Family Matters
The Ruizes and Echevarrias cast their doubts on the relationship.
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An excerpt of Fr. Agustin’s homily for the Thursday of the 23rd week of Ordinary Time:
…We are made for communion. “No man is an island” is a secular phrase pointing to that truth. As much as we value individual freedom and expression, we cannot understand ourselves without working, living, and loving with others. The relationships we keep reflect who we are and what we value.
At times, our sins put a wedge between our relationships. Though we may have good intentions, they can fall flat if fear or selfishness drive our actions. This is why Christ needs to lead all of our relationships, so that we can approach each other with charity…
Lorena Ruiz is a faithful attendee of daily mass. Though her height barely reaches five feet, a slight straightening of her shoulders and a graceful lift of her chin equalizes us. Her dyed black hair is always tied in what is known as a French twist. It is, apparently, a marker of her past as a ballroom dancer. But she often veils with a classic black and gold mantilla when at Mass.
On this particular daily mass, her demeanor was pensive. While she watched me give my homily, she was deep in contemplation over something else.
After mass, I caught her mingling in the chapel as I greeted the attendees. Once we were alone, she strode towards me and thanked me for celebrating mass. She stalled before introducing a new topic.
“Gael and Celia seem to be getting along.”
“Indeed, they do. Gael is an upstanding young man. I think they seem happy together.”
Her face slipped, revealing a contrast of her opinion to mine. But that quickly passed as she straightened herself.
“Yes, I suppose. But…I do have some concerns.”
There was an awkward pause. I assume she expected me to respond, but she continued despite my nonreaction.
“I do not wish to insult your niece or your family. They are clearly holy people, as you offered yourself to our Holy Church. But I’ve noticed some unusual events since they’re meeting.”
“What sort of events?” I asked, even though the incident at Coconut Grove came to mind.
“Well, I’m sure you remember Coconut Grove. Praise God that the police showed up before anything truly horrible happened.”
We were in agreement on that part.
“Something always seems to go amiss whenever they’re together: a spilled drink, a misdirection from that GPS system on their phones. Did you know that Gael noticed a stranger following them around Wynwood Saturday night?”
That last part was new to me. She nodded as if acknowledging my not knowing.
“Gael’s previous relationships were not as…lively…as his current one.”
She pursed her lips as if she was physically holding back her tongue.
“What is it, Lorena?”
She lifted her chin and locked eyes with me.
“I wonder if this is God’s way of telling us that they are not meant to be together.”
I blinked.
“Your Celia is a lovely girl, I’m sure. But all of these events have occurred since Gael has been with her. I cannot ignore the connection.”
With her doubt on full display, it was a terrible irony to compare her concerns with my brother’s.
“Mija, be honest with me: do you really love this boy?”
Antonio and I stayed with Celia at home while her mother stepped out to get pan Cubano for tonight’s dinner. We were all enjoying a Heineken on the kitchen island, taking in the golden sunset peering through the window.
We started as a casual conversation about Celia’s upcoming salsa performance at the Hispanic Heritage Festival. When my brother learned that Gael was attending her dance, he decided to flip the topic to her relationship.
Celia knew that he was looking for an answer. She cupped her hands around her Heineken, and gave him her truth.
“You know, dad, I think I do.”
She answered him so calmly, like I was the one questioning her during a pre-Cana meeting.
Antonio sucked his teeth.
“You’ve only seen this boy for a few months.”
“We’ve been in a relationship for six months. I don’t think it’s that crazy to be in love at this point. Tino told me that you knew you wanted to marry mom right after the first date.”
Antonio shot a peeved glance at me. I raised my hands in deference.
“You know that’s true, Toni.”
“Yes, but we didn’t have a series bad luck during our courtship.”
“Ay, papa, not this again. It’s not like Gael planned for them to happen.”
“No, but trouble finds him. Did you forget that stranger who followed you two around Wynwood? The mad man at Coconut Grove?”
“We remember these events, Toni. You know that we are a not a superstitious family.”
“Sure, but we do believe in signs.”
“And what kind of signs do you think they are?” Celia interjected.
For a moment, Toni’s protective mask slipped out of his countenance. He fixed his gaze on one of his most treasured loves. One that he cannot protect from all danger.
With his chest slowly rising, the mask was back in place.
“He is trouble. And that trouble will find you the longer you are with him.”
Paola returned to a stuffy kitchen with the pan Cubano.
Voicemail message for Agustin Echevarria:
Tino, can I come over Saturday? I had a really weird dream last night, and I need to talk about it to someone.
Also, dad says he knows you took a Romeo y Julieta from his stash. You all need to grow up, haha!
End of messages.
The mystery deepens! I cannot, for the life of me, figure out where this is going. Excellent installment! I'm hooked!