Loco, Razer 8

by P. T. Macias

  Claudia strides into her casa. “Mama,” calls out Claudia.

  She looks at her watch. “Mama, I need to talk to you,” says Claudia.

  It’s time for lunch. I hope that my padres are here together, she thinks.

  “Si, mi hija,” replies her mama. She’s in the kitchen making the tortas. “Mi hija, would you like a torta?”

  “Si, Mama, I’m starving,” says Claudia. She nods, giving her Papa Jorge a beso on his cheek.

  “Hola, Papa,” says Claudia. She smiles at him.

  “Hola, mi hija,” replies Papa Jorge.

  Claudia walks over to her Mama Lupe. She gives her Mama Lupe a beso on her cheek. “Mama, would you like me to help you?” asks Claudia.

  “No, mi hija, I’m done. I was making an extra torta. I always do in case one of you shows up,” replies Mama Lupe. “Here’s your torta.”

  “Gracias, I’ll take my Papa’s plate to him,” says Claudia. She grabs both plates and returns to the table in the sunroom. She places that plate in front of her Papa, smiling.

  “Gracias, mi hija,” says Papa Jorge.

  They eat their lunch talking about her resignation from the FBI agency and her plans.

  “Mi hija, your Mama and I are extremely pleased that you’ve resigned from the FBI. We don’t want to lose you while you’re on a mission. Do you have any plans?” asks Papa Jorge. He takes a drink of his lemonade.

  “Papa, I don’t want to work for a while,” says Claudia. She takes a drink of her cup of water. Wow, I’m always thirsty, muses Claudia.

  “You want to take some time off,” asks Mama Lupe, nodding. “That sounds reasonable. You want to relax before going back to work.”

  “Si Mama, I want to relax and enjoy my bebe,” says Claudia. She looks at her padres with apprehension.

  “Your bebe?” asks Papa Jorge. He raises an eyebrow. “You’re pregnant? Who’s the Padre?”

  “Mi hija, is there a reason why you didn’t tell us sooner? How far along are you?” asks Mama Lupe.

  “Papa, Mama, I’m sixteen weeks. My bebe’s padre is a wonderful man. I know that he loves us,” states Claudia. She smiles at her padres.

  “Where is he and who is he?” demands Papa Jorge. He’s getting angry. “I demand to meet him.”

  “Calm down, Jorge. Mi hija, why did you keep your pregnancy to yourself?” asks Mama Lupe. “You know that we will always support and love the bebe.”

  “Mama, I was waiting for Roberto to come for me,” says Claudia. “I wanted you to meet him. He’s a wonderful man.”

  “Mi hija, I know that he has to be special. I know that you’re extremely particular,” replies Mama Lupe, nodding.

  “Mama, Papa, I met Roberto when I was kidnapped. He’s one of the delta force operatives that rescued me,” says Claudia. She looks at her Padre’s surprise. “No, he didn’t take advantage of me.”

  Veronica and Christopher arrive at her Padre’s casa. He helps her out of the car. Christopher pulls Veronica into his arms. “Baby, te amo,” says Christopher. He hugs her close giving her a hungry passionate beso.

  Veronica wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

  Christopher pulls back, smiling. “Okay, let’s get your bags.”

  “Baby, I’m so excited. I’m happy that we’re finally getting married,” says Veronica.

  They walk into the casa. They walk down the hall into the kitchen.

  “Hola, Mama, Papa,” says Veronica, grinning. “Hola, hermana, it’s so awesome to see you home all the time.” She gives them a hug.

  “Hola, Padrinos (god parents), Claudia,” says Christopher. He gives them a hug. “We came to pick up some bags.”

  “Hola, mi hijo, would you like a torta?” asks Mama Lupe.

  “No, Madrina (godmother), Veronica and I just had some lunch,” replies Christopher.

  “Why are you all so serious?” asks Veronica. She looks at them.

  “I’m pregnant,” replies Claudia. She looks at Veronica and Christopher.

  “Who’s the Padre?” asks Veronica. “You never told me about any man.”

  “Geeze, Claudia, I never saw you with anyone,” says Christopher. He observes her closely. I wonder who it is. She never flirted with anyone at the agency, he muses.

  “Yes, mi hijo, Claudia was going to tell us,” replies Mama Lupe.

  “I will tell you in a few. I’ll be right back,” says Claudia. She stands quickly before they stop her.

  I have to get away. I don’t want to talk about Roberto right now. I only wanted to tell my Padres. I’m not ready to tell my familia. I wanted to talk about my feelings and tell them all about Roberto. I wanted to talk to my Padres because I’m so lonely. I know that Roberto will come for me, muses Claudia. She strides quickly to her room.

  Her Padres, Veronica, and Christopher watch her leave the sunroom in a hurry.

  “Well, I have to hurry up. The store is going to close soon. You can give me the details later,” says Christopher.

  “Si, Baby, we need the invitations,” says Veronica, nodding.

  “I’ll be back in a while, Padrinos,” says Christopher.

  “Si, mi hijo,” replies Papa Jorge, looking out the window. I wonder why Claudia stopped telling us about the bebe’s Padre? he wonders.

  “Si, mi hijo,” replies Mama Lupe. Why is mi hija acting so strange? She was talking to us about the bebe’s Padre, muses Mama Lupe.

  “I’ll go with you, Baby,” says Veronica, grinning.

  They walk down the hall and into the living room. Christopher stops and pulls her into his arms. “Baby, I’ll be back real quick. I want to take your bags home and then I want to go to that concert you wanted to go to,” says Christopher, grinning.

  “Oh, si, Baby, you’re awesome!!” says Veronica.

  She throws her arms up his neck and pulls him down for a hungry beso.

  Christopher pulls her close, wrapping his arms around her.

  Roberto is exiting the SUV slowly. Wow, I’m going to be seeing my Baby in a few. I’m so anxious and scared. What if I imagined our amor, our pasión (passion), and that we’re alma gemelas? he thinks.

  He clinches his jaw when the sharp pain shoots around his stomach. He slowly walks up the long walkway. He looks at the garden.

  Hmmm, my Baby lives in a huge casa. I hope she’s home, he thinks.

  Loco reaches the front door and rings the bell. Oh wow, that’s loud. I think it has to be loud for such a huge casa, he thinks.

  Slowly, he turns to admire the casa. He looks to the side of the casa. He glances inside the window and almost yells out in rage.

  Hell, no, fucking hell, no! This is happening again to me? What the fuck! My Claudia is with another hombre, rages Roberto.

  Loco pounds on the door with frustration and anger. He pulls his stomach and feels it stretch. The pain shoots through to his back.

  Damn this hurts. I need to tell her that this is it, to forget it, thinks Loco.

  Veronica and Christopher pull apart. They look at the door and out the window.

  “I’ll get it, baby,” says Veronica.

  “I’ll go with you,” says Christopher, following her to the front door. “I wonder who he is.”

  “Don’t know, Baby,” replies Veronica. “It looks like he’s in a hurry.”

  Veronica opens the door and looks right into Loco’s furious glare.

  “I wanted to tell you that I’m gone,” says Loco. “I never expected this from you, Claudia!”

  “Excuse me,” says Veronica, confused and amused. “Please wait, I need to tell you...”

  Loco starts to walk down the long walkway as quick as he can. “I don’t want to hear any lies! I believed in you,” says Loco.

  He clenches his jaw, trying to control his emotions. He stands straight and proud. I can’t allow her to see my pain, he thinks.

  Oh damn! My alma, my stomach, and corazon ache, he thinks. I never imaged that I would be betrayed again. That’s it! I’m never, ever going
to believe in amor.

  Wow, what’s going on? What’s all that commotion here in my casa, thinks Claudia.

  She runs out of her room and down the hall. She meets her Padres.

  “What’s going on?” asks Claudia.

  “We don’t know,” replies Papa Jorge.

  Claudia urgently strides to the front door. She sees Veronica and Christopher walking after Loco.

  Oh dios mio that’s my Roberto! “Roberto, wait!” yells Claudia. She runs out the door after him. “Baby!”

  “I don’t want to hear you lie!” yells Loco. He attempts to hurry to the SUV.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?” asks Claudia, passing Veronica and Christopher.

  “Hermana, he saw Christopher and me kissing. I think that he thought I was you,” says Veronica, walking behind Claudia.

  “Hey, amigo, wait up!” says Christopher, sprinting after Loco. “You have it all wrong.”

  Loco hears Claudia and the other voices. Hmm, that’s three voices and not two. One is Claudia, he thinks. He turns around, furious and curious.

  “Baby,” yells Claudia, running to Loco. “Please, listen to me.”

  Loco stands stupefied. Oh, dios mio! What a fucking fool I am. I forgot about her twin. I saw her in his arms and thought it was my Baby. The rage and frustration that I felt ten years ago, came rushing back. It was worse this time, because Claudia is my woman, ponders Loco. He’s in a daze.

  Loco stares at Veronica, feeling Claudia run into his arms. Damn, she’s identical to my Claudia, but she’s different. He gazes down into Claudia’s beautiful eyes.

  “Baby, te amo!” says Claudia. She gazes into his confused, pained beautiful brown eyes. “That’s my hermana, Veronica.”

  Loco closes his eyes tight. Wow, damn it! I made a huge mistake. I almost walked away from my amor, my alma gemela, and my world.

  He opens his eyes and gazes into Claudia’s beautiful face. He pulls her close, burying his face into her neck. Yes, this is my Claudia. I feel her, she’s mia, only mia, he thinks.

  “Amor, your mia, only mia!” he growls into her ear. He ignores the pain at his side. He holds her tight.

  Claudia moves her head and gives him a hungry beso. She wraps her arms around his neck.

  Oh, damn yes. This is my Baby, my amor, thinks Loco. He hungrily returns her beso. He holds her tight. I’ve been dreaming of this moment for a long time.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  They stand on the walkway, kissing. Loco pulls her closer. He runs his hands up her back, devouring her mouth.

  Claudia’s familia stare at them, content and surprised. “Claudia, we will wait for you in the casa,” says Mama Lupe, nodding.

  “Mama, he thought I was Claudia,” says Veronica. She grins, looks at Christopher laughing.

  “No baby, we can tell the difference. I know that he did when he looked at you,” says Christopher. “Just the way I can when I look at Claudia.”

  “Really, Baby? You see a difference?” asks Veronica. She takes his hand and holds him back.

  “Baby, the store already closed. Let’s stay and meet Claudia’s novio,” says Veronica.

  “Hell, yes, I need to meet the guey that caught your hermana. She didn’t like anyone,” says Christopher, grinning.

  Claudia pulls back, smiles at Loco. “Baby, I’m so happy. Finally you came for me,” says Claudia.

  “Amor, I was released from the hospital today. I came directly over here. I was recovering all this time. I had a small gunshot wound to the stomach. I also had two other gunshot wounds to my right thigh and left shoulder. The doctors performed laparoscopic exploration and were able to repair several injuries to my small bowel. The thigh and shoulder injuries were superficial wounds. I’m still not hundred percent well,” says Loco.

  “Oh, dios mio, Roberto, I could have lost you. The agencies refused to give me any information about you! I’ve been dying to locate you, to see for myself that you’re ok,” says Claudia. Tears gather in her eyes from strong emotions encircling her heart, with the thought of losing him.

  “Amor, I’m going to be ok. I only need some time to heal,” says Loco.

  He takes her face in his hands. He gazes into her eyes, tenderly kissing the tears. “Amor, I was afraid that our amor was a dream,” whispers Loco.

  “Te amo,” says Claudia.

  Loco pulls her back into his arms, closing his eyes. Oh dios mio, Claudia is mia, only mia, muses Loco. “Amor, I feel you. You’re mia, only mia. Te amo.”

  “Roberto, I’m pregnant,” says Claudia. She pulls back to gaze into his beautiful brown eyes.

  “Amor, I know,” croaks Loco. His throat closes up from emotion. He looks into her eyes, into her alma.

  “Baby, how do you know?” asks Claudia. She’s confused, searching his face for answers.

  “Baby, when the doctors were attending to me, I died for a few minutes,” says Roberto.

  He observes her reaction. Her eyes widen with anxiety. “I walked towards the tunnel. I wanted to reach the light. When I reached the entrance, I saw my Mama.”

  Loco closes his eyes. I can see it clearly, I can see my Mama telling me, he thinks. He opens his eyes.

  “My Mama told me it’s not my time and that you needed me. She told me that you’re pregnant,” says Loco.

  “Wow, oh dios mio,” says Claudia. “That’s amazing, I’ve heard about the tunnel and the light. That’s incredible.”

  “I’ve been anxious to leave the hospital. Every day I’ve dreamed of you. Claudia, we need to get married now. I can’t live without you. I need to have you close to me,” says Loco.

  “Roberto, I want a wedding. I want one after the bebe is born,” replies Claudia. She observes his frustration. “We can live together. I will go to live with you.”

  “Wow, you will live with me before we marry? I need you near me,” say Loco. He pulls her urgently back into his arms and gives her hot hungry besos.

  Oh yeah, I love his besos, thinks Claudia. She wraps her arms around his neck. She feels his hand go under her shirt.

  Damn yes, I love touching her silky skin, thinks Loco. He moves down her jaw, nibbling to her ear. He then goes down her neck. Oh yeah, mia, only mia. I’m marking my Amor.

  “Baby, I need you,” whispers Loco. He trembles from the intense emotions he feels.

  “Roberto, I need you. Let’s hurry, I want to introduce you to my Padres, my hermana, and her novio,” says Claudia.

  She gazes into his eyes, burning with pasión (passion). She bites her lower lip. “Yes, it’s been a long time since we’ve been together.”

  Loco grins, hugging her close so she can feel his aching need. Damn yes, I can’t wait to have her in my arms. I need to love her all day, he thinks.

  “Roberto, you think it wouldn’t hurt?” asks Claudia. She pulls back to look at Loco. He’s grinning wickedly.

  “Amor, this is not going to stop me from loving you,” says Loco. “Take me to meet your familia.”

  “Roberto, I was telling them that I was pregnant. They were asking me about the Padre of my bebe. I didn’t want to tell them. I wanted to wait for you to show up,” says Claudia.

  “Wow, they know that you’re pregnant. Right, let’s meet them. I want to ask for your mano. I also want tell them that I want you with me,” says Loco.

  “I want to tell them that I’m going to live with you,” says Claudia. “I know it will be okay since my sister Veronica is living with her novio.”

  “Oh yeah, she does look identical to you! But Amor, I can see a difference. I don’t feel the same when I look at her,” says Loco.

  “That’s great, because I don’t want any mistakes,” says Claudia.

  Loco grins wickedly. He pulls her back into his arms. “Amor, we need to hurry. I want to spend all day loving you!” says Loco.

  “Okay, lets go in,” says Claudia. She wraps her arm around his waist.

  Loco keeps her close to him on his right side. They walk up to the house.


  “Roberto, do you want me to make you something to eat? Are you hungry?” asks Claudia.

  “That would be great, I’m starving,” replies Loco, nodding.

  They walk into the casa and towards the kitchen. Papa Jorge and Christopher are having a Corona.

  Veronica sees them enter the kitchen. She rushes over to Claudia and Roberto. “Oh dios mio, I’m so happy that everything is clear. It’s a great pleasure to meet you! I’m Veronica, her twin!” says Veronica. She extends her hand and smiles.

  “Wow, nice to meet you. You really look like my Amor,” says Loco. He takes her hand in greeting.

  Claudia’s Padre and Christopher follow Veronica. They’re standing behind her waiting for the introductions.

  “Mi hija, wait for me,” says Mama Lupe. She walks over to the group. “Hola, I’m Guadalupe De La Cruz. You can call me Lupe.”

  She takes his hand and pulls him down. She reaches up to give him a beso on his face. “Welcome to the familia, mi hijo,” says Mama Lupe.

  Loco is taken by surprise and returns her hug. He glances over at Papa Jorge standing behind his wife.

  He stands straight and walks over to him. “Senior De La Cruz, nice to meet you. I’m Roberto Daniel De Leon,” says Roberto.

  “Hola, Roberto, it a pleasure to meet you,” says Papa Jorge, extending his hand. “Would you care for a Corona?

  “No, Senior, thank you. I’m taking medication,” says Loco.

  He gazes into Papa Jorge eyes. Hmmm, I see that he’s sincere in accepting me into the familia as Claudia’s esposo. “Señor, Señora, I want to marry Claudia. I want to take her with me. I’m aware that you know about my bebe.”

  “That’s wonderful news,” says Mama Lupe, grinning.

  “Roberto, this is fantastic news. We’re thrilled with the news of the bebe. I want this marriage to take place immediately,” says Papa Jorge. He stares at Loco. I need to know if he’s serious about my Claudia, thinks Papa Jorge.

  “Papa, Mama, I want to wait until I have my bebe,” says Claudia. “I also plan on living with Roberto now.”