“No, you didn’t,” Isabel said with a smile.
Romero muttered under his breath. “Aida, this is Isabel. Isabel this is my Uncle Manny’s wife.” He leaned over a bit. “And that’s Manny back there.”
Isabel reached over to shake Aida’s hand and she waved at Manny who was too far. “Nice to meet you both.”
“Likewise,” Aida said.
“Yeah, nice to meet you, too. Moe’s got it bad for you,” Manny said, then added, “I can see why.”
Nice. Let her know you were checking her out. Isabel got in the car and Romero walked around to the driver’s side, wondering if this was such a good idea after all.
“So Moe says you’re a teacher?” Manny asked.
“Yes, middle school—seventh grade.”
“Ooh, that’s the worst age,” Aida said.
“Yeah, them little fuckers think they know everything.” Manny patted the seat behind Romero. “I remember when Moe was that age. Son of a bitch if he wasn’t a smartass. Luckily, Ma—God rest her soul—knew how to crack a whip. Otherwise he might’ve ended up like his dad.”
“No, I wouldn’t have! She was around when he was a kid and he still ended up like he did.” Isabel squeezed his hand but said nothing. This was a fucking mistake. They hadn’t even gotten to the restaurant and already his uncle had brought up the last thing he wanted to talk about.
“Maybe,” his uncle said, not even noticing he’d pissed off Romero. “But this guy was a knucklehead,” Manny laughed. “Did he ever tell you about the time he was trying to figure out how the fire extinguisher worked and he sprayed himself in the face?”
Aida cackled Manny wheezed. Great. Fucking Great. Was he going to break out with the naked baby pictures, too?
By the time they’d reached the restaurant Isabel had heard all the stupid shit Romero had done in middle school. Manny was getting ready to start with high school. Luckily, Manny and Romero got out of the same side of the car. Romero grabbed his arm and spoke low. “Will you can it with all the dumb shit I did? I’m trying to impress this girl, not make her think her boyfriend’s an idiot.”
“What? That was a long time ago. I’m just making conversation.”
“Yeah, well talk about the time you shit your pants in Mexico. I’m sure Aida will be impressed by that.”
Instead of balking, Manny laughed so hard he wheezed again. “I already told her, but if you want me to tell Isabel—”
“Just stop with all the vulgar talk.” Romero took a deep breath. “Be cool. Okay?”
“I can be cool.” Romero heard Manny say as he walked away.
He held out his hand for Isabel who took it then patted it with her other hand. “I like him. He’s funny.”
“Yeah, he’s a real comedian. Just wait ‘til you meet the other one.” God this was going to be a long night. And to think he never gave a shit what anyone thought of his uncles. With Isabel, it was different. He’d hate for her to realize just how different her life was from his—maybe too different.
They were seated at one of the bigger tables. Manny was doing his usual drumming of his fingers on the table as he looked through the menu. Romero nudged him casually. “What?”
Isabel looked up from her menu and Romero smiled at her then leaned into Manny. “Will you stop with the fingers? It’s irritating.”
Manny frowned but stopped. Alex walked over with Max. “Hey, the whole family is here.” After all the hellos and introducing Max to Isabel, he took his seat, and Alex asked, “So are you guys ready to order? I can send someone over, or you need more time, Max?”
“Nope,” Max said, sitting back in his seat. “I already know what I want—the usual—chimichanga plate.”
After confirming everyone was ready, Alex said he’d put Max’s order in and send over the waiter to take the rest of the orders.
Max dipped a tortilla chip into the salsa. “There was a thing at the bar today. Cops had to be called. I don’t know if you wanna talk about it now or not but that’s why I’m a little late.”
“Talking about it later is better.” Romero gave him a look. He’d told Isabel about his uncles bar but left out the part about the topless waitresses.
“Thing? What kind of thing?” Manny put his menu down.
Fuck.
“Some dick thought just ‘cause he’d tipped one of the girls a fifty he could feel her up, so she slapped him. When he tried getting his money back she told him to go fuck himself. He was drunk and got all stupid and shit. The guys try throwing him out and he starts makin’ a scene and demanded the cops be called ‘cause our waitress stole his fucking fifty.”
“You should’ve had the fucker arrested for feeling her up. They’re there to look, not touch.”
Romero was beginning to cringe every time his uncles cussed. Without even looking up from his menu he warned, “Will you guys watch the language? Remember where we’re at.”
Apparently, Max took that to mean he should just lower his voice, because he began to whisper. “The fucking asshole—”
Romero kicked him under the table—hard.
“Ow!” He turned to Romero with a pained and angry glare. “Whatcha do that for?”
Romero spoke through his teeth. “I told you to watch the language.”
Max winced, leaning down to touch his leg. Manny looked at him and for a moment it gave Romero hope that he got it and maybe they’d be cool it finally. “Yeah, Max. Maybe we should wait ‘til we get home to talk about this.”
The waiter arrived with their drinks. “I’m told you’re ready to order.”
They all started putting in their orders. The waiter wasn’t even done taking their orders when Max said, “Well it’ll have to wait until tomorrow then, because I’m going out tonight. I need to get me some.”
Romero downed half his beer. “Can I get another one of these?” he said to the waiter then added, “And a shot.”
Isabel stroked his leg under the table and smiled at him. He could tell she meant to reassure him, but he was beginning to wonder if he’d survive this night.
Once their dinner was served, it helped to lessen the talking, so things seemed to settle down, though it wasn’t without its moments. Like when Max spoke with a mouthful of food not bothering to even cover it with his hand or a napkin. Then there was Aida’s snorting at most of Manny the Comedian’s jokes. Romero had begun to count them—five so far. Isabel seemed to be having a good time, but it amazed Romero how he’d never realized just how crude his uncles were. Growing up he thought they were hilarious, just like all his friends did. He couldn’t even imagine having this bunch in the same room with Isabel’s family. Pat would have a field day.
Things got worse when they finished dinner. The belching started. After the third one Romero had had it. “Can you stop that already?”
“Hey, it’s gotta come out one way or another,” Manny said, pounding the side of his fist on his chest. “You pick your poison.”
Jesus.
By the time the night was over and he drove Isabel home, he felt beat up. With all the cringing he’d done; he’d actually got a work out. They got to her apartment and he took her in his arms just outside her door. “Tell me I don’t cuss as much as my uncles do.”
“You do. But,” she added quickly when she saw his jaw drop. “I’ve noticed you haven’t been doing it so much lately.” Then she laughed. “And I totally get now where you got it from.” She cupped his face with her hands. “It doesn’t bother me, but if it bothers you, I can start pointing out when I feel like you’re going into one of your cuss modes. Sometimes I think you really don’t even realize it. Like your uncles, it’s just their natural way of talking.”
“I never noticed how bad it was. When I was younger, it used to piss me off when they got dirty looks from people in public places.”
They walked into her apartment. As usual, Valerie wasn’t home—probably with Alex again. They went straight to her bedroom. He wasn’t spending the night, just saying goodnig
ht. And showing her how much he appreciated that she hadn’t run away after meeting his family.
***
Isabel waited several days to bring up what she was hoping Romero would bring up on his own. They sat on the sofa in his apartment getting ready to watch a movie they’d rented. “Are you ever gonna tell me about your dad?”
Romero looked up from the back of the DVD case he’d been reading and shrugged. “He’s been in jail most of my life. I don’t know much about him, so there’s not much to tell.”
“What’s he in jail for?” She hated talking to him about things that wiped the eternal humor off his face. But this was something she knew had to be important to him even though he didn’t want to admit it. She’d heard it in his voice, seen it in his face the day he snapped at his uncle when he brought up his dad. She wanted him to be able to share not just the good, but the bad with her as well.
“Drugs—first trafficking, then his stupid ass finally gets out and he gets thrown back in just a few months later for possession.”
She took his hand and kissed his knuckles one by one in an attempt to soothe him. He was suddenly so tense. “How long is he in for?”
He sat back. “Lets see.” He counted on his fingers. “Wow, he’s already done five years. So I don’t know, maybe another three or four years if he doesn’t keep fucking up. They almost tacked on another five ‘cause he beat the shit outta someone in there. The guy nearly died. My uncles say it’s what got him in so much trouble growing up. His fucking temper—”
“You’re doing it again.” She rubbed his hand and tilted her head. “Cuss mode.”
“Well then lets not talk about him anymore.” He stood up and walked to the DVD player. “Because I don’t think I can without cussing.”
“Okay, what about your grandma, tell me about her.”
He turned to look at her. The smile was back. Isabel was so relieved. “Oh, she was the bomb. I never knew my mom. From what I’m told she was one of the druggies my dad sold to. So when she had me the state immediately gave custody to my grandmother since my dad was in jail, and she raised me. Well, her and my uncles, but I always felt like my uncles were my much older brothers, especially because they’d get scolded as often as I did.” He laughed. “Believe it or not, she hated it when we cussed. So you know we heard it a lot. But she said my grandpa was worse than all of us. That’s where my uncles got it from.”
After putting the DVD in the machine he walked back, remote in hand and sat down next to Isabel. He filled her in on his childhood with his grandma, laughing all the while. She was glad to hear that her passing wasn’t too excruciating for him. Alzheimer’s took her life when he was in the eleventh grade, while hard, he said it had been more of a relief since she’d been sick for years.
“Manny took it bad. He talks all tough, but the guy’s not afraid to cry.” Romero shook his head. “He was a mess at the funeral.”
To Isabel’s surprise, a smile spread across Romero’s face. “He’s not just emotional about sad things either. He cried at his own wedding,” Romero chuckled. “And most of my graduations or any picture-worthy milestones.”
Isabel thought of her own dad and how cold and indifferent he’d always been. Romero’s uncles weren’t without their flaws but one thing she noticed right away was the way his uncle spoke of Romero. He seemed to rejoice in telling all those stories of him growing up. Each one he told was as if it happened just yesterday. All the funny things Romero had done over the years were still with him and she could almost feel just how much he’d enjoyed them. Even if the stories were mostly of Romero being a knucklehead, he obviously cherished the memories.
She leaned into Romero. “I like your uncles.”
He pulled away to look at her. “You do?”
She smiled knowing how apprehensive he’d been the night she met them. He literally froze when his uncle brought up what happened at the bar. “Yes, I do. But tell me,” she grinned. “Is their bar a stripper bar?”
She saw the surprise in his eyes. “Not a stripper bar but… the waitresses go topless.” She could see he waited for her reaction.
“I had a feeling it was something like that.” She looked straight into his eyes. “Just like you said before, so your uncles are a little rough around the edges. And reading up a little on what Ms. Manners has to say about dinner etiquette and the overkill of the F bomb wouldn’t do them any harm.” She laughed. “It might do them some good but they’re good guys. They love you and that alone will make me love them. Don’t worry about me judging them for the type of business they run or their mannerisms, okay? I’m not my sister. Please remember that.”
Romero stared at her for a moment then smiled. He leaned in, kissed her once then stopped to stare into her eyes. “Izzy.”
“What?”
“You’re perfect.”
Isabel laughed. “I’m am not.”
“Yes. You are.” Romero threw the remote on the floor and attacked her. The movie would have to wait until later.
CHAPTER 12
Man up
As it turned out Valerie came back only a handful of times to pick up more of her things. The girl had had the worst luck with guys during the time she’d stayed away from Alex. A nightmare ex-flame from her past came back to haunt her just as she and Alex were trying to make things work. He turned out to be a stalker of the worst kind, but when the chaos he ensued was all said and done he’d been arrested and to everyone’s surprise, Valerie and Alex were married on a whim in Bermuda.
Isabel couldn’t be happier for her and didn’t even care that she’d be left holding the bill on Valerie’s end of the lease. But Valerie had been adamant about paying her half still until the end of the lease was up. With Valerie gone now, Romero was at Isabel’s place more and more. She liked it that way, but Pat was still at it, putting in her jabs about him.
Romero was in the shower and Isabel was making them breakfast when her phone rang.
“Good morning, Pat,” Isabel said, as she whipped the eggs in a bowl.
“It’s official!”
“What is?”
“Daddy is running for mayor!”
“Really? I thought he was leaning towards not doing it after all?”
“Well, he was over here last night and after talking to Charles he decided to do it. Charles is going to have a dinner to announce it on the base and invite all the influential people he knows—and he knows a lot. This is so exciting. We’re getting it all together as fast as we can. The dinner is two nights from today. Gina’s flying in and Art already said he’d be there, too.”
Isabel frowned. Her sister probably had Charles working fast and furiously before her Dad could change his mind. The last time she’d spoken with her dad he had his reservations about running. He wasn’t sure if he was up for all the campaigning. But she should’ve known her sister would stop at nothing to get the chance to say her father was the mayor of San Diego. “Are you sure he really wants to do this, Pat? He didn’t sound too enthused about it when I spoke to him last.”
“Of course he does. He was just getting cold feet, but with Charles and me helping him, he’ll be fine. You will be able to make it right?”
Isabel sighed. “Wednesday night, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Umm you may want to come alone because, we’re having speakers and presentations and stuff. I’ll need you to help me make sure everything runs smoothly. Then there’s the family photo ops. The local papers will be there. They might even want to interview you or take statements. You’re really not gonna have time to entertain anyone.”
Isabel scooped the scrambled eggs onto two plates. “He’s coming with me, Pat.” Unless he couldn’t go for whatever reason. Pat was crazy if she thought Isabel was going to allow her to continue dictating her life. Romero meant everything to her now and she’d be damned if she was going to make the same mistake twice.
“Isabel, can you think of Daddy for a secon
d here? Art is coming alone.”
“He is?” That surprised Isabel. The last time she spoke with Art he said he didn’t give a shit what Patricia had to say about Sabrina anymore.
“Yes, he knows how important it is that this be perfect for Daddy.”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “And how would bringing Sabrina make it not perfect?”
“Do we really need to get into that?”
Romero walked into the kitchen. He kissed Isabel then poured himself some coffee. “I’m gonna have breakfast now. Tell Daddy I’ll be there Wednesday.”
“Alone?”
“Nope.” She smiled at Romero and pointed at the plate that was ready for him.
Pat exhaled exasperated. “I’ll call you tonight. I wish you’d reconsider.”
“Bye, Pat.” She saw Romero’s expression sour when he heard her name.
Setting her phone down she grabbed her plate off the counter and she sat down next to Romero, but not before planting a big one on him.
“Where you going Wednesday?”
“My dad is running for Mayor, after all. They’ll be announcing it Wednesday night at a dinner on the Navy base. You think you can make it?”
Romero stopped chewing and stared at her. He still hadn’t met her father. Because he was also in Alex’s brother’s wedding, the wedding and the events leading up to it had taken up a lot of their weekends, these past several weeks. And since his business had picked up so much work he’d been really busy lately. But she knew Romero wasn’t anxious to meet him. “I have something going on late Wednesday afternoon. What time’s the dinner?”
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