eyes, and he smiles. 

I shake my head, chuckling. “That was so corny, Alejandro.”

He returns my laugh, then answers. “I’m being serious. Trust the process. Things will look up eventually.”

~~~

Two days later, I stood at Alejandro’s doorstep, ringing the doorbell. I can hear it faintly inside. A few seconds pass, and suddenly, the doorknob begins to go crazy. I stare at it while it continues to have a seizure, then it opens, and Selena’s big grin greets me. 

She squeals so loudly my eardrums vibrate, and she throws herself against my legs, hugging me, chanting my name. I pick her up to hug her, and Alejandro soon appears in the doorway. I shift Selena over to my other arm so I can hug Alejandro with my left. We exchange quick words, asking each other about our day. 

I’m welcomed inside, and I look around as I slip off my shoes. I didn’t know what I expected to see. The house was the same, blue and dull, yet brightly lit, feeling more like a home and less like a depressing void I dropped Alejandro into the night he broke down. 

Selena pulls on my jeans and leads me into the living room. It’s a lot neater than what I remembered. The toys are displayed on low shelves and inside the open toy chest, some spilling onto the floor. Selena tells me to sit on the carpet and sprints toward the toy chest, almost stumbling into it as she rummages through it for something.