“That was way back when I was first trying to get things going,” Claudia said.
“Yeah,” Ricardo added as if Regina really cared. “I was just looking for a job on the side, but I was still doing surf lessons at the same time.”
“Now he runs the landscaping part of the business, and I run the housekeeping side,” Claudia said proudly. “We stay real busy.”
Brandon gave Ricardo as much attention as he deserved since he was such a complete nonissue. He glanced away often, though Regina had to wonder if his indifference with Ricardo was intentional or if he truly was too distracted with other things to care much.
Glancing behind Ricardo, Regina’s eyes met with Valerie’s. Valerie, who was standing with Sarah, smiled big. She tugged Sarah as they both made their way toward her and Brandon. Regina wondered how much about Brandon and Sofia either knew. Sarah smiled as big as Valerie when she saw Regina, but there was no missing the way her mouth fell open when she saw Brandon. Both she and Valerie spoke in voices too low for Regina to hear as they approached, but the big smiles were back once they were close enough to reach out and hug her.
Pat was busy grilling Claudia about the business she’d started up, so Regina could focus on Valerie and Sarah.
“Oh my God, you look so good,” Valerie said, hugging her. “Isabel told me you were moving out here. You’re staying for good, right?”
“Yes, I’m pretty sure,” she said, pulling away from Valerie’s tight hug then hugging Sarah. “The job I’m working on now will take at least a year, if not longer, but I like being close to the family, so I think I’ll stay.”
They both turned to Brandon. Before Regina could figure out whether she should introduce him as if they didn’t know him, Valerie turned to him. “Isabel said this was her first time meeting your boyfriend. I take it this means you and Brandon are an item?”
Regina nodded, her knotted insides getting tighter. She wasn’t sure how she should address the fact that, unlike her and Ricardo, Valerie was not going to pretend not to know Brandon. “Yes, we met on the base two months ago.”
“Oh,” Valerie turned to Regina, still smiling but her brow lifted significantly. “So it hasn’t been long?”
Without giving Regina a chance to respond to that, Sarah turned to Brandon. “What a small world.” She smiled sweetly, turning to Regina for a moment. “Brandon and Angel and his brothers grew up just a few houses away from each other and went to the same schools.” She then turned back to Brandon. “How’ve you been, Brandon? Obviously, life in the Marines suits you well.”
“Always has,” Brandon said with a small smile. “And I agree,” he added, looking around, the already small smile waning a bit. “It’s a very small world. But I’ve been good. It looks like the family is really growing.”
Just then one of the twins ran over to Valerie, screeching as The Taz caught up to her, holding something out with an evil laugh that made the little girl scream even louder. Even Valerie braced herself. “What is that?” she asked, her face contorted in disgust.
“It’s a worm!” his sister screeched, hiding behind Valerie.
Out of nowhere, Alex swooped down and lifted him easily over his head and onto his back. “Boy, didn’t you promise you were gonna behave?” he asked the now-laughing-hysterically Taz. “Drop the worm,” he ordered, trying to sound firm, but Regina could see he was holding back a smile.
With the worm dropped, Alex began putting him down, tapping him on the behind. “No more worms, you hear me? Go take care of your sisters.”
Just behind him Angel now approached, also putting down his own son, who quickly took off after The Taz. They were both headed at top speed toward Mandy’s outdoor playset.
Alex kissed Valerie then turned to Regina with a smile but addressed Brandon first. “Billings?” he said. His smile wasn’t quite as bright as when he smiled at Regina. “Long time.”
Brandon nodded, glancing around. “Yep. Long enough. I see the second generation of Morenos is growing fast.”
“That it is,” Angel said, wrapping his arms around Sarah’s waist from behind. “What about you? Any kids yet?”
Brandon shook his head, and Sarah smiled then winked at Regina. “You never know though. He and Gina have been dating for a few months now.”
Bell and Romero approached them. As usual, Romero wore a huge grin. “Isn’t this crazy?” Romero asked. “Gina and Billings. I never thought I was gonna see this guy again. Now we just may be related someday.”
“What is that you guys always say,” Pat suddenly chimed in. “Easy! They’ve only been dating for a few months, and Brandon hasn’t been made to jump through all our hoops yet.”
Feeling Brandon tense, Regina turned to Pat, trying not to sound as annoyed as her comment made her. She hoped Brandon didn’t think she meant all of them as in the Morenos as well. Regina knew Pat meant her family, but with all of them standing there, it could easily be construed as all of them as well. The last thing she needed today was for her sister to add to the already mounting tension. “Pat—”
“You see here,” Romero’s uncle Max stuck his phone in Pat’s face. “That was me back in high school.”
With a frown, Romero suddenly scoffed. “Will you stop trying to convince her you were good-looking once upon a time.”
“Once upon a time?” Max lifted his collar on both sides. “I’m a fucking chick magnet. What are you talking about?”
They all laughed, and for a few minutes while Romero, Max, and Pat went back and forth, the attention was off Regina and Brandon. The phone got passed around to the guys, who all laughed and poked fun at Max for the clothes he was wearing in the photo.
“Check out the Fonz.” Romero laughed.
Sal and Grace arrived. They came over and chatted and said hello to Regina and Brandon. Much like the other two brothers, Sal was civil but not overly friendly to Brandon. They were the only couple who arrived without kids.
“You don’t have any kids, Sal?” Brandon asked, and he seemed to have loosened up just the tiniest bit like Regina, but neither was completely relaxed.
Sal and Grace smiled at each other. Then Sal patted her belly. “Third one is on the way, and the other two are with her sister and my cousin Vince. They’re married but holding off on the baby making for now, so they often take our two rug rats for the day or even the whole weekend. But, yeah, we have two: boy and a girl. They should be here in a few.”
“Where did Sofie and Eric go?” Bell asked, looking around. “I saw her earlier, didn’t I?”
With the exception of Romero, Max, and Pat, who were still caught up looking through the photos on Max’s phone, there was an obvious shift in the mood of the group. Alex’s jaw actually tightened as he, too, looked around.
Sarah cleared her throat. “Last night she told me the baby had been real colicky this whole week. She and Eric might be inside with him.”
The subject was changed, and then Bell announced the food was ready. Time seemed to move in slow motion as they all served themselves and sat down to eat. Fortunately, they all had their hands full, trying to serve and feed restless kids and dealing with babies. The novelty of Brandon, their old neighborhood acquaintance, being Regina’s boyfriend wore off for the moment. Regina and Brandon sat with her mom and a couple of aunts instead of at the table with the Moreno clan.
“Why didn’t daddy come?” Regina asked her mom.
“He’s been real tired this week,” her mother explained. “The doctor switched his medication, and it makes him sluggish. We got up early and attended the Mass, but when we got back home, he said he wasn’t feeling up to coming. I told Bell I’d stay and eat, but then Pat’s taking me home.”
“But he’s okay, right?” Regina asked, feeling a bit worried.
“Yeah, yeah.” Her mother patted her hand. “It’s just gonna take some time for him to adjust to the new medication. He wasn’t feeling ill or anything, honey.” She smiled. “He was tired and not in the mood for crowds. I l
eft him on his recliner, watching TV. He even reminded me twice to be sure to bring him back cake.”
Regina smiled, feeling a bit relieved, but she didn’t like to hear that her once-active dad didn’t even have the energy to attend a family function. It wasn’t like him.
Trying not to over think things, Regina ignored the fact that when Sofia and Eric had finally made it out into the yard again they sat at the furthest table from her and Brandon. It was understandable that they might feel a little uncomfortable. Then the one time she thought her and Sofia’s eyes had met Sofia quickly looked away without addressing her. After finishing up eating, Regina excused herself to use the bathroom inside. Once out of the bathroom, she made an unexpected detour towards the baby’s room when she heard him whimpering.
“Oh, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?” she whispered as she turned the corner into his room.
He was already standing, holding the rail, and his little whimpering face brightened the moment he saw her. Like she’d seen him do so often before, he screeched, jumping up and down. He stood there with the biggest but near toothless smile as he held out his little arms to her.
“Just like your daddy,” she said, picking him up out of the crib and kissing his bald head. “Always smiling and laughing.”
Knowing Romeo’s diaper likely needed to be changed, Regina walked over to the changing table and laid him down. He kicked wildly, making the loudest noises as she began undoing the onesie he wore.
“Shhh!” She giggled. “Seriously, must all you Romeros be so loud?”
Still smiling, she leaned in and kissed him again on the forehead. She loved that she’d been able to convince her sister to go with her first choice and name him Romeo. Bell had been worried he’d be teased mercilessly in school. Both Regina and Pat had laughed and had reminded her who this kid’s father was.
“If he’s anything like his dad,” Pat had sneered, “no one is gonna be teasing this boy.”
She turned when she heard someone at the door. “Hey.” Sofia smiled a bit awkwardly. “I heard him screech and thought mine had woken.”
Regina’s sudden cheery mood deflated at the sight of her. Sofia looked as perfect as ever. It was disgusting.
Stop it.
“No,” she said, trying to sound as normal as possible and turned back to face Romeo. “This little guy is ready to go join the party. I’m just changing him first.”
“So how’ve you been?” Sofia asked, coming to stand next to her by the changing table.
“Good, good.” Regina nodded as she finished wiping Romeo clean. “I moved back to California, so I’m happy about that.”
“I heard,” Sofia said while tickling the bottom of one of Romeo’s feet. “That’s good you get to be near your family. I can’t even imagine being so far away from mine.” She cleared her throat and went on. “And you’re with Brandon now.” It was a statement, not a question, and it took Regina by surprise. She froze for a moment then turned to face her. Sofia smiled a little less awkwardly now and more genuinely. “He’s a good guy.”
“I know he is.” Regina turned back to finish changing Romeo and did her best not to sound bitchy, but her response was already too quick.
If Sofia even tried to bring up her past with him, she’d snap for sure. Regina did not need to hear about how Sofia rejected the man she was now in love with, especially now that she knew Sofia’s presence alone still had such an effect on him.
To her surprise, instead of saying more, Sofia reached out for Romeo, who Regina had finished changing. “Can I hold the little chunkers?” she asked with a big smile.
Regina let her pick him up, and to her relief, they moved on to small talk about Romeo, Sofia’s baby, and his colic as they made their way back outside. Brandon was engaged in a conversation with another Moreno, Sofia’s younger cousin Vince, the one who’d been watching Sal’s kids today. From what Regina knew Vince was a career military guy too. This was probably why Brandon seemed so at ease talking to him. She also doubted Vince knew anything about Brandon’s past with Sofia, since she also knew he hadn’t grown up in the same area as the other Morenos. They were likely talking about their lives in the military, exchanging stories like the ones she’d often heard her own father exchange growing up.
The ease in which he’d been talking was gone the moment he looked up and saw Regina with Sofia.
“He woke up?” Bell walked up to Sofia, forcing her to look away from Brandon’s piercing stare.
“Yeah,” Regina said. “I changed him already.”
“Thank you, sissy,” she said with a smile as Romeo practically jumped out of Sofia’s arms at the sight of his mommy. Bell held her arms out to him with a big animated smile. “I’ll take my baby boy now,” she said to Sofia. “I need to get him fed before he gets cranky.”
As soon as Regina was back at Brandon’s side, he leaned into her ear after slipping his hand in hers. “How much longer we gonna hang around?”
Relieved that she didn’t have to be the one to suggest ducking out early, she shrugged. Normally she would’ve hung out much later, but her shoulders had been so tight and tense from the moment she realized who Sofia was to Brandon, she could hardly wait to get out of there and have a glass of wine or two. “Well, you’ve met everyone except my brother and dad, but neither are gonna make it, so you can meet them another time. If you want, we can leave now.”
They made their slow, steady exit, saying good-bye to everyone. Sofia, once again, conveniently disappeared, and Regina couldn’t be more relieved. They’d almost made a smooth exit, except for Bell’s ill-timed request that Romero snap a few photos of the three sisters before Regina left. She then asked Valerie, Sarah and Grace to get in the photo too.
“Wait,” she said after Romero had already taken a few. “Where’s Sofie? She needs to get in here too.”
The entire time they’d been there Brandon and Sofia had been as far apart from one another as possible. Usually, the entire length of the backyard had been between them. Now Brandon stood but a couple of feet away from the group of women taking photos. And Pat was looking in the back door calling out for Sofie.
Within minutes, both Sofia and Eric walked out together. Neither looked particularly thrilled, and Regina did not miss the deadpan way Eric looked at Brandon. It wasn’t a glare, but it certainly wasn’t welcoming. Sofia lined up with the women. Romero wasn’t the only one taking the photos now. Regina’s mom had gotten in on it, and that meant they were going to be there a while because she took forever to take her photos and was very demanding about everyone staying put until she was done.
Finally, they were done. Then her mom suggested that the guys line up this time. To Regina’s horror her mom turned to Brandon. “You too, hon. Anyone my kids bring home, whether a friend or more, is automatically welcomed into the family, so get in there.”
Brandon turned to Regina, who had nothing for him except a rueful smile. This would be over soon enough, and then they could get out of there. Regina squeezed his hand and tiptoed to kiss him as they walked past each other. Instead of escaping back into the house as Regina thought Sofia might do, she came over and stood by Regina and the other girls to watch the guys line up.
Of course, Brandon stood off to the side on the opposite end from where Eric stood.
“Stop with the faces, Moe,” Manny said from where he was sitting. “Swear to God, this guy . . .” He turned to his wife Aida, shaking his head, then back to Romero. “For all the laughing and goofing off you do, you’d think you’d do it for one stinkin’ photo. How many more pictures of you looking like mug shots do I need on my walls! Smile, will ya?”
Regina was glad there was no one heckling Brandon about his rigid expression. While he wasn’t making hard-ass faces like Romero, he certainly wasn’t doing any smiling. Still she couldn’t help but feel warmed that he was being such a trooper. Just coming here today to meet her family had to have been hard enough for him. She’d felt his unease mounting as they’d dr
iven there. And then for things to turn out this way, she was certain he was regretting having come here at all. She just hoped it was all he regretted.
After giggling, Sarah turned to Regina, who couldn’t quite take her eyes off of Brandon. “Wow,” Sarah said. “I still can’t believe you and Brandon are together. I mean what are the odds that of all the marines you could’ve hooked up with down at that base, it would be Brandon?”
“I know, right?” Valerie said, leaning in and lowering her voice. “Is he always this serious?”
They all turned to look at him just as he glanced their way, and Regina turned away quickly, hating how obvious it was they were talking about him.
Grace turned to Regina, lowering her voice as well. “He’s very handsome, Gina.” She leaned into what now looked like a little gossipy circle of women. “But is he as intimidating as he appears to be?”
Regina smiled, and if Sofia weren’t in that gossipy circle with them, she might be tempted to tell them just how intimidating Brandon had really been when she first met him. She hadn’t had the chance to gush about him to anyone but Janecia, and even then she’d been limited in doing so. He’d been by her side every night or within hearing range when she was on the phone, and the only time she’d really gotten to talk to Janecia was when they got together on their date nights. Even then, with him there, she could only do it when he happened to walk away for something or they excused themselves to the ladies’ room.
Her sisters didn’t know all the details either. She’d refrained from telling them too much before they had a chance to meet him for fear they might judge him unfairly.
With the men’s photo shoot over, they began to disperse, and Brandon started toward them. Regina was about to respond to Grace when Pat tugged at her arm. “We’ll have to talk later, Gina.”
“Yes,” Valerie said, glancing at Sofia then Gina and finally giving Bell a strange cautionary look. “He was always a little different. I’ll call you tonight, Isabel.” Regina didn’t even have time to make sense of what that might mean when Sofia pulled her aside. She glanced guardedly over Regina’s shoulder. “You still have my number?” she asked quickly. Regina nodded. “Call me, please, if you need to talk about anything. I mean it, okay?”