Audrey Hepburn's Pearls: Part I

Chapter 51.1: 1995, Ruiz

Chapter 51.1: 1995, Ruiz

 

"Girl Groups for two hundred."

"This Motown girl group began as backup singers and had fifteen consecutive hits in ten years."

"Its the Supremes!" Cha Cha suddenly yelled at the little TV on the kitchen counter, making me almost lose my cornbread.

"Who is..." the contestant hesitated on screen.

"Its the Supremes!" Cha Cha called out again, more desperate this time, looking positively perplexed.

"Ooh, sorry. Out of time. That would be, 'who are the Supremes.'"

"Jerk!" She cursed at the man on the TV.

My eyebrows were up as I got a better grip on my cornbread. I took a bite, and then drew back. Whoa. "Miss Cha Cha, this has got to be the best cornbread I've ever had. In fact, I didn't know cornbread could be this moist and sweet?" I rolled it around in my mouth, savoring it. It was almost dewy with flavor. 

"Yes, I used some honey in it. I was taught that." A small smile spread on her face as she glanced at the TV and then at me.

"Really? Who said to do that?" I took another bite. God, it really was so good. How was she doing that? Just how much honey was in this?

"Genesis said so. He cooked a lot of Southern things. He taught me a lot of things about cooking. We kind of traded. I taught him spicy Colombian food and he taught me a lot of Southern recipes."

"Who's Genesis?"

She looked very pleased now, no longer glancing at the TV. "Genesis is the man who saved my life."

My eye widened. "What do you mean?"

"He taught me about transgender things. How to do it and stuff, transitioning. He was so intimate about it. Without him, I don't know how I would have...hmm." Her words were so warm, but she trailed off, seeming to be thinking to herself. Was it okay to inquire more? I was so curious. Who was this 'Genesis' she was speaking of, really? Who was he to her?

"How did you know hi-"

Ring, ring, ring! 

"Oh, my cellphone!" she gasped, jumping up from the table. Her bunny heels clacked on the tile in hurrying ticks as she rushed to her yellow purse. "Sorry," she said quickly to me, rifling through things in there to get it.

"Its okay," I answered back. In the suddenness of the moment I didn't know where to look. 

Her cellphone beeped and I decided to tuck into my potatoes. I popped a forkful into my mouth and my eyes just about rolled backwards into my head. What had met my mouth was better than KFC mashed potatoes on steroids. The smoothest, creamiest, moistest potatoes and their buttery flavor mixed with gravy that was just the right amount of salt and weight, not drowning but absolutely perfect. I wondered if it was another Genesis recipe. If it was, thank god for Genesis. Bless him. I took another heavenly mouthful.

"Hello? Yes? This is she. What? What do you mean? Slow down, please, my English... What? Oh, no, I understood, I meant...yes... What do you mean 'she won't calm down'? She's doing what...? Oh dio- yes! Yes, I'll come right there right now! Good-bye!" The cellphone beeped and I was watching Miss Cha Cha wide eyed again. It couldn't be.

"Who was that?" I was scared to ask, still holding onto my fork, but I already knew the answer. Dread filled my tummy where the best pleasure had just been, inconceivably.

"Hospital. Its Georgina. She's- they think she's okay, but she's freaking out about something and won't calm down, crying and hysterical. They can't make out what she's saying, but her nurse knows I know what she says a lot, so they called me. They want me to come in and try to calm her. So I have to- come with me...? Another pair of ears is better than-" she'd started to wander while saying this too fast, putting on things. She cut off as she disappeared into her room. She hopped back into the kitchen after a few minutes, trying her best to slip on some bleach white canvas sneakers, the first time I'd ever seen her in anything but heels.