Benchwarmers
Celia must decide where to take her relationship with Gael.
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Before meeting Gael, I’ve only had one serious relationship. I met Joe in college, and in retrospect I was trying to fit a square into a circle. He was always too busy to come out to my salsa performances. He would insist on solutions to my work problems, despite me repeating that I only wanted him to listen. When it was football season, our plans shifted to make time to watch every single Dolphins game.
The breaking point was when Joe bailed on a major family dinner. We were celebrating both my parents’ anniversary and Tino’s ordination anniversary, which happened in the same month. He never showed remorse for missing out. When we broke up, he lamented that he’d never find another woman like me…Until two weeks later, when he got into a relationship with a girl at his gym.
I would have never taken his ass back. But when Joe dated again, it created an insecurity in me. I thought that no matter how well I have my shit together, I’ll never be enough for someone else.
When I met Gael, I never imagined that it would evolve into something serious. But our first meeting led to flirting, which led to texting, which led to sharing memes on Instagram. Gael came to my performances, listened to my rants about my students and parents, and showed up to family dinners.
At first, both of our families were enthusiastic about our relationship. But the closer we grew, the stranger the events became. His bandmates insisted that bad luck never follows him around. Yet, Gael is still here.
After that dream with bisabuelo Martin, I went straight to Tino to figure out what it all meant. I promised Tino I wouldn’t tell anyone about the family tree, including Gael. After reading the letters about Martin, that dream weighs on my mind. Tino thinks that we don’t have enough information to determine Martin as the root of the curse. Regardless, Gael should not have to put up with it because of me.
It was a muggy afternoon at Tropical Park. We were sitting by the man-made lake to people watch, sipping on batidos de mamey. The bench was under an old Spanish Moss tree, but even in the shade I was fanning myself with a folding hand fan.
“Do you realize that it’s been almost a year since we met?”
I sat upright, continuing to fan myself. Though it was a wooden bench, my thighs peeled off the planks.
“That’s right.” I smiled, though my conscious was heavy.
“It’s lucky that band called out, or else I’d be sitting here with another girl.”
I guess I should have acted offended. Instead, I kept on smiling.
“It’s been a fun adventure with you. I’ve been so lucky to have you in my life.”
I faced him and gave a poor performance of joy.
“Why does it sound like you’re breaking up with me?” He asked with a hint of caution.
“I’m not…at least, not exactly?”
“You don’t sound convinced, which confuses me.”
“I’m sorry.” I mumbled while looking away.
Gael adjusted so that we were face to face. He put his hand on my cheek.
“Talk it through with me. Why do you think we should break up?”
I sighed.
“Ever since we made it official, all of these weird and freaky things have been happening. Especially to you.”
“Like the Wynwood stalker?”
“Yeah, to start with. What about your brakes giving out? Or that guy at Coconut Grove holding you at gunpoint?”
“It’s never boring in Miami, that’s for sure.”
“Be serious, Gael. You can’t convince me that these kinds of things happen to you all the time.”
“They don’t. This is the most interesting relationship I’ve ever had…”
“It still sounds like you’re not taking this seriously.”
“No, no, I understand where you’re coming from. I’m not ignoring those weird situations, but it’s not like it’ll happen forever.”
I bit my upper lip.
“But what if it does?” I asked.
Gael chuckled.
“For real. What if these things keep happening even if we get married?”
There was a flash of panic in his dark eyes before it changed to confusion.
“Wait, what do you mean?”
Well, here goes nothing.
“This is going to sound crazy, but we have this family tree…and it’s cursed.”
Gael blinked as if resetting himself.
“What do you mean cursed?”
“Like, some magical power is in the family tree trying to manipulate our relationship.”
“...I still don’t understand.”
I shared everything Tino explained to me. The book, the family tree and its “activity” around the time of all of those events. I recounted my dream, and the letters found by Dr. Gonzalez.
“So this Martin was engaged to a woman who was related to me?”
“Yes.”
“And he said he ended their engagement because of a curse. But there is also a letter from his brother that implies that he was obsessive?”
“Less implied, more like comparing him to Cain.”
“Like, Cain and Abel? Which one was the one that killed the brother?”
“Cain.”
“Well, damn…but how does this connect to us again?”
“This family tree holds the curse that kept them apart. And Tino thinks that this curse is getting in our way because we’re the descendants of this couple. This hasn’t happened to any other couple in my family.”
“Okay, so, what do you think about all of this?”
I slightly dropped my chin.
“I’m worried that this curse will seriously hurt you. You’re always the victim of these events. You shouldn’t deal with this because of me.”
Gael denied my proclamation and enclosed his arm around me. He placed his free hand in mine, and looked me in the eyes.
“You are not the cause of anything. Your ancestor started this, and he’s making you bear the consequences. We are not the victims here.”
I looked at him dumbfounded.
“How can you just accept everything I’ve said? Doesn’t this all sound insane?”
“Sure, but I know that you wouldn’t even bother with this without any proof. The fact that your dream matches what Dr. Gonzalez found is pretty strong proof to me.”
If this was happening to me and Joe, I highly doubt he would have believed me at all. I leaned into Gael’s shoulder and sighed. I finally found someone I can trust.
Gael kissed me on the head.
“I know that this isn’t the best time, but I don’t want to wait either…I want to marry you.”
I leaned away to face him. While his cheeks were stained red, a dopey expression started to bloom. He was probably too love-blind to notice my mouth open, looking back at him baffled.
“What?”
“Martin can keep on with his chingadas, but he’s not changing my mind. I want to marry you.”
Even while stunned, I could let out a single laugh.
“But…why?”
“Celia, I love you. I don’t want to be with anyone else. I like your family - which, by the way, get along with mine, and we’re a great team together. Unless…you have doubts?”
As a matter of fact, I didn’t. I expected to get married closer to 30. Then again, I never imagined a family curse looming over my love life. And at 26, I found someone who wants to stand by me, even though this curse personally affects him.
Gael already picked out a ring for me, but we agreed that he would ask for my father’s blessing before formally proposing to me. I couldn’t handle a surprise proposal anyway.
"There is a curse"
"I'm listening"
"It's from a long time ago."
"Okay..."
"It's resulting in dangerous stick-ups and brake failures."
"Uh-huh..."
"This is a lousy hand."
Gael pushes chips onto the table. "I'm ALL IN."
I have a feeling the family tree is going to have 'PINIONS! Is an escalation coming??? Don't ignore the signs, Gael-friend!