by Ruben Soto
“Roberto, I can’t believe you’re talking to Monika that way. Apologize to her.”
“Oh, don’t worry honey. Roberto and I have known each other for many years now and I allow him to ridicule me in that way. He knows I always have a great comeback. But since this is a special day for you I promise to be nice.”
Roberto kept looking at his watch since it was getting near ten o’clock. He was thinking this guy was going to arrive late like many Latinos he knew. Roberto was accustomed to the American way of life and had assimilated very well. He made it a point to be punctual to all of his appointments. He felt this was a sign of integrity and good time management. He earned the respect of many of his colleagues by following this principle.
Enrique arrived in an old van at exactly ten minutes before ten o’clock. He rang the doorbell and Olga answered. She escorted him inside and led him into the library. This was where Roberto conducted some of his private business meetings. He also did his reading here. He had a vast collection of books. He had books by authors Octavio Paz, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Isabel Allende. He also had books by classic writers like Shakespeare and Hemingway, and the more contemporary ones such as Stephen King and James Patterson since he enjoyed reading mysteries and suspense.
Olga opened the library door and introduced Enrique. Monika was the first to greet him.
“Enrique, how are you doing? It’s so good to see you again.”
She reached over to him and touched his right arm. “Oh my, I can see that you’re still working out. Your muscles feel like a solid rock. What a handsome young man he is, wouldn’t you say?”
Enrique was wearing a khaki Nike cap with khaki pants and a bright red windbreaker. He had a muscular built which was being concealed by the windbreaker. Although he wasn’t exactly handsome his face had a rugged appearance that drove most women wild. His skin was olive colored and he kept his hair length to his shoulders.
Jennifer was entranced by him although it was not a romantic attraction. This was the man who would build her dream cabinets. She had not imagined him looking so healthy. Monika was right – he was muy caliente!
Roberto reached over and shook Enrique’s hand. “So, you’re the famous cabinetmaker that Monika has told us about. I saw what you did in her house and I know you’ll do the same for us. This is my wife Jennifer whom you’ve already spoken to. You don’t know how much she’s been looking forward to for this day to come. She can’t wait to have those cabinets adorn our kitchen and our house.”
Jennifer reached over and shook Enrique’s hand. Enrique took a look at Jennifer and couldn’t help notice her beauty. He noticed her beautiful green eyes, her wavy blonde hair, her face, her luscious lips and her extraordinary body. Jennifer worked out daily at an all-woman’s gym. Roberto wouldn’t allow her to belong to a co-ed gym since many other guys would certainly notice her there. She was an exercise freak and liked to keep herself looking fit. Her legs were shapely and had a sensual curve that couldn’t help but attract attention.
“Hi, Enrique it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I pictured you looking so different. I mean you sounded older on the telephone and I guess Monika never described you to me. I’m glad you were able to fit me into your busy schedule. I know you will do a terrific job. Well, I guess we need to start since Roberto has to leave.”
Roberto was the jealous type. It seems he inherited this from his father. Most Hispanic men are very jealous by nature and they protect their wives like a wolf. He didn’t particularly like the way his wife seemed to have just flirted with a strange man. But he had to contain himself and not say anything inappropriate. He had promised both Monika and Jennifer that he wouldn’t spoil this occasion for them. But he was starting to somehow feel uneasy. After seeing Enrique he didn’t know how comfortable he was having him in his home. And he noticed the manner in which Enrique looked over his wife. But why was he worrying anyway? Jennifer was not a loose woman. She had always been faithful to him. And he knew he was the only man she had ever been with. Besides this guy was not a threat to him since he was just a glorified carpenter. Was his midlife crisis so intense that he was even starting to doubt his own wife?
Nevertheless, Enrique showed them his plans and the different types of cabinets he specialized in. He went over the prices and let them know he required a down payment before he started the project. He explained he used this upfront money to buy the supplies and materials necessary to start. He told Roberto he worked on a cash only basis and he would continuously update him on his progress. He also warned them that while he was working no one should be near the kitchen. This was to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Roberto told him that for now the maids would use the kitchen in their quarters to cook.
Enrique spoke with eloquence and one could tell that he somehow was well educated. This was rare for someone of his status. Was he not getting sufficient business in Mexico for him to live a decent lifestyle? Was he running away from the Mexican authorities for some reason? He carried himself as though he had been raised in a decent home. The more Jennifer thought about it, the more she found herself thinking about him.
Roberto finally approved Enrique’s plans and he didn’t want to stay there any longer. He signed the contract and pulled out a money clip and gave Enrique a thousand dollars in cash. He told him he would give him the rest in the morning. He shook Enrique’s hand, and said goodbye to Jennifer and Monika and left. Shortly after that Monika said she needed to leave too. She grabbed her purse and kissed Jennifer goodbye and then shook Enrique’s hand. She told him she was going to come back to look at the completed kitchen. She knew he was going to do a superb job.
“Hasta luego, lindo. You are such eye-candy. Bye.” Monika just kept staring at Enrique’s body all over as she was leaving. Enrique just smiled.
Monika walked out and Olga escorted her out. Jennifer was left all alone with Enrique and suddenly she felt uneasy. Why was she feeling this way? Was she excited that her cabinets were finally going to be built? Or was it that this was the first time she had been alone with another man in a room? During construction of the house, there were always many men around. She would visit the site daily and get an update on the progress. There were carpenters, electricians, plumbers and the foremen constantly checking up on the work. She knew that whenever she would walk by all these men could not help but look at her. She knew they found her irresistible. She also knew they were captivated by her wealth. But she had never been alone with another man in this new house. Nor could she remember the last time she had been alone with another man besides Roberto.
It didn’t help that thoughts of the conversation with Monika were haunting her. Until the day she heard Monika talk about her lovers, she’d never even thought of doing such a thing. But now her defenses were weak. The thought of taking on a lover never looked more exciting. She was more ready than she had ever been. Enrique made her want to take off her clothes and jump on top of him. She wanted him badly.
Enrique told her he was also leaving since he had to go to the hardware store and buy the materials. He would spend the day buying these materials and drawing the design for the cabinets. Jennifer chose a design close to Monika’s, but she wanted hers somewhat different. She wanted her own style. Enrique was used to building the type of cabinets that were prevalent in Mexico’s mansions. She identified immediately with him. She also mentioned to him her memories of the house where her mother used to work. Enrique could not help feeling immensely attracted to her. She had a refreshing outlook on life and he could sense that she was not wild. He was used to working with the upper class and he knew that these women were not always as proper as they appeared to be.
On one too many occasions he was propositioned by some of these women. It was something he was already used to. That’s why he had the habit of meeting with the husbands to avoid any difficulties. In Mexico if he were ever caught sleeping with one of these women, he would’ve been killed. Keeping a family’s honor is very important in Mexico’s upper class soci
al circles. The woman of the house is expected to abide by moral standards; although it is common knowledge that this is not always the case.
As Enrique was leaving Jennifer felt her heartbeat increase. It was racing like the first time she met Roberto at the country club where she worked in Monterrey. It was a thrilling feeling. Her whole body was consumed with a sudden sensation that flowed from her feet all the way to her head. She didn’t know what was happening to her. She peeked through one of her windows and saw Enrique get into the van. He then drove off and she got ready to leave for the boutique soon thereafter.
Enrique was going through some hard times. Although he was making good money with all of this work, he was a big spender. He had only been in San Antonio for a year. He was astonished at the abundance of things that this country had to offer. He had made friends with a group of carpenters he met on other projects. They in turn introduced him to other people. These were all blue-collar workers of which many had also come into this country illegally. Others were born in America but their families had been poor all of their life. Most of them didn’t have the business savvy that Enrique had. They were often paid a little above minimum wage and lived very poorly. They usually had large families to take care of and booze depleted a great part of their earnings.
Enrique had never been married. At thirty-two he enjoyed being single since he didn’t have to support a family. All of the money he earned was his and he could splurge. He enjoyed flaunting his money and would often buy expensive items. He bought name-brand clothes, expensive watches, and he had an expensive cell phone. However, he flaunted his money most by eating at fancy restaurants. Enrique was not a habitual drinker, but he loved good food. This was one of his weaknesses. It’s what he would work for. Part of Roberto’s down payment would be used to buy himself a meal at an expensive restaurant. He was a loner so he felt comfortable going to these restaurants by himself. He ate out for both lunch and dinner. He had studied English in Mexico so he had no problem ordering the food. He had also studied the manners of the Mexican upper class.
He loved to pretend being wealthy anytime he went out dining. Most of the girls he had met through his co-workers were of the lower class and uneducated. He wouldn’t dare ask any of them to accompany him to these fancy places.
And because of his illegal status it was hard for him to meet decent women. He saw women as objects of pleasure. He was so narcissistic that he was constantly thinking of how they all fell for him. He vowed never to get married since he didn’t believe in monogamy. He was accustomed to having different women, whether they were married or not. To him sex was a gift that was given to humanity, and humans should put it to good use. Because he knew he was good-looking he was also selective with the type of woman he had relations with.
He considered himself to be a good Catholic although he hadn’t attended mass in years. His fancy habit caused him to run out of money quickly. He was constantly searching for new contracts. Once he found good paying ones like this one, he would postpone the others. He knew he could sucker these wealthy ladies into giving him more money. He knew how to play the game and they would fall for it.
Enrique was living in an apartment that a lady friend helped him get. She leased the apartment in her name, and only Enrique lived there, and he was responsible to pay the rent. The problem was that he was spending too much money eating out and there wasn’t enough left over to pay the rent. He was also planning to use part of the down payment to catch up on his rent. Enrique was finding out that overall his standard of living in San Antonio was better than what he was used to in Mexico. He was well read and he knew how to carry intelligent conversations with his clients. When it came to his own friends he had to stoop down to their level. Most of them were not educated and didn’t care about improving their lives like he did.
Chapter Five
It was Tuesday morning and Enrique was there at eight thirty sharp. He had the necessary equipment to start working on the cabinets. He was wearing his work clothes, which consisted of an old t-shirt and faded blue jeans. He was also wearing a yellow Old Navy cap. The maids, Olga and Lupe, saw him and immediately started asking him questions. It was rare to find a handsome, young man in the house. They asked where he was from and if he had a girlfriend. They wanted to know where he learned his trade and how long he had been doing this for. Enrique was used to this since he knew the maids always identified with him. If he treated them right he would get free food. Surprisingly enough, he never had sexual relationships with any of the maids where he previously worked. He just played along with their game and pretended he was interested in them.
Jennifer came down from her upstairs bedroom. The stairway was beautifully designed and anytime she came down them she looked like a queen. She saw Becky and told her she was leaving. She also asked her to call her in case she had any problems with Alyssa. Robert was with her and she was going to drop him off at his school. All of a sudden she heard the sound of an electric machine coming from the kitchen. Becky told her that Enrique was already there. She was somewhat surprised and she went over to the kitchen. As she walked in she saw his electric saw and his back was facing her. Today she finally saw his muscular arms. The movement of his arms captivated her as he slowly moved the saw back and forth. She had gotten so used to Roberto’s refined manners that seeing Enrique’s rustic appearance gave her a new perspective of an ideal man.
Becky noticed it was getting late for Robert and she walked over to get Jennifer.
“Jennifer, it’s fifteen minutes until nine. You better hurry so Robert won’t get there late. You know that traffic is bad at this hour and people drive crazy.”
“Thank you Becky, I was just dreaming about my new kitchen. I can’t believe that it’s finally going to be a reality. Make sure and tell Olga and Lupe to look after him in case he needs anything. I want him to remain healthy so he can complete this job.”
Becky looked at her and was stunned as to why Jennifer was so concerned with Enrique. She knew perfectly well that the maids would take care of him regardless. Becky was a middle-aged woman who had three grown children. She had worked for Jennifer since Robert was born. She had always admired Jennifer for being such an honest and decent woman. Becky came to love her because Jennifer had shown concern for her and her family’s welfare all of these years. She knew Jennifer very well. Or at least she thought she did. She didn't like the way Jennifer had just stood there and stared at Enrique.
Roberto called John earlier and asked if he could join him for lunch. He wanted to talk to John about business and other things that were on his mind. John told him he already had lunch plans but he could meet him in the afternoon for some drinks. Roberto suggested they meet at La Cantera Country Club. It was located near John’s house in The Dominion subdivision. John agreed to meet him and said he would get there around six.
***
John drove up in his Black Hummer and noticed that Roberto’s Porsche was parked outside. He drove through the valet parking and then went inside. A porter let him in through the front and the host asked him if he wanted a cigar. He motioned he did and the host opened up the fine cigar box and John took one. He lit it up for John and then John told him he was meeting a friend. The host escorted him to Roberto’s table.
John was a very handsome man who was the same age as Roberto. He was tall with short straight black hair. He had green eyes and fair skin, features he inherited from his father’s Spaniard roots. He spoke both English and Spanish fluently.
“Roberto, como estas? I haven’t seen you in a while. Hey buddy, you’re putting on some weight there. We have to play some racquetball so you can lose some of that.”
“How much longer do I have to take this bashing? First it was your wife. Then it was my wife. And now it’s you. I get the message.”
“It’s cause we love you and we care for you, buddy.”
“Hey, order whatever you want. I got you covered.”
Roberto and John had a very special friend
ship. Ever since they met there was a certain chemistry between them. They were both successful and well educated Hispanics in a predominantly Anglo business world. They were driven to succeed and social status was very important to both of them. San Antonio was a different city today than when they were growing up. They still remembered the segregation that the city was noted for. Their fathers could’ve never belonged to this exclusive club. Hispanics were considered second class citizens back then. It didn’t matter whether they were attorneys or doctors. Most exclusive clubs were for whites only. Now times were different and they were enjoying their special status. John was more accustomed to being in exclusive places. His family owned about a third of the land in Laredo. As Laredo grew and big companies bought their land, their fortune got bigger too. Since Laredo is predominantly Hispanic his family’s name was very well known and respected. They belonged to the local country club and were a strong presence in the city’s social circle. They had houses in Monterrey and San Antonio and they visited both cities frequently.
“So what’s bothering you today, Roberto. I know something’s wrong because we only meet when we’re going through some sort of struggle.”
John was very flamboyant and he liked showing off his affluence. He crossed his legs, showing off his nice Italian leather shoes. He was enjoying this conversation while smoking his fine cigar.
“Gosh, you know me so well. I never even thought about that. But I guess you’re right. I think I’m going through midlife crisis, John. I’ve never felt this way before. It’s like half of my life is over and I don’t know what I want to do next. It’s even affecting my relationship with Jennifer. I guess you never think that as the years go by not only do we change physically but emotionally as well. When I met Jennifer I was still getting over Elena’s death. I was lost searching for someone to find me and bring me back to life. And then I found Jennifer and she saved me. Now that we have the kids I worry so much more. I want to make sure my kids are well taken care of in case something happens to me.”