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Post by aj on Aug 18, 2003 14:56:37 GMT -5
"I'm curious to know what's going on, Lolo." I said. "I think you know, Mateo." she said grinning as she walked to me. "This is my family's house." she added.
"Why don't you live here?!" I asked amazed. I couldn't imagine why someone would leave this behind. "I brought you some of my brother Carlito's clothes. He's about your size. Mama insisted she throw out our old clothes." she said giggling and handing me a pile of clothes. 'Who in their right mind would want to leave here?' I thought. "I'll be downstairs." she said lingering by the doorway and slowly slipping out of sight.
The shirt was white button-down and smelled like soap and lavender. The jeans were worn but clean and fit me rather well. The socks were a little large, but warm and soft. The sneakers were roomy but much better than the threadbare sneakers I had before. I looked in the mirror and noticed I needed a haircut. With all these nice clothes my moppy mane of black hair looked odd. I tried to comb it back but I just looked silly.
I kept on thinking about how she never really answered my question. Why would someone leave all of this to live in the streets? Why would someone want to sleep in a rusted out car rather than a huge over-stuffed mattress? The puzzle annoyed me. The fact that she avoided answering me troubled me too. I walked down the hall carpeted with Oriental runners, huge vases and glossy cherry wood furniture towards the sounds of a conversation going on at the bottom of the staircase. It was Maria and her mother. They were arguing.
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Post by Char on Aug 24, 2003 7:50:37 GMT -5
"No mama, I didn't know his name was Mateo! I've always called him Rusty!" I heard Lolo plead to her mother. " What was this, I thought? Does her mother not like me because of my name? I edged a little closer to the top of the stairs so I could hear them better. "I know Maria," her mother said. "It's just seeing those clothes again...and his name...Mateo...." I heard her start to weep. "Oh Mama, please don't be upset. It will be alright." Lolo comforted her mother. After a moment I heard her say, "Yes Maria, you are right. Our Mateo is up in heaven with your Papa now. He will suffer no more. Your Rusty...Mateo, is welcome to stay with us. And he is welcome to use your brothers clothes and room if he wishes. I'm sure he'd much rather be in a boys room than a girls room, Maria. Don't you think?" "Yes, mama, I hope he'd like to stay with us." I hadn't realized that I had been holding my breath, and when I finally let it out, they both looked up me...
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Post by aj on Aug 24, 2003 15:52:40 GMT -5
We all stood looking at each other in an awkward silence. "Umm...you should just call me Rusty!" I blurted loud enough to nearly cause a little echo through the empty house. Clearing my throat I added, "I prefer that name anyway." I tried to laugh but it came out like a cough. They smiled thin smiles and walked together to the courtyard. I felt a strong heat radiating from my face and my neck was a long, cold stretch of tiny hairs standing up. 'Man!' I thought. 'This place makes me nervous!' I followed their long shadows to the courtyard in the hopes that more would be revealed.
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Post by Char on Aug 24, 2003 16:31:17 GMT -5
Maria and her mother walked to the far side of the large courtyard and Maria sat down on one of the many stone benches that were placed around the rose garden. Her mother started clipping the already perfectly pruned rose bushes. Maria sat there quietly, contemplating the events of the last couple of days. "Do you think he'll like it here with us, Mama?" Maria asked her mother in hushed urgency. After a few moments her mother turned slowly around to face her. "Well, Maria, I think we should talk to your Mateo, ask him where he's from. Does he have any family? They must be so worried about him just like we were worried about you my Maria..." her mother said looking at Maria with a hint of a reproach. Maria looking properly remorseful (for she realized just how much she had hurt her family by running away) understood , and with growing anticipation, wondered what was going to happen next...
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Post by aj on Sept 3, 2003 21:17:16 GMT -5
Although there was no clear reason for me to feel this way I felt that at any moment Lolo's mother would come to her senses and call the police. They would drag me out of there and into a deep prison hole to languish forever. I expected that because that was all I knew. Even watching them in the garden, pleasantly talking and being loving towards each other I felt that it would end. I had to know. I had to understand why Lolo lived on the streets. I had to ask the question.
As I crossed the garden I almost passed out from all the many different fragrances along the way. The powerful sun setting in the sky wasn't easy to endure either, coupled with my already woozy head which was still trying to get over the news from my stomach that yes, that was real food we just ate. I stood just a foot away from Lolo and her mother. They turned to me and smiled gently. And I asked, "Lolo...Umm. I mean, Maria." I stammered softly. "Yes, Rusty?" she said giggling. "Why?"I whispered. "Please speak up, Rusty."her mother said sharply. "Why were you on the streets? Why when you have all of this and your mother? I don't understand." I said quickly. And I shut my eyes for fear of something. And I waited, but there was no answer. I realized then I had been holding my breath. I looked at Maria and a tear fell fast to the ground. She looked at me sweetly and said,
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Post by Char on Sept 5, 2003 15:42:17 GMT -5
"I was very angry, Mateo. I lost my Papa and my little brother in a car accident," she said. "His name was the same as yours... Mateo..." Maria stood up and went to stand beside her mother, and took her hand in hers. "I blamed Mama. If she didn't ask my Papa to go to the market..." her voice trailed off. "It's alright my Maria, I understood your anger and confusion, but did not know how to help you. You were very angry." "So", Maria said "I took off on my own for almost two years." Maria looked at her hands and said, " I guess I just got tired of being filthy and hungry and wanted to go home. But how was I going to tell you??? You hadn't really said anything about your family." Which was true. It's kind of an unspoken rule. DON'T ask questions unless the person brings it up themselves first. "So, I couldn't come home and leave you out there... We've become too close. So I decided to bring you with me. I'm sorry it's been such a shock." Marias' mother kissed the top of her head. "I'm so very happy Maria has come home to us, and we are very glad to have you here with us, Mateo." Up until she said that it was like I was standing on pins and needles waiting for the ax to fall. "Are you really?" I stammered. I could hardly believe my ears! Dare I hope that someone actually wants me? I just stood there grinning from ear to ear like I just got the greatest gift in the world!
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