36. Deck
Chapter thirty-six
Deck
D ios . Mia had saved the day. Apparently, Jayden’s misguided attempt at robbery would be the gift that kept on giving.
After the emcee acknowledged Mia’s gift to the room, he ended the program by announcing that the Center had exceeded its goal. Guests were then invited to stay for an informal hour of drinks and dancing.
Cori moved immediately to find Mia, while Emilio and Juan made their way to the dance floor. Cruz declared he was going outside for a smoke, promising to walk at least two blocks from the Center. I sat at the table with my parents and sister.
“There have been so many moments I’ve been proud of you, Arturo, but that may have topped them all,” Mamá said.
“Really?” I asked, sounding like the scared eighteen-year-old who knew how often he’d disappointed his parents.
“ Ay, mijo. Tú sabes que siempre estamos orgullosos de ti. I’m sorry you’ve ever had to question it.” Mamá sighed. “Things went sideways when Chi-chi came into the picture, but we were always proud of who you were in here.” She rested her hand lightly on my chest.
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“I’m glad you and Cori finally found your way to each other,” Pop said. “We already love her like a daughter.” He feigned a stern expression. “So don’t fuck it up.”
He teased, but I was stone-cold serious when I replied, “I won’t.”
More than an hour later, attendees still slowly filtered from the building.
The vibes were good, and people lingered to chat or check out the kids’ art.
I sat at our table and made small talk with Britta, Marcus, and Cruz while Cori and Marisol said goodbye to some VIPs. My parents had gone home already.
Rosa stayed long enough to reassure the board members of her faith in Marisol and Cori before leaving with Quincy, who she’d invited to have a late-night snack with her and Lupe.
“You’re sure Lupe is feeling up to it?” Quincy asked.
“ Claro que sí . She would have been here if she could have. This way we bring the party to her.”
“Then it would be my honor,” Quincy asserted, following it up with one of his signature heh-heh-hehs .
After they left, I caught Juan chatting up Ana. From his body language, I could tell he was interested in more than fundraising tips. That made me smile.
Reign stopped by the table for a quick goodbye before saying they’d see me soon. I hoped that was true. My project list was nearly finished, but I planned to keep teaching construction basics to kids on a volunteer basis.
“Are you going to be okay at home?” I asked.
They nodded. “My dad’s an asshole, but he doesn’t, like, lay hands on me. He’ll yell, but my mom can be okay sometimes. She’ll probably make him stop.”
I hummed. It wasn’t a great answer, but it was honest. “Don’t forget to tell your mom how much everyone liked your art tonight. Maybe take home a program so she can see how it was front and center.”
Reign nodded noncommittally, but I saw them grab a few extra programs and stuff them into their backpack.
Cori and Marisol made their way back to the table.
I pulled out the chair next to me. Cori glared at it before plopping herself down in my lap.
“I guess now that it’s out in the open, you’re going full on, huh?” Britta asked jokingly.
Cori laid her head on my shoulder. “No decorum whatsoever. Expect public displays of affection and declarations of love on the daily.”
I didn’t miss the approving nod Marcus sent Cori’s way. Somehow, I knew she had never sat on his lap in public. I looped my arms around her waist.
Cori noticed Mia on the side of the gym and waved at her.
Mia walked over wearing an apologetic smile. “I had to fill out a bunch of forms at the volunteer table. I’m sorry I didn’t pre-register. Coming here was sort of a game-day decision.”
Cori grinned. “Well, as far as last-minute plans go, it sure worked out great for the Center, so no worries.” She gestured to the seat next to Marisol. “Please join us.”
Mia lifted the heavy material of her long-sleeved sequined gown, which looked somewhat odd on someone as young as her, and sat. Almost immediately, she began coughing.
“Are you alright?” Marisol asked.
Mia coughed again delicately. “It’s okay. I’ll get used to it. I think maybe… Probably someone nearby has been smoking.”
My eyes shot to Cruz, hunched in a chair two seats away.
He’d been quiet for the past half hour since coming back in from outside.
While he hadn't been openly hostile, his silent presence wasn't exactly soothing either.
I'd thought having him come to the event would be good for him, would show him the positive things going on in the neighborhood. Now I saw how shortsighted that was.
Mia cleared her throat a third time, and Cruz stood abruptly. “My bad,” he announced, sounding more surly than remorseful. “I had a cigarette outside an hour ago.” Glaring at Mia, he continued, “Habit I picked up in prison.”
If he’d meant to shock her, he failed. She observed him placidly before saying, “No, I apologize for being so sensitive to it. I’m sure I’ll acclimate in a moment, so there’s no need to leave, Mr…. I’m sorry, but I don’t know your name.”
“Cruz.”
“Mr. Cruz.”
“Nah. No mister, just Cruz.”
Mia nodded once before another cough escaped her. She covered her mouth with a fist. “I’m sure it’ll level off in a moment.”
Cruz made a derisive sound. “Don’t worry about it, princess. I was leaving anyway.”
“Hey,” I chided him. “No need to be rude.”
Cruz sharpened his gaze at me but then turned to Mia with an exaggerated bow. “ Perdón , madame. I didn’t mean to offend the woman who saved the poor kids.”
“Cruz!” Cori and Marisol exclaimed.
“What the fuck, man?!” I hissed.
Mia choked another raspy noise from her throat before waving a hand at us.
“No, it’s okay.” Her eyes fell on Cruz. “You’re right.
I am lucky to be in a position to help the Center.
I won’t apologize for that. But just so you know, writing a proverbial check is actually a pretty cheap way to contribute, all things considered, since the real work is done by people like Cori and Marisol.
I’m only grateful there’s a way for me to be involved at all, because lord knows I couldn’t put up with what the kids throw at them every day.
So I’ll keep making donations and leave the saving kids part to the staff here. ”
Cruz's lips flattened. He eyed her carefully before neutralizing his features.
“It’s nothing personal, princess. Sorry I made you cough.” He looked at me. “I’m going. I don’t fucking belong here.”
I dipped my chin as he walked away. He’d been incredibly disrespectful, but Mia didn’t seem offended. Only thoughtful.
I apologized anyway. “I’m sorry for my friend. He’s been through a lot lately.”
“Clearly,” Mia replied. Was she smiling? She peered down at her lap and then her arms. “Thankfully, I’m unscathed.”
She was tough, this chica . She’d surprised me in the market with Jayden and now again tonight. There was obviously more to her than her kind face and vintage grandma wardrobe.
“Cruz is going through something,” Cori agreed, “but that doesn’t give him the right to be awful.”
“He wasn’t awful,” Mia countered. “I can see how busting in here and pushing you to your goal in such a dramatic way could be construed as vulgar. I’m conscious of that. That’s why I’m giving you this gift with no strings attached. Because you know better than me what the Center needs.”
“Thank you for that,” Cori said. “But I remember the day we met. I don’t need any more convincing to know you have these kids’ best interests at heart.”
“I appreciate you saying that, and if you’re open to it, I wouldn’t mind hearing more about joining your board of directors.”
“That would be amazing. We need some fresh perspectives there.”
“Great. Why don’t you call me next week?” Mia rose to her feet.
“You’re leaving?”
“I left another event to come here. I need to get back.”
“Well, I hope no one minds you took a break to pop in and save our butts.” Cori laughed.
“It’s fine. I doubt they even noticed I was gone.”
Cori’s smile faltered at the other woman’s matter-of-fact delivery, but she recovered. “I’ll call you soon.”
“Looking forward to it.” Mia paused before adding, “I would have gotten used to the cigarette smell. It usually just takes a minute or two, as long as no one is smoking directly in front of me.”
“Not your fault. Cruz was out of line,” I said.
“Maybe,” she replied. “But I hate that he felt like he needed to leave.”
“You came in after Deck’s speech, so you didn’t hear him talk about how sometimes we accept defeat before the battle’s over,” Cori said. “Cruz is still in the thick of that.”
“Aren’t we all.” Mia tapped her lips. “Sorry I missed it.”
That night, I made love to Cori for the first time without the threat of the gala’s failure hanging over our heads.
Or the need to keep our relationship a secret.
We still had to worry about Johnny, Cruz, and the future of the Center, but any uncertainty about who we were to one another had vanished.
In the corner of my bedroom, there was a chair with both my suit and Cori’s gown draped over it.
Her disgusting natural soda was in my fridge.
My spare set of tools lived at her house, and Bastardo had a setup there as well.
I’d begun taking him back and forth with me so he wouldn’t be alone for days at a time.
He hopped up on the bed with us as I held Cori in my arms.
“Thanks for helping me make this house a home,” I said.
“You’re welcome. Too bad we’re about to pack everything up again.”
I laughed. We’d decided on the car ride home that we wanted to move in together, and it made the most sense to do so at her house in Seattle.
J&D did most of its work in the downtown corridor, and she wanted to keep a little physical distance from the Center—for balance, because she also had a life and friends in Seattle that she loved.
She’d still be in the neighborhood almost every day, getting the Center’s finances stabilized long term.
We’d eventually make a plan for my house, probably using it as a rental, but that didn’t need to be decided right away.
“Deck, do you know what my favorite SAT word was back in the day?”
Of course she’d bring that up, even though I’d never mentioned to her that I’d been thinking about those words constantly since she showed up on my doorstep three months ago.
“It’s not the infamous dinosaur, the ignominious ?”
She swatted me. “I can’t believe you remember that. No. My favorite was always ephemeral .”
I thought for a moment. “That’s like, something temporary. Fleeting.”
“Exactly.” She nodded as Bastardo purred loudly next to her hip.
“I liked that there was such a lyrical word that seemed to describe my life so well. A good thing would come, then a bad thing would come, like a Ping-Pong game. But I realize now that I focused too much on ephemeral things. I let my mind drift away from what was permanent, because those things were in the background, propping me up and not making themselves known. Rosa and the Center, the way Johnny and I were a team, even my mom sometimes. And you, Deck. Always you. Even when we were apart. What I felt for you never left me. Not in any way that mattered. I went out searching for a foundation I already had.”
I kissed her on the nose. “I’ve loved you for a long time, Cori.” Flipping her quickly, I stretched out on top of her, earning a swat from Bastardo. “ Te amaré para siempre .”
“Forever.”