Spices (FIRST DRAFT) ~ An Alejandro and Alfred Story

𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓿𝓮

I've accompanied Alejandro a few times when picking up Selena from her daycare and knew exactly where it was. I was starting to feel more like a local in the area.

The building was fairly new, and there were plastic trees with faces and a miniature playground set behind the low colorful fence. My finger vibrated as I ran them along the wood.

At first I couldn't seem to convince the lady letting the children out that I was sent by Selena's father despite stating both of their full names, and she threatened to call someone until Selena spotted me through the window and ran to me herself, backing me up and successfully convincing the lady.

It may have been troubling, but at least it's a secure daycare. Good on Alejandro for finding this place. It's trustworthy, and they won't just give your child away to anyone who claims to be the one sent after the kid.

I hold Selena's hand as she skips long the sidewalk, humming a tune. I made some small conversation. "When's your birthday, Selena?" I ask.

"September 18th! What about you?" she replies, cheerful and excited as ever.

"Mines April nineteenth."

Selena gawks at me. "My papa's birthday is on April twentieth!"

I stare right back, an overly surprised expression on my face, matching her reaction. "Really?" I gasp. "Isn't that cool."

"You guys are like... the best friends, almost matching birthdays."

Uh-huh, I think. Best friends.

~~~

When we get to Alejandro's sister's house, I feel uneasy ringing the doorbell. The last time we met, she developed an instant dislike for me, I could see it.

Rubbing her eyes, Maria opens the door, half asleep, and instantly straightens her back in a defensive and assertive manner. I explain to her why I'm here and the situation with Alejandro, all while she holds scary eye contact with her, and lets me in stiffly.

Her eyes pierced right through me, like she was trying to figure something out, and they remained on me as I sat down on the couch in her living room while Selena ran upstairs to get her stuff.

The room was messy and even plainer than Alejandro's. Large rolls of paper and blueprints leaned against each other in every corner of the room, and the walls were covered in charts with so much writing my head spun. Pencils and books lay virtually everywhere, and there was a big wood table in the middle of the room that had sketching tools, a half drawn design plan for something, and some empty takeout containers.

Maria leans over the work, glances over it, and plops down on the couch across from me, running a hand through her long curls.

The silence becomes unbearable, and I feel her prying into my mind with her eyes again, so I ask, "what's with all the papers?" making a circling motion with my fingers, gesturing to the room.

"College," is the only answer I get.

I question her further, and she explains she's studying to be an architect. Then, I mentioned my mission to build my own office building in Kentucky. "Perhaps I could hire you," I chuckle.

"Why are you hanging around Alejandro?" she interrogates me, sitting up and ignoring any of my attempts to lighten up the room.

I stammer, finding my words. I clarify about my business and relocation to Louisiana and how Alejandro had become my friend here, providing me company, and how the restaurant has become such a familiar place to me.

I wasn't sure why she was so against and suspicious of me. It was like she knew something I didn't. I start to worry.

She doesn't seem to believe me, and after some further details about me and my relationship with Alejandro and how close and comfortable we are with each other, minus the intimate stuff.