The Good Life

Chapter 8

Marla looked in the mirror as the clock struck 7:08 pm. She heard a knock at the door. She didn’t even have her shoes on. “Crap, crap, crap…shit…I’ll be there in a second.” She had her diamond Tiffany’s necklace that her brother Travis had bought her for her 16th Birthday in her hand to put on and earrings in another. Like a typical Puerto Rican, she was not on time…and apparently, neither was he.

She turned the knob with her head down finally slipping on her right shoe.

“Hi….” he said as she stood up looking at her bright brown eyes which looked even brighter in the dimly lit entry way.

“I think you’re missing one of these….” he bent down and handed her an earring that had fallen out of her hand through the frantic run to the door.

“Oh, well, I would have looked like a fool if I had only one earring in my ear all night, right?”

He shrugged at her ridiculous comment, “I think your hair would have covered up your missing earring…until I moved it and noticed it…”

“but then you would have seen that I was missing and earring, silly!” she retorted/.

“True, but I would have thought you were starting a trend…we are in Los Angeles, after all.”

“Oh..yes. Social Workers starting trends. Sign me up.” she smiled back putting in the earring.

“Okay. Lista…” she said to him. “Wait. I need to turn off my music. Come in, come in.”

He glanced at her living room, full of bright yellows, greens, reds and oranges. It was Hispanic in every sense of the meaning. She had a pink blanket on her couch that looked to be her special blanket that he had only seen on the side of streets in East Los Angeles. He didn’t understand any of it. He glanced at her kitchen counter. There was a list on her counter with ingredients for cheese enchiladas and Spanish rice.

“Okay..okay…I’m so Puerto Rican…always tardy for the party. Let’s go.” she said grabbing his hand and leading him out the door. She promised herself she was not going to be nervous tonight.

e opened the door of his black car for her. She slid into the leather seat and felt so very comfortable.

He radio was on low, an oldies station. Hmm, interesting, but it makes sense. she thought to herself.

“Did you all have a good night last night?” she asked him as the silence almost became ackward.

“Oh…yeah. It was alright. I mean. I love my family. They’re amazing and everything. But it can get so overwhelming sometimes. And now, things are getting so busy that I can hardly see them that it’s like I have to see everyone at once…I need a break from my break…”

Wait what? What was he saying about being busy? And we’re going out on a date? I’m so confused. She thought to herself.

“But not too busy for a beautiful girl that wears flip-flops to a big fundraiser, is getting her Masters degree and only knows one of my songs and still kisses me.”

“The heels…oh my aching feeetttt…” she moaned. “They hurt so badly. My sister-in-law bought them so me to wear when I go out, which I rarely do….because I am so busy….so I threw them in my bag thinking they can’t be that bad and oh my…I had to tell myself it was a marathon not a sprit. I could do it. They hurt me so bad.” She continued to complain.

“Good thing you don’t have to worry about those around me…” he laughed.

“Oh…oh! Oh! You’re right! I think I’m an inch taller than you!” she said loudly.

“Wait…how tall do you think I am…miss I don’t know anything about Bruno Mars?”

“Google isn’t just for school, Bru…” she explained.

“Damn. I thought I could get away with telling you I was 6’3”.” he blushed.

“Naw. But it’s okay. I think it’s cute.” she pinched his cheek from across the passenger seat of the car. “Oh, here…exit number 10 and take a right on La Cienega. It’s 504. It’s to die for. Te prometo.” She said.

“Tea what?” He said as he pulled the car into a spot.

“I said I promise.” Marla explained. “I also said I was ready earlier at my house. Lista. Estoy Lista. You really don’t know much about your Puerto Rican side of your heritage do you, Mr. Hernandez?” she asked.

He looked down and nodded. “Not as much as I should, huh?”

She led him towards the restaurant and passed it. “Where are you going?” he asked her.

“Vas a ver.”: she told him.

“Stop it…that’s not cool.. I can’t understand you!” he said grabbing her hand.

They stopped walking after four blocks and entered a very small eatery that looked quite scary to him.

She started to talk to the waitress, “Buenas noches, Marta!”

“Ahh, Marla, Como esta? No has estado para muchos dias? Y escuela?

“Escuela esta muy bien! Muuy bien…”

“Y quien es? Que handsome!”

She blushed as he started to catch on to the conversation..they switched back to English.

“Bruno, this, along with the Cove is my favorite place in the world. It’s a Puerto Rican restaurant owned by a 3rd generation Puerto Rican family. They assist the community in many ways and are great supporters of the USC MSW program. This is Marta, and she thinks you’re handsome.”

“Nice to meet you, Marta. I’m Bruno Hernandez.”

”Mucho Gusto,” Marta replied.

“Sientese…” Marta led them to a quiet table off to the side.

“To drink?” Marta asked.

“Tea for both of us please…” Marla replied “To die for…” she explained.

“You are seriously amazing.” he told her.

She started to look at him in disbelieve.

“Tell me everything about you…” he said.