Deporting Dominic

by Lindemann, Renee

  Dominic: A few months ago and it was amazing. We stopped having sex for almost a month until our wedding night.

  INS agent: How did you feel when Samantha switched religions?

  Dominic: It was beyond words when she received Holy Communion. I had no idea she was taking classes. It showed me how much she valued me and my faith.

  INS agent: What about your kids? Will they become Catholics as well?

  Dominic: They have already received their first communion. I could not be a prouder father.

  INS agent: Who pays the bills?

  Dominic: I pay just the cable and phone bill each month. Samantha handles everything else with the money she makes from her company.

  INS agent: How does that make you feel?

  Dominic: Honestly it’s the one thing that bothers me about the relationship. I want to work but with my hectic training schedule and upcoming Olympics, I can’t work right now. When that is over I will be in the Physician’s Assistant program soon after. It makes me feel like a bum even though Samantha never ever throws that in my face and my kids make me feel so important.

  INS agent: Why did you force Samantha to sign a pre-nuptial agreement?

  Dominic: No matter what happens I know that I am never leaving her or my kids. I just wanted her family to understand that I was not after any of her money. She has worked so hard to convince them she can handle the business, the kids, and the money. I didn’t want to be something else she needed to prove.

  INS agent: So who makes the decisions in the family?

  Dominic: Samantha and I, both make the decisions with input from the kids.

  INS agent: Where was your honeymoon?

  Dominic: The Westin hotel downtown and we will have a few days in Beijing to spend together.

  INS agent: What was the last thing that you noticed about your wife before she left the room just now?

  Dominic: That she is pleased about something although I am not sure what it is.

  INS agent: That will be all Mr. Castillo. You can send in Morgan Gable now that would be fine.

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  Morgan’s interview with INS agent lasts about fifteen minutes

  INS agent: State your name and address.

  Morgan: She states her name and address.

  INS agent: So who makes the decisions in the family?

  Morgan: Mom and Dominic but they ask us how we feel.

  INS agent: Where does Dominic sleep?

  Morgan: In the room with my mom unless they have a disagreement then one of them sleeps on the couch.

  INS agent: Do they fight often?

  Morgan: Actually no they don’t, they get along really well.

  INS agent: What did they tell you before coming into this interview?

  Morgan: To tell the truth

  INS agent: Do you believe their marriage to be real?

  Morgan: Absolutely. They have been in love with each other for years. I am glad they finally did something about it. My mom is finally completely happy. That gets the agent’s attention.

  INS agent: That will be all Miss Gable. You can send in Charlie Gable now that would be fine.

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  Charlie’s interview with INS agent lasts about fifteen minutes.

  INS agent: State your name and address.

  Charlie: He states her name and address.

  INS agent: So who makes the decisions in the family?

  Charlie: Both mom and dad make the decisions.

  INS agent: Where does Dominic sleep?

  Charlie: With his wife, my mom.

  INS agent: How do Dominic and Samantha get along?

  Charlie: They get along great. They are always kissing or cuddling.

  INS agent: What did they tell you before coming into this interview?

  Charlie: Mom and dad said to tell the truth.

  INS agent: Do you believe their marriage to be real?

  Charlie: Yes I know it’s real. Bryce and I made a mistake and walked into their room. I saw my mom and dad making love. They love each other so much.

  INS agent: How did they handle that?

  Charlie: Mom came out and talked to us about violating their privacy. She also answered any questions we had about what they were doing. Dominic sat with me and answered all my questions. That’s when he became my dad. It was so cool.

  INS agent: That will be all Mr. Gable. You can send in Bryce and Samantha now that would be fine.

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  Bryce’s interview with the INS agent lasted thirty minutes.

  INS agent: Mrs. Castillo can you state his name and address.

  Bryce: Buenos días. I know my own name and address and he states them both.

  INS agent: So who is your mommy married to?

  Bryce: My daddy.

  INS agent: What is your daddy’s name?

  Bryce: Well there is another daddy his name is Danny but he is not a good daddy. My real daddy is Dominic Jesus Castillo.

  INS agent: Why is Danny not your daddy?

  Bryce: Because he is mean to my mommy and I don’t see him. My real daddy is a real man. Bryce grunts while I try to wipe my tears away quickly. The INS agent raises an eyebrow.

  INS agent: Does your mommy love your daddy?

  Bryce: Yes my mommy loves my daddy they are marriage. They kiss, hug, and make love but that’s privacy busyiness.

  INS agent: Where does your daddy sleep?

  Bryce: In the room with my mommy but that’s their privacy busyiness.

  INS agent: What’s their private business?

  Bryce: Bryce looks to me first and I nod that it is okay. When my mommy let’s my daddy touch her vagina with his penis. My daddy has a big penis because he is a grown up. Mommy said that daddy is not hurting her when they make love. I told my mommy she can kiss my daddy because they are marriage. My mommy and daddy love each other and I love them too and Charlie and Morgan. I’m going to learn to swim like my daddy and go to the Lympics like daddy. My daddy and mommy read me a book called Cloudy with Meatballs. My daddy we make meatballs together and tacos. We watch SpongeBob together and my mommy makes me grilled cheese. What else you want to know?

  INS agent: Who was at the wedding?

  Bryce: Everyone was at the marriage. El abuelo, la abuela, los primos, el tíos, la tías, and ma famila. I cover my mouth as Bryce speaks Spanish. The agent actually smiles.

  INS agent: That will be all Bryce. Thank you very much.

  Bryce: De nada.

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  Beijing in August is hot, not the dry heat I am used to but moist heat. There goes my new hairstyle. Dominic and I are sitting in a lounge in the Olympic village. The village houses the 16,000 athletes, coaches, and other personnel that will participate in various sports during the Olympic Games. Unfortunately I cannot stay with my husband in the Olympic village so I have to stay at a local hotel. Thanks to Coach Anderson I was able to secure a small room without needing to mortgage one of my properties to cover the expense.

  The Olympic committee, utilizing private donations, paid for Dominic’s portion of his travel expenses. Our church and a few local businesses provided us with donations that cover most of my expenses for our two-week stay in Beijing. Once the announcement was made in church and placed in the newsletter Father Anderson thought it wise to set up a bank account to help cover the additional expenses. Dominic’s family in Phoenix also sent monies to help out with the cost. The community as a whole has been very supportive of Dominic’s quest for gold in Beijing.

  Dominic trained in Knoxville, Tennessee with the appointed US Olympic swim team coach. It was five difficult days to be without my husband as I didn’t make the trip with him. It was a treat to see him featured in several media outlets as a Cinderella story given the way he won a spot on the team. I kept every article I could find on my husband as a keepsake of this very special time. When he returned home after the training we both realized that we would never survive being away from each other that long again. Several
other swimmers headed to Beijing trained at the university’s aquatic center with Dominic. We did our best to play the gracious hostess. I was even able to offer a young female swimmer and her family our furnished apartment while she trained, for a discounted rate of course.

  It was difficult to leave the kids for such an extended period of time. With Charlie and Morgan attending the same high school driving to three different schools is now reduced to just two. Bryce is happy in his pre-kindergarten class and thankfully we did not miss his first day. Of course we had to drill in him the need to understand the definition of privacy after an outburst at his most recent birthday party.

  After singing happy birthday to Bryce in the crowded Chuck E. Cheese with all his school friends and our family members present he blew out the candles. One of Bryce’s friends asked him what he wished for after he blew out the candles.

  “You are not supposed to tell Enrique,” Bryce replied licking frosting off his hand.

  “I just wanted to know that’s all,” Enrique mumbled under his breath.

  “It’s okay if you want to tell him,” Dominic added not wanting the little boy to be upset. Fortunately I was standing close to Bryce slicing the cake when he decided to confess.

  “I want to be like my daddy. I wished for a big pen…” he stated loudly as I slapped my hand over his mouth. The younger kids did not understand what he was about to say. However as the realization dawned on the few parents around I flushed with embarrassment. There was a combination of puzzled looks, mostly in Dominic’s direction. Charlie and Morgan mostly generated the giggles but I silenced them with a stern look.

  “Sorry we are still trying to get him to understand his body,” I offered with a mortified expression.

  “Lucky woman,” Enrique’s mom muttered softly to another parent next to her.

  When I uncover his mouth Bryce looks at me as if I have grown an extra head.

  “Mommy, why did you do that?”

  “You were about to say something that was inappropriate. Remember we talked about privacy.”

  “But daddy said I could tell Enrique.”

  Bryce looked from me to Dominic for confirmation.

  “Bryce that’s not what I meant. Come eat your cake next to daddy,” Dominic said indicating the seat next to him. Bryce took his cake with the number four candle, sitting atop and slid into the booth with his daddy. I laugh to myself as the memory of that incident still haunts me. Dominic had a talk with Bryce that seemed to put his penis envy to rest.

  Dominic will compete in three individual events the 50-meter, 100-meter freestyle, and the 100-meter backstroke. He will participate in the qualifying semifinal for the 400-meter team free relay. Dominic hopes to earn an additional spot on the 400-meter team medley as the backstroke swimmer but it is up to the coach to make the call as he sees fit. With the exception of the relay teams Dominic must finish in the top sixteen in the heats to make it to the semifinals. If he places in the top eight he will advance to the finals where he will compete for a medal.

  “My swim schedule is crazy but this is what I am here for right Sammie?” Dominic questioned nervously as he eyes his swim schedule.

  “Yes baby. This will test your endurance like nothing else but I have every faith that you will do very well here,” I replied supportively. Dominic takes me in his arms giving me a sweet kiss. We spend a moment forehead to forehead in silent prayer for his continued strength and success. It takes us a while but we manage to write out Dominic’s detailed schedule and synchronize our time accordingly. Instead of calling our first day here day one we have decided that the first day he swims will be day one. This makes it easier for us both to understand that he will have potentially one week of swimming in Beijing.

  Olympic village is a twenty-minute walk from the Beijing National Aquatics Center or Water Cube, as the locals call it, where the swimming events will take place. The rectangular building is an architectural marvel covered in bubbles that look most amazing at night. Whenever I am allowed I watch Dominic practice with Coach Beckmann and his staff mostly mornings and evenings. Up until we left for Beijing Dominic was practicing about four hours a day six days a week. Now that we are here he is concentrating his practices on the individual races. When we manage some downtime we will tour this amazing city, a much easier feat given that the Olympics have come to town.

  Before I leave Beijing I will have visited some of the oldest known former dwellings in this city. Being in a different state is usually amazing but being in a different country is an experience like none other. The assault on all my senses makes everything a new experience. The sheer number of people living in this one city is enough to boggle anyone’s mind. The smells, the sights, and the people provide me with an education I have been sorely lacking. I am not well traveled but this visit is definitely giving me the itch to increase the number of stamps in my passport. The ability to play tourist is lost somewhat on Dominic as his focus is on the games. I am encouraged that when he finishes his events we will properly tour the city together. With that in mind I keep my solo explorations to places near my hotel. All the huge tourist traps I want to experience with my husband.

  Dominic is in a zone I have never witnessed before as he not only prepares physically for the challenges ahead but mentally. The coaches have the entire team not only following a treacherous practice schedule but sleep and diet regimen as well. Considering all of this we agree to restrict lovemaking during this time as neither of us wants to break his focus. Sleeping in separate quarters helps us to maintain our no nookie policy but it wears on both of us to be apart. I am especially feeling the loneliness of being in a different country alone at night.

  “That was rough,” I whine after our first official night apart in Beijing.

  “Yeah I had a hard time sleeping without you next to me. The only thing that comforted me was that my roommate snored like a hog. You would have been angry and left me anyway,” he laughed. I pull my husband in for a kiss knowing that he has just an hour to spend with me.

  “I do not want to interrupt your focus baby. I just wanted to get a kiss. I know you have to get back.”

  “You have no idea how much your support means to me. I couldn’t do this without you Sammie.” Dominic leans in for another kiss and I eagerly accept. I tell him nothing of my fears or the fact that I miss his daily presence. I want to provide unconditional support as he focuses on the tasks ahead of him. We take a walk around Olympic village as he fills me on the practice and heading into his first day of competition tomorrow.

  “I am practicing early tomorrow morning and then my first two heats are tomorrow evening.”

  He grips my hand hard as he speaks. I know his nerves are getting the best of him.

  “Dominic tomorrow night you are going to help the team get into the finals and move on to the semifinals in the backstroke as well. The backstroke is your forte and I know you are going to do well. I will be their cheering you on to victory oh husband of mine.”

  “I just want to show everyone that I belong here and not just because of some fluke illness.”

  It’s the first time that I have heard him voice his true fear.

  “You belong here Dominic no matter what happened God made a way for you to be here. It was done this way to make you appreciate this more. Or at least that’s what I think.”

  His embrace is warm and comforting as we once again rest our foreheads together. I can feel the love he has for me. I hope that he can feel the love I have for him.

  “Thank you Sammie for loving me and for believing in me.”

  “I will let you thank me properly after all of your events are finished.”

  I give him a wink as we continue our walk around the university styled campus that is Olympic village. We manage to find a nice quiet spot out of the direct heat to just sit and talk. Of course we spend also some time lavishing affection on one another. Soft kisses on the nape of my neck, gentle pecks to my shoulders, and fingers caressing my thighs make
leaving my husband for the evening very difficult.

  I spend the next day perusing the shops near my hotel. It’s hard to pass the time knowing that Dominic’s first Olympic appearance is just hours away. Fortunately I get the chance to talk to the kids for a while even though this call is going to cost a bloody fortune. I use Dominic’s phone because of his international calling plan to ensure it remains within reason.

  “Mommy, did daddy when gold medal yet?” Bryce asked excitedly.

  “Not yet baby he is swimming tonight. Are you going to watch him on television?” I said reminding him to tune in. It’s not like I need to Uncle Winston has already informed me that the kids almost refuse to turn the channel from the station covering the Olympics.

  “I am going to watch my daddy swimming on TV. I miss you mommy. Guess what Burrell in my class brought a kitten to school in his backpack?”

  “I miss you too Bryce baby. He did? Why would he bring a kitten to school? Was it show and tell?”

  “No he didn’t want to leave it at home by his self.”

  “Wow! Would it be okay if I spoke to Morgan for a minute?”

  Bryce hands the phone to Morgan.

  “Hey mom we miss you guys. How is Beijing?” Morgan’s voice is quite perky and I think it’s a reflection of her second place win at the Arizona Gymnastics Invitational a few weeks prior. Heading back to high school for your sophomore year as a competition-winning gymnast is not a bad way to start the new school year.

  “It’s great missing your dad though. The coach has him on a tight schedule but I am happy he is here. How is school coming along?”

  “I can’t wait to see dad on TV. I have told all my friends to watch and cheer him on. School is great so far. Oh I am trying out for the cheer team. I mean can I try out for the cheer team?”

  “Morgan, I do not want you to take on too much. You are already practicing three days a week for gymnastics. Will cheerleading be too much?”

  Hesitantly she replies, “Mom, I can handle it I promise. If any of my grades slip after the first card marking then I will quit the cheer team.”

  “Okay Morgan, just promise me you will not overdo it. So what’s his name?”

  Morgan’s voice is suddenly high pitched and awkward. “What’s whose name, mom?”