Quince Clash

by Malín Alegría

  Noelia smiled and called, “Hey, Fabi, we found them wandering the halls.”

  “Yeah,” added Violet. “We were just telling Mr. Cardoza about the dance we made up for the talent show last fall.”

  “Did you know that he taught J. Lo how to dance?” Mona said in disbelief.

  “I hope you don’t mind —” Noelia looked a tad embarrassed.

  “But we want to watch,” finished Violet.

  Mr. Cardoza — clearly that was the goateed choreographer guy — looked at the girls as if they’d just said the craziest thing in the world. “Watch?” He shook his head dramatically. “Three fine dancers like yourselves can’t watch. Not in my practice. You ladies will practice with us. You” — he pointed to Noelia — “will be Fabi’s understudy.”

  Fabi was confused. They only had three guys.

  Mr. Cardoza looked at Fabi and said, “I read your story. If you’re not up to dancing, one of these girls can fill in for you. Now, kids, gather around me.” He motioned for everyone to come over. The three girls screamed excitedly as they joined the group. Mr. Cardoza noticed Grandma Trini and nodded. “Ma’am,” he said to her, “with all due respect, my dancing style is very rigorous. I am a demanding instructor. I don’t accept excuses or Bengay breaks. My technique is not for the innocent. It has been called raunchy by some and vulgar by others. How do you think J. Lo got that butt?” No one answered. “My question for you is, do you think you can keep up?”

  Grandma Trini kicked one leg up in the air and dropped down into a split. “Mijo,” she said from the floor. “If I can dance with the devil and live to tell about it, I can do your dirty dance.”

  The choreographer burst into a cheerful laugh. “Yes! That was exactly what I wanted to hear. Okay, now let’s start with a warm-up. You guys like to Zumba?”

  “Wait!” Fabi interrupted. “We’re not all here. We’re missing one person.” She looked at Georgia Rae and Alexis. “Milo’s not here!”

  Georgia Rae shrugged.

  Mr. Cardoza clapped his hands for attention. “I will let you interrupt once, because you are the quinceañera. But that’s it. My time is valuable. I won’t wait for no one. Not even for you, my sweet. Like I said, one of these girls will fill in for whoever can’t keep up.”

  “But they’re girls,” Fabi said flatly.

  Mr. Cardoza raised up two fingers in a threatening manner. “Now, where was I?” He turned on his boom box. Reggaeton dance beats blasted out of the speakers. “All right, everybody. I want you to stick your booty out like this and shake them hips!”

  The next day, Fabi’s thighs screamed in pain when she tried to get out of bed. Thankfully, it was Saturday and she didn’t have to go to work until the afternoon. Her whole body ached from the rigorous dance workout. Every muscle cried out for relief. She smiled to herself, staring up at the ceiling, remembering how Grandma Trini put everyone to shame with her serpentine stomach rolls. Her smile faded when she thought about Milo. He hadn’t shown up at all. She racked her brain, trying to think if she’d somehow insulted him by mistake. Nothing came to mind. Was he mad about Daniel being her chambelán? Sure, he’d offered at the beginning. But he was just being nice, just trying to help her out. He couldn’t possibly be upset about that!

  Fabi took two quick breaths, willed herself past the pain, and got up. This would not be easy, she thought, grabbing muscle-relieving cream from her nightstand — ouch!

  She borrowed Santiago’s truck and drove to the trailer park where Milo lived. Milo’s house was the last one down the first row. There were fake flowers planted in front. He said his mom preferred the synthetic ones because they were the only flowers that didn’t die on her. Fabi walked around back and knocked on his bedroom window. Milo poked his head out from behind a dark curtain. He had his headphones on. She motioned for him to come out.

  Fabi licked her lips nervously. On the ride over she’d tried to think of what to say. But the truck kept stalling on her when she tried to shift too quickly, so she hadn’t come up with anything good.

  Milo opened the front door. Fabi couldn’t help but peek inside. She’d never been invited into his house. He always made excuses about it being messy. This time, Fabi saw a woman passed out on the couch. She was missing a green sandal and there was a bottle of Jack Daniel’s on the floor. Quickly, Fabi looked away, hoping Milo hadn’t noticed her prying. “Hey,” he said softly, closing the door behind him.

  “Hey,” Fabi said back.

  “What’s up?”

  She shrugged. “Not much. We missed you yesterday at the quinceañera practice. You didn’t call or anything.”

  Milo said nothing. He glanced back at the house, then stared off over Fabi’s shoulder.

  Fabi wondered about Milo’s family. He never talked about them. “Do you want to walk?” she asked.

  Milo nodded. They hopped through the hole in the chain-link fence that led to an open field. It was private property, but no one ever came around there. For a while, the only sounds were the crunching of their feet on the dried grass. The deeper they went, the more the desert landscape opened up to them. A slight breeze tossed Fabi’s hair, providing a welcome break from the stifling heat. She watched a bird soar high up above. It was so peaceful here, she thought.

  “I don’t think I can be in the quinceañera,” Milo said softly, breaking the silence.

  “What? Are you crazy?” Fabi stared at him in shock. She had not expected this. “But … this party is partly your fault. You can’t back out. I know you helped Grandma Trini and Alexis write that letter.”

  Milo sucked in his teeth. “You found out that you’re dying. I knew it was a bad idea. I told them not to put that in,” he said, looking sincere. “But I was outvoted, two to one. Your sister can be pretty pushy once she gets her heart set on something.”

  “You could have told me.”

  “I wanted to, but then you got chosen and … I didn’t get a chance.”

  Fabi understood. She’d been trying to talk to Grace, but something always came up. Time was slipping away. Fabi had to tell her before it got too late. Fabi thought about Milo’s mom passed out on the couch. “Is everything okay? I mean, at home with your mom?”

  Milo looked sideways at her as they walked. “You saw that?”

  She nodded.

  “She’ll be all right. I think she got fired last night from her job at the HEB grocery store. Don’t worry. She’ll be fine by tomorrow,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

  His nonchalant attitude made Fabi feel more like a stranger than a friend. She couldn’t understand the distance that was swelling up between them. They’d gone from sharing their deepest feelings to awkward silence in a matter of days. She also realized that there was more to Milo than she thought. She cared about him and didn’t want to lose his friendship.

  “Did I do something to make you mad?” she asked.

  “It’s nothing,” he said, but Milo’s voice was tight.

  “It’s just that we were super close.”

  “Fabi.”

  “You used to come to the restaurant after school and now you won’t even talk to me. If I did something, tell me.”

  Milo shook his head. He grabbed a rusty beer can and threw it. It didn’t go very far.

  “Milo,” Fabi tried again, softer.

  “I don’t want to talk about it, okay? I just need some time to myself, that’s all.”

  “Time to yourself?” She was starting to grow annoyed by his attitude. “I thought we were friends. Friends talk to each other, right?” She found herself getting really mad. “Is this about Daniel?” When Milo said nothing, Fabi continued. “Daniel’s cool. You’d like him. I swear, if you’d just come to the rehearsal, you’d see.”

  “You don’t even know that boy,” Milo said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. “Where does he come from? Who are his friends? You know nothing about him. He just appeared, and now you’re making him your chambelán.” Milo took a long breath. “I was ther
e for you when no else was. I was your friend when Dex tried to push you around, remember that? You’ve changed. Now that you’re going to be on TV, you’re like Ms. Popularity. How do you know that he’s not just using you? I saw him at the mall talking to Melodee.”

  Fabi jerked back. Why was he saying these things? “That’s his job!” she stammered. “He works at the pizzeria. He has to be nice to everyone.”

  Milo shook his head. “I don’t like him, and there’s nothing you can say that’ll change that.”

  “You’re just jealous,” Fabi said, feeling frustrated and annoyed. Why was Milo acting like this?

  “Jealous?” Milo started to laugh.

  Fabi looked straight at him, trying to read his expression. How could he laugh? How could he be so mean? The mocking look on his face made her blood boil. “You know what?” she said angrily. “Forget it. You’re right. I don’t need you. I don’t even know why I bother.” She turned away. “If you’re going to act like this, then I’d rather you didn’t come to my quinceañera at all.

  ” Fabi walked back to the truck. A part of her hoped that Milo would call her back, apologize, grab her, anything. He didn’t. She slowed her pace. He wasn’t going to call her back. Fabi didn’t want to leave things like this, but what else could she do?

  For the next few days, Fabi forced herself not to think about Milo. There were many more pressing things at the moment. She thought about Daniel’s advice.

  Maybe Grace will understand. She may even let me have the quinceañera, she hoped, pushing open the front door of her family’s restaurant. Just when Fabi didn’t think things could get any worse, they did. As she walked in, she stepped into the middle of an ugly argument between none other than her father and Grace Cooper.

  “You get that sinvergüenza out of my restaurant right now!” he cried, waving a skillet in the air threateningly. Chuy and Santiago were holding Leonardo at bay in the kitchen. Fabi had never seen her father so upset before. She turned to her mother, who held her arm across Grace like a protective shield. Grandma Trini and Alexis were trying to reassure Grace that everything was all right and not to worry.

  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Garza,” Grace said pleadingly. “My assistant was supposed to tell you. I didn’t mean —”

  “Didn’t mean … I’m sorry … Is that why you went behind my back and paid that fool BJ to cater my daughter’s quinceañera?”

  Fabi jumped back. Not BJ Lujan — of the restaurant Los Granos de Mama! They used recycled old lard in their food; everyone knew that!

  Grace lowered her head in defeat. BJ Lujan had been trying for years to steal Garza’s recipe for chili con carne. Everyone knew that it was the best. He’d even gone to great lengths to trick them, by planting a serving girl to spy for him.

  Fabi looked at Grace, praying that what her dad said wasn’t true.

  “Pues, then I am not going,” her father stated, sweating profusely.

  “Please, Leonardo,” her mother protested. “You don’t know what you’re saying. This is Fabi’s quinceañera. It’s going to be on TV. Every —”

  “I don’t care,” her father said, pressing his hand to his chest. “I have my orgullo and no one will take that from me. I will not be disrespected at my daughter’s quinceañera. ¡Saca a esa vieja! I don’t want to look at her.”

  Grace pulled out her cell phone. “I’m so sorry. Let me call my assistant and maybe we can —”

  “I told you to get her out of here!” Her father struggled with Chuy and Santiago. Mr. Garza was a big man, and it looked like he would get free when all of a sudden he cried out in pain. His eyes grew big while his face went pale. Leonardo clutched his right arm and collapsed to the floor, bringing Santiago and Chuy down with him.

  “Mom!” Fabi cried, running over to her father. “Mom! Dad isn’t moving!” She turned around and saw her mother standing frozen in place, stiff like Grandpa Frank’s starched pants. No one moved. “Alexis! Call 911. Call 911 right now.”

  “Help!” Santiago cried. “Tío weighs a ton. He’s squishing my leg.”

  Chuy and Fabi helped Santiago free himself from under Leonardo.

  “Is he dead?” Abuelita Alpha asked, pulling out her rosary.

  Fabi’s mother had regained her composure and snapped, “Don’t you dare say that! He’s not dead.” She rushed over to Leonardo’s side and began to cry. Alexis put her arm around her mother and said comforting words.

  “Pues, he’s not moving. Se puede morir del coraje,” Fabi’s grandmother Alpha explained.

  Grace sprang to Fabi’s side. “The ambulance is on the way. I’m so sorry. I feel responsible. This is not what I intended. Fabi, you have to believe me. I just thought they could relax and enjoy the day. I’m sorry.” Tears started to well up in her eyes. “I didn’t think. I didn’t —”

  Fabi wanted to comfort her. She wanted to tell her that it was all right, that her father would be okay. But her dad was on the floor. He’d had some kind of attack. It was not all right!

  The ambulance showed up and rushed Leonardo Garza to a hospital in McAllen. The family piled into cars to follow the blinking lights of the emergency mobile. This was not supposed to happen, Fabi thought, sitting in the back of her grandma Trini’s car.

  No one uttered a word on the drive. Grandma Trini didn’t even turn on the radio. Fabi watched the darkening sky. She was numb. Her sister was sniveling next to her. There was the clicking of rosary beads rubbing together as Abuelita Alpha mumbled prayers in the front seat. For once, Grandma Trini didn’t complain and prayed alongside her silently.

  A chill set into Fabi’s bones. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all her fault.

  Leonardo was okay. He’d experienced a minor heart attack, but was recovering nicely. The doctors wanted to keep him for a few days to make sure his vital signs went back to normal. Fabi’s father had ignored his doctor’s past advice, and now it was catching up with him. The doctor prescribed a change in diet, daily exercise, and no stress. By the end of the week, Leonardo was finally home. Fabi promised herself that she would do everything in her power to make her dad’s recovery as peaceful as possible.

  Chuy took over head-cook responsibilities. Fabi assisted between school, practice, and her other quince duties. She knew that she had to explain the truth to Grace. But there were always new things that had to be ordered, cleaned, or thrown out at the restaurant, which just couldn’t wait. It wasn’t until Grace approached her about Melodee’s quinceañera that she realized that now it might be too late.

  “Do you think she would mind if we tagged along with you today?” Grace asked, sitting across the table from Fabi on Fabi’s fifteen-minute break.

  Today was Melodee’s quinceañera! With everything going on, Fabi had totally forgotten about it. Great, she thought, as she smiled at Grace from across the table. “Sure, I don’t think she’ll mind.”

  “Wonderful,” Grace said as she scribbled some notes down on a pad. “We just want to get some shots of other quinceañeras for a promo piece.” She reached out for Fabi’s hand. “How is your dad feeling?”

  “He’s much better. He started getting around with this walker Abuelita Alpha lent him. He complains a lot. That’s always a good sign.”

  Grace smiled. “I feel so bad about the whole thing, you know? It wasn’t our intention —”

  “I know,” Fabi said, looking down at the plastic red tabletop. There was a dried salsa stain on the edge of the table. Fabi pulled a wet rag from her apron pocket and started to rub at the stain. It was time to come clean, she resolved. She had to tell Grace, now, before anything worse happened. “There’s something I need to tell you,” Fabi began.

  “I know what you’re going to say,” Grace cut in.

  Grace gave Fabi a small smile. “None of this is your fault. I don’t want you to blame yourself. You should see the video footage we have of your dad.” Grace wiped away a tear with the back of her hand. “He’s really very proud of you. This day means a lot to h
im. He never believed that he could provide for you and your sister the way you deserved. This party means so much to him.”

  Fabi felt her heart stretch in a hundred directions. It was exhausting just to think of everyone who was now affected by this party. This was no longer about winning some stupid bet. Fabi’s quinceañera had become the culmination, the dream, of every person she had ever known — a dream built with the past generations’ blood, sweat, and hope. It was a dream for a better tomorrow. A quinceañera’s dream. But this dream was quickly becoming Fabi’s cross to bear.

  “So I’ll pick you up around four?” Grace asked.

  “Yeah, sure,” Fabi said, without enthusiasm.

  Grace left and Fabi reached for her phone and dialed Georgia Rae’s number. How could she forget Melodee’s quinceañera? What was she going to wear? She glanced at her watch. It was already two o’clock. No, this was not happening!

  Thankfully, her friend picked up on the second ring. “Georgia Rae,” Fabi cried, touching her head. When was the last time she’d washed her hair? she wondered. And now she didn’t have enough time! Her heart began to race. “What are you doing? Whatever it is — stop! We have an emergency. It’s Melodee’s quinceañera. Yes! Today. I know. I’m freaking out. I need you here, now.”

  When Fabi hung up, she noticed Grandma Trini and Alexis standing next to her. When had they appeared?

  “We heard,” Alexis said in a serious tone.

  “We are here for you, mija,” Grandma Trini assured, placing her hand on Fabi’s arm. “Esa fashion lady left a bunch of dresses at my house that she’d made and no like. Let’s go and try them on. I can hem anything not finished. That way we all look pretty for the party.”

  “We?”

  Alexis rolled her eyes. “Well, yeah, of course we’re going to go with you. We won’t let you go alone. Let me call Santiago and Chuy.”