by Macias, P. T
Chapter Thirty-Seven
After lunch, Jose Enrique is in his office, thinking of his bella amor. I’m the luckiest man on this planet. Mi amor is just incredible.
The phone rings, Jose Enrique picks it up. “Good afternoon. Thank you for calling De La Cruz Inc. Jose Enrique speaking, how I can help you?” says Jose Enrique. He looks at his caller ID and senses it is odd. It’s an out-of-the-country call. Not real sure which country; it appears to be from Mexico. This is odd. Who can it be?
“Señor De La Cruz, this is Señor Lopez’s associate. I need you to work for us,” says the caller. The unknown caller’s voz sounds funny, like it is modified with some type of electronic device. This is bizarre, thinks Jose Enrique. What does he want?
“Who am I speaking to?” asks Jose Enrique. “Would you like De La Cruz Inc. to build you a building?”
“No Señor De La Cruz, I am offering you a job in assisting us in some money laundering. I promise you that it will be very lucrative for you and tu familia,” says the caller with amusement.
“Who am I speaking to? Are you serious? My familia does not deal in this type of work. We are definitely not interested. Have a nice day,” says Jose Enrique ending the call. He remains immobile, petrified, thinking about the call. This is so surreal.
“Hola, primo, what’s up?” says Ricky entering his office. “I want to talk to you about the cuarto next to my office.”
The phone rings again and Jose Enrique looks at the phone’s caller ID. It’s the same caller. He picks it up. “Good afternoon, thank—” He is rudely interrupted by the caller.
“It’s me and I am giving you until Monday to reconsider my offer. We are very anxious to have tu compania work with us. We will do everything in our power to encourage your association. Senor Lopez highly recommends you. I will call you on Monday at this same time. Don’t try to inform the police. We will know and that will not be beneficial to you and tu familia,” states the caller. The caller terminates the call.
Ricky is looking at his primo. He looks sick and pale. Is Jose Enrique shaking with anger or fear? Both, he’s having trouble breathing, deems Ricky.
“What is wrong primo? Who called you?” asks Ricky, real concerned for Jose Enrique.
He strides around the desk to get to Jose Enrique to check his pulse and his breathing. “Primo, you’re scaring me. Do you want me to call the paramedics?” He starts to undo his tie and the top button of his shirt. I think that I will call the paramedics. My primo is not looking well. He might be having a heart attack, thinks Ricky reaching for the phone. He’s halted by Jose Enrique.
“No primo, I’m okay. I’m just a little shocked,” says Jose Enrique standing. He walks around taking deep breaths. This is so surreal. What am I going to do, thinks Jose Enrique.
“Primo, that call was from an unknown caller from out of the country. It appears to be from Mexico. He said that Senor Lopez highly recommends us. He wants our compania to do some money laundering. I told him that we’re not interested and ended the call. He calls back, that’s when you entered the cuarto. He gives me until Monday to reconsider or he’ll encourage us to associate with them,” croaks Jose Enrique.
He’s shaking with fear and anger. “How are we going to avoid from becoming involved? I fear for our familia, our loved ones,” says Jose Enrique. He turns to look at Ricky with frustration.
Yeah, just what I thought. He’s in shock like I was. It’s a very hard pill to swallow, ponders Jose Enrique.
He walks over to Ricky, undoing his tie and top button on his shirt. He rubs Ricky’s back, hoping to get him to start breathing. “Primo, take deep breaths, breathe. Come on, think of Jacki. Yeah, nice and easy,” says Jose Enrique. I cannot believe this.
“Are you serious? Maybe it’s a prank call,” rasps Ricky as he starts to breathe normally again. He takes a few steps to try to relax his tensed body.
“We really need to contact somebody that can assist us. Maybe Christian or Claudia, they’ll have a better idea of how to handle this,” says Ricky stopping to stand in front of Jose Enrique.
“Maybe we should just wait until Monday and see if this is for real. Maybe they’ll leave us alone,” states Ricky.
“Yeah, primo, maybe you’re right. We’ll see what they say on Monday. It doesn’t matter what they want. We are not participating in anything that is illegal. We have worked hard to achieve our financial position,” says Jose Enrique with conviction. “I don’t want our familia hurt.”
He walks around his office like a wild animal in a cage. Ricky is attempting to overcome the intense fear that he has for la familia.
“I still feel that we should call Claudia or Christian, primo. This is real serious and la familia can get hurt,” says Ricky. “It’s better to be prepared.”
“Let’s wait until Monday, primo. I don’t want la familia to know. I don’t want our padres to worry. Let’s keep this between us for now, agree?” asks Jose Enrique, stopping to look into Ricky’s eyes.
Ricky is rubbing his neck and trying to get control of his heartbeat. This is so damn scary. We just don’t deal with these types of scums. “Okay, primo, we’ll wait until Monday. Maybe it is a prank call,” says Ricky turning around and leaves the office.
* * *
Jaime returns to El Mextli’s office after making the call to la De La Cruz familia in the southern California area. Jaime is shaking his cabeza, thinking, Los De La Cruz and López no van a jugar (are not going to play). I know that we want to take control of the entire California market and then take over the Texas market.
“Did you make the call?” asks El Mextli, cutting up an apple with his silver intricately engraved knife, looking out into the ocean from his mansion’s patio in Baja California. “You were muy claro that they have to jugar con nosotros?”
“Si Mextli, but I know that they will fight against us before they ever agree to jugar con nosotros,” says Jaime, looking at his jefe. I know that he looks all polished, bueno, and educated, but I know better. He wasn’t called Mextli after the Azteca war god for nothing.
“Did you warn them against contacting la policia? You did give them until el Lunes?” asks Mextli, turning to look at his mano derecha (right hand).
“Si, and they stated that they are not interested,” says Jaime, looking at Mextli, knowing that he’s not as calmado or bueno (calm or nice) as he appears. He can strike out at any minute with his knife if he so desires. Mextli has earned his position as a drug lord and name for his cruelty in war.
“El Lunes, you will make the call otra vece (again), and then we’ll start to put some pequeno avisos (small warnings) if they don’t want to jugar,” says Mextli. “We’ll start contacto con Lopez el Sabado of next week. De La Cruz and López are ricos and tienen poder (rich and have power). Todo is into place and I will control California and Baja California.” He throws his knife into the tree with pleasure.
* * *
Jessy finishes reviewing the new contract. The contract is from a former client’s office that has selected one of the packages for remodeling. These packages are working out real good. We have several contracts that will be starting next week. I hope that the new assistant will start soon, thinks Jessy, finishing signing her name to the contract.
Bella walks in, sits in front of her desk in a comfortable burgundy leather chair, grinning. “Jessy I have a start date for our new assistant Ms. Monique Acosta. She agrees to start on the following Monday June 13. I feel that we just hired the best interior decorating design assistant,” says Bella thrilled with their new hire.
“Bella that is great news and a relief,” says Jessy nodding with pleasure.
“Are you and Jose Enrique going to the club tonight? Please go. We did have so much fun last week,” says Bella looking at Jessy. “Paty is going. We’ll have so much fun. Get Jacki and Ricky to go, okay? We need to relax after a hard week at work amiga.”
“Yes Bella your right. I’ll ask Jose Enrique to take me and I’ll make sure
that Ricky and Jacki also go. See ya later,” says Jessy smiling, nods in agreement.
Bella exits her office going to get her purse in her office. Bella runs into Ricky on her way out. “Primo, are you two going to the club tonight. We all need to have fun and to relax after such a stressful week.” says Bella nodding. She didn’t wait for his responds. She gave her primo a hug and strides down the hall. Bella didn’t notice how pale and upset Ricky is.
Good thing that Bella didn’t notice anything is wrong, ponders Ricky. My prima is right. It’ll be fun to go to the club with my reina. The thought of seeing his reina makes him feel a lot better.
We now have to wait until Monday and see. It can be a joke. We need to wait until I find out who is doing this prank on us. I will kill him. He gave us a heart failure, thinks Ricky walking down the hall to his office.
Ricky starts calling his reina. I need to have her get ready to go out for dinner and to the club, thinks Ricky. Jacki left early today to get some of the wedding details planned out with Erica. I know that mi reina is excited about la boda, he grins.
Jacki went home real feliz with the wedding plans. Everything is going to be beautiful. Gracias a Dios that Erica also wants a small wedding party, contemplates Jacki.
My new familia is going to be great. I just love them. I know that it also helps that I have known las primas since junior high school.
I need to go and tell mi mama not to worry about anything. All she needs to do is look bella, thinks Jacki. I need to get real sexy for mi baby. He’ll be here soon to pick me up. Oh I just can’t wait. She smiles, walks into her casa. Jacki enters her cuarto after spending the last three hours with Erica planning their double wedding. This is so exciting. Erica and I both want soft pastel pink for our wedding. It makes everything so much easier, thinks Jacki smiling. Her cell phone rings.
“Hola Baby,” says Jacki beaming with pleasure.
“Mi reina I want to pick you up at 5:30 to take you out to dinner and then to the club. Los primos will be at the club. Do you like the idea or would you like to go somewhere else?” asks Ricky. “I want whatever you want, always.”
“Baby, that sounds like lots of fun. I bet Jessy and Jose Enrique will also go. Okay pick me up at 5:30. I love you,” says Jacki nodding.
“Okay mi reina, I’ll see you in a little bit. Love you,” says Ricky ending the call striding to his carro.
Jacki leaves her room to look for her mama. “Mama where are you?” calls out Jacki anxiously looking for her mama. I can’t wait to tell her all about the wedding plans.
“Mi hija I’m here in the kitchen making dinner. Are you and Ricky going to stay for dinner tonight?” asks her Mama Rosa. She’s cutting the tomatoes for the salad.
“No mama, Ricky said he wants to take me out to dinner and then to the club dancing. I’m sorry mama. I didn’t think of telling him that we should have dinner with you and papa,” says Jacki. She’s looking at her mama, hoping that she’s not hurt.
“Mi hija, don’t worry about us. You enjoy your time with tu esposo. I do understand.” says her Mama Rosas nodding. She looks at her bella hija. I know that Ricky loves mi Jacki. There really is no need to worry about Jacki. She selected a fantastic hombre for su esposo, contemplates Mama Rosas smiling.
“Okay mama, I need to get ready. Ricky will be picking me up soon. I love you mama,” says Jacki smiling leans in to give her a beso with todo su amor.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ricky pulls into his reina casa driveway, getting out in a hurry to see her. He knocks on the door hoping that his reina will answer. No such luck. Su mama answers.
“Mi hijo you don’t need to knock, this is tu casa,” says Mama Rosa. “Come in Ricardo.”
Ricky walks into la casa smiling. I really like mi reina’s mama. She’s so sweet like mi reina, thinks Ricky. He walks to the sofa to take a seat looking around, hoping to see Jacki walk into the living room.
“Do you want something to drink Ricardo?” asks Mama Rosa smiling with pleasure. Si, he is a grand hombre and this makes me muy feliz, ponders Mama Rosa.
“Gracias senora, I’m fine,” replies Ricky smiling.
“It’s getting closer for the wedding,” says Mama Rosa looking at the calendar.
“I know senora, estoy muy excited. I’m extremely anxious for la boda to get here,” says Ricky grinning, looking at his suegra.
Jacki walks into the living room, strides directly to Ricky. She goes up to him as he stands. Jacki reaches up, pulls him down for a hot beso.
Ricky quickly wraps his arms around his reina small waist sighing with relief. He hears Mama Rosa leave the living room to give them some privacy.
“Baby we need to go and have dinner I’m starving. I don’t know why I’m so hungry,” says Jacki taking Ricky’s mano, pulls him to the door calling out to su mama. “Mama ya mi voy (I’m leaving).”
Ricky thinks about what Jacki said about being real hungry. Don’t pregnant women get real hungry? Yeah, almost time to take a test, he contemplates with pleasure, smiling. Mi bebe is on his way, I just know it.
“Where do you want to go to eat mi reina?” asks Ricky smiling with pleasure. I’ll take her anywhere she wants as long as she eats everything, thinks Ricky.
“I really have been thinking about Fettuccine Alfredo with some fresh baked pan. Hmmm it sounds so good,” says Jacki looking at her Baby open the carro door for her. She gives him a beso on the check, slides into the seat.
Ricky quickly drives to the restaurant so that Jacki can have some dinner. I don’t want her to be hungry. She needs to be healthy for mi bebe, thinks Ricky.
Jacki orders her Fettuccine Alfredo with some chicken and Ricky with shrimp, salad and some water.
“Mi amor, we only have two more weeks and then we’ll be married in our church ceremony. I just can’t wait. We should go early in the morning shopping for our furniture,” says Ricky taking her mano, pulling her closer to him.
Jacki looks at Ricky with todo su amor shining from su ojos. “Baby I love you. I’ll love to go to get our furniture, our bedroom set, it’s so exciting,” she takes a sip of water.
“Baby I also want to get my kitchen appliances, I want to cook for you that week that we have for ourselves,” says Jacki.
Jacki pulls Ricky closer to kiss his check, going to his ear to whisper. “Baby I can’t wait to make love in our own cama. I want to put whip cream on you and lick the whip cream off you,” she pulls back to look at his cara.
She wants to see his expression, his eyes close. He pictures the whip cream on him, and he shudders, opens his eyes half way full of pasión. Ricky pulls her into his arms, kissing her with todo the hot burning pasión that she incites with her fantasías.
Mi reina is driving me loco not only with her touch, taste, but also with her fantasías. I can just picture her licking the whip cream off me, thinks Ricky, trembling with frantic need.
Oh yea, I love it when he goes all wild with need, thinks Jacki. She runs her fingers through his pelo, pulling him closer to respond to his hot beso.
The waiter strides to their booth and Ricky recalls where they’re at. Ricky pulls away from his reina very reluctantly. He looks at her with hot burning need, holding her close.
The waiter sets down the drinks, salad, and hot freshly baked bread that instantly spur Jacki’s hunger. “Hmm this smells so good,” says Jacki, taking a piece of the bread.
“Is there anything that I can get you sir?” asks the waiter looking at Ricky.
“No that’s it, just bring our main dish when it’s ready,” requests Ricky looking at Jacki eat the bread with so much gusto.
“Baby next week we’ll be able to start moving our things into our casa. I think that we should start with our bedroom, family room and kitchen. We can furnish the rest of the casa as we go. What do you think Baby?” asks Jacki looking at Ricky, eating her salad.
“Mi reina, I think that we’ll do whatever makes you feliz,” responds Ricky looking at his reina
with amor.
“Hmm, thank you this is so good, I was starving,” says Jacki after she takes the last bite that she can eat.
“Baby we’ll go to the club for a little while? Then you will make love to me?” asks Jacki in Ricky’s ear making him shudder.
Ricky pulls her into his arms, kisses her ear lobe, and tells her everywhere he’s going to love her. He loves how she trembles.
* * *
Jose Enrique and Jessy enter the club. He hugs her real close to his side, draping his brazo over her small waist.
Los primos are near the bar and las primas just a few tables away. He approaches the table to sit down with Jessy. He pulls out the chair for Jessy to sit. Las primas wave and smile at them.
“Mi amor do you want a margarita?” asks Jose Enrique smiling at Jessy.
“Si mi vida,” answers Jessy smiling. “Hi primas,” says Jessy looking at Bella, Paty, and las bebe’s. “Are Erica and Gabriel coming? Jacki and Ricky were leaving after we did,” says Jessy smiling.
“Amiga we hope so. We all told them to come and have some fun with us,” says Bella smiling looking around the club. “I want to dance.”
“Si, I want to dance also,” says Paty, looking round the club to see if anybody interesting shows up. “I probably have to dance with los primos.”
“Yeah I know what you mean. Maybe we should go to another club,” says Claudia gazing around room, not noticing anybody interesting.
“I know that someday I’ll meet mi amor, mi alma. I’m willing to wait,” says Bella, nodding taking a sip of her drink.
“Well I hope it’s soon, because todos are locating theirs,” says Paty pouting.
“Well primas, we’ll meet the one when dios wants us to, okay?” says Claudia taking a drink of her Corona swaying to the music.
