“Yeah, I’m tu only prima that puts up with you y understands you. You so know it,” said Paty laughing.
“Paty, the bets are getting higher. You know that Alex, Ricky, y Tony are thinking that Jose Enrique is bluffing. They truly believe that his novia doesn’t exist,” said Bella, taking out a pair of shoes from the box.
“Well, Bella, I think that everybody is going to be really surprised. I think that Jose Enrique’s novia is smart, hermosa, y muy sexy. Our primos will be so jealous,” said Paty with a grin.
“Paty, is Jose Enrique’s novia someone we all know? Tell me!” begs Bella.
“Bella, you just have to wait. If I tell you, you will tell la familia. Jose Enrique will not be contento about it. He wants it to be a surprise. Even mi mama doesn’t know,” said Paty.
“Paty, I promise I will not tell a soul,” said Bella, walking to her dresser to see her undies.
“Yeah right, Bella. It’s not like I haven’t heard that before, prima. No way will I tell you. Can you advise Erica that the dresses have arrived y if she wants to go with us mañana?” asks Paty.
“Si Paty, I will ask Erica. Do you want to meet at the department store?” asks Bella, writing down what she wants to purchase mañana.
“Si, I will meet you at the department store. I have an errand to do in the morning. Meet you around noon?” said Paty, standing striding to her cuarto.
“Si, Paty. Noon is good. Say hi to Tia Queta y Tio Francisco. See ya mañana,” said Bella, walking out of cuarto with the box. Hmmm, I need to get some agua.
Bella goes to the sofa y sits down the box. Bella starts to wonder who the novia is.
Something tells me that Paty knows. Ricky, Alex, Chris, and Tony asked me to learn who his novia is.
Sitting down on the floor to open the package, Bella starts thinking. I know that Alex, Chris, Tony, y Ricky are getting nervous that Jose Enrique really does have una novia. They know that it is possible he will be getting married soon. They will then be on their own.
Jose Enrique, Nick, Alex, Chris, Tony, y Ricky have always been really close. They are la familia’s oldest hijos and have always done everything together. Nick left a few years ago to work in another state. The primos have missed him. This is why they are worried. They feel that they will be losing another primo. When Jose Enrique did something, you can count on los primos to follow. Los primos have always party together. You can count on them to do all their leisure activities, all sorts of pursuits, y problemas together. They are always competing y supporting each other.
In la familia, los primos are all close and protective of each other. The primos have always been together in the good and in the bad since they were niños. That’s why the primos are close like hermanos. Of course, this is one of the reasons that todos los primos want to meet his novia. The primos want to ensure she is the right one y that she truly loves Jose Enrique. Nobody, absolutely nobody, is allowed to hurt la familia.
CHAPTER THREE
WHERE ARE THEY? JOSE ENRIQUE stands at the bar with his ice-cold Corona cerveza, looking for his primos Alex, Chris, Ricky, y Tony.
They are never late. I wonder what they are up to. We always meet every Friday at nine. Yeah I really miss mi primo Nick when this type of shit happens with los primos. It’s already ten. Dios mio, I don’t want to look for them. I don’t want to wait for them, not tonight. It has been a long, hard week. Just thinking of how much mocking I’m going to get from los primos makes me want to walk out. I do not want to discuss mi novia. Right, what novia? I’m still waiting for Paty to get me mi novia. I feel like a loser. What happen? Why do I not have a novia?
He takes a drink of his cerveza, trying not to choke, when he notices a bella, sexy chica with some other chicas at the other side of the bar.
Wow! This chica is hot and spicy just the way I like them. She is truly a real belleza that just shouts out to you. This type of belleza is like a light that glows from within. Boy she’s hot. I have never seen her here before. She looks like a hot Latina Eve’s Pleasure model. She looks to be in her twenties. The chica is laughing, and she has even small set of white teeth.
Dios mio! What a cara. This chica is all ojos and lashes. I have never seen such hermoso ojos. Her ojos glow. They appear to have an internal light that causes them to glow like soft warm golden honey. Her ojos are outlined with some incredibly long curly black eyelashes. She has small straight nose and incredible bow mouth. Her hair is long, shiny light brown that calls to me. It tempts me to run mis manos down the length of her pelo.
“Hola primo, sorry we’re late,” said Alex as he slaps Jose Enrique in the middle of his back causing him to choke on his cerveza for the second time that night.
“What the hell!” exclaims Jose Enrique turning to see his primos, they are laughing, shoving him against the bar counter.
“Where have you locos been? Why are you late? Here I am waiting for you fools,” said Jose Enrique with some annoyance.
Jose Enrique turns around to catch another look at the hot chica, but she is not there.
Where did she go?
Getting all angry y glaring at his primos, Jose Enrique quickly strides down the bar to where the chicas are talking y laughing.
The hot chica is not here. She is gone thought Jose Enrique. He strides back to where his primos are waiting for him at the other side of the bar. He continues to glare at them. Sometimes I just wonder if they do have any brains in that big fat head they carry on their wide shoulders.
Dios mio, give me patience.
“What?” asks Alex, taking a drink looking at the other side of the bar trying to see what Jose Enrique is interested in.
“Why are you mad at us?” asks Ricky, waiting for Jose Enrique’s response.
“What did we do?” asks Tony, shaking his cabeza.
“Are you okay” asks Chris looking at Jose Enrique irritation.
Alex, Tony, Ricky, y Chris know that Jose Enrique is furious and that he is going to do something to them. Los primos know that they will be the ones to pay for Jose Enrique misery.
Los primos can see that Jose Enrique is upset y uptight. Well, is this some evidence that Jose Enrique is getting anxious over something? Maybe there is no novia? Maybe Jose Enrique y su novia had a disagreement or a breakup?
“Hey, Matt we need some Coronas,” calls out Tony to the bartender. Tony always makes sure to tip Matt really well, so they are never waiting for their cerveza.
“Who are you looking for Jose Enrique?” asks Ricky, looking around to see who it can be.
“Are you looking for tu novia?” asks Alex looking down the bar in the direction where Jose Enrique is looking. The bar has a group of chicas down at the far end. Maybe we will get lucky y get to finally meet Jose Enrique’s novia, thought Alex.
“No, I’m just looking. Is that okay, Ricky?” asks Jose Enrique. “Why are you locos late?” Jose Enrique asks again, taking another drink of his cerveza.
“We had to wait for Alex to finish his shift at the hospital,” Tony answers, moving away from Jose Enrique’s fist.
“Do you want to go down the bar and see if we can meet the chicas?” asks Alex, watching how interested he is.
“No, I just want to relax,” said Jose Enrique sitting back down on the stool.
“Oh, man I want to party tonight,” said Ricky with irritation.
“So this means we will be leaving early tonight?” asks Tony, shaking his cabeza.
“Primos you can party on your own. You don’t need me,” said Jose Enrique drinking up his cerveza shrugging his shoulders.
“It will not be the same without you, Jose Enrique. We always do everything together,” said Ricky turning to look at him.
“Well, you locos need to get used to it. I will be getting married soon. I know that mi mujer will not like it if I continue to party with you fools,” said Jose Enrique with an evil smile.
“So this is for real?” asks Tony with a strained voice.
“I thought you w
ere just messing with us,” said Chris shaking his cabeza.
“Why are you keeping tu novia such a secret?” asks Alex, looking at Jose Enrique smile. Damn, he is being a guey about this.
“We have always shared our secrets,” said Tony, waiting for his response.
“Matt, please give me another cerveza,” Jose Enrique calls out to the bartender. Mis primos are getting me stressed out. I am already anxious with the short time I have to get una novia. Dios mio, give me patience.
“I’m going to go down the bar to those chicas and see if I can have a few dances,” said Ricky, getting up from the stool, I’m tired of pestering Jose Enrique. He will tell us when he is ready, he thought, shrugging his shoulders.
“Ricky! Wait for me,” said Tony following Ricky down the bar.
“Yeah” said Chris walking toward the chicas with Ricky y Tony.
“Are you okay?” asks Alex. “You have not been yourself these last few days.”
Alejandro Andres De La Cruz is also known as el doctor Alex. La familia is really proud of Alex. Alex is always there to help his primos in everything and anything.
“I think you should stop by the hospital to get some tests done. I’m worried that you’re under a lot of stress lately,” said Alex taking a drink from his cerveza. Alex looks at Ricky, Chris y Tony talk to the chicas.
“I’m okay, primo,” assures Jose Enrique, shrugging his shoulders. “All our hard work is finally paying off. La familia, our padres should be able to enjoy their golden years,” he adds.
“Come on, Jose Enrique. Is it tu novia that’s causing you stress?” asks Alex, waiting for him to open up and talk.
“No, Alex. Everything is great with mi novia,” said Jose Enrique with a smile Damn, Paty needs to come through for me.
“Jose Enrique los primos are all worried about you. We all notice that you’re under a lot of stress. None of us has ever seen or met tu novia. We are all concern about you. We worry about tu novia being the right mujer for you,” said Alex looking at Jose Enrique with concern. “It is not normal. Not one of us has met tu novia, and especially since you’re thinking of marriage,” Alex adds, shaking his cabeza.
We need to meet his novia and make sure that she loves him and not our dinero thought Alex.
“The entire familia will meet her soon,” said Jose Enrique not wanting to talk about it anymore. “Mi novia works long days y is out of town on business often,” said Jose Enrique looking at Ricky, Chris y Tony flirt with las chicas.
“Okay. Just let me know if you need anything,” said Alex turning to look at los primos talk to the chicas. “You know we are here for you.”
Taking a drink from his cerveza Jose Enrique nods his cabeza at his primo. “I’m okay, Alex. Say adios to los primos, okay? I’m tired, y I’m going to have an early night,” said Jose Enrique as he walks toward the door.
“Si primo, buenas noches” said Alex watching Jose Enrique leave early.
Finally out of the club he looks up into the dark warm night. He looks at the stars and smiles. Jose Enrique is thinking about the bella chica that he saw in the club.
I wonder if I can see her here next Friday night. I will get here early y ask her to dance. It has been a while since a chica causes any type emotions or feel any type of interest.
He turns striding toward his black sporty Mercedes. Jose Enrique slides right into the black leather seat starting his carro. He listens to his favorite songs driving a casa.
CHAPTER FOUR
“NIÑOS, COME AND EAT!” CALLS out Tia Lupe from the middle of the patio. “La comida is served.”
The dining tables are set up around the patio, and the romantic Spanish music is playing in the background.
The patio dining tables are made of beautiful wrought iron with glass tops.
Mi mama always makes sure that the dining tables have fresh rosas. Mi mama loves her rosas.
The only music that is allowed to be heard on Sunday dinners is Mexican Spanish romantic love songs. Los tios want to make sure that los niños all understand, appreciate, y embrace their Mexican culture.
Our casa is the first casa that was built by la familia’s company. Our casa was built with the thought of accommodating the entire familia. As everybody knows about Mexicans, we love to party. The entire familia’s occasions—dinners, parties, gatherings, celebrations, you name it—are held at mis padre’s casa. Our casa is a large typical Mexican-influenced casa with lots of windows, arched pillars, and marbled floors.
The patio is where we hold our parties. It was built larger than your normal patio. The pillars are arched with flower planters built around it, which also have a seating area. The patio floor is a traditional Mexican tile that has a very colorful pattern of blue, yellow, and purple.
The patio also has a stove, a refrigerator, a sink, and a BBQ grille. No, mi papa y tios did not forget the bar. Si, the bar is always full of Coronas y El Patron tequila, la familia favorites.
Inside the familia room there is a pool table. Los primos and I have enjoyed lots of hours playing pool. Outside in the patio we enjoyed our summers swimming y playing cards. The swimming pool has a beautiful waterfall that goes into the swimming pool that appears like a natural beach; and it, of course, has a large Jacuzzi.
Then there is Tia Lupe who will always see los primos as niños, her niños. She walks back to the cocina to tell her comadres Queta and Maria that “todos los niños are here for la familia’s Sunday dinner,” in an excited feliz tone.
Mi mama y mis tias assisted mi padre y tios in whatever they can when the familia’s company was getting started. Each one of our padres had a huge role in making la familia’s company a success. Mi mama, Enriqueta De La Cruz, called Queta by the loving familia, was always answering the phones y ordering the supplies at la familia’s company.
Mi Tia Guadalupe De La Cruz, known as Tia Lupe always made sure that we were well fed. Tia Lupe also was in charge of todos los birthdays y any special events.
Mi Tia Maria De La Cruz always made sure that we were picked up from school, complete our homework, y take us to practice in the sports that we were participating in.
La familia has been and will always be a united familia. The familia De La Cruz has Sunday dinners at mis padre’s casa. Mi mama y mis tias are the cooks. They cook up la entire familia’s favorite comida. We all hold this Sunday dinner as special familia day, and every person in the familia always makes sure to make it. No excuses.
La familia Sunday dinner is an instance to catch up y to share our life’s heartaches, achievements, y dreams. La familia’s individual successes can be attributed to the familia support, encouragement, y amor.
“Aye comadres, I’m muy contenta that Jose Enrique is here for dinner. Maybe we can get some information on his novia,” said la comadre Lupe to la comadre Queta y comadre Maria.
“Mi niño is going to get married,” said the comadre Maria. Not only is she Jose Enrique’s tia but she is also his madrina.
“Si, comadres, Jose Enrique has told los muchachos that he is going to bring his novia to the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration. Francisco and I are muy feliz. We cannot wait to meet her,” said Queta putting the warm tortillas in the baskets.
“Just think maybe we will have some more little nietos running around soon,” said Queta smiling with a dreamy look on her cara. “Si Angel Nicolas will have some primos to play with”
“Wait up, Jose Enrique,” said Paty as she approaches him y wraps her brazo around his waist as they walk to the dinner table.
“Do you have good news for me, Paty?” asks Jose Enrique with a huge hopeful smile. “You know that it is getting harder y harder to keep la familia from finding out the truth.”
“Si, tu novia will be at the office on Monday,” said Paty with a huge grin y a twinkle in her hermoso ojos.
I cannot wait to see Jose Enrique’s cara when he meets Jessica, or should I say when he sees Jessica again. I’m so excited, thought Paty.
“Real
ly?” asks Jose Enrique with a pleased smile y relief on his cara as he turns to give Paty a hug.
“I’m so feliz that you found mi novia. Is she hot y sexy?” asks Jose Enrique with a wicked smile.
“Tu novia is a real belleza. She is exceptionally sexy, smart, y hot. You name it, and she has it,” said Paty, smiling.
“She sounds great,” said Jose Enrique nodding his cabeza with a smile. Hmmm I’m trying to think of any of Paty’s amigas that fits this description. Wow I can’t remember any of her amigas. Well gracias dios mio. Soon I will be able to introduce mi novia to la familia.
“Paty does mi novia know the story? Is she okay with it? I don’t want to hurt anybody,” said Jose Enrique looking at Paty’s cara.
“Don’t worry hermano. She knows the story, and she is okay with it,” said Paty. “I know you’re going to like each other a lot. I think you will be a great match,” she adds. “I pray that you recognize that tu novia is tu grand amor, tu alma. I really wish you all the felicidad in the world. I know that you will marry tu novia, hermano,” Paty said, gazing at his cara.
“Okay Paty, you know that I trust you. Let’s just keep mi novia our secret until I meet her, okay? We will see about the wedding,” said Jose Enrique with a huge grin, shrugging his shoulders.
“Okay. La familia will just have to wait a few days until they get to meet her. Maybe you will want to bring tu novia to our next Sunday dinner,” said Paty, smiling really feliz for Jose Enrique y Jessy.
“I don’t know. It might be too soon. Let us get to know each other first, okay?” said Jose Enrique, getting a little nervous.
“Okay hermano,” said Paty as she sits at la familia dinner table. Jose Enrique sits right next to Paty y Bella.
“Hola primo where is tu novia?” asks Bella with a twinkle in her ojos.
“Mi novia is out of town on business,” said Jose Enrique with a smile on his cara taking a bite of his tamale.
I know Bella is just trying to get some information on mi novia to tell los primos. I cannot believe how impatient y nosy los primos are. Well, maybe I can, y maybe I will be doing the same thing, thought Jose Enrique as he glances around the table. The entire familia is listening y watching as Jose Enrique responds to Bella’s questions about his novia.
Hot & Spicy: De La Cruz Saga Page 2