Chapter 28
José smiled as he took the bag of oranges Senõra Rosette had carefully given him, and he placed them on the scale. “That’ll be eight hundred pesos, ma’am,” he said, after checking their weight. “Could I interest you in some fresh bananas? We just got them in this morning, and my papa has them on special today - only four hundred pesos a kilo.”
Senõra Rosette glanced at the table full sitting beside her and grinned. “Thanks, but no thanks, José. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t have any place to store them. Due to you becoming as proficient a businessman as your father since your high-school graduation, my pantry stays full.”
José blushed, before taking a swift look around to see if Carlos might have overheard her gracious comment. Fortunately, or perhaps not, his father was nowhere in sight.
“Why thank you, Senõra Rosette,” he eventually said. “Are you sure there isn’t anything else I could interest you in? Perhaps some strawberries?”
Senõra Rosette smiled and took the bag from him. “No. I believe I’ve taken enough of your time. Besides, I’ve noticed there’s someone on the sidewalk who seems to be trying to get your attention,” she said, pointing to the long-haired teen who began wildly waving her arms the second he peered in her direction. “Isn’t that Michelle … Michelle Mantez?”
José glanced in the direction where Senora Rosette had pointed, and his smile disappeared faster than a speck of sugar when dropped in a cup of hot coffee. “Yeah. That’s Michelle,” he said in a slow and somewhat sour tone. “With any luck, maybe she’ll go away. “
Senõra Rosette looked surprised. “You want her to leave? Wow. What that’s certainly unexpected. Is there a bit of trouble going on between you two?”
José nodded and began to walk with his papa's friend toward the store’s main entranceway.
“José. José,” Michelle repeatedly called as she ran toward him. “Didn’t you see me waving, Sweetheart? I was trying to get you to step outside.”
“Sweetheart?” Senõra Rosette repeated under her breath as looked at José in disbelief. “Are you and José a couple now?” she asked Michelle. “For several years now it was my understanding that he belonged to Maria.”
Michelle giggled, and reached out to grab Jose's hand. “Oh no, Senõra Rosette. That’s old news. Ever since Maria left Arica, José had been my boyfriend. Isn’t that right, darling?”
José turned and gazed at his girl friend’s archenemy with a look that clearly showed he didn’t have the slightest idea of what in the world she was talking about. “What? How can you say such a thing? … All we did was go to a Halloween party together. Nothing more. And that was several weeks ago.”
“But what a heavenly time it was, Sweetheart,” Michelle said, trying to smooth things over as her cheeks involuntarily reddened. “Didn’t you enjoy the time we spent together? … It was so wonderful, that I was positive the two of us were definitely a couple now.”
Senõra Rosette sternly gazed at the lanky-built José, then focused her attention on Michelle. “I hope you and José didn’t do anything inappropriate. Did you, Michelle?”
José instantly glanced toward the ceiling, and Senora Rosette could easily tell he had become embarrassed.
“Please tell me you didn’t,” Senõra Rosette said, turning as pale as a ghost. “Oh for shame, and the shame of both of your parents. What in the world are you going to tell your father, José … and her parents, the Mantez’s?”
Though outwardly appearing to be humble, deep inside, Michelle was quite pleased. Especially considering the fact that during the ten-minute bus ride to arrive at Carlos' open market store, she still wasn't exactly sure how she was going to pull off this conniving scheme. … But, then after seeing José walking next to one of the most dedicated Catholics within all of Arica … well … Fate could not have provided a more perfect setup.
“I guess we’re just going to tell our parents the truth since in a matter of weeks it’s going to start showing anyhow,” Michelle answered, gently spreading her hand across her stomach. “There’s no doubt. I’m officially pregnant and Jose's going to be a Daddy.”
Both José and Senõra Rosette's mouth immediately opened, and they both looked like they would soon faint.
“You’re what?” José shouted. “That can’t be. We have never done anything. At least not anything like THAT.”
Michelle laughed, and Senõra Rosette turned and promptly stared at him. “Are you sure, Jose?”
“Sure, I’m sure,” José affirmed. “It’s true that I had a drink or two while I was at Caleb’s party, but I certainly didn’t have enough to go off and do something stupid. … She’s not even my girlfriend. … And the only reason I even went out with her is because of a vile scheme she pulled to convince my father I should take her out.”
Michelle grinned and unsnapped her purse as José ranted. “Are you sure you didn’t get a bit drunk and overly romantic Halloween night, lover boy? Perhaps you’d like to take a close look at these Polaroids.”
José did, and his eyes bulged and mouth dropped. And soon afterwards, except for the sound of Senõra Rosette’s gasp upon seeing the “X” rated bedroom scene before her, an aurora of silence instantaneously prevailed.
“I can’t believe it,” Senõra Rosette howled. “José. How could you do such a thing? … And how dare you display such vile pictures, Michelle. Don’t you have any pride?”
Michelle shook her head as if the question was pure idiocy. “I always knew José one true love was Maria, Senõra Rosette, and not me. Therefore, knowing the way things were, and that he’s always had a bullet-proof reputation - I took precautionary measures if I indeed became pregnant, since he got intoxicated and took advantage of me.”
Senõra Rosette’s eyes instantly developed internal flames, and she turned to face José. Undoubtedly, if her pupils would have come equipped with embedded razor-sharp swords, they would have sliced the eighteen-year old standing in front of her to bits on the spot.
“How dare you take advantage of this poor, innocent, virgin, José? … Shame on you. … I’m certainly going to have to find your father and tell him about this horrible sin you’ve committed, boy. Right here and now. … It’s totally unbelievable, José. One night of a totally drunken lust and you’ve not only disgraced yourself; you've disgraced the reputation of this fine Christian daughter … and you've thoroughly disgraced our whole community. I can only imagine what Father Israel will say when he hears about this.”
José looked up and began to gaze skyward into the crystal blue skies above. Then silently, after staring at the sun for a few moments, he made the sign of The Cross across his chest and began to cite the Apostle’s Prayer. “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth ….”
Sitting at the head of their kitchen table, Carlos lowered his fork and knife and began to chew the last bite of steak, beans and potato he had fixed for he and his son’s dinner.
This evening’s meal, however, unlike most within the Mendex residence, was a quiet one. Neither Carlos nor José seemed to have anything to say. No doubt, above the lowered heads and absolute silence, and an invisible dark cloud prevailed. And both privately wondered when the upcoming thunderstorm would arrive.
“Have you heard anything from Maria recently?” Carlos asked when José was clearly finished and about to get up and head toward his bedroom.
José intently gazed to where his father was sitting, but refused to look directly into his eyes. “No, not for a week or two. Is there a reason I should?”
“She's still your girlfriend. Isn’t she?”
José frowned with a sigh and focused downward, as if in hope a cockroach would distract him by passing by. “Yeah. But Dad, I’ve got a problem … a serious one.”
Carlos turned and gave his son a look which stated he understood, and after slowly rising from the kitchen table, he motioned for the two of them to enter the living room.
“I’ve heard rumors to that effect,” Carlos said shortly after lowering himself into his favorite lounge chair. “Are any of them true … or are they just a piece worthless gossip?”
“Yes and no,” José replied, taking a seat on their couch.
Carlos crossed his arms and gently leaned backward.
“Dad?” José began. “Do you recall ordering me to take Michelle to Caleb's Halloween party a few weeks ago, even though I didn’t want to?”
“Yes,” Carlos said with a nod. “And if recent rumors are correct, it seems the two of you had one really wild time.”
José frowned and shook his head. “No, Dad. We didn’t. And that’s the problem. … The pictures Michelle showed me and Senõra Rosette doesn’t reveal the truth. It's all a setup. … I’m definitely not guilty of forcing Michelle to go to bed with me.”
“Oh?” Carlos’ dark-brown eyes widened.
“That’s right, Papa. And you know I wouldn’t lie to you.”
Carlos paused and for a brief moment turned toward the screen of their RCA color TV as if a news flash would unexpectedly appear and provide an insight.
“So what is the truth, son? Michelle claiming she’s pregnant and has been telling everyone in Arica that you’re the father.”
José hesitated before he answered. “I know she has, Papa. But it’s impossible for me to be the father. … Even though it's true that I did get drunk, I know for a fact I never took Michelle into the bedroom, where the pictures she’s showing everyone were supposedly taken. ... Also, I clearly recall passing out while sitting in a chair inside Caleb's kitchen - while he and Michelle were standing by the counter, conversing about something.”