“Bella, that is great news and a relief,” said Jessy, smiling, looking up from the contract.
“Are you and Jose Enrique going to the club tonight? Please go. We had so much fun last week,” said Bella, looking at Jessy. “Paty is going, and we will have so much fun. Get Jacki and Ricky to go, okay? We need to relax after a hard week at work, amiga.”
“Si, Bella, you’re right. I will ask Jose Enrique to take me, and I will make sure that Ricky y Jacki go. See ya later,” said Jessy as Bella exits her office, going to get her purse to leave.
Bella runs into Ricky on her way out. “Primo, be sure to come with Jacki to the club tonight, okay? We all need to have fun and relax after such a stressful week,” said Bella with a huge smile. She didn’t wait for his response. She gives her primo a hug and continues down the hall. Bella didn’t notice how pale y upset Ricky is.
Good thing she didn’t notice anything wrong, thought Ricky. Mi prima is right. It will be fun to go to the club with mi reina. The thought of seeing his reina made him feel a lot better.
We just have to wait until Monday and see. It can be a cruel joke. Wait until I find out who is doing this prank on us. I will kill him. He gave us heart failure.
Ricky starts to call his reina to get her to get ready to go out for dinner and to the club. Jacki left early today to get some of the wedding details planned out with Erica.
CHAPTER THIRTY
JOSE ENRIQUE Y JESSY ARE entering the club. He has her close to his side with his right brazo draping over her small waist. He is unconsciously rubbing his mano on her hip bone.
If he only knew how much his mano is provoking mi need for him, thought Jessy. I need to try to ignore it, or else I will take him to the baño to love. Hmm that is an enticing thought.
I can see los primos by the bar y las primas just a few tables away, thought Jose Enrique. He approaches the table to sit down with Jessy. He pulls out the chair for Jessy to sit down. Las primas wave and smile at them.
“Mi amor, do you want a margarita?” asks Jose Enrique smiling at Jessy.
“Si, mi vida,” answers Jessy smiling with gusto. “Hi, primas,” said Jessy, looking at Bella, Paty, and las bebes. “Is Erica y Gabriel coming? Jacki and Ricky are coming, they were leaving after we did,” said Jessy beaming, looking at them.
“Amiga, we hope so. We all told them to come and have some fun with us,” said Bella grinning, looking around the club. “I want to dance.”
“Si, I want to dance also,” said Paty. She is surveying the club to see if anybody interesting appeared. “I probably have to dance with los primos.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Maybe we should go to another club,” said Claudia considering los chicos around the club and didn’t see anybody interesting.
“I know that someday I will meet mi alma. I am willing to wait,” said Bella smiling, taking a sip of her drink.
“Well, I hope it is soon because everybody else is finding theirs,” said Paty with a pout.
“Well, primas, we will meet the one when Dios wants us to, okay?” said Claudia taking a drink of her cerveza, swaying to the music.
“You need to be patient. I know it will be soon. Look at Ricky y Jacki. Now that was quick,” said Jessy chuckling.
“I know, and they are really in love. You can see their amor when they are gazing at each other. Just like you y Jose Enrique, and Erica y Gabriel. It is amazing to see. I hope that I will find mi one, mi alma” said Paty.
“I’m sure you will. Here comes Jacki y Ricky now. Look at them. They only have ojos for each other. It is amazing,” said Bella, observing them with amazement.
“I know. I know that Jacki truly loves him. She wouldn’t have eloped with him if she didn’t,” said Jessy, looking at her hermana with felicidad.
Ricky y Jacki are approaching the table, they wave at todos. Jacki sets her purse down onto the table. “We’re going to dance. See ya in a bit,” said Jacki.
Ricky pulls her away to the dance floor, quickly embracing her in his brazos, whispering into her ear.
“Well, we’ll be lucky if we can chat with them later. Ricky y Jacki will leave us again,” said Vero giggling.
“Yeah, I know. It must be hard not to be able to love, even if they are married,” said Bella, shaking her cabeza.
“I wouldn’t blame them if they disappear again before the night is over,” said Paty, smiling.
“I know that I would,” said Claudia. “There is no reason why we shouldn’t cover for them. If it was me, I would want you to cover for me.”
“Si, that makes sense. We are adults. Our padres will not be hurt if they don’t know. I don’t know if los primos will cover for us, though. They are men, they still believe that they can do things that we cannot, even now,” said Bella shrugging.
“I think that we should make a pack to cover for each other when we know that we have met the one, tu alma. I will not want to be hiding to be able to love mi amor, mi alma. We all will know when that person has entered our vida. Look at our sweet Erica. She’s shy y sweet, but she still knew when she met her alma, her amor,” said Claudia earnestly.
“Si, especially when we’re engaged. I don’t want to be aching for mi amor and not be able to love him,” said Bella smiling, daydreaming, and gazing out the window.
“I think that is terrific idea,” said Paty nodding in agreement. “I know I will not want to wait until mi boda to be with mi amor. I have waited long enough. I’m waiting for mi amor, mi alma. When I confirm that I have mi alma, I know I will not wait. Why should we? We are adults,” she said, regarding las primas around the table to gauge their reactions.
“You haven’t said a thing, Jessy. What’s up?” said Vero, looking at her with curiosity.
You will think that since she is engaged, and so in love, she will put her two cents in, thought Claudia.
Todas las primas look at Jessy to determine what she thought about their conversation. They can see that she has a lot to say, but will she have the nerve to? Las primas waited for her input expecting it to be a good one.
“I believe that all of you are correct. I feel the same way. It is difficult y painful not to be able to love tu amor. We are attempting not to hurt our padres. Our padres are truly old school. I will really appreciate it if you did cover for us,” said Jessy blushing, without admitting that they have difficulties working around that issue.
“I can see that you have tried to follow the customs. I, for one, will not ever mention anything to our padres if you two sneak out,” said Paty smiling at her best amiga.
I know that they try hard not to alert anybody on where they are. I think that todos los primos know or suspect. It’s okay. They are adults, thought Claudia, taking another drink of her cerveza.
“Si, we will,” said Bella nodding in agreement, “I will expect the same from you when I have the need to be with mi amor.”
“We will know that he is the one, our amor, our alma. We should say he is the one. That way we will know what is transpiring, and to cover for you,” said Claudia grinning, thinking it’s so cool to have a pact y pass for our alma.
“Yeah, that sounds ideal,” said Vero, shaking her head and swaying to the music.
“Si, and we should start with Jessy, Jacki, y Erica,” said Bella. “We all know that they are getting married or are married like Jacki.”
“Si, we need to tell Erica about the pact. I think that she will like to know,” said Paty agreeing.
“What about los primos? Should we tell them about the pact?” asks Claudia with curiosity.
“Si, it will make their vida easier,” said Bella. “It is a relief to know that we all reached the same conclusion.”
“Erica y her hunk just arrived,” said Claudia grinning, admiring Gabriel.
“Yeah, wow,” said Paty, regarding Gabriel. “I want one of those too,” she said with a pout y wicked ojos.
“I know, prima, so do I,” said Bella, contemplating Gabriel.
Erica and
Gabriel are approaching the table, smiling at each other. Gabriel has his brazo around Erica’s small waist hugging her close to his side.
“Baby, I want to dance with you. I need to feel tus brazos around me. I missed you,” said Erica, gazing up into his precioso blue ojos.
“Okay, angel, let’s greet tus primos, and then we can dance, okay?” said Gabriel, looking into his sweet angel’s hermosos ojos.
“Si, baby,” said Erica smiling, flashing her dimples. That’s the only reason that I’m willing to be here in the club, so I can dance with mi baby, thought Erica.
“Hi primas, why don’t you dance?” asks Erica, looking around the table with a sweet smile.
“Because there aren’t any more hunks out there and you took the last one,” said Claudia grinning, taking a drink of her cerveza.
“Yeah,” said Paty, smiling, looking at Gabriel. I insist that I want one like him.
“Si, I know what you mean. I did take the last one,” said Erica with un wicked smile looking at her baby.
Gabriel overheard las primas. Well, they can have mi hermano Carlos if they want, he thought. They will not have any problemas getting un hombre. Todas las primas are truly bellezas, thought Gabriel. I’m muy feliz with mi sweet angel.
“Okay, I want to dance with mi baby. I have not seen him all week. See ya later,” said Erica flashing her dimples.
Before she leaves us, we need to inform her about the pact that we have agreed on, thought Paty. “Prima, can we have a few words with you, please?” asks Paty smiling, looking at Erica y Gabriel.
“Si, we promise it will be quick. Maybe Gabriel can greet los primos,” said Vero nodding, looking at Gabriel.
Erica looks at her primas. They want to tell me something. Okay. She turns to look at Gabriel. “Baby, please can you allow us a few minutes? Please?” she said, looking into his ojos smiling, flashing her dimples.
Gabriel gazes at his sweet angel. He leans in whispering in her ear, “Angel, make it quick because I need you, okay?” He gives her a quick beso before walking away.
Erica turns to look at her primas taking a seat. They all hunched, meeting in the center of the table to talk.
“Prima, we have agreed on a pact that will be helpful to you now,” said Claudia, smiling at Erica.
“What kind of pact?” asks Erica with curiosity in her hermosos hazel ojos?
“We have decided on a pact. We recognize how much Ricky and Jacki are having difficulties to love, to be alone. We all know how they are suffering. We know it’s difficult for them to be together, and they are married. We decided to start this pact now with you, Jessy, y Jacki. We will cover for you. It will be easier for you to leave, and be alone,” said Paty smiling.
“Si that will be what I will want from todas mis primas when I meet mi alma, mi amor,” said Bella with a huge dreamy smile.
“We all decided on this pact to take effect when we find the one, we will say this is the one, and that way, we know that we will be covering for you,” said Claudia eagerly.
“We have decided that we will not wait for la boda. We are adults. We will cover for you, and that way, our padres will not suspect, and get hurt,” said Paty pleased.
Las primas observe Erica, smiling, waiting for her thoughts.
“Si, Erica, we made this pact. I will be using it with Jose Enrique. We will tell Jacki when we get a chance this evening. It will make our vidas easier,” said Jessy nodding in agreement.
Erica sat back to contemplate every single cara of her primas y hermana. I cannot believe this. They are serious. Well, it will make mi vida easier, like Jessy said.
“Primas, hermana, this pact makes a lot of sense. I’m contenta that this has been decided. We’re involved or someday soon will be involved with tu special amor, tu alma. It is very difficult to follow our customs and traditions. We are adults, therefore it makes it extremely challenging. Thank you. I will be counting on you,” said Erica sweetly smiling, flashing her beautiful dimples.
Las primas regard their sweet prima with felicidad.
“Wow, you’re all grown up y really an adult making your own decisions,” said Paty, looking at Erica with a smile.
“We are truly feliz for you, prima,” said Claudia, nodding her cabeza.
“What a relief,” said Jessy pleased. “I thought it was going to be hard for you to accept. I’m contenta that you agree with us.”
“Why?” Erica is surprised. “I’m still una mujer, and I do love mi baby. I will not wait until our boda. I love him,” said Erica amused.
“Si, Erica, I know what you mean,” said Jessy laughing.
“Okay, it’s a pact. We only have to tell los primos y Jacki. I think we’ll tell los primos as each one gets involved with their true amor. Case by case basis,” said Claudia smirking.
“Okay, because I will be leaving early tonight,” said Erica observing her primas’ reactions. I really want to know now if this is for real and what to expect.
It looks like they are all genuinely serious. Okay, excellent, because I’m also extremely serious. I will not stop from loving mi baby for them or anybody else.
“Okay, primas, I’m going to dance for a little while with mi baby. I will leave as soon as I want to. Please don’t expect me to say adios,” said Erica smiling flashing her dimples at todas las primas.
“Okay, Erica, we understand,” said Bella smiling.
“Si, Erica. I think I will be doing the same thing,” said Jessy, nodding in agreement looking at las primas.
Erica nods, she glances over to Gabriel. He is at the bar with los primos, drinking a cerveza. He is listening to what Tony is saying, but watching Erica. He gazes into Erica’s ojos y knows that she wants him over there. He smiles at her nodding.
“Okay, Tony, the building concepts for the building structures that you design are amazing. I will like to talk some more about it at Sunday dinner, okay? Erica is waiting for me,” said Gabriel smiling.
“Sounds good, Gabriel,” said Tony nodding, smiling taking a drink of his cerverza.
Gabriel turns, striding toward his sweet angel. He reaches for her, nods to las primas. He hugs Erica into his side walking to the dance floor.
“Baby, finally, I can hug you,” said Erica with a sigh, getting closer to her baby. She wraps her brazos around his neck, and he wraps his brazos around her small waist leaning his cara right next to hers.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHRISTIAN WALKS IN JUST IN time to see Gabriel y Erica start to dance. He stands for a few seconds to observe them.
Si, they are in love. At least, he’s not playing with mi little hermana, he thought. I think that now I know what they feel and what Gabriel went through. I’m not completely sure, but I feel like I do love Monique. Can it be possible to fall in love so quickly?
Chris strolls through the crowd to las primas’ table, smiling as he sits down. “Hermana, I just finished spending some time, drinking a cup of mocha, and talking with Monique,” said Chris with a huge smile, flashing off his hermosos dimples.
“Hola primo,” said Jose Enrique taking Jessy’s mano, and he escorts her to the dance floor.
“Hola primo,” answers Chris, looking at Jose Enrique smiling.
“Are you for real? Hermano, that is quick,” said Bella amused. “Is she the one, tu alma, tu amor?”
“I believe so,” said Chris, beaming at his primas. “I have a date with her mañana.”
“We wish you all the luck, primo,” said Paty delighted. “Monique is bella y smart.”
“Si, primo, good luck. I hope she is the one. It will be nice to see you in love y married,” said Claudia cheerfully.
“Si primo good luck. Let us know if she is the one so we can cover for you,” said Vero with a huge wicked grin.
“What do you mean?” asks Chris observing las primas with lots of curiosity. What are they up to now? He looks at las primas that appear like they decided to do something not the norm.
“Well, hermano, we have
decided that when one of us has found our alma, the one, our amor, we will cover for them—that is if we desire to be together and not wait for la boda. We don’t want our padres to get hurt,” said Bella, looking at her hermano with curiosity to see how he will respond to this. He is after all un hombre and one of the eldest.
“Si primo, we believe that we’re all adults and that we will know what we want. When we meet the one, we will want to be with our amor,” said Claudia, looking at her primo.
“Si, we thought about this because of Ricky y Jacki. They are adults y married. They are having difficulties because of our traditions. We think that they should be together. They are endeavoring not to hurt our padres,” said Vero, looking at Ricky y Jacki dance. They look so in love.
“Si, primo, we feel that Jessy y Jose Enrique, Erica and Gabriel are also adults. Why shouldn’t we cover for them? I will want todos to cover for me when I find the one, mi amor, mi alma. We all will know, we will feel it when we find the one,” said Paty, looking at her primo. I know that Chris feels that he has found his alma.
Las primas are something else, thought Chris. They are correct, however. We are all adults. We are all attempting to continue our Mexican traditions and customs. Our padres are truly old school. It is hard to follow those traditions especially when you’re in love.
Chris turns to look at his primos with their amor. He looks at his hermana y her amor. I know that they have been together. You can see how possessive and intimate they hold each other. I also know that they are all getting married. They are not playing games. I can see their point.
They will be having a hard time to be together, that is for sure, he thought. I think that las primas have a good idea.
“I hope that it is only enforced when las primas know for certain and have a commitment from the special hombre. Then the plan can start. I don’t want you to be intimate with the incorrect hombre. The one will be the one. You can feel it. You just know it,” said Chris observing each prima y hermana.
Hot & Spicy: De La Cruz Saga Page 21