Chapter 27: Twenty-Six

A part of this chapter is in Spanglish, if you understand Spanish, awesome, you’ll know what’s going on. If not, you’re in for a big surprise.

Travis

It was Christmas Eve and the house was being prepared for the annual Christmas Eve dinner. This dinner is more like a ball if I were to describe it. When the time comes and all guests have arrived, the women will be in their long gowns and the men will be in their tuxedos. Yep, a ball. Removing Seth’s arm from across my torso, I slowly and carefully eased out of bed, trying not to wake him. If I wake him up then I’ll have no time to wrap his present.

It took me ages to figure it out. I kept thinking about getting something really nice for him instead of thinking about his likes and dislikes. So I asked myself one question, “What does Seth love to do more than anything?” I got my answer when I glimpse the framed image he drew of me. It was an old one he said he drew from memory. I loved it so much. It was just a simple drawing of my face, but the way he drew my eyes captured me. My eyes were like I’ve never seen them before. When I asked him about it he said that was the look I had when he told me he always wanted to be kissed in the rain. He had said the look intensified when it started raining.

I couldn’t believe he remembered enough to draw me.

He loved drawing, and added to the fact that he was Visual Communications Major, made this gift all the better. Added to those fact was that he’s become a little tech freak. I know he’ll love it. And he can create those animations he always spoke about. Perfect. So I snuck out of my bedroom and went to Christian’s, who was already awake and on his cellphone. He was most likely reading his horoscope that he took too damn serious at times.

“Ready?” He asked and I nodded. We got to work and with the help of another pair of hands it took no time. I went to check on Seth and he was fast asleep. I closed the door and began a hunt for my father. There was something important I needed to talk to him about. I had already spoken to mom last night. We had one of our talks and she was really happy for me. She said that she was proud of me for thinking of the future, for being sure of it, and for acting on it. Dad on the other hand, I don’t know. He’s always been really supportive, but he’s always been a thinker. It’s only when it comes to mom that it seems like his head is screwed on back way.

“Papa!” I called.

“Your father is in the kitchen,” one of the workers said to me. I told him good morning, thanked him, and proceeded there. He was alone. Good. “Morning, dad.”

“Morning, Travis.” He quickly kissed my forehead and turned back to the kettle he was waiting on to boil.

“What’s the kettle for?” I asked. Dad was usually a coffee kind of guy but he hated instant.

“Mom’s not feeling well, nothing a little tea can’t cure.”

“Oh. Is she pregnant?”

“Oh, Jesucristo, no! Your mother would kill me.”

“Okay. Ewe.” Dad chuckled. The kitchen fell silent after. “Papa?”

“Si, Travis. What’s the matter?”

“Necesito hablar con usted.”

“For the first time ever, I actually care that Seth can’t get pregnant.” As funny as that was I barely chuckled. The air was tense between us. It’s not everyday I go to my father and tell him that I need to speak to him, in Spanish nonetheless. That showed him how serious this was.

“It’s about, Seth, actually. Well, not really. It has a lot to do with him but not really about him, not him alone.”

“Okay?”

Ten minutes later

“Porque no? Mama y tu se casaron cundo tenían dieciocho anos? You were twenty-two but that’s besides the point. Tu no entiendes cuanto lo amo, y quiero casarme con el. Pensé que tu sobre todos entenderías! I’m not asking for your permission, okay? I just need your support. I really, really need your support.” I was almost begging at this point. Why did he not understand me?

“Travis, you have all your life to figure this out.”

“Si tus padres te hubieran dicho eso a ti cuando decidiste casarte con mama los hubieras mandado al infierno.”

“Eso es diferente.”

“How’s it different? You loved her. I love him. What’s so different about it?”

“Why are you rushing, Travis?”

“I’m not rushing, Dad! Cuando sientes que algo se siente bien, se siente bien y esto es lo que quiero. Lo miro y lo único que veo es a la persona con la cual quiero pasar el resto de mi vida. El es con quien quiero compartir todos mis logros. Quiero encontrar la comodidad en sus brazos, en momentos de derrota, como mi esposo, no como mi novio, ni como mi amante.”

“Tienes mi bendición,” dad said softly. The words kept playing over and over in my head. You have my blessing. You have my blessing. My eyes begun to burn and that burn led to my soaking cheeks. I grabbed my dad and hugged him. No one will ever understand what those three words meant to me, not even my father.

“Gracias, Papa.”

“Keep making me proud.” I nodded, feeling more than happy and inclined to do so. I let go off of him. He placed a kiss on my forehead and I hurriedly went up to my bedroom. Seth was still sleeping and I couldn’t help but climbed on the bed hugged him tightly. I wrapped my arms and legs around. I was probably crushing him but I couldn’t let go.

“What’s wrong?” He asked. The sound was muffled against my chest but I understood him.

“I love you, Seth.”

“I love you, too, but if you don’t stop suffocating me you won’t have me to love anymore.”

I chuckled and let him go, rolling us over to lie on his chest.

“Michaela is going to be here soon. She told me she emailed you?”

“Yeah, it was the sweetest thing. I want to share it with you but I have to ask her permission first.”

“I love you,” I said again.

“By the end of today you’re going to tell me what’s going on and what’s gotten into you.”

“Okay.” I can’t wait.

One chapter then Epilogue.