Canela y Clavo Ch. 09-12

Reyna rests her feet on her desk. "Well, I think you can stand one weekend of me in my apartment. I want to see you on Friday. This Friday. If I have to go to one more couples' party with Angie, I'm going to start throwing things."

"Ooooh," Tessa frowns. "Not Friday, Rey. My sorority is having a party. And oh yeah...not Saturday either. I'm gonna be hungover."

Sometimes Reyna wishes she hadn't introduced her mistress to alcohol. Recently, it has worked against her rather than for her.

"Tessa," Reyna emphasizes. "This Friday. I will be at the apartment at five-thirty. Your classes should be over by then. And I doubt you'll have difficulty coming up with an excuse to your friends since you are engaged in two affairs at once. Five-thirty, Tessa. That is final."

"You can't make me--"

"Oh, is that so? I will see you then."

"Don't bother coming. I won't be there," Tessa says before she hangs up.

Reyna doesn't bother coming, not at five-thirty, at least. But she arrives at the building at midnight, ready to wait for Tessa when she arrives from her party. (Reyna knows that Tessa has been sleeping in the apartment and lying to her parents that she is with Harmony.) Maybe Tessa needs a reminder of the bounty over her head.

When Reyna reaches the eighth story of the apartment building, she is confused when the floor seems to be throbbing. It can't be an earthquake (at least, she thinks it can't), so any sort of structural rhythm in the building cannot be good. Reyna's eyebrows furrow as she comes closer to door eight-twenty-seven. The throbbing is sounding more and more like a rhythm. A rhythm from behind the door of her apartment. She has not authorized this.

Reyna knocks furiously on the wood. By the time her key reaches the lock, she is sure that her frustration has made her sound like the police at the door. But before Reyna pulls her key from the lock, Tessa's alcohol-pink face is peeking out of the doorway. Her brown eyes widen when she sees Reyna.

"Hey, baby," Tessa grins. Reyna almost rolls her eyes.

"Quiet. Who are these people in my apartment, Tessa?" Reyna asks, pushing herself through the door.

"I told you I was having a party tonight."

Reyna closes the front door behind her, careful not to slam it and receive more of a noise complaint. There are more college-aged people scattered around the room, chatting and drinking and kissing. In the living room, there is a larger crowd dancing to the obscenely loud music. Far more people than the apartment's capacity. Reyna quickly walks to the stereo near the door to turn the music down. A masculine complaint sounds from somewhere in the room. Reyna frowns.

"Not at my apartment, you didn't," she addresses Tessa.

"Hey, Tess?" a girl says from her position leaned against a wall. She is smoking, her dark complexion juxtaposed against the white smoke from her joint. She looks Reyna up and down, her long braids and false lashes dancing with the movement. "Is this Reyna?"

"Yes, I am. This is my apartment," Reyna says low. "More importantly, who are you? I'm still waiting on Tessa to explain why there are so many people here."

"Damn, sis, it's just a party. Chill. What are you even? Like Tessa's sugar momma?" she smiles somehow charmingly.

"Harmony, can you go?" Tessa pleads. "Rey's kinda pissed right now."

"You didn't tell me your sugar momma had such a sexy accent," Harmony flirts, clearly somewhat high. Then, she turns to Tessa. "I thought you were still sleeping with that um...house-mom-wife. What's her name? Karen? I should know, I met her that one time."

"Jesus," Tessa sighs. "I'm sorry, Rey, I'm handling it. Harmony, go."

"Why don't you get everyone else out before me? What the fuck? What happened to 'best friends forever,'" Harmony says, very offended. Reyna is enjoying watching their rapport now that the music is down.

Throwing her head back, Tessa groans. "Ugh, fine, Harm. But you have to get everyone out."

Harmony nods, walking further into the apartment. Everyone she passes is greeted with a thumb pointed toward the door and an unsympathetic expression. Reyna likes this one of Tessa's friends.

Slowly, the students trickle out of the front door of Reyna's apartment, confused at why Reyna is there. Reyna only smiles, wishing them on their way. In just a few minutes, only Tessa, Harmony, Reyna, and pizza boxes remain.

"Thanks, Harmony," Tessa says sincerely, pulling her friend into her arms. Harmony hugs her back with the arm she isn't using to smoke.

"Yeah, yeah," she says noncommittally, but the smile on her face tells another story. "Tess, Karen was like definitely trying to come onto me when I came over."

"Okay, out," Tessa says. Blushing scarlet red, her freckles juxtapose into black polka dots. Tessa resembles a ladybug.

Giggling, Harmony collects her belongings from somewhere in the apartment and heads out of the front door. Reyna waves goodbye with a smile. Harmony is now in her good graces...Tessa, however, is not. Reyna turns to face the still-pink girl whose buzz is wearing off. She is eyeing the mess her friends have made of the room, likely wondering who will be cleaning it. (It is not Reyna.)

"Tessa, Tessa, Tessa."

Tessa turns to face Reyna, her lip quivering with anticipation (also with a smile).

"Tessa, why were people smoking weed in my apartment? You did not tell me that you were having a party here."

"So, I had a few people over...so what?" (This is typical Tessa fashion, defensive instead of apologetic.)

"So what?" Reyna asks, stepping closer. Her voice has lowered into anger, her brows dark and serious.

"So what?" she asks again, placing her hand around Tessa's throat and backing her against the wall. She can feel Tessa's heavy pulse under her thumb, feel the red creep up her neck.

"'So what' is that you are getting out of control, Tessa. I don't know about my wife, but I do not tolerate behavior like this. Get on your knees and clean up every single one of these fucking solo cups."

"Mmmmm," Tessa moans, lip between her teeth. "Harder, please."

Reyna almost cracks a smile. "I'm serious. Clean this shit up before you come to meet me in the bedroom. You had better pray no one was in there."

"Yes ma'am."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tessa enters the bedroom and Reyna is standing with her arms crossed over her chest. Tessa sees her expression, how it is challenging and far-from friendly, but she knows Reyna better than this. There is a smile on Tessa's face when she drapes her arms around Reyna's neck.

"Were you missing me?" Tessa says, peppering Reyna's jaw with sweet kisses. "Is that why you ruined my party?"

"Ruined?"

Tessa giggles, licking Reyna's chin up to her lips. She pulls her into a fervent kiss by her dark curls, almost smashing her nose into Reyna's. She forces her tongue into Reyna's mouth as Reyna's arms grip her waist. Groaning, the older woman presses back with all of the same intensity, trying to take back control. And for a while, Tessa fights her, before she finally gives in. She relaxes and smiles as Reyna's hands descend to squeeze her ass. She ends the kiss for lack of air and rests her head on Reyna's shoulder.

"Who missed who?" Reyna smiles into Tessa's neck. She kisses it. Then, bites it. "You taste like beer...cheap beer."

Tessa presses her lips to the woman's jaw. "Rey, Angie always told me to slow down when I kissed her. That she wasn't going anywhere, you know," Tessa moans into Reyna's skin. "You don't do that."

Reyna walks backward to the bed and pulls Tessa down into her lap to straddle her. She presses her lips into Tessa's, leaning the girl back until she is hovering over the floor, balanced and giggling on Reyna's knees. When Reyna pulls Tessa back to seated, she wraps her arms around her waist and hugs her close.

"That's because I don't want you to slow down," she says. "There is beauty in haste, Tessa, if you are hasty...hmm, with taste."

Tessa smiles, pulling away so that she can kiss Reyna again. Her smile turns into a frown when Reyna stops her.

"Rey, I want to kiss you," Tessa pouts. "Mmm, baby. Can you do that thing you did last time? Where I was laying down, and you--"

"Not before we chat," Reyna says. "You were not very nice to me over the phone, Tessa."

"I wasn't?" Tessa asks knowingly, her face barely concealing a silly smile.

"No, and I think you're well aware of that," says Reyna. She glances around the room and finds herself grateful that no college students have stumbled into the bedroom during the party...But the smell of Tessa is fading away, and Reyna is beginning to smell the remnants of weed and booze.

"Listen to me, Tessa," Reyna says, serious. She takes Tessa's chin into her fingers for emphasis. "You better not have any more parties in my apartment. The police would get my number from the landlord and I would have no way to explain that call to Angie."

Tessa nods, pouting big until Reyna cracks a smile. Tessa grins; she has Reyna wrapped around her finger. "I'm glad you're not mad at me."

"Of course, I'm not. I would have done the exact same thing if I were you. Not to mention, your friends are very pretty."

"Who? Are you talking about Harmony?" Tessa asks, exasperated. It seems that Reyna and Karen have something in common.

"Yes," Reyna says into Tessa's neck. "I'm glad to see that your friendships have more diversity than your relationships. I'll be honest, the fact that you allowed Angie to seduce you scared me a bit. You just needed a little encouragement."

Tessa rolls her eyes. She is a lot of things, including a homewrecker, but she does not only date other blondes. In fact, the only person she knows that only seems to date blondes is right in front of her. Her rebuttal is cut off by Reyna's next words.

"Regardless, I like Harmony. Is that who you're going to date when you're through with my wife and me?"

"Uh, I don't know, Reyna," Tessa frowns. "I haven't thought...that far yet," she says a bit sullenly.

Reyna pulls away to look into Tessa's eyes. They are big and brown and a little sad. Reyna sighs, "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't realize that would upset you."

"No, it's not your fault. It's just...that's not something I want to think about right now."

But then she frowns again. (Reyna's work is never done.) Tessa pulls away from Reyna, folding her legs crisscross-applesauce on the bed, fixing Reyna with a very serious stare. Reyna frowns.

"Was Angie's family racist to you? When you met them?"

"Don't make me into your reconnaissance mission, now," Reyna sighs. She braces her hands on the bed next to her.

"I mean--"

"Well, you see, Tessa, I have the distinct privilege of being not only a 'dyke,' but a 'nigger' and a 'spic' as well. You can imagine that some of Angie's already-homophobic-and-angry family had a field day at my expense. And this precedes Angie's mother practically disowning her only daughter for the sake of her Facebook...followers. I still can't stand that woman for that."

"Oh."

"I believe one of the 'Darling brothers,' I can't remember if it was Kody or Cade, even threatened my life, but...as you can see, I'm still breathing."

"Um...I'm really sorry about that."

"Well, that's what happens when you ask questions, Tessa. You get answers."

"Did you ever tell Angie?"

"No," Reyna insists, shaking her head. "No, Angie had enough on her plate as it was. Her family was in the process of banning her indefinitely if she even wore her ring. I didn't want to scare her. She has this idea that her southern, conservative family is quite tolerant, you know."

Tessa is silent, her lips pouted pink.

"I get that," she says after a minute. "I mean about Angie's family. My grandparents wouldn't even talk to my mom after she married my stepdad. Even though my real dad left us," she says. Reyna can remember seeing Tessa outside with her Korean stepfather on occasion, usually looking at her previous lemon of a vehicle. "The only reason we live here at all is because they left me the house. Not even their own daughter."

Reyna frowns. Now, Tessa's grandparents are reminding her of Angie's mother, ignoring good parenting and role models for traditional nonsense. But when Reyna looks over at Tessa, she is not angry, but sad. A tear is welling up in the corner of her eye, and it is making Reyna concerned.

"Do your parents take you to the beach, Tessa? How would you like to go with me?"

"Rey...What?" Tessa smiles, a bit watery. Reyna can be so spontaneous sometimes. (Especially when she is trying to empathize.)

"I'm getting into character. I want to take my mistress on an expensive vacation and lie about it to my wife."

A goofy smile envelopes Tessa's face, lopsided and dimpled.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course, I am. We'll go in October."

12

"Business trip coming up," Reyna says casually, strolling into the kitchen. The children are in their high chairs, engaged in a rapid, bilingual conversation about something-or-other. At twenty-three months old, they certainly have a lot to say.

"Okay, honey. We'll miss you back home," Angie says insincerely. Her mind is elsewhere. (Likely focused on the dinner she has yet to start.) She sits for a while with her hand on her chin, before a big smile cracks onto her face. "I think maybe I'll have Tess...the nanny stay with us while you're gone, babe."

Reyna smirks to herself. "Go ahead and ask her. See if she's free."

Angie smiles harder, excitedly grabbing her phone.

"Hey, Tess. I'm sitting here with the wife," she giggles. "She just told me she's got a business trip in a couple of weeks. The week of the eighth? Would you be able to stay with me and the kids to keep the house in order?"

Reyna smiles deviously, waiting for Tessa's reply. She places her fingertips on the counter behind her.

"What do you mean 'no,' pumpkin? Won't you be in school?" Angie frowns. "Fall break? Who ever heard of that? Isn't spring break enough?"

Pause.

"Well, who are you going to the beach with?"

"Who? You hadn't ever told me about Daniel. What is he? Your boyfriend?"

This, Reyna almost laughs at. She feels quite successful at having monopolized Tessa's time over the last couple of months. When would she have given Tessa time for a boyfriend?

"No, just you've never mentioned Daniel. You hadn't had a boyfriend since high school," Angie frowns. (Angie should know, given that she is the one that caused their breakup.) "So, you're really gonna leave me here alone with the twins?"

"Mhm. Alrighty then. Bye, Tess."

Fixing a neutral expression on her face, Reyna approaches Angie, resting a hand on her shoulder. "What did Tessa say?" she asks.

"Said she's busy over fall break. Busy with some boy." If Angie is trying to hide her jealousy, she has failed miserably. (Reyna wonders if she is more jealous of Tessa's 'boyfriend,' or of Tessa for having one.)

"Oh, well...I'm sure you'll be fine, Angie," Reyna says emphatically. "Why don't you have your mother stay with you? Or maybe go and visit Jonesboro."

"Nobody in the whole state of Arkansas wants to see me there," Angie says. "But you're right. Momma would like to come and visit with the kids. I'll holler at her in a little bit."

Reyna frowns. She knows that Angie feels like a disgrace to all of Arkansas for running away to marry a woman shortly after losing Miss America. But after all, it was her choice. She chose to be with Reyna, and she chose everything that followed. Sometimes, Reyna feels as if she is a remnant of Angie's rebellious past. That maybe, Angie's marriage was the final act in her show of rebellion, and she became stuck in a never-ending consequence of her actions. (Sometimes Reyna feels like a prop to a comedy that no one ever attends.)

"Okay. What do you say we all go and get ice cream tonight? To make you feel better," Reyna suggests loudly.

"Ice cream?" a little voice says.

"Mama, ice cream? I want ice cream!"

Reyna chuckles, ignoring her children for the time being to return her focus to her wife.

"You ain't giving me much of a choice in the matter," Angie mutters.

"We can always go without you, Angie. If you need some time," Reyna says, cocking her head to see Angie better. She places a hand on Angie's hip.

Angie almost shifts under Reyna's touch...almost. "No, Reyna, I'll go."

"You look upset," Reyna presses deeper, running her fingertips through the ends of her wife's hair. She can tell Angie wants to push her away; they haven't been this intimate, this close together in years. Reyna asks low, "What are you upset about, baby?"

"Mommy!" one little voice insists. "Please get ice cream?"

"¿Helado, Mamá, por favor?" the other asks, in Spanish. They know how to appeal to both of their mothers.

"Yes, you little rugrats," Angie says, using the opportunity to slip out of Reyna's grasp. Reyna doesn't miss the big breath she exhales when she finally gets away.

But now, Angie is across the room tickling the twins and their unbridled laughter rids the room of any tension in the air, sexual or otherwise.

"We are getting ice cream, tonight. But not if y'all don't keep your damn mouths shut about it," Angie laughs, the toddlers hollering out in laughter. Reyna approaches as the laughter turns to happy screams.

"¡Mamá, ayudame!" one of Reyna's children yells, and Reyna scoops the twins out of their high chairs one by one. (This is no longer an easy feat.)

"¡Vamos, vamos!" Reyna smiles at her children, powerwalking out of the kitchen as they giggle about Mommy not being able to reach them. And Mommy chases them for a while until she gives up with a big sigh, prompting more giggles from the twins.

"Okay. Todos están a salvo, mis pollitos," Reyna says, placing her children down on the floor in the living room. They are still bubbly with smiles, though not screaming as much.

"¿Mamá cuándo helado?"

"Vamos a comer helado después de cenar. ¿Sí?" Reyna uses her response as a subtle grammar lesson.

"Sí, Mamá," one child sighs, sprawled into a starfish shape on the floor. They are both lying on the carpet now, exhausted from all of the running they didn't do. "¿Besito?" the baby asks.

"Por supuesto, mi vida," Reyna whispers, pressing kisses to her children's faces and holding them close. In the distance, she hears Angie on the phone with her mother. In two weeks, Reyna will be in Aruba with her mistress. Everything is good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angie peeks through the entrance to the living room, watching Reyna sprawled out in her business suit, her nose buried in one of the twins' hair.

"You should see them with Reyna, Ma," Angie says softly. "They look happier than a pig in shit. They don't ever look that damn happy around me."

Angie laughs at something her mother has said through the phone. "I know, and you wouldn't think so. I'm the one keeping them every day...well, me and the nanny...No, not yet, Ma. They don't start preschool until next year."

Angie smiles, sitting down at the breakfast bar. "Well, I'm doing alright too, Momma," Angie chuckles. "You only ever ask me about your grandkids. What about your daughter? I mean, honestly! Don't I mean something too?"