Fearful Liaisons

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" I felt a kick in my side. I looked up into the eyes of Diablo, mastermind of the streets.

"Ohh," I started to whine. "Please you must leave me be. Pick on someone your own size, like a whale!" then I kicked and hit back. "Diablo winced in pain for a minute. Then he spat. "You're lucky I'm on my way somewhere or you be a meal in the dumpster for a rat!" he retorted.

"So then be on your way! Vite! Vite!" I tried to get up but couldn't. My fall I think had broke some bones.

"Eh." I rolled over and propped myself up on my elbows. Diablo and the crew had gone down the alley. I could see their shadow images turn the corner, then I sat up.

_____ _____ ______

"Mamasita, I'm hungry, " I say to my mother as I walk in the door.

"Oh, sit down. Where have you been. Why are you bleeding?!"

"It's a long story, Maman," I looked in the refridgerator. "Cheese, hm, beans, rice, vegetables. Where's the meat? I'm a growing adult, I need to eat protein."

"Oh, your sister came."

"Yeah? What did she want, all the way from Oakland, CA."

She wanted to know if she could ride your bike. "My ebike?"

"Yeah, that's what she said if I remember."

"Uh, why couldn't she ask me?" I asked, incredulously.

"She said she's leaving on a trip to Nova Scotia and wants to know if she can borrow it."

"She knows my phone number."

"Carlita, I have news. Your sister is pregnant. She wants to celebrate, give her the bike."

My mom dried her hands on the dish towel and sat down with her knitting.

"She would do it for you."

"But mom, I go everywhere on that bike. I go to work on that bike. How will I get around?"

"You talk to your sister about it. I'm sure you'll find a way, Life has a way of, ..."

"Yea, I know, Life has a way of getting you where you're going." She always said that.

"Ok, what's for dinner?" I looked in the fridge again. Then the beans went on the stove. I enjoyed them.

_____ _____ ______

"Diablo, what are you doing here," I hear, waking up from my nap. "I thought they made you promise not to terrorize our neighborhood."

"Is Carlita around?" I jumped and pulled the blanket over my head.

"No. No. " I hissed, almost to myself.

My mom must've heard me, cuz then I hear, "No, she went on a trip. Won't be back til I don't know when."

I stayed still, then when I heard a faint grunt. The door shut and I sprung out of 'bed.

"What " my mom tried to ask me something, I was already halfway down the street.

I couldn't let Diablo get to my sister.

"Stop it right there! "

The cops turned the corner. They were in charge. I acted calm. I was very glad. "Good afternoon, Officer."

"Hi Carlita. Didn't mean to startle ya. We're on the lookout for a 'Diablo. Do you know the name?"

"Yes! " At that moment, the man himself could be seen, down the alley, walking by with his compadre, headed only god- knows- where.

"Ok! Thank you! " the police went down the alley, and I kept straight.

"Whew!"

When I got to my sister's, she was sprawled out on the bed. A bunch of magazines were all over the place.

"Benita?" i went to hug her, and she recoiled. "Ew, you smell of bananas." We laughed, then she told me why she had come.

_____ _______ ________

"I want to go with you."

"Do you have the money?"

"I was hoping," I wanted to go to get out of this town. "I was hoping you could front me the money and I could pay you back."

"Well, maybe. Then we can take the bike. Carlos wants to go, too, you know. My father of the baby? Then we were gonna get a hotel together,.."

"Oh, woo woo. Wouldn't want to get in the way of that. Come on, sis, pleaase. I have to get away from here. I'm goin crazy!"

"Uh," she replied.

"Time is ticking!"

"Ok!" We both jumped in glee.

Then I started packing. I packed what I would be taking, what I might be taking, what I wanted to take and even what I thought I probably wouldn't.

The next day, I was all ready with my suitcase and a glint in my eye.

_____ _______ ______

"Oh, Carlita, are you going to kiss my cheek goodbye," came Maman to the door.

"Ok, Mama", then I was out the door.

Nova Scotia looked fabulous. The coral beaches far and wide, with the backdrop of a pink blue sky, captured my heart, and a tear rolled down.

I couldn't wait to look around.

My sister was getting together a lunch in the cabin as I sat down at the kitchen table.

"Do you like olives," she tentatively asked. Her baby bump was showing.

"Sure, why not?"

"There's an olive garden tour at 1."

"Ok."

Just then, Carlos came into the yard, riding my ebike. "Hey! Toot. Toot." he rang the bell.

"That's a silly guy,"; I told my sister.

"Yeah, and some silly sperm to make the baby." She smiled as she washed off cucumbers, and peeled them.

"What are you going to name the baby? Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Juan. It's a boy."

_____ ______ _____

"Did you ever think of going out further than this continent?" I asked my sis, that night. "Like, wonder what's across the ocean?"

"Yea, that day will surely come. Me and my boyfriend are going to Europe next summer."

"Can I go?"

"We'll see, ok?"

The next day, the four of us went on a walk. We stepped and turned, danced and frolicked, havin the time of our lives. But soon we would have to go home.

"What did you like best about this trip," they asked upon departure.

"The freedom, " I replied. "I want to go again."

"There will be an again."