you’re not giving me more frequent updates. I didn’t even know he had a name already. You’re acting like this kind of shit happens to you all the time.”
“I’m sorry, Sar. I don’t see him and then when I do it’s so short and rushed.”
“It’s okay, you’re still my favorite 1%-er.”
“Ugh, Sarah, don’t call me that!”
“Does the kid know he hit the jackpot yet?”
“What, my parents? Yeah, Sarah. I haven’t exactly brought him home to meet the family.”
“You fucked him already, though, didn’t you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Worse. Juvenile. Strangely violent. The fantasy was better than the reality, just like they say.”
“Well, you did meet him on the playground. Maybe now you won’t be tempted next time.”
“Thing is, I want to see him again. It’s impossible to get it right on the first try, Sarah. One more time and then it will be forever out of my system.”
“Are you telling me or just saying that to yourself? Because neither of us believe you.”
“I’ll tell him and that way we’ll establish some clear boundaries.”
“Yeah. Um, right, because this kid obviously respects boundaries. You’re asking for it, sister. You’re taking it too far.”
“I’ve got this, Sar, don’t worry. I’m completely in control.”
Chapter 7
A week later, Jaylee invites me to come over while his family is actually home. I’m not sure what it means to him, this introduction, but I feel too strongly for him to decline something that could possibly be meaningful or important to him.
Coming here the second time should be easier. Having Jaylee by my side, holding tightly onto my hand should inspire confidence, but instead I’m a nervous wreck. I can’t help wondering if his mother and grandmother know that I’ve been here before or if they have any idea of what caused the bottles to crash from the top of their dresser.
Jaylee unlocks the door and ushers me into the apartment yelling “Mamá!” One of his hands on my hip navigates me with perfect fluidity, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. Jaylee is completely at ease and seems excited about bringing me home. I’m immediately assaulted by the smell of garlic, fry oil, and some type of floral air freshener; the heady scent makes the tiny apartment feel even smaller. His grandmother and mother are in the kitchen and both wipe their hands simultaneously, his grandmother on her house apron and his mother on a tea towel. Their synchronized movement seems strange to me considering that they’re not biologically related to one another.
Gladys, Jaylee’s told me, is his father’s mother. She is round and voluptuous and flashes a conspiratorial smile at me that makes my shoulders relax and puts me at ease. I like her at first sight and I can tell that she likes me. She takes both of my hands in hers and wraps me into a quick and hearty hug.
“Kate, qué gusto. Jaylee nos ha contado mucho de tí,” she gushes.
What could he possibly have told them? My age? That I’m married with children? Oh, God I feel sick. I’m a bad person.
“Bella y profesional,” she says and squeezes my hands in hers.
She flatters me and I feel grateful for her warmth. It soothes my ragged nerves and butterfly-entangled stomach.
Janet, Jaylee’s mother is not as pleased to meet me, either that or she’s much more reserved than everyone else in her family. We shake hands and kiss lightly on the cheek. We are divided by only a few years in age. Jaylee tries to minimize the age difference but it obviously matters to her – I can tell by just looking. My guess is that Janet is maybe a few years younger than me, but appears older either from stress or heartbreak. She dyes her hair a deep mahogany but the white roots peek through at her part and around her face. Jaylee gets his sculpted, high cheekbones from her and his perfectly square teeth. There are traces of acne scars in the contour of
“I’m sorry, Sar. I don’t see him and then when I do it’s so short and rushed.”
“It’s okay, you’re still my favorite 1%-er.”
“Ugh, Sarah, don’t call me that!”
“Does the kid know he hit the jackpot yet?”
“What, my parents? Yeah, Sarah. I haven’t exactly brought him home to meet the family.”
“You fucked him already, though, didn’t you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Worse. Juvenile. Strangely violent. The fantasy was better than the reality, just like they say.”
“Well, you did meet him on the playground. Maybe now you won’t be tempted next time.”
“Thing is, I want to see him again. It’s impossible to get it right on the first try, Sarah. One more time and then it will be forever out of my system.”
“Are you telling me or just saying that to yourself? Because neither of us believe you.”
“I’ll tell him and that way we’ll establish some clear boundaries.”
“Yeah. Um, right, because this kid obviously respects boundaries. You’re asking for it, sister. You’re taking it too far.”
“I’ve got this, Sar, don’t worry. I’m completely in control.”
Chapter 7
A week later, Jaylee invites me to come over while his family is actually home. I’m not sure what it means to him, this introduction, but I feel too strongly for him to decline something that could possibly be meaningful or important to him.
Coming here the second time should be easier. Having Jaylee by my side, holding tightly onto my hand should inspire confidence, but instead I’m a nervous wreck. I can’t help wondering if his mother and grandmother know that I’ve been here before or if they have any idea of what caused the bottles to crash from the top of their dresser.
Jaylee unlocks the door and ushers me into the apartment yelling “Mamá!” One of his hands on my hip navigates me with perfect fluidity, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. Jaylee is completely at ease and seems excited about bringing me home. I’m immediately assaulted by the smell of garlic, fry oil, and some type of floral air freshener; the heady scent makes the tiny apartment feel even smaller. His grandmother and mother are in the kitchen and both wipe their hands simultaneously, his grandmother on her house apron and his mother on a tea towel. Their synchronized movement seems strange to me considering that they’re not biologically related to one another.
Gladys, Jaylee’s told me, is his father’s mother. She is round and voluptuous and flashes a conspiratorial smile at me that makes my shoulders relax and puts me at ease. I like her at first sight and I can tell that she likes me. She takes both of my hands in hers and wraps me into a quick and hearty hug.
“Kate, qué gusto. Jaylee nos ha contado mucho de tí,” she gushes.
What could he possibly have told them? My age? That I’m married with children? Oh, God I feel sick. I’m a bad person.
“Bella y profesional,” she says and squeezes my hands in hers.
She flatters me and I feel grateful for her warmth. It soothes my ragged nerves and butterfly-entangled stomach.
Janet, Jaylee’s mother is not as pleased to meet me, either that or she’s much more reserved than everyone else in her family. We shake hands and kiss lightly on the cheek. We are divided by only a few years in age. Jaylee tries to minimize the age difference but it obviously matters to her – I can tell by just looking. My guess is that Janet is maybe a few years younger than me, but appears older either from stress or heartbreak. She dyes her hair a deep mahogany but the white roots peek through at her part and around her face. Jaylee gets his sculpted, high cheekbones from her and his perfectly square teeth. There are traces of acne scars in the contour of
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