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“Shampoo and conditioner. I took them from Tia’s bathroom. Turn around.”
I obey, keeping an eye on him. His tight butt and the growing state of his erection. He sits a bottle on the bench and opens the other.
“You can’t keep staring at it, love.”
I giggle. "But, it's cute."
"No man, what's his dick called cute. Now, turn around." Our laughs echo, and I turn my back to him. "Do you remember the first time I washed your hair?"
He separates my hair dropping one side over my shoulder. I hold it looking up.
“Do I? I had to cut chunks out of my hair from all the tangles. I can laugh at the memory now, but then I wanted to kill him."
"I thought it was a romantic gesture before we had to get the scissors. You gave me a long lecture about Black women and their hair." He chuckles. "Tilt your head back." I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of his large hands massaging my scalp, slowly raking through my curls.
“I can finish it.”
“I know. But I figure we’ll either turn into raisins or you’ll talk to me.” He makes quick work of adding the conditioner.
"What about your family?" I plait the section, and he moves to the other side.
“What about them?” I open my mouth and find myself caged against the glass. “Remember I’m the man that slept in the same bed with you for two years. Four years of knowing a person adds up.”
“Okay, I’m done.”
“No, we’re not, not then or now. What will it take for you to see that?”
“This is not why I came here. You asked for my help. I helped you. Now, move.”
Mateo takes a step back. The water pounds against his body, his eyes darken with emotion. The personal feelings I tucked away are threatening to spill over. I feel weak and vulnerable, and undeserving. I step out of the shower without a towel aroused by his nearness, disgusted by my response.
The heat of his eyes follows me. I’m starting to think this is a bad idea.
Chapter 10
"Mamá, Alexandria Martinez. Alexandria, my mother, Gloria Rodriquez." My mother covers her shocked response well.
"Alexandria…Martinez. Nice to meet you." She extends a hand, and Alexandria accepts with a tight smile.
Tia Marie is standing nearby, puzzled by the interaction as well. I made the rest of the introductions, and that was the start of our holiday festivities. Alexandria won't talk to me, and I feel blindsided by this invisible thing between her and my mother. It's been days of them bouncing around each other, and today I finally got my mother alone. We're waiting for the interior designer to arrive with the design books for their floor of the house.
"What is it, Mamá?"
“You didn’t tell me she was Black,” her voice holds a bitter tone.
“I didn’t know I had to. She’s Mexican and African American. Why does it matter?”
The elevator rings, and the door opens.
“Now I see why her grandfather wanted you away from his granddaughter,” she says, the words linger with an air of distaste.
I turn to her, confused. "What does one have to do with the other?"
"You're Dominican, and she's Black." Her chopped English transitions to smooth Spanish in a hushed whisper as the decorator fidgets with her materials. "I thought it was odd for you to date for years and suddenly poof, she was gone. Now, it makes perfect sense. That man didn't want you marrying her. He'd rather pay you off and move you out of the state than let you have her. What will he say now?"
I look away, thinking about my mother's words. I can't respond because her grandfather doesn't know that she's in New York with me. The old man is still running her life. She's still letting him. It was a vicious cycle then, and its worst now because I'm not a boy anymore. I'm a man in command of my life and my business. And now my mother springs this on me. I can't refute your words because a part of me always wondered.
The interior designer takes over, and I leave them alone. I'm paying a mini fortune for the designer to work over the holidays and the security crew in Santo Domingo to fully outfit my parents' home. Aiming to buy myself more time, I thought having the space personalized would help them feel at home. But it seems it's not enough because they're still set on leaving the day after Christmas.
