Prologue
Prologue
Summer of 1989
I walk out of the lecture hall for my last final exam for summer break. I let out the breath I had been holding the whole fucking final. I’ve never been good at taking tests, but I love school so much. I more semester and I will be a full-fledged lawyer just like my father. My hero! It may be summer break, but I will still be working at my Dad’s law firm. I look over and see, and my best bud is running over looking frazzled as usual.
“Paul! Paul!” He yells as he runs up.
“Man! Why you are yelling! I’m right here.” I laugh.
“Did you hear?”
“I just got out of my final. I haven’t talked to anyone. What’s up?”
“There will be an epic party at the NYU Latino Alliance!”
“Those parties are whack, and they charge you for it,” I complain.
“No bro! This one is FREE! The liquor is free! So where there is free booze, I’m there!” He cracks a smile. “You wanna roll with me?”
“Sure, I’ll go. Free is free right?” I laugh. “First I have to do my Dad’s office. I will see you out front of your dorm at seven?”
****
I jump on the subway, and I am on my way to my Dad’s office. The heat is unreal I hate New York heatwaves they are unbearable. I finally get off the subway and walk the two blocks as quick as I can. I look the door and it the sign out front says Esteban Ryan Law firm. One day my name will be on there too. Before I go in I go around the building and take a cigarette out of backpack and light it up. I take a long drag and savor the feeling. I have tried to quit so many times, but I haven’t had the motivation to do so. I throw the butt on the cement and step on it with the tip of my shoe and walk into the office.
“Mijo, como estas?” My dad asks as he comes to hug me. “Fumastes?”
“Yes, dad I smoked,” I say and feel as guilty as all fuck.
“Que te dije?”
“What did you tell me?” I say getting annoyed. “You told me to stop smoking. It’s bad for my health. Papa, I will be fine. No te precupes.”
“Don’t tell me not to worry! You’re my son and I’ll always worry about you, Paul. How did your last final go?”
“It went well. I think I did well. Martin and I are going to a party at the Latino Alliance tonight I hear it will be free.”
“Oh, I heard that there was going to be a party thrown for free. I think it’s the dignitary from the Dominican Republic throwing it. His daughter will be attending NYU in the fall.”
“Wow, this party just because his daughter is coming to the school?”
“Yes, he spoils all his daughters. There are six of them.”
“Damn, that’s a lot of girls in one house.”
“Thank god we only had sons.” He says. I give him another hug. “Have a good time, Hijo. Be safe.”
This party is popping, and I am so glad I came with Martin. I am drunk as fuck and having a blast. I am dancing with a beautiful Afro-Latina she’s a complete bitch, but this girl is fine. I will never see her after this, anyways. We are grinding to the song I Wanna Sex You Up and boy, can she move. I lost Martin somewhere during the night, but he is a big boy. I go to the bar, get more shots, and slam them back with the beauty.
The light in the room is blinding me from the window. I sit up quickly, and the room spins. I am hungover as fuck. I feel the bed shift, and I freak the fuck out and look out of the corner of my eye and see her lying there. The Afro-Latina, I have no idea what the fuck happened. I know we had sex because I’m completely naked, and so is she. I notice that we are in a fancy hotel and creep my way out of bed, throw my clothes on, and run out the door.
A month passes, and I throw myself into work and never go out. The receptionist gives me our messages. I go through the notes, which are a bunch from Julia. I go to the front desk to ask Maribel who this is.
“Mari, do you know who this person named Julia is?”
“You mean the bug-a-boo. Paul, she has called a million times. You don’t know her?”
“Not that I know of.” I say as the phone rings on her desk.”
“Esteban Ryan’s office. Oh, hi, Mr. Ryan. Yes, sir, he is standing in front of me.” She says, handing me the phone.
“Que paso Pa,” I say.
“Get home now.” His voice booms, and it makes me jump a bit.
“What’s wrong?” I ask nervously.
“I SAID NOW.”
“Yes, Sir.” He hangs the phone in my ear, and I hand it to Mari. “What the fuck?”
“What did you do?” she asks with her eyes as wide as saucers.
“I have no fucking clue.”
I take a cab home to figure out why my Dad is so pissed. The taxi pulls up in front of our three-story brownstone. I take a deep breath, get out, and walk up the narrow steps. I go into the house and see my Mama watching her novela with a cup of coffee. I go and give her a hug and a kiss.
“Hola, Mami,” I say.
“Hola mi Amor why are you here so early?”
“Papa called me to come home right away. He sounded mad as hell. Do you know what is going on?”
“No, I don’t. He has visitors in his office right now. Maybe he wants you to meet them? Just knock before you go in.”
I walk down the long hall to my father’s office and knock on the door.
“Come in,” My Dad’s voice answers. I open the door and walk in and look at my Dad. His eyes catch mine, and shit, they look lethal. “Paul, this is Senor Marco De La Vega, the dignitary from the Dominican Republic and his daughter Julia Maria.”
I look over at them to say hello and see her — the Afro-Latina from the party. I look at her and then think about her name Julia. She is the one that has been calling me.
“Did you call me? I asked.
“Yes, she has been trying to reach you for weeks.” My Dad answers for her. “She has been calling to tell you she is pregnant.” I feel like my ears are ringing loud in ears. I’m freaking out.
“What?” I screech out.
“Yeah, you’re the father of my baby.” She says. “I wish it weren’t so, but you are. You’re not even a lawyer yet but only a student.”
Just by her statement, I remember her vividly — such a self-righteous bitch. I am lost at the moment until I hear her father speak.
“Van a casar o’ que señor Ryan?” he asks, and I freeze on the spot.
“Who’s getting married?” I ask with a shaky voice.
“You are.” Señor De La Vega says. I look at him like he has two heads.
“The fuck I am,” I say.
“Oh, you will because I will put your father’s law firm out of business if you don’t. Boy, I can ruin any man. I have the power to do it. If you don’t marry Julia, all I have to do is make one phone call and your life as you know it will be ruined! What a pity all the hard work in college for nothing.”
Fall classes started, and I’m so glad I get back to school. Thank God for small favors. I go and find Martin and see what classes we have together. I fill him in on what I have been up to, and his eyes bug out of his head.
“Shut the fuck up, man! Wait, you got married? You didn’t even invite me?”
“Man, it happened fast. I only had a few days to process everything. We found out she was pregnant on a Thursday, and by that Saturday, we were married. It’s a loveless marriage. She is a complete bitch and tries to control me by saying I’ll call my Papa.”
“Let her call Papa,” he says.
“Bro, you don’t get it. I’m doing this for my Dad. If she calls her Dad, then my Dad can lose everything. I mean everything. That man has that much power. Latino mafia shit.”
“Damn. Do you guys like have sex and shit like that?”
“She whines that she’ll tell her Dad I won’t show her affection. She’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but she’s ugly inside. She’s a spoiled brat; if she doesn’t get her way, she’s a monster.”
“Well fuck! At least you get to have sex on the regular.” He laughs. It is causing me to laugh too.
“Shut the fuck up! Where are you headed anyways?”
“Oh, a friend of mine from Mexico is doing a speech in the law quad. She is scary smart and super into Latino power and all that shit. She is hella chingona and shit!”
“Oh, there goes that word hella! You California boy.”
“You want to come with?”
“ Sure, why not.”
We watch this young girl speak to about two hundred students. They are all captivated by her words. As am I. She talks about owning our roots and being true to those roots no matter who tells you not to. It’s incredible just listening to how elegant she speaks but how fucking powerful she is. She is a spitfire. When her speech is done, Martin waves her over to us.
“Martin! Como estás!” she says, laughing. He hugs her tightly. She kisses both of his cheeks in a hello.
“Good, Good! Let me introduce you to my best friend, Paul Ryan.”
“Hola Paul, yo soy Valeria Santiago. Nice to meet you.” She says and shakes my hand, and quickly kisses my cheeks in a hello too.
She is stunning up close without having too hard to try. All I can think is oh fuck Paul, you are in big fucking trouble!
