The Good Life

Chapter 9

Another waitress, a younger waitress, brought them their drinks. This waitress stopped in shock and stated, “¡Marla! En realidad! ¿Que? Oh…that’s so rude. I’m sorry. Oh my god…ummm. nevermind. I’ll send Marta back out here.”

“Oh my…” Marla stated in shock. I’ve never seen that happen before.

He laughed an infectious laugh that gave her butterflies. She hadn’t felt butterflies since high school He took her hand from under the table and laughed more.

“Listos para ordenar?” Marta came by and asked if the two were ready to order.

“Oh…no. Not yet…” Marla had planned on ordering for the two of them and having a quick dinner. But she felt, now, that things may have to change.

She took her hand away from his for a second and explained what several things were on the menu. She didn’t want to control the dinner too much by telling him what to order.

“But what are you getting?” he asked her after she explained everything.

“I always get El Jibarito. It’s my favorite.”

“Then I’ll have that.” he said in a matter of fact tone.

“El normal?” Marta came back up to the couple.

“Dos de estos por favor…” Marla replied.

“I hope you’re not going to kill me with that stuff…” he laughed.

“I’ll have to take you to the hospital because you’ll be in a food coma, Bruno.” Marla laughed.

“Oh dang. I don’t think I’ve been in one of those in a long time.”

“Be prepared. It’s amazing. Emphasis on amazing.” she giggled.

Two hours later it was clear that they were not going to mini-golf that evening. They ate their dinner and talked about anything and everything until they were the only ones left, aside from Marta.

“I think we need to go….” Marla said.

Their plates were gone and table was clean. He stood up next to her and took her hand. Marla went over to Marta and spoke to her for a few minutes. She thanked her for being so kind and waiting for them. She knew she could have told them to leave, but Marta was nearly another mother to her, which Bruno now knew. She kissed Marta on the cheek , waved good-bye and headed back to Bruno. He had written his name on several napkins for the girl that hyperventilated when she saw him. He handed it to Marta and thanked her for her kindness and told her that he would be back.

He led Marla out the door and clenched her waist tightly.

“Even when you’re not trying you look beautiful…” he said to her quietly.

“You need to stop flattering me…Bruno.” she told him.

“That won’t stop happening..” he squeezed her butt. She was shocked by his audacity but was also intrigued by it. She was starting to get nervous. She told herself she wasn’t going to get nervous. She had made speeches in front of million dollar donors, was the president of a student caucus, but this one person was driving her crazy. On the other end of the spectrum, Bruno was also nervous. He didn’t know what he was going to do next. Was he going to just take her home, kiss her good night and not see her for three weeks? Or what was he going to do? He had no idea. They reached the end of an intersection near a bustling building which appeared to be a bar, still open on late Sunday night. Marla stopped walking and made her move.

“I’m going to kiss you.” she told him.

“I’m not going to stop you.” he told her.

She pushed him against the wall and gently pressed her lips against his. She didn’t remember his lips being as soft as they were at that very moment. He tasted like cinnamon. It was her favorite, and he didn’t even know it. His fingers went through her hair slowly and gently. Before his tongue reached hers he stopped.

“You showed me your world, now I’ll show you mine…just be patient…” he smiled.