Downtown Arica, Chile
Overhead, numerous gray seagulls could be seen within the blue skies and intermittent cumulus clouds. And regularly, one of the birds would decide to land on top of a lamp post or the sidewalk. Not to mention, someone’s car.
No one really minded though since they did a fairly good job of keeping the streets fairly clean.
Today’s high temp in Arica, being a typical August afternoon, was a cool 65 degrees and a few hints of the upcoming spring had already made itself seen on rare occasions. However, for now, the South American winter still had a solid grip on the area, and on occasion, the overnight temperature would drop to a cold 50.
Maria didn’t care though since inside their Main Street jewelry store it was warm, and all morning they had enjoyed a steady flow of customers.
Within the Vargas’ Jewelry, diamond watches or rings were purchased on a regular basis. However, its primary source of income was 24-Karat gold – rings, necklaces, bracelets, pins, you name it. And today, like the days when Victoria (Maria’s mother) used to be the manager/owner, and like years past when her grandparents were the same, 24-Karat gold remained heavily in demand.
“Chad. Jose,” Maria said, calling out to the dads of her two-soon-to-be secondary school graduate sons as she proceeded to lock the glass display case in front of her. “It’s getting near two o’clock. Are you two about ready to close down for Siesta?”
Jose broadly smiled, and Chad nodded in reply.
“I’m more than ready,” Jose Sr. added as he commenced to secure their cash register. “I’m starving. Do any of you know what we’re having for lunch?”
Chad Sr. laughed and began to follow the other two toward the front door. “Heaven knows. Did anyone call to see what’s Carla’s fixed?”
“No,” was Jose and Maria’s joint reply. “But it should be good,” Maria added. “She always does a great job, and that’s really saying a lot since she even can please your stomach, Jose.”
Jose’s cheeks paled as if he’d been insulted. “What do you mean by that? I’m not hard to satisfy – especially since we all know I’m still a growing boy?”
Chad turned, before twisting the key in the front door once each of them had passed. “Growing boy?” he sarcastically repeated. “Perhaps the front of your stomach is.”
***
Hearing an automobile coming to a halt in front of the house, Carla glanced out the front window and saw her employers’ white Toyota Prius slowly parallel park.
“Boys. Chad and Jose. Your parents are home,” she hollered upon reaching the end of the hallway. “Are you two ready for lunch?”
For a moment, her question was answered by a deafening silence. Then seconds later, “What we having?” a seventeen-year-old voice asked.
“Food, as always,” Carla replied as Chad exited his bedroom doorway. “Does it really matter?”
“Well. Sort of,” came Jose’s reply along with the sound of a beep one would expect to hear if someone was playing a computer game. “I’m kind of busy at the moment.”
Carla sighed and headed toward the kitchen where a large pot of Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice) was almost ready.
“Jose. Chad. Are you home?” Maria called out in a loud voice to her sons as she and her husbands/boyfriends entered their living room. She then paused as she neared their bookshelf.
Next to the family’s forty-two-inch TV, on the third shelf on their built-in, dark walnut bookcase, an ancient black-and-white photo of some German soldiers in action stood next to Maria’s favorite book – a collection of nursery rhymes her father used to read to her when she was a child. And even this day, even though her father had long passed, it would only take a brief glance at the partially faded photo to make her smile.
How handsome my Father used to be back then, she thought, taking the picture frame in her hand so she could stare at the cracked photo within. It’s no wonder that Mom fell head-over-heels in love with him.
“So, what do you think?” Jose Sr. asked, repeating his previous question.
Maria gasped as if she had been suddenly awakened. “Think about what? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Jose looked at her and unconsciously shook his head. “I think the three of us … you, me, and Chad should spend a couple of weeks in Florida after dropping the kids off at the University. Don’t you agree? It would be a fantastic, much-needed vacation. Not to mention, we could stop by and say ‘Hi’ to Mike and Eric.”
Maria instantly indicated no. “No. It will never work, Jose. It’s impossible. Haven’t you forgotten something?”
“I don’t think so,” Jose replied, momentarily glancing at the ceiling.
Chad looked at him and laughed. “Old age affecting your memory again, old man?”
Jose watched as Chad grabbed a beer and down about half of it.
“No,” he replied, grabbing his favorite vino (wine) from the bar and pouring himself a drink. “What it is that I’ve supposedly forgotten?”
Maria looked at her two favorite men as they displayed a macho stance, and smiled.
“Mike and Eric don’t live in South Florida anymore,” both Maria and Chad said simultaneously.
“What do you mean?” Jose asked, his mouth open in total disbelief.
“She means they moved, my friend,” Chad answered.
“They’ve moved? When?”
“Roughly four years ago,” Maria said, taking a seat on their medium green couch. “Shortly after their ceremony in Denmark.”
Jose sighed, feeling a bit stupid, and Chad watched him take a seat in the lounge chair facing the TV.
Soon afterward, Chad Jr. made his way into the living room.
“What’s this I’ve overheard about you three taking a Florida vacation after supposedly dropping Jose and me at some University? You guys must be making some kind of sick joke. Aren’t you?”