Arizona Allspice (62 page)

“What’s up?” Raul said, feeling awkward. To his surprise Manny stuck out his hand. Raul gladly shook it.

“I’m writing To Do lists, man. I’ve got a lot of ends to tie up before I move to California for school.”

“Oh yeah?
Congratulations, Manny. You always were a smart dude.”

“Thanks. That entrance you made onto the field yesterday was unforgettable. What’s new with you?”

“I’ve got my own apartment in a nice neighborhood upstate. I’m taking care of my little brother,
Teo
. My aunt is watching him for me while I’m down here. Ever since I’ve had my little brother, he’s like my son now. He’s my total responsibility and I want to be a good example to him. A lot of things are in perspective now. I’m sorry about lying to the cops that day. I’ve done a lot of growing up since then. I wanted to apologize to you and tell Elaine goodbye before I head home.”

“Apology absolutely accepted. As for Elaine, well, she’s at
Amo
Lake with Joey and they definitely don’t want to be disturbed,” Manny smiles.

“Okay,” Raul said, disappointed.

“Did you hear about Denise?” Manny inquired.

“No.”

“She ran off with Mr. Jimenez yesterday evening, while everyone was out watching the finals. He and Denise cleaned out the park’s entire emergency fund.”

“Damn. You think you know what a person is capable of and then… How’s Mr.
Merjoy
taking it?”

“My uncle is livid. But secretly he’s enjoying being park manager again, at least for now.”

Raul nodded. There was an awkward silence.

Manny was the one to break it. “It’s good to hear you’re doing well.”

“The same to you,” Raul smiles. “Take care.”

“I’ll try,” Manny chuckles.
He waves and steps back into his home.

Raul walks away from Elaine’s trailer with a weird feeling in his gut. Was it sadness? Was it jealousy? He didn’t know. The sensation just felt so strange and urgent. The feeling wouldn’t pass. The uneasiness nagged at him until finally he surrendered to the fact that he couldn’t wait any longer to talk to Elaine. He just needed to see her now. Raul stops at a friend’s house in order to borrow their car for a few hours.

******

 “He doesn’t have any scholarships because he has a criminal record now. That means no financial aid either. Caltech is willing to take him anyway. Even though Manny’s scared and even though it means he might fail, it’s something he has to do. I understand that completely now.” I roll over in the grass to face Joey. “I had to do the same thing to be happy.”

“I’m glad you took my advice and talked to your brother. It’s proof that I’m slowly wearing your stubborn side down.”

“Stubborn never dies,” I smirk.

“I’m not trying to get rid of it. I just want to soften it.” He draws closer to me and brushes his lips against mine very slowly. It’s torture when he teases me that way. Finally, he gives me a satisfying kiss. Appeased, I exhale and relax into the grass.

“Eight grand.
While everybody was at the game, Denise and Jimenez snuck off with $8,000. I still can’t believe it.”

“She always did have a way with men and she never could pick the right ones, either,” I snort. “She’s going to be spending a lot of time running. She’s got heavy charges against her.” I shake my head. “So, how’d your mom take the news? I know she was excited about Daytona.”

“She’s fine. She doesn’t mind waiting a few more days.
Or weeks.”

“What about a few more months? I have a feeling Uncle Frank is going to milk this. He’s missed being manager.”

“Frank better plan an early vacation if he wants to get a good night’s sleep anytime soon. She’s hasn’t been out of Arizona in nearly two decades. Neither have I.” Joey is quiet a moment. He runs his hand over his hair. “You know, Elaine, I’d go to Cali with you if you decided to go.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.
I don’t know what I’d do there, though. Work at some other factory? Wait tables or something?” We both laugh at the thought of Joey serving food with a smile plastered on his face and disgust in his eyes. “I want to go wherever you want to go. I’ve done what I wanted to do here in Cadence. I’m up in the air now. I could go anywhere and do anything, but I don’t know what. What do I want to do? Who do I want to be?”

“Think about what you love to do? What are the little things in life that make you happy?”

“Umm...I love playing soccer, always have.
And reading.”

“You could be a soccer coach that teaches language arts!”

“
Haha
!
Maybe.
Cooking, I enjoy. I love building things too, working with my hands,” he massages my jean covered thigh. I lightheartedly smack his hand away. “I like making something right that was wrong,” he continues, “Like helping the girls in town to stand up for themselves. And I
love
crappy horror films.”

I laugh, remembering the last movie we saw together:
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
.

“And I love
you
.
The most.”
Joey grins, “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” I beam. I glance up at the sapphire sky. The clouds look edible, like cotton candy. Joey lifts my hand and kisses my knuckles. I feel something slip onto my finger.

“Will you marry me?”

My voice lodges in my throat. I raise my left hand up to my face and stare at a simple silver ring with a square cut diamond. It’s precious and
perfect.
I cover my crumpling face with my hands. I feel Joey’s eyes on me as tears rolls out from beneath my hands and down my chin.

I feel his warm hand find my hip. Joey rubs at my side lovingly, his voice melancholy. “I know it’s a little soon, but”

“No. It’s just that…” I take a deep breath to steady my voice. I wipe my eyes and finally stare into his. “I wish I could go back in time and have talked to you. Instead of being so stupid and judgmental I would have really had a conversation with you, done an English project with you, gone to prom with you and I would’ve known sooner that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Yes, I’ll marry you,” I grin through my tears. He pulls me into his arms and sighs with relief. We roll around in the grass, kissing, hugging and laughing. We come to a rest with Joey slightly on top of me. We get lost in a kiss that makes my whole body tingle. Tears come to my eyes again at the beautiful thought that it will be like this forever. I kiss him with more desire than I imagined could ever burn inside a person. Joey abruptly breaks the kiss. It startles me. His gorgeous blue eyes are wide and frightened looking down at me. “Run,” he whispers.

“What?” I whisper, panicked.

“
Run
.”

 I use my elbows and hands to drag myself backwards, away from him. As I scramble to stand up, I see the steel barrel of Raul’s grandfather’s gun pressed into Joey’s wavy red hair. I whimper and find myself immobile. Mrs. Campos glares at me with a pleased smile. “Please, no!” I cry. It’s happening again. Everybody I’ve ever loved has suffered for it, been punished for it, from accidents, to the sickness and death that lives in my shadows, casting onto the flowers and they wilt in the darkness, God,
why
? Why does everyone have to leave me?

“You’re going to see how it feels,” Raul’s mother spits. She lifts her chin and looks down her narrow nose at me. “You get to watch me rip your life apart, like how you destroyed mine. By taking away everybody you love. I’m gonna start with your little White Boy,” she pushes the gun harder against Joey’s head, “and then you get to watch me blow your brother away.” Her bloodshot eyes widen with delight as she sees me tremble in horror. “Stand up, bitch!” she barks at Joey. With his head tilted at a painful angle by the pressure of the gun, he rises to his feet. He’s much taller than her. Not able to reach his temple any longer, she moves the gun down to the middle of his chest.

 “Please, no. I can help you get them back.” I stand up and inch closer to Joey. “I know where your sons are. I promise I’ll help you find them, Mrs. Campos.” I reach out for Joey’s hand while my eyes are glued on the woman. I find his hand and lock my fingers with his.

“Step away from him!”

“I can’t,” I plead as tears stream down my face.

She points the gun at my face. “I
said
step
back
,” she commands through gritted teeth. Joey wriggles his hand and tries to peel his fingers from my grip. I clench his hand tighter.

“Laney,” Joey pleads. “Do as she says.”

“No,” I whisper. I crush his fingers in my grip at each attempt he makes to extract his hand from mine. Her sick plan is to take away the love of my life and my twin brother. Well, I have an even sicker plan. I want her to shoot
me
. I’d rather die. Maybe she’ll focus on me if I’m disobedient. Then Joey can run away. He’s already given me true happiness and love. He gave me everything I’ve ever hoped for my life in this world. A sad, faint smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “Shoot me,” I order.

“Elaine, please don’t do this,” Joey’s voice strains.

“Don’t you dare tell me what to do,” Mrs. Campos snarls and steps closer to me. The gun is inches from my mouth.

“You’ve always been a coward,” I say.

“Oh, God,” Joey breathes.

“If you’re not just
talkin
’ shit, then it should be easy for you to shoot me. But you’ve never shot a gun in your life, have you?” I challenge.

Mrs. Campos’ nostrils flare. She points the gun between my eyes. “Doesn’t matter,” she smirks. “I can’t miss from this distance.”

“
Mamá
?!” a voice shouts in shock.

All three of us turn our heads to watch Raul running along the bank toward us.
“
Mamá
!
Qué
estás
haciendo
?!
”

 “See, Mrs. Campos. Your son is here. You’ll be a family again,” Joey says. “Your husband will want to come back again. You don’t have to do this.”

“Shut up! Shut up!” she screams at Joey while waving the gun back and forth from the approaching Raul to Joey and I.

“I left you that gun so that you could protect yourself. What are you doing?!” Raul yells in disgust.

“You’re back?” She looks at her son in disbelief.

“Give me that gun. You are a disgrace to my grandfather.”

His mother stares at him silently. Tears begin to gather in her wild eyes.

“Give me the damn gun!” He grabs at her wrist and tries to rip the gun away.