Phone Calls

TINA

When I woke up the next morning, the bed was empty.

Alejandro was by the window making a call. He was dressed in white boxer shorts that hugged those perfect buns to perfection. I smiled as I stared at his toned back, hoping he’d come back to bed. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I could see the frown on his side view. I presumed it was business.

I wondered if the power had come on yet. I could check the news on my phone, or I could wait for him to tell me.

When he finished the call, he spun around and his eyes landed on me. He smiled and made his way back to the bed.

“Good morning.” I felt his weight in the bed as he sat beside me. He put a hand on my leg. “Did you sleep well?”

“You know the answer to that,” I replied with a lazy chuckle. “How could I not, after all of that exercise we had?”

My laughter seemed to be infectious, and he laughed along.

“Who was that?” I asked, referring to the call he made earlier. “Is the power grid back up?”

“Diego told me the power has been restored. Everything is back to normal.” His eyebrows formed a straight line.

“Oh, thank goodness.”

“Are you relieved about the power or just looking forward to getting out of here and going home?” He feigned sadness.

“Alejandro!” My eyes widened. “How could you assume something like that? I’m not so eager to just leave like that—”

I saw the cheeky smile on his face. I knew he was teasing me.

“Not funny.” I smacked his forearm.

“I wouldn’t agree.” He leaned his forehead against mine. “It’s always fun to tease you and see a frown once in a while.”

“If I didn’t know better, I would say you were a closet sadist, the way you like to see me pout.”

“Well, you know better,” he said with a boyish grin. “Considering the fun we’ve had a couple of times.”

I turned beet red at his sentence.

Just then my phone rang. I spotted my skirt and fished it out. My eyes glazed in surprise and anger as I saw the name on the screen. It was a name I thought I would never see again.

Mike.

I mentally smacked myself in the head. Why the hell had I not deleted his number? I felt Alejandro’s eyes on me as I picked up the phone.

“What the hell do you want?” I snapped.

“Tina, honey, it’s me, Mike.” His attempt at charm was pathetic.

“Of course, I know it’s you. Surprisingly, I was dumb enough to not delete your number,” I said.

Alejandro’s eyebrows had perked up in interest.

“Tina, please listen to me,” Mike said. “Look, I’m sorry about what happened that day. I want us to get back together. You mean a lot to me. You’re one of the best women out there.”

“So you knew this and you still decided you had to toy around with that bitch?” I shook my head, laughing grimly. “Can you hear yourself right now? So, what’s happened now? The skank left you? Trying to come crawling back, you useless excuse of a man? What’s the story this time?”

“Tina, please, I—”

“Get this into your thick skull,” I said, cutting him off. “Don’t get your hopes up. We are never getting back together. I didn’t just throw you out of my apartment; I threw you out of my life. I should have also thrown you out of my contact list, but I forgot to do so. Anyway, thanks for giving me a reminder.”

“Tina—”

“Good riddance and fuck off.” I cut the call.

Angrily, I scrolled to my contact list. I blocked and then deleted his number. After what I’d been through with him, I was done with garbage.

Alejandro’s eyes were on me when I looked up.

“Ex?” he asked.

I nodded and ran a hand through my hair, feeling like I was going to explode.

“He seems very persistent?” Alejandro said.

I looked up and I could see the anger in his eyes. Then the anger went down, and I saw the old Alejandro resurface—that blank, stoic look. That scared me more than the anger ever could.

“Hey.” I cupped his face. “I know that look, and I don’t like it. I don’t care how persistent he is. We’re not getting back together. I live by the saying, once bitten, twice shy. You’re the one I want.”

The frown disappeared from his face, and he sighed.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt,” he whispered. “The funny thing is I don’t know why. Tina, I don’t even know myself anymore. I never get into relationships with women like this. I think I’m losing myself. I’m losing my edge.”

I smiled and kissed his nose.

“No, you’re not losing yourself,” I said. “It’s the contrary.”

“What do you mean?” He raised an eyebrow at me. I realized that he still didn’t know that his aunt had told me everything. I was willing to keep it that way.

“It’s a secret.” I stuck out my tongue at him. “Call it my feminine intuition. I just know things.”

“Oh Tina, you don’t want to go that path with me.” I saw his eyes darken with a mixture of lust and mischief.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

I gasped when I felt his hand slip under the cover and grab my left breast. He squeezed it softly, and I moaned.

“I’ll just have to force your secrets out of you.” He pushed me gently to the bed and straddled me.

I was so going to be late to work again.

***

As soon as I took a seat at my desk, Kelly accosted me.

“Well, someone was fucked today,” she said in greeting.

“Jesus, Kelly!” I sent her an embarrassed glare.

“What, just saying.” She shrugged. “So how was it this time? Was it doggy style? Cowgirl? Were there chains and whips involved? You look like you haven’t seen the light of day in ages.”

I rolled my eyes at her and switched on my computer.

“It was okay.” I tried to keep a straight face but felt my cheeks heating up. Who was I kidding? It was amazing.

I nearly fell off my seat as I thought about how powerful Alejandro was on top of me. He was full of vigor today, and I wondered if my voice had been loud enough for the other occupants of the house to hear. I didn’t want his father hearing us.

“So, something did happen.” Kelly was laughing hysterically. “I can practically see your face trying to explode. I hope he didn’t go too rough on you. Looks like you’re still able to walk, so there’s room to grow.”

I smacked her shoulder. “Could you have any more of a potty mouth?”

“No.” She giggled.

All was silent for a while. I glanced at her and discovered a faraway look in her eyes.

“It looks like something is going on with you too,” I said.

She blinked rapidly and faced me.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Don’t play dumb, Kelly,” I said. “I’m just as sharp as you, and it looks like we have the same kind of intuition.”

“You are something else.” She chuckled nervously.

“Don’t try to change the topic.” I wagged a finger at her. “Well, what is it?”

She cleared her throat and glanced around the office. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Oh, so now she was being considerate of what others might be able to hear.

“I think things may begin to get serious with Tito and me.” She finally dropped the news.

“Hold on, you mean you guys are dating?” My eyes widened. I was happy for her.

“Not dating per se. We’ve gone on a few outings. That’s it. We haven’t even kissed yet, but we’ve held hands.”

“And?” I prodded.

“He seems genuine.” I could see the distant look in Kelly’s eyes. “For once, he didn’t make any flirtatious comments. I didn’t see the usual lecherous look in his eyes. He seemed so…serious. And when he smiled, it was so sweet. Who would have thought? Maybe he’s been watching your Alejandro change.”

“It seems like he might be getting genuinely interested in you.” I smiled. I wanted her to be happy.

“So you think we should go further?”

I was torn. “I think you should give it some time. You do realize he runs a strip club and sees lots of women there every day.”

She narrowed her eyes. “So you’re saying I won’t stack up against the competition?”

“What, no! That’s not what I mean,” I replied. “I’m saying you should be cautious. Don’t push him away, see where it goes, and keep your wits about you. These guys can smell gold diggers, but I know that’s not you.”

“Thanks.” She smiled. “You rock.”

I returned her smile. “Don’t I know it.”

My cellphone rang, and I picked it up to see my mother’s picture on the screen. She never called during the workday. Something was wrong.

“Mom?” I said. “How are you?”

I wanted to say, “What is it, what’s happened?” But my mind was a cloud of worry. Was it my father? Had he fallen or something? Did they need money for his insulin?

“Kelly,” I could hear her sniff on the other end. My heart jolted immediately. “You need to come back. Your father needs you. I’m sorry to interrupt you at work. I know it’s a new job.”

“What!” I shrieked, drawing a worried look from Kelly.

“What’s going on?” she mouthed.

I signaled for her to be quiet.

“Mom, what happened?” I turned my attention back to the phone.

“I don’t know. I don’t know how to explain it. He was working on the air conditioner, and he just collapsed.”

“I’ll be there,” I said.

“All right, we’re expecting you, baby.”

I cut the call and quickly stood up.

“What happened?” Kelly asked.

“It’s my dad,” I replied. “He collapsed.”

“What!”

“I can’t explain details now. I need to see him.” I didn’t even know if I should go home or go straight to a hospital. Of course, they’d be in the hospital. I’d just have to call my mom to be sure which one. But first, I had to get out of the building.

I made my way around the desk toward Alejandro’s office.

“Will our boss be okay with you taking a leave?” Kelly asked from behind me.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

“Point taken.” An embarrassed look appeared on her face.

I arrived at Alejandro’s office door and knocked.

“Come in,” he called from the other end.

I opened the door and walked in. He was busy signing a stack of letters, and his desk was covered with files. A steaming cup of coffee sat beside his laptop.

“Tina?” His eyes grew concerned when he noticed my worried demeanor. “Is everything okay?”

“Sorry to disturb you,” I said.

“Don’t apologize,” he replied. “Something tells me this is important. What’s the matter?”

Perceptive as ever.

“I need to take a few days off now,” I replied. “My dad collapsed, and he’s in the hospital. I need to go see him.”

“What?” Alejandro’s eyes widened in shock. “How? What happened?”

“My mom didn’t explain the full picture, but I have to be there.” My eyes brimmed with tears. “I have to see him.”

“Your request is granted.” Alejandro stood up.

I teared up and rushed to envelop him in a tight hug.

“Thank you!” I wailed. “Thank you so much.”

“We don’t have time.” He gently pulled me back and gazed into my face.

“What do you mean ‘we’?”

“I’m coming with you.”

I was shocked. He didn’t know my family. Why would he want to come?

“But the company—”

“Won’t collapse if I’m not around for one day.” He put a finger over my lips. “A life is at stake at the moment.”

He wrapped his hand around my shoulder as we moved to the door.

“Let’s hurry.”