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CHAPTER 11

 

The entrance of a supermarket is clearly not an ideal place to be having an argument with your son- unless that person is Sara Henriquez.

"You leave your responsibilities to others and you don't look the least concerned about it. You're twenty one, Dios mio, don't you think I have a right to be upset?"

"I'm not leaving my responsibilities to others mama, you're just overreac-"

His mother's heavily accented voice cut back the beginning of a smartass response from his defiant son, "Don't answer me back when I'm speaking to you. Has all the respect gone out the window since you came to this country?"

Sara's back was facing me but her tall, tense posture and the tone in her voice let me know that she was well past annoyed. Balled up fists were rested on her slim, curvy hips - impressive for a mother of two (unlike mine). Her dark, long, straight hair was pulled into a tight ponytail that reached down the middle of her back putting to shame my coarse ones that constantly gave me a headache when I put a hot comb through them.

As Sara finished her sentence she turned around and on impulse I flinched. Those scars on her face had the equal effect of cold water being poured on me. It was like trying to put two pieces together that did not fit.

"Chica are you okay?"

Upon hearing the question I snapped myself out of my new habit of staring at Sara. "Yeah did-erm, did-I miss something you said?"

Angelo hadn't yet said anything (which I was reluctantly grateful for) I didn't want to be the one to jump the gun by explaining to Sara of the exact reason I was in this predicament. I wanted to be kept in her good books.

"Yes, I just told my son that he has no excuse for needing a maid."

"Mama I told you, her and I have an agreement and she is-"

"Mamaaa, I'm booooored!"

I was mildly aware of Angelo's accent turning increasingly Spanish just before a very bored-looking Robinho standing next to his brother interrupted. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed him - he looked exactly like a mini-Angelo just slightly more tanned.

"Oh Robinho, I didn't even realise you were there", Sara said admitting all our thoughts aloud. Robinho's cute face scrunched up into a frown clearly offended as he questioned his mum, "How could you not notice me, if I came here with Jello?"

I snorted accidentally at the name Robinho referred his brother and as expected a not-amused glare was sent my way by 'Jello' himself.

Sara didn't notice the silent exchange between me and his older son, as she provided Robinho with an answer. "I'm so sorry, mi hijo. It's your brother's fault."

Sara turned her head over to Angelo to see if he would dare correct her. He didn't, only rolling his eyes back at her.

"Can we go home now? Jello and I were in the middle of a game and I was like so close to beating him."

It seemed that all the Henriquezs' were dramatic, as I watched how Robinho explained with such vigour on why this so-called game he and his brother were playing was of such high importance.

Not saying anything at first, Sara hooked one arm under mine firmly. "I'm sorry honey, but your game is going to be on hold for awhile because your brother is making dinner and he needs to buy the ingredients, whilst this beautiful chica and I go treat ourselves with some girl time."

Once again, I flinched. This time it was because of what she said. Did she just refer me as beautiful? I glanced over at Angelo who looked at me strangely, not being able to hold eye contact I quickly diverted my gaze to Robinho who's whining and moaning I had quickly found entertaining.

"I don't wanna gooo..." he said stamping his feet and crossing his arms tightly, so that his small chest poked out.

"And I am not a good cook", was Buttbag's excuse for not taking out his mother's orders.

"That's not true, your tio told me how you made the best paella he has ever eaten for him last week," Sara said not missing a beat.

"Well I gotta study for my finals."

"Your tio also told me you told him that you finished all your finals before the Christmas break and you have none any time soon. You must think your mother is a fool."

Finally accepting defeat, Angelo responded, "Does tio have to tell you everything?"

Chuckling, she replied, "Everything mi hijo."

"I still don't want to cook!"

Rolling her eyes at her older son's immature antics, she walked over to both Henriquez's kissed both their cheeks before grabbing my arms towards a different direction.

 

"Those boys stress me out, I think I could use a full body massage. How about you chica?"

No way was I going to let some stranger I don't know touch my ugly jelly and see the acne scars on my back. I could just imagine their disgusted expression because my head would be shoved down the hole on the bed so that would just make the experience ten times worse than what I went through at school.

I would not allow myself to be humiliated off school grounds, even though that's already happened, but whatever that was besides the point. Doing my best to reject her offer kindly as I watched her excited, warm brown eyes gleam at me I said, "Ah no thank you Sara, I'm fine."

"But why not?"

"I-I'm not really a fan of those types of things."

Her eyebrows rose up as she tried to make sense of something that was totally senseless- like who really did not like getting pampered?

"It's on me, don't worry about it," she said thinking I was having money issues and that's why I didn't want to have the damn massage.

"I can't-"

"You absolutely can, chica."

"But-"

"I'm sure Angelo has worked you hard enough, I'm his mother and I know how demanding that boy can get. You've done enough taking care of others, you need to take this little time you have and take care of yourself."

"I'm actually fi-"

"No, you have no choice in the matter. You will have that massage Miss. Luciana", she said her voice all serious and determined but with a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

"If you insist," I said sighing finally giving in even though I was about to open myself up to more humiliation.

Jumping up and down, like a happy-go-lucky teenager and not a mature mother of two she faced the Chinese lady at the counter who was busy filing her nail and got her to pay attention by purposely raising her voice to get her to look up. Sarah was oblivious to the dirty look that the woman first offered her before passing her our robes showing the direction where to change.

Uncomfortable didn't even scrape the surface on how I felt laying there with my back exposed. It was the first time I'd let anyone see another part of me aside from my face, not even my mum saw me naked. Never was I the one to wear shorts, crop tops or short-sleeved tops and of course I got jealous when I'd see girls wear all the things I could never feel confident to wear and wear it so well. Loose tops and baggy trousers were the way forward for me.

Each of our masseuses who were Asians introduced themselves but didn't provoke conversation afterwards which I was suspecting it was because of their limited English. At least ask about the weather or something, I thought to myself as the warm drip of oil hit my back skin, before feeling smooth hands spread the oil around my skin. It was quiet for awhile and small talk would have been greatly appreciated to make me a tiny bit more comfortable. I couldn't lie though- the way the masseuse worked the knots and bolts at my lower back was absolutely magical. Sara certainly thought the same with the way she gasped and moaned.

"Ah, this is nice, no?" Sara asked finally finding time to engage in conversation with me.

"It is."

"I knew you would like it."

"Yeah I do."

"So do you have any other siblings other than Bo-Booby? Did I say his name right?"

Chuckling at her mispronunciation, I said, "His name's Bobby and no he is my only sibling."

Laughing at her mistake, she carried on, "Where is Bobby? He didn't come along with you."

"He went to his friend's house for a sleepover. I'm sure he can't wait until he meets with his dear friend Robinho again."

"Ha, I'm sure he can't wait."

"Counting down the days most likely", I added thinking of the two boys.

Sighing she said, "I just don't understand how I raised a lazy boy. A maid of all things. Tsk. Wait till his father finds out he's going to go loco."

The moment of truth had arrived. "Sara...I-I didn't tell you everything when I told you Angelo hired me as a maid."

"You sit down, madam." I imagined Sara had tried to lift her head up from the hole that we had to dunk our head in for the lady masseuse to have said that.

Carrying on my confession, I briefly told her the whole situation with the car thing and me signing for an out-of-court agreement which resorted into me being his housemaid.

I was ready to hide for cover, scared she might throw the nearest thing besides her at my head, but when I heard the bubble of laughs explode from her mouth I breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's so like him to get all heated up over something as stupid as a car. His dad should have never bought that ridiculously-priced gadget. I remember when he was little he would get so overprotective over his little toy cars - one time my husband and I were called in to see his kindergarten teacher. He had pushed a boy off of the swing because the boy had taken his favourite toy car and had made him chase for it back. Mi Dios knows that boy got an unhealthy attachment to cars."

Laughing at the image of a younger Angelo but unsure if I was off the hook I asked, "So does that mean, you're not mad at me for what I did to your son's car?"

"No, not at all, if anything, you did a good job, chica, there are bigger things in life to get mad about a car."

That I could definitely agree on.

Carrying on she said, "Since you two got an agreement going on I will not get involved, but if you feel he's getting too much for you, don't hesitate to tell me okay. I'm his mother and I'll whip his culo in shape if I have to."

"Thank you, but I don't think that would be necessary", I said even though it was a tempting thing to see.

"Well you say that now..."

I remained quiet as I was burning with the urge to ask a question that had been bugging my mind since I'd seen her but I thought it would be best if I kept silent.

"Ask me."

"Huh?"

"You know what I'm talking about chica."

"No I don't."

"Of course you don't."

"I don't."

I was ashamed that it was that apparent that I wanted to know, because of how I acted around her.

"It was my mistake really, chica. I had forgotten to turn off the cooker after making dinner and I only realised after waking up to a house full of smoke and fire. My first thought was to get both my boys out the house as soon as possible-- I was panicking, my husband had gone away on business, it was horrible chica. I managed to get to my sons' room and luckily, gracias Dios there was a window big enough for them to escape. The last thing I remember before waking up in hospital, was seeing my boys shivering and crying as they watched me from the outside."

She was a phoenix.

And there was me with my silly insecurities when there was someone who should be more concerned about their looks but could careless. But damn it was hard not to care.

Before I even had time to absorb all that she'd said or to even respond she'd swiftly changed the topic to my plans for the Christmas period, which currently was blank. Fortunately she had lots to say, so for the rest of out massage session I let her take the spotlight in our conversation. Easier done like that.

We were heading back to the main supermarket to meet Angelo and Robinho, when I heard Sara glaring at her phone saying something in Spanish clearly annoyed before switching back to English, "He left us so he could get dinner started early, which I know is a damn lie."

Hiding my laughter, I lowered my head pretending to be deep in search for my phone whilst she called a taxi. Seeing that I had a text message from my mum I could only predict I had done something else to piss her off. Rolling my eyes at the screen, I pressed the 'Read' option:

'Your dad's coming out.'

I couldn't believe it.

" Luciana? Chica?"

Finally managing to look up from my phone screen that contained probably the best good news I'd ever had, I took in Sara's worried expression as she stared at me.

My head was all over the place. I needed to go home.

"I'm sorry Sara, but there's been an emergency at home and I need to go," I said quickly as I saw the bus that would take me home round the corner.

Not even glancing backwards to reply to her questions of concern I ran as fast as my hefty legs could take me to the bus stop.

My daddy's coming home.

 












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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.