Burning Lessons

Chapter 7

Juliana

Its been almost a month since I became Ozzy's girlfriend. He brings me food when he's not on call and I got to meet Latte which is the cutest dog I have ever seen and Ozzy says that I most likely with him because of his dog and he couldn't be anymore right. I mean if you got a good look on his face you would probably agree.

I was walking up towards Ozzy front door since he asked me to come over so we could have a relaxing Sunday together.

"Hey, take a seat on the couch I just have to email the captain the new list of schedules of chores around the station." I sat down the couch and then Latte joins me and puts his head in my Lap while I scroll on Netflix trying to figure out what to watch.

I hear a phone call coming through and its not my phone, "Babe someones calling you it says Ricky",

"Can you answer it I got stuck with a video call with Grey"

I answered the phone call and I immediately got hit with, "You fucking bastard, you said you were coming and I checked your location and you still at your house."

"Umm Hi, I'm Juliana I don't know where Ozzy was supposed to be at but I can relay a message."

"Juliana, Ozzy girlfriend right...yeah he told us about you, listen since that idiot didn't bother telling you, theres a family carne asada and you're welcome to come my abuelos are dying to meet you and there driving me insane so I could care less about him ditching Eddy and I as long as you come by and steal the spot light."

Wow so I guess he doesn't like to be the center of attention.

"I guess I could swing by but I probably have to ask Ozzy if okay with him-"

" I say its okay, PROMISE ME you will come because I can't deal with this shit."

"Fine I'll come-"

"Okay thank you bye." He immediately hangs up before I can get in another word.

I sit there in shock, what the hell did I get myself into. Meeting his grandparents it such more nerve racking. I grab my wallet and my keys...

"Hey where are you going, I didn't take to long did I ?"

"No, I just promised Ricky to go to your family carne asada today that apparently you were supposed to be there."

"Fucking A" he whispered he grabbed my hands, "Look my family can kind of be intense, My cousins and I grew up with our abuelos since our parents passed away and I just didn't want to scare you off so soon."

I smiled at him "I'm glad you told me this, and I'm sorry you had to deal with that at a young age, come one it would be fun."

~

Here we are in South L.A in front of his childhood home with a grocery store bag of different salsas and chips and Ozzy comes up behind me holding a case of beer and rubs my back trying to calm my nerves.

"You got yourself into this." He looked at me like 'I told you so'

Asshole.

He opens the door and his home is decorated beautifully with pictures of his grandparents and his cousins all around the home. I came up to a family portrait containing Ozzy who look no older than 8 years old in the arm of a woman who has the same eyes as him. I can see other people in the portrait who have a similar trait.

"That's me, I'm almost 9 here, those are my parents, thats my cousin Romario or Ricky and my Tia and her husband and that's Eduardo or Eddy and My Tio and his wife. And Those are my abuelitos Felix y Beatriz " He pointed to each and everyone of them as hint of sadness hold in his eyes. I wish I could take his pain away.

He grabs my hand and kisses it, "Come on let's get this over with."

As soon as he opens the back door to his backyard I can see his grandfather and one of his cousins at the grill while his Grandmother was and his other cousin were sitting down playing cards. His cousin that was by the grill had a serious and made eye contact with Ozzy like as he was telepathically saying 'you son of a bitch'.

"Mira ya llego mi niño" His grandmother get up and come to hug him and kisses his cheek. "No iva venir el carbon" the cousin by his grill stated. "Como no va venir y presentarnos a tu novía." His grandmother exclaimed.

"Todos esta es Juliana mi novia, y esta mi abuelita Beatriz, mi primo Eddy, mi Abuelito Felix y mi primo Ricky."

"Hola mucho gusto a conocer a todos ustedes." I handshake everyone hand since its been instilled in my mind a saludar a todo la gente. So Felix is the one sitting down and Ricky was the one by the grill. Ricky comes to us and shoves the pinzas into Ozzy chest and grabs my hand and pulls us toward the table where Beatriz and Eddy are sitting.

"What the hell" Ozzy exclaims, "You were going to ditch us so now it's time for the people that had promise to showed up cuendar chime."

~

I spent the next 3o minutes talking to his entire family, His grandparents were retired but owned a convenience store, Ricky was very popular on social media, does twitch streams, occasionally models and getting his bachelors degree in computer science. Eddy was a senior in high school about to get a full ride scholarship to UCLA for futbol.

I talked about how I graduate with a masters in education from UCLA and how my jobs at a elementary school was going.

"Mira cuando el inútil te paso por este lado usted verias pasado a este güey." Felix was suddenly talking about Eddy soccer match and how could he improve for next time. He was using a foam cup and a pen to mark down classic Xs and Os.

I was so in tuned with the entire futbol conversation that I didn't notice Ozzy serving everyone on a plate. He comes and takes a seat next to me after giving a kiss on the head.

"Ya llego el ladrón de corazones" Leo announces while bring another case of beer. "Mira no mas, la conceron la novia de Atlas." Leo takes a sit beside Ozzy.

"El Principe de la oscuridad ya encuentro su princesa" Eddy stated before dipping his chip into the salsa.

"Ay y hablando de princesas cuando van a tener mis nietos." Beatriz stated.

Pure silence.

It felt like you could hear pin needles drop.

"De verdad que si, ya tengo mucho tiempo esperando que Atlas me hace un madrino." Leo patted Ozzy back and taking a swing at his beer.

"Y tu que crees que te voy a ser nino a mis hijos." Ozzy turns towards him.

"Pues yo te presente a Juliana. Tu que crees Jefe que Ozzy me dejo que no quiera hace un tatuaje pero le deje que esta puedía hace el amor de su vida." Now everyone looked at Ozzy with disappointment.

If looks could kill Ozzy was slowly torturing his best friend.

~

It was time to say good bye while Ozzy was talking to his cousins I was saying goodbye to his grandparents. "Gracias por venir." His grandfather was shaking my hand.

"Usted puedes a visitar cuando quieras." Beatriz pulled me into a hug. The only time I ever seen my grandparents were on a video call so this hug meant the entire world to me.

"Hey Julie, you should come to my state championship."Eddy was exclaimed. "It be fun its with a long time rival and you get to me kick some ass."

"I'll be there."

He holds out his pinky and I interlock it. "okay you can't back out now."

"Thank you for coming Julie, cause my grandparents would not stop talking about new hobby about motorcycles." He gave me a sincere smile before going to his resting serious face.

"Pues si primero era su pinche caro que corre rápido y ya está moto, fíjese nomas" Felix butted in