by Faith O'Shea
“Mateo seems so serious. I can’t picture him out there, so open and engaged.”
Mariposa took hold of her arm and she turned to see a look of sorrow on her face.
“What are you saying? My Mateo is not smiling?”
She’d been gifted with a few, but they were precious.
“Does he usually?”
“Always. He is genuinely interested in people, getting to know them. If someone asked him for directions, he would take them to where they needed to go, chatting all the way. He used to be content here. It was I who insisted he go. Only when he saw what was available in the world did he agree. Is freedom there not what I expected it to be? Is he unhappy with your culture?”
Allie was dumbstruck. She never would have described Mateo as gregarious. She’d seen his willingness to help his teammates, and he was inquisitive, but talkative?
“He asks a lot of questions and I think he’s more surprised at what he’s finding rather than unhappy with it. He’s made friends, has a beautiful condo, a new car, and he is doing what he loves. Maybe he’s more overwhelmed than I thought.”
“Nothing overwhelms my son. He takes everything in stride, adjusts when needed. He is calm and level-headed. A Cuban.”
He was all of that. It was the main reason she’d thought he was acclimating well. If she’d taken more of an interest when he’d first arrived rather than keeping her distance, maybe she could have eased him in better. She had to no time to wallow in her guilt, because there was a rap at the door.
Jelani.
As soon as she opened the door, she apologized, invited her in, and said, “I’ll only take a minute.”
After unpacking a sundress and flats, Allie closed herself in the bathroom, stripped out of her jeans and shirt, kicked away her flip-flops. After washing off the sweat that had accumulated in the humidity, she dressed quickly, but when she stepped back into the room, Mariposa was crying.
She rushed over to the woman sitting on the edge of the bed, Jelani beside her.
“What? What is it?”
“I am just feeling sorry for myself, hija. I miss my boy so much, and to think he might be unhappy… It is too much for my heart.”
She slid down to the other side and hugged her. “He is not unhappy, Mariposa. He lives by the sea, sits outside on the deck so he can smell the ocean. He has made new friends, and they have become known as the triumvirate because they have such chemistry. Rique is one of them. You might remember Mateo stayed with the dos Santos family while waiting for his visa to be approved. In fact, he is helping Rique with his batting technique. He will make everyone around him better.”
“And you? Is he happy with you? You mention everything but that.”
Allie sucked in her breath. Their relationship should have been top of the list. What newly married woman wasn’t happy? She brought back remnants of their conversation about the marriage. What had he told his mother?
She licked her lips, wanting to calm any concerns. There was a moment of hesitation before she said, “Mateo and I are still getting to know each other, but your son lights up my life.”
As soon as the words were out, she couldn’t call them back. Nor did she want to. So busy fighting the attraction, she’d completely missed the truth of that statement.
Not wanting to dwell on that private revelation, she added, “My job entails helping the players in any way I can. I’m not sure I’ve done the best by him because of our relationship. I’m the one who rented the condo, bought the car, taxied him around, took him shopping. It’s what I do. Let me assure you, though, he is not just any player to me. I married him because I fell for him. I hope he hasn’t given you the impression he made a mistake.”
Mariposa was quick to assure her, “No. No he hasn’t. He has made your marriage sound almost mystical.”
Allie was beginning to think that maybe it was. What she was going to do with it, though, was anyone’s guess. She didn’t trust those existential winds any more than she did men in general.
“Is this an American trait? Hiding your feelings from the world?”
“Not so much an American one as one of mine. Jelani here shouted her love to the whole world.”
Jelani gave her a smile.
“It’s in our genes.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Mateo paced the living room. Alicia should have arrived in Havana by now and he was anxiously awaiting her text. She’d promised to let him know how his mother looked, seemed, acted. And he desperately needed to know how the women were getting along. He knew Mariposa was traveling from their village to Havana to meet her, as well as their lawyer, from one of the texts exchanged over the last week. There’d been dozens. His mother still didn’t understand how he’d fallen in love so quickly. Especially in light of her own disastrous union. Mateo had always told her he’d take his time making that kind of decision, knowing it would impact his whole life, and yet he’d jumped into a union with a stranger not a week after meeting her. He could have told her he’d done it for her benefit, which had a foundation of truth, but nothing could have gotten him to agree if he hadn’t felt something for the woman who’d become his wife. Not understanding the feelings, unable to articulate the emotion behind it, he’d fallen back on Rumi, something his mother would have expected. He’d gambled everything for love, not a love that had blossomed but the seed of it. He was counting on growing it with Alicia. He just wasn’t sure whether the seed would sprout or die.
Seb came out from the kitchen, two beers in his hands. Mateo had invited him over after the mercy meal and his friend hadn’t left yet. He handed over a beer, and dropped down to the couch, the remote in his hand.
“What the hell has you so amped?”
Mateo studied his friend, considering what to tell him. He wasn’t sure he should expand on the story Alicia had given everyone, that she was taking a few personal days to make up for her lost vacation. But he was at wit’s end waiting for some word about the meeting.
Taking a seat at the edge of the blue sofa, he said, “I need to talk to someone about what’s going on, but it’s highly confidential. I need your promise that you won’t say a word.”
Seb took his finger off the power button and placed the remote in his lap.
“I’ve got your back.”
“Alicia—”
“Would you stop calling her that? It makes me think of a Spanish ice queen and that’s not our Allie.”
Mateo exhaled. It’s how he’d come to know her, and it would take practice to change the way he addressed her. When he thought about it, he realized that calling her Alicia might be too formal, and it kept him at a distance. He wanted to close that gap so maybe… For that reason, and in deference to his friend he said, “Allie is in Havana. She’s agreed to sponsor my mother’s visa. I’m waiting for the call to say she’s arrived and that she’s met her.”
“Why is that a secret? She does things like that all the time.”
Mateo sat up, thrown off by the statement.
“She has done this before?”
“Well, no, not that I know of, but it doesn’t surprise me.” Seb narrowed his eyes as if in contemplation before asking, “How is she going to do that? Can anybody sponsor a Cuban for an exit visa?” After a moment of silence, as if he was thinking more on the subject, he added, “Can’t be or the major league would have been providing sponsorships for any player they wanted to bring here.”
Mateo began to bite his nail. He was on the edge, trying to decide if he should jump off or back up.
“This is the part that’s confidential. You won’t tell anyone?”
Seb leaned forward, ready to listen. “I won’t. You have my word.”
Not sure if he could really trust him, their friendship new and untested, he stood and paced.
Seb tried to re-assure him. “Mateo. Really. I won’t say a word. I’ll even tell you something no one knows so we’re even.”
He thought Seb had already done that the night he got dru
nk, although he wasn’t sure his friend remembered telling him about Casey.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and blurted out, “We are married.”
Seb’s eyes widened and he blurted back, “Holy shit.”
“It is not what you think.”
“I bet it’s exactly what I think. She did it to get you here. I knew she’d do just about anything for the team, but this was not on my radar.”
Mateo didn’t want to hear this. Didn’t want the reminder that the marriage was temporary, that no one would be surprised to hear what she’d done. That she’d done it for the express purpose she’d told him, for the team, not for what might be between them.
Seb must have noticed the somber expression and his smile dipped.
“You went into it with more…feeling?”
Not wanting to look like a fool, he said, “I did it to get my mother here.”
“Not judging here. I know what it’s like to fall like a redwood to someone’s smile.”
The tension eased in Mateo’s shoulders, but he thought maybe Seb’s had tightened.
“Casey?”
“Yeah.” He chuckled, trying to throw some shade. “And I didn’t even know who her dad was.”
“What does that mean? You would have fallen quicker, harder if you had?”
“There would have been interest, but I wouldn’t have gotten to know her first. There would have been that distraction hanging over us.”
“How long did it take you to find out?”
“About her dad? A couple of months. They’d just moved to Lexington, so it’s not like I would have known him from little league or anything.”
“And the world is filled with Caliparis?”
“Oh, I asked. She told me he was a distant relative. It’s what she told everyone. She didn’t like the kind of attention it brought.”
“How did you find out he was more than a distant relative?”
“Glee Club concert. He was there with Galen and the look of pride on his face told a completely different story than the one she’d told. I met him that night and he… let’s just say he did a lot to help me, took me to practice with him, introduced me to the players, treated me like a son.”
“He was disappointed in you when you broke up with her.”
Seb’s eyes focused on something in the distance. “I thought he understood. The night I tried to explain it to him. I thought he understood but…he never talked to me again afterwards.”
“Did that hurt more than leaving Casey behind?”
Seb dropped his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes.
“Not by a long shot.”
“You still love her?’
He raised his head and looked him in the eye. “I’ll never stop having feelings for her, but I can’t promise something I can’t deliver.”
“What is that?”
“I can’t promise forever.” He shifted his eyes to meet Mateo’s. “You’ll get to walk away, a free man as soon as you’ve accomplished your goals. Temporary wouldn’t have worked with Case.”
The look of disappointment on Seb’s face was telling. Mateo had a feeling that he was re-thinking his position but unwilling to admit it.
As he was about to offer consolation, his phone pinged.
He yanked it out of his back pocket and checked his texts. It was from Al…Allie. It was from her personal account, not Ursus. That gave him another ping. This wasn’t business.
Arrived, met your mother. We’re just finishing up dinner. All seems well. Will let you know how tomorrow goes.
It lacked feeling, but then texts did, unless an emoji of some kind was added. A happy face, a heart, a frown would have told him more than her words had.
Does she suspect anything is amiss?
Not anymore.
What do you mean?
I’ll call later and explain.
As soon as you can, please.
When I’m back in my room.
Good.
He looked up to see Seb staring. “Well?
“Al…Allie’s with my mother. I haven’t told her anything other than I’m married. I’m a bit nervous about how it’s going.”
“Allie’s playing the wife?”
“She said she’d do that.”
“Impressive. I can’t see her agreeing to that unless she thinks she can pull it off. If there’s feeling on your end, I wouldn’t give up on the marriage too soon.”
He didn’t have any plans to give up at all, but he’d keep that secret to himself.
Seb stood and grabbed his coat, shrugged himself into it.
“I’m out. Thanks for the company. The place is great. It makes me think I should move out of my apartment. Now that I’ve been given the promise I’ll be staying in Boston and with a bit more money in my pocket that’ll come from it, I can buy where I want.”
“It’s nice to have money in your pocket.”
“It is indeed. I’ll swing by and pick you up around nine. Then we’ll get over to the Registry and get you a license.”
“Thank you for that. It will be nice to have another freedom.”
He could go anywhere he wanted. Al…Allie had shown him how the GPS system worked so he needn’t worry about getting lost.
“I’ve got some things going on over the next couple of days, so I’ll have to drop you off right after the test. Will you be okay?”
“As long as I pass, and I won’t be cooped up here, then yes. I will be fine.”
“Okay. See you in the morning.”
As soon as he closed the door, Mateo began to pace again. How long would it take for Allie to get back to her room? Her comment about his mother no longer thinking something was amiss was eating away at him. A lot more than his mother’s visa was riding on this meeting. He wanted the women to get along. Mariposa would be living with him for a period of time, and if he was able to win Allie’s affections, she’d be here as well. He needed this to work, but if his mother doubted Allie’s feelings… would she give her a second chance, or would her quiet disdain cause an explosion that he couldn’t contain?
It took over a couple of hours for his phone to ring and he was quick to answer it.
“Hello.”
“Hi. Relax. It’s all good.”
“What happened?”
“I kind of told her about your new life, what you like about it, but I forgot to mention our wedded bliss. She instantly picked up on it. I backtracked, apologized, and told her this is what I did for a living and I was treating this as I would any other player, which of course you’re not.”
“What did you say to convince her otherwise?”
There was a hesitation and he held his breath.
“I told her…”
“What?”
So quickly that he almost didn’t catch it, she stuttered out, “I told her you light up my life. Okay?”
What an odd thing to say. Unless it was true. Hope filled his heart, but he knew it wouldn’t be too smart to let it expand too deeply.
“She looks good?”
“Yes. Excited that she’ll be away from here soon.” She added, “She’s very Cuban.”
He didn’t expect the laugh, but the musical tone made him smile in return.
“What does that mean exactly?”
“She’s very friendly, affectionate. Lots of hugs and kisses. It seems that your countrymen love people.”
It was his turn to laugh now. “It does take getting used to.”
“But she’s also very sensible, down-to-earth. I like her.”
“Has she shown you around?”
“We walked to the restaurant, so I got to see some of the street life.”
He could only imagine what she’d thought. It was a world in decay, buildings in need of repair, graffiti smudging the walls, pictures of Che, dead fifty years, still a popular figure among many. Americans might think it unsanitary, with layers of dust and crumbling stone rising as ash in any warm breeze, street vendors with food unprot
ected from the elements.
“We went by a grocery store where there was a line hours long. Your mother said they’d reinstituted rationing again. There’s an economic crisis looming between the US sanctions and the trouble in Venezuela.”
“We’ve been in a stage of economic crisis since the 1950s. One’s either looming, in full swing, or abating. I’m glad she’s getting out.”
“I am, too. We’re going to apply for her visa tomorrow. Havana is still issuing them, but from what Jelani’s heard, the US government is cracking down on Cuban immigrants, not only green cards. They’ve started deporting them along with other Latinos. We need to get your citizenship papers started as quickly as we can.”
“They would deport us back?”
“Not if I have anything to do with it. You’re married to a US citizen but there is a downside.”
“What is that?”
“We might have to stay married until you’re naturalized.”
“How long will that take?”
“Years.”
He was glad she couldn’t see the smile on his face. This was an upside for him.
“We’re going to have to talk about that when I get back. We have to come to some resolution between us if we’re going to be stuck with each other.”
“I don’t mind being stuck.”
“You say that now, but after a few months of…celibacy…you might not feel the same way.”
Disappointment hit like a hammer and he struck back, “We can just tell people and be done with it.”
“Mateo—”
He could sense the fear in her voice and thought it wiser to back off.
“This can wait. Please get my mother here, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to make you comfortable with the situation.”
“Okay. Good luck on your test tomorrow.”
“Thank you. With Rique in Brazil and Seb busy, would you mind if I went back to Gloucester to visit your parents? I could play chess with your father, walk the beach.”
There was a long pause before she asked, “There’s nothing else for you to do? You couldn’t call someone else on the team, hang out?”
