She's Got Game

by Veronica Chambers

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” the priest began, “we are gathered here today to celebrate the fifteenth birthday of Bianca Camilla Mortimer. The quinceañera tradition dates back more than six hundred years and has its roots in the coming-of-age rituals of the Aztecs and the Mayans. Over the years, the celebration has taken many forms, but its aim always remains the same—to welcome our girls as young women of faith into the church community, into the Latin community, and into our American communities at large. Please join me in prayer.”

  Padre Alfonso closed his eyes to say a prayer, but every girl in the room kept her eyes open, the better to take his handsomeness in. Then he said, “Now it’s the time for us to present Bianca with the traditional gifts.”

  “Oh, yeah!” Binky squealed. “Let the gifts begin!”

  The entire crowd laughed.

  The priest smiled. “This first gift may be something that Bianca, being as humble as she is, would want to wear. It’s the tiara.”

  Bev Mortimer stepped forward and placed the tiara on Binky’s head. “The tiara symbolizes the fact that you are a princess in the eyes of God,” the priest said. “The next gift is the bracelet.”

  Dash stepped forward and put a gold tennis bracelet on his sister’s wrist.

  “The bracelet,” Padre Alfonso explained, “symbolizes the unbroken circle of God’s love. And there is one more gift—a pair of earrings—to remind you to listen to the words of God.”

  Chip Mortimer stepped forward. “These earrings belonged to your mother, Bianca,” he said, his voice full of emotion. “She was wearing them the evening that I met her. Now, watching you—after all the changes that have taken place since you started this journey to plan a quince and connect with your Latin roots—I feel like I’m meeting…”

  Tears welled up in his eyes, and he struggled to compose himself. He turned away from the group, took a deep breath, hugged her, and continued. “I feel like I’m meeting my grown-up daughter for the first time. Happy birthday, Bianca.”

  He handed her the earrings and she put them on. Then she flashed the crowd a big smile, her eyes glittering with happy tears that were almost as sparkly as the diamonds. With this phase of the ceremony complete, Padre Alfonso said a closing prayer and then asked the group to join Binky and her father on the lower deck for the father-daughter vals.

  It took a while to get the crowd of people onto the second level, but when everyone was assembled, Carmen dimmed the lights and Alicia handed Mr. Mortimer a microphone.

  “Before I dance with my daughter,” he said, “I wanted to play a special video made by our new friend, Jamie Sosa.” Everyone clapped. Chip continued, “We lost Bianca’s mother when Bianca was just a baby. I know that we are all wishing she could’ve been here to see her little girl all grown up, and I think, with this video, she can be, in a way.”

  A screen came down, and Jamie’s video began. To the tune of Harry Belafonte’s “Sweetheart from Venezuela,” pictures of Binky and her mother flashed across the screen. Then came photos of Binky as a child interspersed with photos of her mother, Luz, as a child; photos of Binky in Miami; photos of her mother in Venezuela. All this led up to the final pairing: a video clip of Luz Mortimer in the Miss Universe contest, wearing her brilliant orange gown, and a video clip of Binky at Carmen’s house, during the final fitting of her tangerine-colored dress. When the three-minute film was over, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

  “You’re a girl of hidden talents,” Bev Mortimer said, walking up to Jamie.

  “Thanks,” Jamie said, her heart beating quickly.

  “Take good care of my stepson,” Bev said. “I’m very fond of him.”

  “Me, too,” Jamie said.

  “Now, shouldn’t you get back to work?” Bev asked, even though it was she who had come up to Jamie.

  “Absolutely,” Jamie said, happy to be offered the quick exit…and the praise.

  After that, there was the father-daughter vals, and then the dance floor filled up once more. At the next lull in the music, Dash stood on a chair and tapped a glass. “Toast time! Toast time! But before we begin roasting and toasting my sister, a couple of my fellow chambelanes and I have prepared a little musical number for your entertainment.”

  Binky, who hadn’t left Tino’s side since the party began, sidled up to the girls of Amigas Inc. “You guys are too much.”

  Alicia raised two fingers. “Amiga’s honor. We knew nothing about any number. This is a complete surprise to us, too.”

  They all watched, wondering what to expect, as Gaz, Domingo, Troy, and Dash took their places on the stage. They began singing an a capella number that they’d clearly written themselves. The lyrics were written to be sung to the tune of “How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?” from Binky’s all-time favorite movie, The Sound of Music:

  How do you solve a problem like Bianca?

  How do you catch an heiress and pin her down?

  How do you find a word that means “Bianca”?

  A Wasp! A Latina! A quince on the town!

  She takes several hours in the bathroom

  Just to comb through all that silky hair;

  She waltzes like a linebacker in a scrimmage

  And salsas into every available chair.

  Oh, how do you solve a problem like Bianca?

  How do you breathe in the warmth of her embrace?

  How do you find a word that means Binky-Bianca?

  A birthday girl! A princess! A lady of taste!

  After the boys were done singing and taking multiple bows, Dash jumped off the stage and grabbed Jamie by the waist.

  “When did you cook this up?” she asked him, laughing.

  “Our business, not your business,” Dash said mischievously. “Speaking of sneaky, how did you put together that amazing video?”

  “That’s an Amigas Inc. trade secret, my man,” Jamie answered, her eyes sparkling with happiness. “My lips are sealed.”

  “I think I know a way to fix that, but I’ll hold off until later. Are you ready to make your toast now?”

  “Sure,” she said, smoothing out her dress and running a hand through her hair nervously.

  Dash grabbed a glass, tapped on it, and said, “Damas y caballeros, ladies and gentlemen: my beautiful girlfriend, Jamie Sosa.”

  Jamie, flushed, began, “I’m honored to be here tonight and honored that Bianca chose our company, Amigas Inc. (business cards are all over the ship, please call us!) to plan her quinceañera. As per tradition, we like to say something at each party we plan. So, first, I have to give a shout-out to my business partners and best friends, Alicia Cruz, Carmen Ramirez-Ruben, and Gaspar Colón. And now, on to the birthday girl…

  “Those of you who know Binky—I mean, Bianca—know that she’s a hugger. I am not. When I first met B., her hugging completely freaked me out. But then, as I got to know more about Bianca and how young she was when she lost her mom, I realized that, more than most of us, Bianca understands that life can be cruel and short and therefore we should embrace it and grab all the hugs that we can. And I have to say, watching her transform into the girl you see tonight, she has got the embracing thing down. I never thought I’d say it, but, chica, you’re a Latina, one hundred percent! So, if you could all please join me now in raising your glass to my new friend, Bianca. Come on up, chica!”

  Binky got onstage and gave Jamie a huge hug, and then Jamie handed her the microphone.

  “Thank you all for coming,” Binky said, dabbing at her forehead with a handkerchief. “Is it me, or is it hot in here?” She unfolded a piece of paper and said, “Y’all know my Spanish is not the best. But tonight is all about honoring my Latina heritage, so I’m working on it, and I wanted to say a few words to you tonight en español:

  “Toda mi vida, he sentido que me hace falta algo. Por supuesto que es mi mamá. Pero también mi cultura latina. Este día, con mi familia y mis amigos, siento que he recibido esa parte de nuevo. Gracias. Y un gracias especial a Estrella. Tu eres como una
mamá para mi. Y siempre me recordó el deseo de mi madre de tener mis quince.

  “And now, in English:

  “All of my life, I’ve felt like there was a part of me missing. Of course, part of that is missing my mother. But I’ve also missed my Latin culture. Today, with you—my family and friends—I feel like I’ve gotten back a little bit of what was missing. Thank you. And a special thanks to Estrella, who has been like a second mother to me and who reminded me, always, of my mother’s desire to see me have my own quinceañera.”

  After Binky’s speech, and after everyone who could had come and given her a hug and said congratulations, the birthday girl made her way over to the amigas. “May I see you for a moment?” she asked.

  They all stepped to the side of the yacht, the waves crashing softly against the boat. All around them, people were smiling and dancing. It was a rare thing for the group to be able to take a moment and experience the joy that quinceañeras bring—especially in such a spectacular setting.

  Binky handed Alicia an envelope. “This is a check.”

  Alicia looked confused. “But your father has already paid us.”

  “And tipped us,” Carmen said.

  “Very generously,” Jamie added.

  “This is a different check,” Binky said. “It’s a birthday gift from my father and Bev. This has been such an amazing experience for me. I’d like you to use this money to create another fabulous quince for a girl who can’t afford one.”

  “Are you serious?” Carmen asked.

  “Can we use your boat?” Jamie teased.

  “You can’t use my boat!” Binky said. “But you can have my money.”

  “This is amazing,” Alicia said, giving Binky a hug. “It will make some girl very, very happy.”

  “One condition,” Binky said, looking at Jamie. “I want to be anonymous. No game-show tactics this time.”

  “Done,” Alicia said.

  Just then, Tino approached the group. “Quit hogging my date!”

  Binky turned to him and smiled. “I’m all yours.” She gave the girls one last knowing look and then allowed herself to be led away to the dance floor.

  For a moment, they all just stood there, transfixed. Jamie was about to go find Dash so that he could enjoy the moment, too, when Tilda Fales tapped her on the shoulder. “Are you girls hungry now?”

  “Ravenous,” Jamie said.

  “Starved,” Carmen added.

  “Famished,” chimed in Alicia.

  “Well, then, follow me,” Tilda said.

  In the library of the ship, a room that they didn’t even know existed, a small table had been set up with a white tablecloth, candles, and three place settings.

  “Dinner is served,” Tilda said with a grin, opening the door so the waiter could come in with the first course.

  Over the candlelit meal, the members of Amigas sat down and began to replay the past five weeks, almost unable to process all that had happened in that short space of time.

  “Can you believe that you quit?” Carmen said to Jamie.

  “No way,” said Jamie, chowing down on a plate of ceviche, guacamole, and homemade red tortilla chips. “I’m pretty sure you guys fired me.”

  “You quit,” Alicia said.

  “Whatever,” Jamie said. “Details. Point is, I’m back.”

  “Better than ever,” Carmen said.

  “Blonder than ever,” Alicia said.

  Jamie blushed. “Oh, let it rest, it’s just hair; it’ll grow out.”

  “So, what does Dash think?” Carmen said, opening a bottle of sparkling apple cider.

  “Did you see the way he can’t take his eyes off of her?” Alicia said, waggling her eyebrows at Carmen. “I think he likes it.”

  “Can you believe it?” Jamie asked. “I have a boyfriend.”

  “We all have boyfriends,” Alicia said.

  “We’ll have to do the double-date thing, but with all three couples,” Carmen said, excitedly.

  “You mean, triple-date?” Jamie asked.

  “For some reason, that sounds so R-rated,” Alicia said, giggling.

  Just then, the amigas heard what sounded like an enormous explosion. Throwing their napkins and utensils down, they raced out onto the deck. They had each been trained in lifeboat evacuation, but none of them had ever actually expected to use it.

  When they looked around, however, they saw that they were the only ones panicking. All of the other guests, crowded around the bow of the yacht, were staring up at the sky. The girls looked up and realized that the explosion they had heard was not a bomb but fireworks.

  As the night exploded in color, their guys joined them on the deck. Dash put his arm around Jamie. Gaz and Alicia held hands, and Domingo held Carmen close. Because this was a Mortimer quince, on a Mortimer yacht, for Chip Mortimer’s only daughter, no ordinary fireworks would do. As the pink and orange and yellow streaks of light illuminated the sky, they spelled out words: Feliz. Happy. Cumpleaños. Birthday. Querida Bianca. Dearest Bianca. Desea. Wish. Encima. Upon. Una estrella. A star.

  FOR TWO WEEKS after Binky’s event, Amigas Inc. posted the news of the free quince they were giving away on all the message boards they frequented. They put up signs all over Miami at their favorite spots, from Bongos to the empanada place. The sign said simply:

  WIN A FREE QUINCE

  A good Samaritan with a corazón de oro has donated a free quince to one deserving girl. Tell us in 300 words or less why you’re the one. The lucky girl wins a quince worth $10,000, which includes limo service, a one-of-a-kind couture dress, an all-expenses-paid party for 50 guests, a $1,000 college scholarship, and the pro bono planning services of Amigas Inc.

  Within days, the e-mails began to pour in; Alicia divvied them up between herself, Gaz, Carmen, and Jamie for a first read. They quickly separated the applications into two piles: the frivolous and the fabulous.

  The frivolous e-mails came from girls who wanted the quince money because they were too bratty to work with their parents’ budget and/or rules. Sitting at Bongos, sipping on virgin mojitos, the crew gathered for a dramatic reading of their favorites from the “No Way, José” pile. Gaz and Alicia sat next to each other, holding hands underneath the table. Jamie sat in the center of the booth, looking fabulous with her dark blond hair. Carmen had taken a seat at the edge of the booth so she could steal quick kisses from Domingo, who was, as always, working.

  Gaz picked up an e-mail and began to read in a high falsetto voice: “I have always dreamed of a Versace quinceañera.…”

  “Does she mean a Versace dress?” Carmen asked. “Because my dresses are much, much better.”

  “Not to mention more quince-appropriate,” Jamie added.

  Gaz laughed, chowing down on yucca fries. “You have to hear the rest. ‘I dream of a Versace-themed quince where I am an Italian princess, dripping in gold and swathed in silk.’”

  “Please, stop,” Alicia begged.

  “Are you kidding? Go on,” Jamie said. “This is priceless.”

  Gaz continued reading. “‘My parents can’t be my real parents because my real parents would understand the life of fabulosity that I crave.…’”

  “Maybe Binky should donate the money to quinces who need counseling, because this chica is a prime candidate,” Carmen suggested.

  Gaz held up a finger. “There’s more. ‘My parents don’t support or understand my devotion to the House of Versace and how intricate the label is to my quinceañera plans.’”

  “I love fashion, but ay! It’s too much,” Carmen said.

  “So shallow,” Alicia said.

  “So superficial,” Jamie agreed. “No más.”

  While the pile of frivolous letters grew, so did the pile of fabulous ones. The girls heard from science-fair winners and Junior Olympics gymnasts. All in all, they received more than 300 applications and ended up with twenty-five finalists.

  One Saturday afternoon, they met at Carmen’s house to choose a winner. Binky and Tino were s
till dating, and she had been a regular presence at the Ramirez-Ruben household—despite the fact that she had once complained about how far the walk was from the parking lot.

  Binky and Tino entered the living room both in jeans and nearly identical J. Crew T-shirts. Binky’s was blue with a green collar, and Tino’s was green with a blue collar.

  “You dress alike now?” Carmen asked, amused.

  “Don’t be silly!” Binky said, even though it looked as though the idea were far from repulsive to her. “We went for a boat ride in the canal. Tino didn’t want me to mess up my silk blouse, so he lent me this. Isn’t that sweet? Okay if I wear this home?” she asked, turning to Tino.

  Tino smiled. “You can keep it.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Looks better on you than it does on me. I’ve gotta go to soccer practice. But I’ll see you later for dinner, right?”

  “Of course! The panini truck!” Binky cried. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’ll text you when they tweet their location.”

  Although it had only been a couple of months, the girls were amazed by the transformation of their latest customer. Quinceañeras were funny that way. It was a ceremony designed to honor the young woman you were becoming—but with few exceptions, planning a quince was guaranteed to bring out your inner brat. If you got through it, however—the good and the bad, the stress and the strain, the ceremony and all the cultural richness—you always ended up a better person. Sin falta. Having planned more than a dozen quinces over the last year, the amigas had yet to met a girl who didn’t experience a big growing-up arc in the process. Which is why their latest business cards read:

  AMIGAS INC.

  Once-in-a-lifetime quinces.

  Because it’s so much

  more than a party.

  Binky took a seat on the sofa next to Jamie. Gaz and Alicia sat cross-legged on the floor, and Carmen nipped in and out—first to get a pitcher of fruit punch, then to bring in a plate of pumpkin empanadas.