Gazelle (27 page)

“
What?  Seriously! 
I’
m sorry!  Alice, I mean it
!
”
“
Are you fucking with me right now
?
”
              He smiles and shakes his head.
 “I’
m being sincere.  I do
n’
t want any problems tonight.  Tonight is about fun,i
t’
s about family and friends.  We are all going to get along and have a great time.  This is me, new and improved.  Best behavior, I promise
.
”
“
…
Okay
,
” Alice says, still skeptical.
 “
Apology accepted
.
”

“
Are you going home for the holidays
?
” Trina asks.

“
I think so. 
I’
ll be in town for the party but then I think
I’
m going to go back for a few weeks.  Wannacome
?
”
“
Totally!  I love the Bay Area!  RAAAI-DERS
!
”
“
Shut UP, Trina
!
” Will says, smacking her arm.
 “
Yo
u’
re gonnaget us shot.  We in the hood
!
”
“
Nobod
y’
s gonnashoot you here
,
” Anthony says, laughing.
 “
But h
e’
s right, keep it down, Trina.  Do
n’
t embarrass us
.
”
“
Will you really go with me
?
”
“
Yep.  Drive
?
”
“
ROAD TRIP
!
”
              The two laugh and hug one another, jumping up and down and then dancing to the music pouring from Wil
l’
s phone.  All four of them start dancing in tight, little moves against the side of the house, Anthony rolling his eyes, laughing, watching Alice the entire time. 

              He pulls up to the iron fence and sits in his car.  There are people, all of them Chicano, laughing and talking, drinking beers around their cars and in the yard.  A jumping gym in the shape of a castle is packed with laughing children on the front lawn.  He looks at his watch and winces.  An hour late is
n’
t too bad.  An hour an a half is pushing i
t…
two hour
s…
             

“
Fucking traffic
,
” he mumbles, climbing out of the car.

              They look at him, at first, with hard, narrowed eyes and upturned chins.  Then some of the women whisper to each other.  Others outright say it.  Their eyes twinkle and they smile, moving in to greet him.

“
We did
n’
t think yo
u’
d make it!  Angie was so sad
!
” A middle aged, pretty woman says as she comes up to him.  He smiles shyly at her, trying quickly to read the scrolled name tattooed on her neck.
 “I’
m Dina, nice to meet you!  Come on!  Ay, move it, Hector!  Come on, the
y’
re all in the back
.
”

              He moves through the crowd of baggie shirts and Dickies, through the greetings and cautious smiles, studying the Guadalupe shrine next to walls covered in family photos dating back to the 192
0’
s.  He grins and waves to the people lounging on the velvet, floral print couches, their beers cluttering the weathered wooden table covered in dollies and a plastic protector.  He moves through arched doorways, into a small kitchen where even more people stand and talk and laugh, the sound of oldies blaring from beyond them.  The brown and yellow tiled floor stretches up to dark brown cabinets and an avocado green refrigerator, a mustard yellow sink filled with bloody meat shanks, sitting on ice, counter tops covered with chopped cilantro, chips and dips, the sweet smell of onions and jalap
eñ
os mixing together with French onion and ranch dressing.  The woman takes his hand, pointing to random people, making sure everybody sees him and they do, for a second, they look up and see him, their eyes glimmer with recognition and then they go back to their world.  There is no confusion, no on-going awe.  H
e’
s out of place, no matter where h
e’
s from, but h
e’
s welcomed none-the-less.  She leads him through a white, iron porch door out into the back that ends in a long, thick, green lawn, covered in Christmas decorations and family gathered, laughing, talking, dancing with one another. 

“
Ay, Dios Mio!  He came after all
!
”
 
Angie exclaims, rising from her chair with some effort.
 “
Wher
e’
s Ali
cí
a, go get Ali
cí
a
!
”

              She waddles to him, an older Mexican woman with short black hair curled up into a triangle at her forehead.  She wears heavy, black eyeliner, like Alice, but hers is caked into her deep smile lines.  Her cheeks are heavily rouged, as are her lips.  When she smiles, her silver teeth sparkle at him and he ca
n’
t help but smile back, taking her in his arms.

“
Happy birthday
.
”
“
Thank you!  I
t’
s so nice to finally meet you
!
” she says.
 “
Yo
u’
re so much stronger in person
.
”

“
I
t’
s nice to meet you, too.  Alice talks about you all the time
,
” he replies.

“
I love that girl like sh
e’
s my own, I tell you.  She came here with nobody and we fell in love instantly.  Where is she?  Tina?  Go get Ali
cí
a
.
”
“
Sh
e’
s talking to Anthony and her friends on the side
,
” Tina says, a teenager who can barely tear her eyes from him.

“
Then go get her!  NOW
!
”
              Tina rolls her eyes and dramatically trudges off.

“
Ey, holmes, wha
t’
s up?  Remember me?  Alejandro
,
” Anthon
y’
s brother says, taking Julia
n’
s hand in a solid shake. 

“
Oh yea
h…
I remember.  The car shop, right
?
”
“
Yep, tha
t’
s us.
 ‘
Bobby
,
’ right?  Ha, ha!  Shouldaknown you were
n’
t n
o‘
Bobby
.
’
 
Ey, you wannabeer?  A shot
?
”

“I’
ll take a beer.  Whatever you got
.
”
“
Alright. Gordito, get him a beer
!
”

              A short, pudgyboy no older than ten, his cheeks puffing his eyes into tiny, black pinballs, grins a jack-
o’
-lantern smile, gaps where baby teeth use to be.  He nods and dashes off through the small crowd of envious kids, shoving their heads as he pounces on the great, red tubs filled with ice and beer and starts to dig.

“
Yo
u’
re much bigger than I thought
,
” Angie smiles, clinging to his arm.
 “
Ali
cí
asays you work out all the time but I did
n’
t believe her.  I do now!! Mira los muscles
!
”

              She laughs and squeezes his biceps, everyone laughing around her.  He smiles warmly.  The boy returns and hands him the beer, staring wide-eyed at him.

“
Thanks
.
”

“
I like your jacket
,
” the boy says as smaller children move towards them, much braver with the interaction of their cousin and the man.

“
Thank you
.
”
              Angie tussles the bo
y’
s head and squeezes him into her.
 “
This is my grandson, Gabriel.  Gabriel, do you know who this is
?
”
“
Yeah
.
”
“
You like his movie, huh
?
”
“
Yea
h…
I liked the one where he played that guy with the sword but he lived downtown and was lik
e…
a bartender
-
”

“
No, he was
n’
t, he was a bouncer, stupid
!
” a girl says from behind Angie, shrinking back when Julian smiles down at her.
“
Same thing, stupid, shut up
,
” Gabriel says exasperated
.“
And he was all, like, cutting up people and stuf
f‘
cuzthey were messing with that lady
-
”

“
And then that one guy was all bloody, his arm was all hacked off and he tried to stand up but he could
n’
t cuz
-
”

“
But then the main guy just turns and
blam
!  He slices him in his guts
.
”
“
I liked that part and then the lady was all, happ
y‘
cuzhe was
n’
t dead
.
”

“
I like that movie
!
”

“
I liked that movie, too
!
”

“
Yeah, me too
!
”
              Julian laughs and drinks his beer as the children forget their shyness and swarm around the adults.

“
Go away!  Leave him alone, go play
!
” Alejandro says, shoving Gabriel away.  They shriek and laugh, running towards the dancing adults on the grass and join in.
 “
They watch too much TV.  Do you want something to eat?  We got car
né
, carnitas, some chicke
n…
Esther, is there any chicken left
?
”
“
Oh, no,
I’
m good
,
” Julian says.

“
No, you gottahave something
,
” Angie replies.
 “
Alejandro, make him a little plate
.
”
“
Okay.  Esther!  Make a plate
!
”
“
No, really,
I’
m not hungry
.
”
“
You better eat something, do
n’
t be
that guy
who comes to the bar-b-queand does
n’
t eat.  Hellarude
,
” Alice says, coming up behind him.

              She hugs him from the side, drinking her beer as she does.  She wears a strapless black and white polka dot swing dress over fishnets and heels.  Her hair is swept into a tight, rockabilly pomp, swirling up in a curl resting softly to the left.  Blood red lips, long, sleek eyeliner under velvety lashes.  He has never seen her look so beautiful and is momentarily confused, unsure if it is really she.  She looks up at him, her eyes watery, drunk, a slow lazy smile.

“
Yo
u’
re a little bit late.  Just a little bit
,
” she whispers.

“
I got caught in traffi
c…I’
m sorry
.
”
“
Do
n’
t apologize to me.  Not my birthday
.
”
              He flashes a quick smile and sips his beer as she releases him, squeezing his side before she does.  Before he can respond, she turns and grabs onto another man, this time in a more firm, determined manner.  Anthony steps up to them, the crowd instinctively falling quiet, studying the ma
n’
s jutting chin and hard eyes as he stares down Julian.  He is clean-shaven and much more handsome than Julian remembers.  His white-collar shirt is buttoned high, pushing his face forward and out.  His black slacks are pressed and his hair is combed into a sleek 5
0’
s style, streaked with gray.  The shop suit is gone, the grease removed, and Julian, envious, sees this man fitting the young girl on his arm perfectly.