Chapter Text
Sunday afternoon was the day that marked the end of their vacation and tomorrow it’s back to reality over again. The girls had always loved going on a vacation every once in a while, even just for a few days. The idea of touring overseas lured the girls in exploring something more than their usual environment, it gives them time to enjoy other cultures, try different food and delicacies, meet new people and most of all just escape from their realities, even just for a little while.
The frown on Dorothy’s brow stayed on as she unloaded their bags from the cab. Rose helped her while Blanche paid for the fare. They were coming from a vacation but it was apparent that they had a rotten time in Spain. Dorothy hated the flight, Rose was sick all throughout the trip and had to stay in the hotel and Blanche didn’t even get to spend any time meeting men.
“What’s up, dawg?” Sophia greeted the girls, happy that all the girls came home in one piece. Dorothy’s frown had become more apparent when she saw her mother wearing an oversized basketball shirt saying “Petril-Yow!” and a backward baseball cap on her head.
“Just what did you do while we’re in Spain, old woman?” She asked, her tone irate.
“My friend, Maria’s grandson, had this custom-made for me. Do you like it, pussycat?” She picked up her portable cassette player and played a song and started rapping out of tune, “Brad entered a contest and won three tickets to the M.C. Hammer mosh pit. Maria, Brad and I are going.”
“M.C Hammer..? What is a mosh pit?”
Blanche overheard the conversation between Dorothy and Sophia and butted in, “it’s the front stage area in a concert of a rock band. It can get violent out there with all the dancing and shouting. I don’t think you should let your mother go.”
“You’re not going,” Dorothy turned to her mother.
There was no response, she was expecting her to complain, “Ma?”
“It’s tricky to rock a rhyme, to rock a rhyme that's right on time. It's Tricky... Tr-tr-tr-tricky (Tricky) Trrrrrrrrrrricky!!!”Sophia sang along to the chorus, a little off-key.
Dorothy scratched the back of her head, getting more and more frustrated with her mother. They shouldn’t have left her. What was she listening to anyway? She picked up the cassette case and read the title, “Run D.M.C?” She sighed. Her mother was so old and disconcerted, that she picked up the wrong rapper to listen to.
Rose took the headphones out of Sophia’s ears and the old woman complained.
Dorothy repeated herself that she was not allowing her to go to the concert and her decision was final.
“As if!” Sophia scoffed. She received a shriek from her daughter as a response.
“Okay, you go and I’ll pack your things and drive you to Shady Pines right after,” the tall woman threatened.
“Have you been to a mosh pit, Blanche?” Rose leaned in with curiosity.
“Why, Rose, you’re only looking at the first woman who crowd-surfed Miami beachfront in commando,” Blanche proclaimed as if it were something to be proud of.
Dorothy grumbled. She was so sick of hearing about Blanche’s sexual misadventures. She could strangle her for being so forward like that. “Whatever,” Dorothy said in a whisper.
“Are you still angry at Blanche, Dorothy?”
They all waited for Dorothy’s answer. They have been feuding since yesterday in Madrid. Rose thought they were having a good time touring Old Spain but since last night they’ve done nothing but bicker and banter.
“No, Rose. I’m mad because Blanche couldn’t hold her liquor; I’m mad because she never means any word she says. I’m mad because she’s not the friend I went to Spain with!” Dorothy picked up her luggage and stormed away to her room and locked herself in.
Rose shot daggers toward Blanche’s direction with her stare, “Who are you and what did you do to our Blanche?”
Blanche matched Rose’s inscrutable grimaces. “It’s me, you moron! She thinks her sarcasm is a part of her charm. It’s not charming at all.” The museum secretary grabbed her suitcase and wheeled it to her room. She slammed the door, loud enough for Dorothy to hear.
“Oh, yeah, that’s her.”
Even Sophia who’s listening to the music heard the way Blanche crashed the door close. With just a little more force, the entire house would’ve fallen apart.
“What happened to those two?” Sophia pressed the pause button on her cassette player and shifted her attention to Rose.
“I don’t know, honestly. All I know is that they went from best buddies to sworn enemies in under 24 hours,” the small-town woman shrugged. She yawned. “I’m tired, I’m gonna get some rest before I unpack.”
“Foshizzle, homie,” Sophia waved off and continued listening.
Rose wrinkled her nose, being totally weirded out by the old lady’s newfound interest.
~
It was one hell of a day for Dorothy. Spain was a beautiful country. Sort of like a paradise for an academic like her.
She brought the camera towards her left eye. She squinted and captured the enchanting view. She loved taking photos of the old buildings and historical structures on site. Dorothy even brought two different cameras just in case. She was determined to capture Spain in all its glory so that she could show Sophia, who was not able to join them due to the lack of travel funds. Uncomfortable as she was to leave her mother home alone, she also didn’t want to pass up the chance to travel. When the film of her Nikon camera ran out, Dorothy took the Polaroid instant camera she borrowed from a colleague.
The camera clicked, she saw the flash go off and a few seconds later the picture developed itself into a little leaf of a special photo paper. She fanned the picture over her face. Spain was hot for a European country. She remembered to stay hydrated as they go.
When the photo finally became clearer, she noticed that it was not wide lensed like her Nikon. The parish looked amazing in the picture but there was someone in the shot. The camera adjusted its focus on her best friend. She smiled at the picture, Blanche looked exquisite feeding the pigeons.
She walked toward her Southern roommate, “here, you were in my shot.” She gave the picture to Blanche.
“Oh, look at me! I’m perfect! I’m thin at this angle, my jaws are sculpted, and my hair looks professionally done!” Her friend grinned excitedly. “May I keep this, Dorothy, please?”
Please say yes.
“Yeah, sure.”
It was almost sundown and the night was finally beginning to take over Madrid. The two best friends could only wish that Rose was along with them exploring this part of the city. But unfortunately on their last day in the European country, Rose developed a high fever. She let the two girls explore on their own for now while she nursed herself back to health.
“I’m parched,” Blanche stopped and sighed. They spotted a less crowded coffee shop nearby and decided to get some drinks.
Dorothy insisted that she’d pay for the coffee and cheesecake that they ordered, but Blanche decided against it. She knew if she let Dorothy pay now, she would have to pay the next bill. She was not a cheapskate, but she’s not about to let Dorothy one up her. Blanche insisted that they split the bill.
“Why don’t you ladies let me pay for your coffee? This one’s on me.” A baritone Spanish-accented voice said.
Blanche and Dorothy looked up and met the face behind the voice.
“No, we got it from here, thanks.” Dorothy waived off.
Blanche raised a brow, “Dorothy! If the gentleman wants to pay our bills, let him pay for it!” She argued coquettishly.
The schoolteacher whispered that she heard this modus before. A handsome man trying to get helpless tourists’ attention while they swindle or pickpocket them.
The man heard Dorothy whisper and laughed, “No, señora. I promise you, the only thing I am gonna steal from you is your heart,” he took Dorothy’s hand and brought them over to his lips. Both women were surprised by his straightforward nature. Actually, Blanche was more surprised that this Spanish hunk preferred Dorothy over her. “Enrico Buendia, I own this cafeteria,” he introduced himself.
“It’s a pleasure, Señor Buendia,” Dorothy smiled. She introduced themselves to him as he did. She could see herself being attracted to him.
“Could I invite you ladies to dinner?”
“Me too?” Blanche asked. Well, well, so this man is not completely smitten with her less attractive roommate, after all, she thought.
“I don’t think Señora Dorothy would come with a strange man like me by herself,” he said politely.
Right. Say no, Dorothy. Please say no. It’s our last day, the only time I could have you alone to myself.
“No, I don’t need a chaperone.”
“Oh. But yeah, as she said, she doesn’t need a chaperone,” Blanche mimicked, sagging in defeat.
Great. Just great.
But Enrico insisted, he said he’d want Blanche to have fun as well and enjoy the Spanish nightlife. He invited them to another club that he owns. “I will meet you both at Casa Concordia de la Costa at nine. We’ll have drinks, music and dancing.” He left his calling card with the ladies.
“I can’t believe it,” Dorothy exclaimed, her cheeks blushing. She looked at Blanche, checking Enrico out.
“Eh, I could do better.” She responded, determined to land herself a man at the Casa.
“Why do you have to turn everything into a competition?” Dorothy said teasingly, she was a little annoyed at Blanche but at the same time flattered that a man paid more attention to her rather than her roommate.
They walked back to the hotel they’d been staying at. As soon as the girls arrived, they checked up on Rose to see if she was feeling better already. That way, if she is then they can bring her with them. They brought her back a gazpacho, just in case.
“You brought me back a cold tomato soup and no margaritas?” Rose asked as soon as Blanche took the glass thermometer out of her mouth.
“Honey, your temperature is still at 101, you don’t need any more body heat,” Blanche advised.
Dorothy told Rose about their meeting with Enrico and hoped that she could join them. Rose refused anyway, saying she needed to regain more energy and she just probably need some more rest. Her two roommates agreed that the sooner that she recovered, the better. For the time being, it was Dorothy and Blanche’s time to embark on the Spanish nightlife.
Blanche was able to pull out her best date night dresses from her suitcase and applied her best make-up game on. That way she won’t have to be alone at the party, while Dorothy was having a blast with her wealthy Spaniard gentleman. Though she still can’t seem to figure out what the macho man saw in her less attractive friend.
“You ready, social butterfly?” Dorothy poked her head in from the adjacent room. Blanche has been dolling up for more than an hour, and they’d be late. Dorothy certainly didn’t want to leave a bad impression on Señor Buendia. “You’re too lovely to look at already, you don’t need all that face paint,” Dorothy glanced at her.
“You think so?” Blanche blushed. She already knew she’s pretty, but it felt good to be complimented.
The middle-school teacher rolled her eyes, “yeah, anything to get you goin’.”
She frowned, her best friend had become marginally cocky over the last few hours and she personally didn’t appreciate it. “Just because you have a date, you don’t have to shove it on my face.”
“Oh yes, I will,” Dorothy grinned.
They once again checked in with Rose and see how she was doing so far, she looked like she was getting better already, but she still insisted to stay in and wished her best friends to have a great time.
When Blanche and Dorothy came on down, they were cornered by a man in what seemed to be a chauffeur uniform. He spoke, “Good evening, Madame. My name is Juancho, and Don Enrico sent me here to pick you up.”
“Wow, isn’t that sweet?” Blanche twitched her lips and raised her brows, sporting jealousy.
Her older roommate ignored her little remark and followed Juancho, the chauffeur. As if having sent a driver wasn’t impressive enough, they were led to a beautiful 1984 Cadillac Coupe Deville in cobalt blue. Dorothy had to hold out her whimper at the sight of the nice looking vehicle. “I could get used to this,” she whispered into Blanche’s ears.
The Cadillac stopped in front of an expensive-looking seaside nightclub. The sign in neon lights read Casa Concordia de la Costa.
“Looks like we have arrived at our destination,” Blanche said and extended her hand as Juancho reached in to help her out of the car. She couldn’t help but be left open-mouthed at the view. It’s ten times better than the ones she used to frequent back home.
Dorothy was greeted by a smiling face, it was the club owner himself, Don Enrico Buendia. She gathered from Juancho that he was a self-made millionaire, and she couldn’t be more thrilled about that little detail. As if it wasn’t enough that he’s such a hunk, he had to be a millionaire as well. What a catch, and she couldn’t wait to tell her mother.
“Shall we?”
“Yes, we shall.” Dorothy giggled flirtatiously.
The rest of the night was fun and exciting. Dorothy was able to have some time alone with her date while Blanche gallivanted around, mingling with men she could potentially pick up but there was no luck at all. She found it extra difficult to flirt with them with the language barrier. She returned to their table when she spotted her friend, Dorothy sitting by herself.
It was cold that night, but it wasn’t so bad. Dorothy was glad she was wearing sensible clothing but she could see her friend gnawing at the cold weather. When she couldn’t stand Blanche’s teeth grinding and jaw clenching, Dorothy took off her shawl and wrapped it over her shoulders. She deadpanned at her best friend as if wanting to say that she shouldn’t have worn a skimpy outfit.
Her friend asked her date’s whereabouts, Dorothy slumped on the table and said he was just gonna take a phone call but it’s almost been a little over half an hour and he’s still nowhere to be found. Blanche suspected that it just might be the reason he insisted Blanche to come with.
“Do you like him so much?” Blanche asked seriously.
“I don’t know, it’s a silly thing to think about, we’ll go home tomorrow and this will all be over,” the schoolteacher answered, slowly feeling uninterested in her date.
That’s a relief. Hey! Why do I care so much? It’s just an overseas fling. Isn’t it? She’s not going home with him, is she? Naah, she’s not like me.
“If you like him, tell him. Nothing’s gonna ever happen if you don’t try,” Blanche urged.
The band started to play salsa music and everyone got up to their feet and formed a conga line. The conga line was kinda exhausting, and they’ve been squished into each other as they go along. Blanche was clearly enjoying herself.
The southern belle glanced behind her and she met her best friend’s eyes. Her eyes were sparkling as she grinned at Blanche. Likewise, she smiled at Dorothy sheepishly. She could feel her cheeks burning. She suddenly felt a peculiar heat engulfing her. She already had a few drinks in but what she just felt wasn’t something that a mere alcoholic drink could induce.
When the music was over, Blanche headed to the bar. She needed something to drink. Something stronger than what she's battling with.
Blanche had a few more drinks when she saw Enrico approach the bar and she forced herself to return the smile he had just given her. “Having fun, Blanche?”
“Yes,” she took a straight-up shot out of her glass of rum and Pepsi cola.
What’s fun about this?
He noticed that Blanche was staring at their table from afar, where his date was, Dorothy. Enrico frowned as he peered in closer into Blanche’s reaction. “I would love for you to meet someone I know, but I see you’re already in love with someone else.”
Blanche gasped softly. She looked at him with apparent shock on her face. She’s looked at Dorothy a couple of times, and no one has called her out about it, she’s always been careful. Or was she? Has she always been this transparent? Nevertheless, she needn’t have to explain anything to anyone.
Stupid, stupid!
“My, my, Señor! I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Blanche chuckled, “did you have too much to drink? I couldn’t blame you for seeing things that aren’t there if you did.” She squirmed as she lied to him nervously.
Don Enrico leaned in closer and whispered something into her ear. “Your secret is safe with me, but you have to move fast or someone might take her away from you.”