by Macias, P. T
“Muñeca, we need to hurry, we need to shower, and room service will be here in a few. We need to be dressed so the maid can pack our clothing,” says Ricky pulling her up with him, so they can shower together.
“Baby, do you truly think we’ll be able to shower quickly together, I don’t think so, I love loving you,” says Jacki grinning, racing him to the shower. Taking a shower was an erotic ordeal, trying to hurry to get ready.
* * *
Jessy walks into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and encounters her mama Rosa having breakfast. “Buenos dias mama,” says Jessy giving su mama a huge hug.
“Mi hija, buenos dias you look excited today,” says Mama Rosa smiling.
“Si mama, I’m excited about looking for my wedding dress. I want you to get a beautiful dress. I want you to wear a soft pink. I want Jose Enrique’s madre to wear a soft blue. What do you think,” asks Jessy with a dreamy smile.
“Si mi hija, whatever you want,” replies Jessy mama smiling. Si I’m muy feliz that my hija is finally marrying su amor, thinks Mama Rosa nodding.
“Mi hija did you and Jacki enjoy yourself last night?” asks Mama Rosa “I know that you arrived home late and I haven’t seen Jacki. I think she’s still sleeping. You know she never goes out. I don’t know if she’ll ever meet someone.”
“Oh mama, Jacki is muy bella, I know she’ll meet someone in her own time, maybe she has already met her príncipe,” says Jessy serving her cup of coffee. “It’s still early, only 9:30, we should let her sleep a little longer, okay, and then I will wake her at 10:30 so she can be ready to go to the stores.”
Jessy finishes her shower and dresses. I need to wake Jacki, it’s getting late. She needs to have breakfast and a shower, ponders Jessy.
Good thing that I called las chicas this morning. I asked them to move up the time to meet at the bridal store to one instead of ten. Of course they’re okay with that, we were all out last night at the club. That was so much fun. Too bad Jacki came back early, reflects Jessy walking into Jacki’s cuarto. “Jacki, wake up, you need to get ready,” says Jessy looking for her. Huh, she’s not here, maybe she’s already up and ready. I must have missed her when I was taking a shower, thinks Jessy. She walks down the hall. She’s looking for Jacki in the kitchen.
“Mama, where is Jacki, she’s not in su cuarto. I thought she was out here in the nook with you having breakfast?” says Jessy looking at su mama.
“No mi hija, she’s hasn’t come out for breakfast, are you sure she’s not in su cuarto?” asks her mama Rosa. “Let me help you look for her mi hija, you take the other half of the house and will take this side,” says Mama Rosa, standing to look around la casa. “Jacki, mi hija, where are you?” calls out mama Rosa.
Meeting up in the living room, Jessy’s calls her papa. “Papa have you seen Jacki? Do you know if she went out early today?” asks Jessy wondering what’s up?
Jessy’s papa is at the store on an errand. “No mi hija, I think that Jacki is still sleeping, why? I will be there in a few. I was just leaving the parking lot,” replies Papa.
“Si papa I will see you in a few,” says Jessy turning to su mama.
“Mama, I’m going to call Jose Enrique,” says Jessy I don’t want mi mama to know that Jacki could be with Ricky, and if she is, that is not good news, ponders Jessy.
“Hola mi vida, buenos dias,” says Jessy. “Do you know where Ricky is at? Jacki is not in casa,” asks Jessy with some anxiety in her voz. Jessy walks out of la casa, walking down the driveway so su mama will not hear her.
I can hear that Jessy is a very desperate. “Are you serious, I’m going to kill him! He knows better than to play with nice chicas. Mi amor I will call you back, okay,” says Jose Enrique very frustrated.
“Okay, mi vida, I’ll be waiting for your call,” says Jessy shaking her head. Damn this is awful.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Thirty minutes later Ricky and Jacki are on their way to her casa. Ricky needs to talk to sus padres. His cell phone rings, he pulls it out, and immediately identifies its Jose Enrique.
I bet hell has broken loose. Good thing we’re on our way back to her casa. “Buenos dias primo, what’s up?” asks Ricky trying not to laugh. Ricky has always been the fun loving, carefree, playful of los primos.
“You know very well what’s up. Where are you? I know Jacki is with you, she’s not at her casa. How can you. You’re going to make my vida miserable. I am going to kill you when I get a hold of you. The entire familia is going to be pissed off at you. How do you think sus padres feel?” asks Jose Enrique, trying to take control of his anger.
“Si primo, I know her padres must be worried. We’re on our way, okay? We’ll be there in about forty minutes,” replies Ricky glancing at his watch “Have you talked to mis padres? Do they know? We’ll be at Jacki’s casa. I need to talk to sus padres. I want mis padres to come later to talk to sus padres. I’ll take care of this, don’t worry, okay.”
“I was supposed to ask for Jessica’s mano this evening with mis padres. I hope you didn’t ruin it for me. I’ll kill you Ricky,” says Jose Enrique with frustration.
“Jessy called me asking if I know if Jacki is with you. She said Jacki is not en casa,” says Jose Enrique. “Jacki has lived a very shelter vida primo, she’s not the type to play with, and she deserves the story book wedding.”
“I know primo. We’ll marry in a church ceremony. I promise. I’m not playing,” replies Ricky with urgency.
“I’ll be there when you arrive at Jacki’s casa. I’ll try to keep la familia back until this is resolved, okay,” says Jose Enrique “See you in a few.”
“Baby, Jose Enrique sounds mad. Did he not want you to marry me?” asks Jacki looking at Ricky with concern.
“Mi muñeca, he’s upset because he thinks that tus padres will get mad at him and not allow Jessy to marry him,” replies Ricky taking her mano in his. Getting off the freeway, he asks Jacki to direct him to her casa.
“Muñeca, you live close to my padre’s casa. I knew you did, because you were taking a walk the first time that I saw you. We all live close in the same neighborhood. That will be good,” says Ricky driving down the street.
“Baby, it’s that one over there,” says Jacki. “You can pull into the driveway.”
Ricky turns off the carro, walks around to assist Jacki out of the carro. Ricky pulls her close for a quick beso. Just in case it’s a while for my next beso, thinks Ricky. Ricky didn’t hear Jose Enrique pull up and get out of his carro.
“Well I can see you’re getting along just fine,” says Jose Enrique scolding. “Don’t you think we need to take care of this nice hot issue that you caused las familia’s Ricardo Emmanuel?”
Yeah, Jose Enrique is pissed, thinks Ricky. He turns to look at his primo and smiles. Ricky pulls Jacki into his side, wraps his arm around her small waist. “Primo, I want you to meet my bella esposa,” announces Ricky grinning with felicidad.
Jose Enrique is stunned, simply stands there and blinks. Is Ricky for real? Is my primo loco? He then looks at Jacki. She looks muy feliz, even if she’s blushing. She’s wearing a wedding ring. Did they elope to Vegas, wonders Jose Enrique.
“Si primo, we got married in Vegas last night at three in the morning to be exact,” states Ricky with felicidad.
You can see his felicidad, thinks Jose Enrique. Jessy is coming out, oh boy I don’t know how they’ll take this news.
“Jacki, where were you?” asks Jessy approaching the carro. Looking at Jacki and how close Ricky holds her. Jacki and Ricky look immensely feliz, but still, she can’t just go around sleeping with los chicos, she knows better, muses Jessy.
Before Jessy can ask any more questions, Jose Enrique says. “Mi amor, Ricky and Jacki eloped to Vegas. They got married last night,” announces Jose Enrique. He looks at his bella novia for any reaction. Maybe I can get some idea on how sus padres will take it. Si, I can see anger, confusion and finally feliz, whew, what a relief, thinks Jose Enrique.
“I don’t know what to say. Jacki is this something you wanted to do?” asks Jessy. “I’m a little confused. Have you guys been seeing each other? What’s up?”
“We need to get the facts straight before we enter that casa and inform their padres of the marriage. Look I know you two were not going out, so don’t go there with us. I strongly recommend that you do say that you were going out without anybody’s knowledge. You get it?” asks Jose Enrique with a raised eyebrow.
“Si baby, I think we should, mis padres will be real upset with the truth,” says Jacki looking at Ricky. She lends in closer and whispers. “Baby, we can’t tell anyone about our love making all of these weeks. Nobody knows that we have been seeing each other. It will be upsetting for mis padres.”
Ricky nods in agreement and turns to look at Jose Enrique and Jessy clenching his jaws. Damn it all to hell. We have to hide that we have been seeing each other for weeks. Damn!
“Okay, it sounds like a plan. I need all the help we can get. We did have a lovely wedding in Vegas, didn’t we muñeca?” says Ricky. “But we’re going to make plans to marry quickly by the church ceremony.”
“Si Jessy we had a lovely wedding. Ricky bought me a beautiful wedding gown that I’ll be wearing to our church ceremony. Look at my wedding rings, aren’t they hermosísimos? Ricky and I chose them. It has been wonderful.” says Jacki beaming at Jessy.
Jacki is glowing. Jessy and Jose Enrique can see that both of them are ecstatic.
Wow! Who would have known that this would have happen, nobody, not in a million years, reflects Jose Enrique with amusement?
“Jessy, I hope you help us with our padres. I’m not a little niña anymore. I knew full well what I was doing. I wanted to marry Ricky, I love him? That’s just the way it is,” states Jacki looking at Jessy and Jose Enrique.
Ricky isn’t letting her go. I can see that, thinks Jessy. “Okay Jacki, even if you did get married in Vegas, you know that our padres want the church ceremony and will not allow you to live with him until then. You two know how our customs work. So I suggest you two get used to the idea of not living together until the church ceremony takes place,” says Jessy nodding. “You know how old school are padres are.”
“Yeah, I agree with Jessy. You better get used to that idea Ricky, you’re not taking her home with you, got it?” says Jose Enrique looking at Ricky’s frustration.
Ricky looks real frustrated. No way, she’s mia, only mia for eternity. I want her always at my side. I need her, thinks Ricky with anger.
He looks real miserable, thinks Jose Enrique feeling that it’s just punishment grinning with amusement.
“That’s not funny primo,” growls Ricky looking at his primo with frustration and controlled anger, clenching his jaw. You can see his jaw muscle twitch from the pressure.
“I don’t make the rules, her padres will, you’ll see,” replies Jose Enrique taking Jessy’s mano, walking towards la casa with a huge grin.
Jessy is trying not to laugh. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be not being able to love each other at will, she ponders.
Following slowly is Ricky and Jacki. “Mi muñeca, we will need to make arrangements with the priest to marry us quickly. I can’t live without you at my side for long,” says Ricky, pulling Jacki into his arms with lots of urgency, kissing her before they enter la casa.
“Mama, papa, I found Jacki,” announces Jessy, grinning. “Come here Jose Enrique have a seat.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ricky and Jacki walk into la casa very, very slowly. They’re trying to avoid the inevitable. I’ll not let her go. She’s mia, only mia. She’s my esposa, thinks Ricky with anger. I feel like a teenager going to get in trouble. We’re adults. What’s up with this? Oh yeah, it’s the Mexican traditions.
Ricky keeps Jacki at his side, firmly holds her to his side with his arm around her small waist. Entering the living room, Ricky and Jacki stop in the center of the room. I can see that her padres are confused. They don’t have any idea of what’s going on, thinks Ricky.
“Señor Cortez, Señora Cortez, nice to meet you, I’m Ricardo Emmanuel De La Cruz. I’m Jacqueline’s esposo. I know it comes as a surprise. Jacki and I got married last night in Las Vegas. We plan to marry right away by the church ceremony,” says Ricky looking at the Jacki’s padres with all sincerity.
Jacki’s mama turns pale, looks at her esposo. Señor Cortez is red with rage.
Señor Cortez looks at Jacki. “Is there a reason that this boda has transpired like this? Are you pregnant?” asks Jacki’s papa with restraint rage. Jacki’s papa stands up, walks over to look at Jacki.
“Papa, I’m not pregnant. I love Ricardo. I wanted to marry him. Why is that so wrong? I’m not una niña any more. I’m a grown mujer. We will be married soon in the church ceremony, as quickly as the priest will allow it. We had a real boda. My esposo bought me a wedding gown that I’ll also wear for our church ceremony. It’s not a game to us. I’m sorry if I hurt you and my mama,” says Jacki. “My esposo is a grand hombre. I’m muy feliz with my decision. My only regret is hurting you and my mama.”
Señor Cortez stands in front of his little niña, realizes that what she said is true. She is a grown mujer. She’s not pregnant, well not yet.
My niña Jacqueline looks radiant with felicidad. I know that she’s shy. I now realize how much she loves this hombre. If it’s her felicidad, it will also be mine. But I will not allow her to live with him until the church ceremony takes place, period.
I also know that her esposo is a good hombre. I know that he is a De La Cruz, a good respectable familia. My Jessy is marrying his primo, considers Señor Cortez, turning to look at his new son in law.
Well he looks like he’s very possessive of Jacki. This is good, a very good sign. He’s claiming her as his, even in front of her padre. He’s an educated young man. He also looks like he cares for my niña.
“Ricardo, I expect that you will take care of my niña. I’ll acknowledge this marriage. But I will not allow her to live with you until the church ceremony has taken place, period. I only want what is best for mis niñas. I’ll not allow any further blemishes to my niña. You will marry her in church ceremony, the sooner the better,” stresses Señor Cortez with firmness.
He looks at Ricky firmly in the eyes. I can see he is todo un hombre. He understands fully well his errors in his relationship with my niña. He’ll rectify it as soon as possible. I can also see he has not let her go no matter what I said or did. Good, very good. This marriage will work out, ponders Señor Cortez with gusto.
“Señor Cortez, I have every intention of expediting the marriage by the church ceremony. I’m just as anxious as you to have Jacqueline, mi esposa, at my side. I want to be married in the church ceremony,” says Ricky looking into Señor Cortez eyes with complete manly confidence. Todo un hombre.
“Ricardo, I will be meeting with Jose Enrique’s padres this evening. I will also like for your padres to be present. I would like to meet los padres of los hombres that my precious niñas are marrying,” requests Señor Cortez firmly making his request.
“Señor Cortez, it is my intentions to bring mis padres to ask for Jacki’s mano. I’m extremely pleased that it will take place today. I will go to talk to mis padres immediately. I will like to take Jacki so she can meet mis padres. I hope that will be okay?” asks Ricky looking at Señor Cortez standing tall and proud.
“I know that it is the right thing to do, Jacki needs to meet your padres considering the circumstances,” replies Señor Cortez nodding in agreement.
Jacki pulls away from Ricky, rushes to hug her papa, mama, and then Jessy with tears in sus ojos.
Ricky looks at his primo with lots of relief on his cara. I better hustle and get the church ceremony scheduled and taken care of. The sooner, the better, and the happier I’ll be with my bella muñeca en mi cama, contemplates Ricky.
Jose Enrique grins wickedly, with a twinkle in his eyes. I know
what drove my primo to marriage. Just one sweet taste, that’s all it takes. I should know. It is pure heaven, reasons Jose Enrique grinning.
Jessy walks over to Jose Enrique’s side. “Mi vida, I think that you should contact your padres and advise them of what has transpired. We need to adjust the time for our padres to meet. I don’t know if going out to dinner will be a good idea. I feel that the issues are a little strong. I’m supposed to go to the bridal store to select my wedding gown. Hmm, maybe I should get my wedding gown in Vegas since it is so simple,” says Jessy grinning gazing at Jose Enrique.
“Okay mi amor, I’ll call you later. Let me know if you don’t fine a dress at the bridal store. We can drive to Vegas and get you one. Okay,” replies Jose Enrique nodding.
“Jacki, well you’re going to be busy today. I don’t think that you’ll be going to the bridal store for the maids dress selection today. Do you want me to order the size I think will fit? We can always take the dress in,” asks Jessy.
Jacki turns from showing her padres her wedding rings and looks at Ricky. “Si Jessy, just order the size you know will fit,” agrees Jacki smiling.
Jacki walks over to su esposo with a huge feliz smile, reaches up on her toes, and pulls him down for a hot beso in front of su familia.
Oh yeah, thinks Ricky, she’s mia, only mia pulling her in closer enveloping her in his brazos. It’s just a beso, they can’t say a thing. But I still have to control myself, better stop the beso now.
Ricky pulls back, smiling at his esposa. “Mi reina, are you ready to meet mis padres?” he asks with todo his amor en sus ojos.
“Si Baby, I’m ready. Don’t you think you should bring in my gown and my bag? I don’t want anything to happen to my gown,” says Jacki smiling. “Baby, don’t forget the video and photos. We can show them to la familia later this evening.”
Jose Enrique is observing Ricky. I know mi primo real well, and I can see that he’s in love with Jacki without even knowing it. ‘Mi reina’ that says it all. Why else will he rush to marry her if not because he’s anxious to keep her, ponders Jose Enrique with amusement.
