by Fred, Beth
“Do you have an older brother or sister?”
I shook my head.
“I—I know what it's like to be the oldest, but I don't think your family can blame you for her and her friends hiring entertainment you were unaware of and then her getting drunk and going wild.”
“They'll say I'm mad because she's marrying Emmett, and I'm making trouble for her.”
He sat his fork down. “Tiffany, tell me about Emmett.”
I shrugged. “Not much to tell.”
“You don't call him her fiancé. You call him Emmett, and they'd assume you're mad she's marrying him, not that she's getting married. Come on, what's the story.”
“We kind of dated.”
“For how long?”
“A year.”
“That's not casual.”
“I guess. It wasn't really serious either.”
“So, why'd you waste a year with him?”
“I don't know. He made me laugh. We had fun together. I felt comfortable with him. In the beginning, there were sparks. He's really hot, but it got stale after a while. I was getting ready to break it off. I've got a really good job for a twenty-four-year-old. It's not perfect, but I make enough money to pay for my car, live alone, have savings, and buy what I want as long as I don't want anything expensive. He barely graduated and never got a real job. I felt superficial breaking up with him over that, but he seemed really irresponsible. I was waiting to see if it would get better.”
“But it didn't.”
“But I came home after a particularly bad day at work and found him on the couch with my sister on my couch.”
“The sister whose bachelorette party you paid for?”
I nodded. Talking about this made me want to cry, but I wouldn't let myself, because I knew it was stupid.
“Why do you talk to this girl?”
“She's my sister.”
“If one of my brothers did that, I'd write him off.”
“I was mad for a few days. I didn't return her calls for a while, but when I thought about it, they have way more in common. And I was ready to break up with him. It sucks that it ended the way it did, but I think I'm glad it's over.”
“I'm glad it's over,” he said.
I didn't respond, but my face gave me away. How could he say that?
“You deserve much better than a guy like that. Besides, if Emmett wasn't a jerk, I wouldn't be eating migas with an anjel tonight.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Where did you learn to make migas anyhow?”
“I am from Texas.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah.”
“Then, how is your Spanish so bad?”
I laughed. “I don't know. I try. It works in Texas. I mean, I'm not fluent, but I can order in a restaurant or get help in the grocery store.”
We finished eating, and Luke took our plates in before coming back outside with a couple of drinks.
“What time is it?” I asked.
“Three en la mañana.”
I sighed. “I need to start working on springing my sister.”
“I think you should leave her there until tomorrow.”
“It is tomorrow.”
“Until after you've slept and woken up tomorrow.”
“I can't do that. What if they let her out before I get there, and she doesn't have any clothes, or a toothbrush, or money, and she's wondering around Cancun lost? She speaks less Spanish than me.”
“What are you going to do with her once you have her?”
I painted a mocking grin on my face. “Crash with you.”
“No way. You're welcome to stay, but Kammy is not.”
“Why not?”
“Because I cannot afford any wild parties, lewd acts, or noise complaints.”
“Oh, right. Because you're grandparents will beat you up.”
“That's right,” he said faking concern.
“I guess we'll wait at the airport.”
“If you don't let her sober up first, she's going to be right back there, and you don't want to be with her when it happens. The only thing that saved your skin tonight was that you weren't actually there for any of it. Leaving for the bar was smart.”
“I went to the bar, because I was uncomfortable and annoyed. I never dreamed it would get that out of control.”
“Well, whatever your reason, it worked out.”
“I guess you're right. I should let her sober up, but I've got to find out how much bail is. I don't want to, but I may have to call my dad.”
“Why not call Emmett?”
“Because if I don't have bail, he sure doesn't.”
“I'll call the local jail and see what I can find out.” He pulled a cell out of his pocket and hit a number. I waited as he spoke to someone in Spanish. I prayed Kammy was okay, even though I wanted to pull her hair out myself.
After what seemed like forever, he put the phone down. “We won't really know anything until arraignment, but I don't think they're going to release her on bail.”
“Why won't they release her on bail?”
“She's from the U.S. They'll think she won't come back for court.”
“She won't.”
“Yeah, so they'll want their money up front.”
“How much?”
“In dollars? We won't really know until it's official, but I'd guess around fifty-five hundred.”
“Whoa.”
“Yeah.”
“I can probably swing it. I think I have that on my American Express card. I never use it. I brought it with me in case of an emergency.” Though, I never thought that would be Kammy partying and streaking.
“Then, get some sleep, and we'll go get her tomorrow.”
“Crap!”
“What?”
“That card was in my suitcase that got left in the hotel.”
“They sent the suitcases to the airport on the shuttle that left after the girls. If it was in your suitcase, it’s at the airport.”
“Could we go to the airport and get it?”
With sympathy in his eyes he said, “You should probably cancel that card.”
“Why?”
“Tiffany, it went with a driver to the airport. Someone will pick it up at the airport and throw it behind a counter maybe, or maybe not. Because it hasn't been checked in yet. Then, it's going to sit somewhere until you get there. And you may never see it again, because the manager told me he'd send the bags via the next shuttle, but he was pretty pissed off.”
I couldn't really blame the guy. I sighed again. This trip flipped back and forth from being a blast and the most annoying, disastrous weekend of my life.
“Can I use your phone?”
“Of course.”
He leaned across the table to hand me the phone, and our hands brushed. I felt sparks like when he took my hand earlier. But as I took the phone, I realized, without the card, I had no idea where to call to cancel it. I sat the phone down on the table.
“Do you have internet?”
“Yeah, but if you need to look up a phone number, you can do it on the phone.”
“No media charges?”
He laughed. “It'll be okay.”
I got the card canceled and realized this meant I would have to call my dad to wire money if I was going to get Kammy out of jail.
“How long would she have to sit it out?” I asked.
“A while.”
“I'm going to have to call my dad,” I moaned.
“Let your parents rip into Kammy. She deserves it.”
“Well, at least I can't call him for a while. Gives me time to decide what to say.”
“Your daughter is one hell of a party chick, and I need money to spring her.”
I laughed. “Yeah, he'll love that.”
Luke shrugged. “Hey, sometimes the truth hurts.”
A cool ocean breeze settled in, and I felt chill bumps on my skin. I hugged my arms around myself.
“Let's go in,” Luke sai
d. Once we stepped back across the other side of the glass door, he threw me a remote. “Pick whatever you want. I'll be right back.”
Luke disappeared behind a door. I flipped through Spanish channel after Spanish channel, wondering what I should pick. I couldn't understand anything anyhow. I finally landed on “I Love Lucy” in español and decided this was it. Sometimes you could see the humor, so it wouldn't matter if I couldn't listen to everything, and either way, I had every episode memorized, so I would know what was going on.
Luke returned, leaving the door open behind him. It displayed a huge sleigh bed with crème colored bedding.
“That's your room tonight. I left a bag out for you on the bathroom sink. It has a toothbrush and toothpaste and a bar of facial soap. There is body wash in the shower and plenty of towels and things in the linen closet.”
“Wow. Thanks.”
He looked from me to the TV and back to me. “No problem. I Love Lucy?”
“Ehh—she's funny. Besides, I know the storyline.”
“I love this show, but if you're watching it because you know the storyline, I can put English subtitles on almost anything.”
“Lucy's good.”
“Okay.”
We sat through three episodes. If I didn't laugh at something, Luke would tell me what was just said, and most of the time, I had to chuckle. But the time came when exhaustion completely overtook my body, and I was going to have to go to bed.
“I have to crash,” I said.
“Sweet dreams, anjel.”
I forced myself up from the couch and started toward my room. “How late are you staying up?”
“I'll probably crash, too. I'm sleeping in here tonight.”
Wow. He'd given me his room.
“You don't even know me. Why would you give me your bed?”
He laughed. “What kind of guy lets a girl sleep on the couch?”
The kind I've dated.
“Don't answer that,” he said.
“Maybe, I can make it through one more episode,” I said as I dragged myself back to the couch. I knew I wouldn't, but I hoped that if I fell asleep here, he would take the bed rather than waking me up. The thought lingered in the back of my mind that if he didn't move, if I woke up beside him tomorrow, that might not be so bad either. I immediately scolded myself for that thought. I would need to leave as soon as I had Kammy.
“You look exhausted. Just go to sleep.”
“I'm good,” I said through a yawn. This time when I sat down our knees brushed, and that electro-pulse feeling I got when our hands brushed earlier returned. Luke looked up and smiled at me, but he made no effort to move away. In fact, his body moved the slightest bit toward me. In a weak moment, I allowed my head to loll on his shoulder.
You're going to regret this. Guys like this don't go for girls like you.
But to my surprise, Luke slid his arm around me.
When I woke up, the quilt that covered his legs encompassed me. Any part of Luke his wife beater and shorts didn't cover was exposed, and his bicep was cold against my cheek.
I tried to adjust my mind to my location, but I was so exhausted. I extended my arms above my head and yawned a random noise that sounded more like a growl.
Luke laughed. “Good morning, tiger.”
“Tiger?”
“Never mind.”
“I'm sorry I stole your blanket,” I said, throwing it over him.
I felt horrible about freezing Luke out, but more than that, my heart swelled at the thought of him staying here all night—staying beside me—when he could have just as easily taken advantage of that huge bed in the next room.
“I guess I should call my dad,” I said.
“About that, I called the jail again this morning. I know the guy that's there now, so I was able to talk a little bit more. They haven't taken Kammy for arraignment yet. If we get there before two, I might be able to help.”
I had no idea what he thought he could do, but Luke seemed to know everyone. I'd take it.
“Okay.”
“We'll have to leave soon. I want to get food first.”
I laughed at that.
“Do you want the shower first?” he asked.
“Will you think I'm gross if I don't shower?”
He laughed. “No.”
“I don't like the idea of getting out of a shower clean and putting on dirty clothes. So gross.”
He laughed. “It could be like summer camp.”
“I didn't wear dirty clothes at summer camp.”
“Oh, must be a guy thing.”
Chapter 6
Not even two hours later, I stood with Luke in a small Mexican courthouse. To me it looked like something between a town hall, church, and a court, but Luke seemed to be at home here.
My sister stood beside me, shackled and chained with bloodshot eyes. Her face puffed out from swelling. She looked like she'd been crying for hours. Tears still rolled down her cheeks, and I felt horrible for her. But I didn't want to, because it was so not fair that she demanded we come here, went crazy as usual, left me to clean up the mess, and now she still got to be the victim.
Luke, the judge, and some man I could only assume was an attorney all went back and forth in Spanish for a while. Of course, I couldn't catch any of it.
A cop came and took Kammy away. She burst into tears and threw an accusing glare at me like, “How could you let them take me again?”
I threw my head back and sighed. I was her big sister. I was supposed to protect her, and I didn't want them to take her again. But I had no idea what was going on and no way to pay for all the damage she caused.
Luke nudged me to follow him out a different door, and I did. We approached a man sitting at a desk in a front room with a concrete floor. Luke took out his wallet and threw some currency at the man. “What was that for?” I asked once we were back in the car.
“Cell rent.”
“Cell rent?”
He chuckled. “Here, you pay for your jail cell.”
“That's horrible. You can't make money because you're locked up. How are you supposed to pay?” What I really wondered was what they did to you if you didn’t pay.
Luke shrugged. “It's not that bad. In the U.S. you have lots of petty crime, because if you're cold in New York in the winter or hot in Texas in the summer, it's better to be well fed with color TV in jail than out on the streets.”
He had a point, but I didn't want to concede to that, because my sister was locked up in some cell she’d paid for.
“So, what's the deal?”
“She pays twenty-five hundred U.S. dollars cash and gets out on Monday or she pays sixty-five hundred and gets out today. Either way, restitution must be made to the hotel, but you already knew that.”
“If the hotel hasn't charged my card yet, I might be able to make the twenty-five hundred dollars.”
“But what's going to happen when they do?”
I sighed. “I wish I hadn't been such an idiot and left my bag there. If I had my other card...”
“Tiffany, call your dad. It's not your responsibility to pay for this.”
Luke kept driving while I called home. My dad was irate, but not at me. Only at Kammy. He agreed to send me the money, but he wanted me to stay till Monday and take the cheaper bail. This would wreck my world. I had a huge meeting on Monday that I couldn't miss, and I was already behind at work for coming to this stupid party to begin with. But he made a valid point. By the time the arraignment had ended and I’d called home, there was no way to wire money until Monday.
I had so much debt now, thanks to my baby sister. Even if she said she'd pay me back, she wouldn't. If she wanted to, she couldn't. She'd never had a job longer than a month in her life, and when she got money, she spent it on acrylic nails. I could have recovered from all the expenses, but I had a crucial meeting on Monday. Everyone expected me to land a big account, and if I wasn't there for the meeting, I didn't want to think about what would happen.
“Everything okay?”
“I'm stuck here until Monday.”
“I'm sorry. Is Cancun really that bad?”
Laughter mixed with a moan escaped my throat. “I don't know. I haven't seen much of Cancun, but on Monday I have a meeting I really can't afford to miss, and there is no way I'm going to get there.”
“Wait until insanely late Sunday night or sometime Monday morning and call your office. Say your plane got delayed and you won't be back until the next day.”
“I can't do that.”
“Well, if you're going to miss a mandatory meeting, I don't see what option you have.”
“Doesn't that sound lame?”
“Planes get delayed all the time. Everyone knows that.”
“What if they check it?”
“Unless you give them your flight info, they have to assume it to be true.”
I slumped against my seat. “I guess I have to then.”
I gazed out the window and realized we were outside of the city now.
“Where are we going?”
“Oh, to my grandparents' farm. I'm picking up some clothes for you from my cousin.”
“So, I'm hanging out with you for another day?”
“Unless you wanna sleep on the beach.”
“Thank you.”
“Don't mention it.” He paused for a moment. “You're welcome to stay until you leave.”
“I hate to impose.”
“I've enjoyed the company.”
Me too. So, I got an extra day with the hot guy from the bar, but it was still going to end way too soon.
We traveled through lush green fields down a dirt road, and the vegetation got thicker and thicker. Luke stopped his car in a narrow portion of the road where the plants stood as tall as the car.
“What is that?”
“Sugar cane.”
A girl leaped out of the stalks and slammed her hand against Luke's windshield, making a thunderous slapping sound. She thrust her head through his open window, letting her dark brown curls and gold highlights fall where they may.
They had a brief exchange, and then she pushed in a paper sack, which he handed to me. “Clothes,” he said.
“Thank you.” I looked to the girl who backed out of the window. “Gracias.”
She nodded but only said, “Adios.”