LUCIA

After a successful and eventful day, I got home only to find her.

Paloma Eugenia Camacho, otherwise known as my sister.

"Paloma." I said, my eyes trained on her. The shopping bags were still clasped in my hands.

"Luciana." She uttered my name, her big grey eyes which reminded me of our mamá, resting on me.

"Didn't know you'd be visiting." I spoke, my eyes surveying her outfit which comprised of a sleeveless crop top which exhibited her toned stomach and a pair of denim shorts that exposed her thighs and legs.

Her toned long legs have always been her pride and she never shies away from flaunting them.

"I wanted it to be a surprise. You know how much I love surprises." Paloma retorted, walking towards me. Her ample breasts bounced with each stride she took. She hated how saggy and flaccid they looked after giving birth to her niños, it's why she'd opted for plastic surgery.

Personally, I do not advocate for plastic surgery because I believe that God created us in his own image.

"Now, aren't you going to give me a hug?" She inquired, halting directly in front of me. Being taller than me, I was compelled to tilt my head to face her. She inherited the tall genes from papa's side of the familia.

Before I could speak, she forcefully drew me for a bone crushing hug. How could I forget how much of a hugger she is?

"I missed you, hermanita." She was sniffling, prompting me to roll my eyes. She broke the hug and cupped my face in her palms. "You have lost weight. It seems that Juan Perez is not feeding you well. Good thing your big sister is here to ensure that you are well taken care of."

"My husband takes very good care of me, Palomita." I spilled, a smile forcing its way to my lips.

"Really? Does preaching pay him well these days? Or is it peanuts like back in the day?" She poked her nose in my marital affairs.

"Carl, take these bags to my room." I instructed my son who had been observing our interaction in silence.

After he had left, I turned my gaze to her. "You still haven't told me why you are here, Paloma."

"You really didn't want me to visit? Estoy muy herida, Luciana{I'm very hurt, Luciana}." Her full lips curled into an angry-like pout as she dramatically crossed her arms on her chest.

She always had a flare for the dramatics. It's why she ended up being an award-winning Telenovela actress. Last time I visited mexico, her face was plastered on every billboard in the city.

"Still haven't answered the why part of my question." I mumbled, taking off my shoes. The jimmy choos pumps were killing my feet after my earlier shopping activities which involved a lot of moving around.

"Luciana, can't I visit my sister and nephew? Or is that a crime here in California?" She inquired following me to the kitchen.

She sat on the marble counter. A kitchen stool was literally a few feet from her and yet she chose to sit on my clean kitchen counter. You know, the same counter where I roll my tortillas and chop my vegetables.

How much longer do I have to put up with her? It's been only 10 minutes and it feels like an eternity of misery with her around.

"You know there is this thing called telephone. Do you have one in Mexico? Because if you did, you would have called to inform me that you are visiting." I turned on the faucet. Cold water surged from the tap, licking away the dirt from my hands as I rinsed them.

I turned off the faucet, grabbed a hand towel and desiccated my moist hands and placed the towel back on the shelf.

"Yes we have a telephone but I didn't want to call because I wanted to surprise you...and looks like it worked." She explained, grabbing a carrot from the grocery basket on the counter.

Then, she started chewing on it loudly. As much as I hate it when someone touches my food without washing their hands, what I despise more is when someone chews loudly in my presence.

Okay, that's it.

"Can you get off my counter and stop chewing like a rabbit!" I yelled, releasing the pent up irritation.

"If you ask nicely then maybe I will." She shrugged, taking another bite of the carrot and chewing louder.

"Please, get off the counter before I kick you out of my house?" I requested.

"See, that wasn't so hard Lucici." She stated, getting off the counter and tossing the half eaten carrot in the grocery basket.

"You know that I don't go by that name anymore." I commented, opening the fridge and taking out some milk and eggs. I assembled the rest of the ingredients and placed them on the counter.

"Aww...but I loved calling you that when we were little. You adored it so much." She replied, nostalgia swimming in her voice.

"And now I'm a grown woman who hates that name." I started adding the ingredients in a bowl one by one. I was making chocolate cake for dessert for dinner later tonight. A guest was coming over for dinner.

"Why are you this grumpy, Lucici?"

"And why are you really here Palomita? Did your drug dealer of a husband finally get tired of you and kick you out?" I fired, hoping to finally shut her up. My mission was successful because she not only shut her mouth but walked out of the kitchen.

"Thank you, Jesus." I released a sigh, a smile making its way to my lips as peace reigned the place.

I was humming one of Don Moen's praise and worship songs when my sister scurried back in the kitchen with a huge bowl of ice cream in her hand.

There goes my peace.

She sat on the kitchen stool and scooped a spoonful of the ice cream and shoved it in her mouth.

"You're back. I thought you left...for good." I made a comment, mixing the ingredients in a bowl.

"Oh Lucici, I don't plan on leaving any time soon."

"So does that mean that my suspicions were right? That your drug dealer of a husband finally got tired of you." I mentioned. Silence followed.
She suddenly spoke, butchering the tranquil.

"Yes Luciana you are right. We had a huge fight the other day after I found out that he has been cheating on me with a prostitute. Oh Luciana, that man stepped all over my heart and broke it. You were right about him all along. He wasn't right for me." Her confession caused me to halt my activities. Dejection had inhabited her face and it looked like she was about to break down.

"I'm really sorr--" I started to speak but she interrupted with a laughter loud enough to awake our very dead mama.

"Oh Lucici, you fell for my sad tale." She was still laughing.

"Glad that you find the situation funny, Paloma." I scoffed, resuming my culinary activities.

"It is funny that you thought my Armando was capable of cheating on me. If he even dares to look at another woman, I will rip his ball sack off with my teeth. Plus, our sex life is amazing. And our relationship has gotten stronger over the years." She revealed, licking ice cream off the metallic spoon.

"By the way, there is this new sex style he came up with and Dios, it is very satisfying. Honestly, I have never met a man who matches my sexual appetite like Armando. El es un tigre en cama y yo soy su tigresa {He is a tiger in bed and I am his tigress}." Paloma described, mimicking a tiger's roar at the end of her speech.

"I do not wish to know what goes on in your bedroom por favor, Paloma." I protested, feeling my face heat up with embarrassment.

How does she not feel an ounce of shame talking about such indecent topics so openly and loudly?

"When was the last time you had orgasmic sex, Luciana? I bet my left tit that it's been years because you look like a sex deprived animal." Her words fueled a blush which scalded my entire face.

"Palomita, mi vida sexual no es asunto tuyo {my sex life is entirely none of your business}." I replied with a slight stutter in my voice.

"Luciana, déjame contarte un pequeño secreto {let me let you in on a little secret}. A healthy and satisfying sex life is one of the key factors to a long lasting marriage." She spilled the words of wisdom.

"Thank you for the advice, Palomita. But I don't need it because my marriage and sex life is perfecta. As you can see, I still have my wedding ring on." I clarified, my lips stretching into a convincing smile.

"Hmm...if you say so, hermanita." She sounded unconvinced. She was always good at reading me. I could never truly lie to her about anything.

"Anyway, how are the kids?" I decided to change the topic. Anything was better than discussing my sex life with her.

"They are fine. Wish I could bring them along. But they had school and I didn't want to interrupt their studies. Raul has grown a lot since you last saw him. He has a stubble these days. He's also captain of the school soccer team and plays really well. He wants to pursue football as a career and Armando and I fully support him. Oh, he also has a girlfriend. Can't believe that he was a toddler 19 years ago. Kids grow up very fast, don't they?" She excitedly talked about her son. One thing we have always had in common is the love for our niños.

"As for my Maricruz, she is the nerd of the family. Her head is always buried in her books and laptop. I got her glasses the other week to protect her eyes. My little chica is going to be a renowned cardiologist someday." Approbation dripped from her voice as she talked about my niece who was my favorite of all her kids. If I had a girl, I would want her to be just like Maricruz.

"I'm proud of her." I spoke, meaning every word.

"Me too." She stated, scooping another spoonful of the ice cream and licking it.

"Anyway, what is that you are preparing?"

"Chocolate cake."

"Nice. Is it someone's birthday?" She inquired, watching what I was doing.

"No. I'm having a guest over tonight so the cake is for dessert." I rejoined, whisking the contents of the bowl.

"One of your church friends I suppose?"

"No. It's a nun from St. Thomas' parish."

"Hermanita, please don't tell me that you have finally decided to be a nun. I can bear to see you marry a preacher but being una monja? No. I can't bear it." She reacted.

"Relájate Paloma. The reason she will be visiting will be to help with my son's situation."

"What situation is that?" She pried for information.

"A few weeks ago, I found out that my son has a serious illness. I'm ashamed to even say the illness out loud, Paloma. The only person who can help cure that horrible sickness is Sister Charity. It's why I invited her for dinner." I opened up to her and she listened attentively.

"What illness is this that you would need a nun's help?" She inquired.

"Paloma, my son has contacted the disease of homosexuality. I tried praying for him but nothing changed. I had him break things off with the boy whom he claimed to like but I know that it's only a matter of time before he goes back to his immoral ways. I want to have him cured of this disease for good." I blabbered and Paloma stared at me, like I had grown three heads.

"Hermanita, why in the world would you think that my sobrino is sick just because he is gay?" She inquired.

"I don't think he is sick. I know he is. This disease that he has will be cured. I believe." I explained.

She let out a sad laugh, "Oh Luciana, how can you talk this way about your own flesh and blood? Carl is your son and he is perfectly normal. There is nothing wrong with him. He likes boys and that will never change. You cannot cure that because it is his identity." She addressed.

"I refuse to accept that, Paloma. My son was okay until he contacted the disease which turned him into someone that I can barely recognize." I spat, anger and pain surging through me.

She released a sigh, "Luciana, tu hijo no está enfermo. Tú eres el enfermo por pensar que su sexualidad es una enfermedad. {Luciana, your son is not sick. You are the sick one for thinking that his sexuality is a disease}. My sobrino is a proud gay boy, the sooner you accept that the better it will be for everyone. Especially him because honestly all he wants is for his mama to accept him."

"How can I accept something that is wrong and sinful?"

"Being gay is not a sin. It has never been. I know that we were raised by a Catholic mama who considered almost everything as a sin. She would judge every little thing we did or said. And we always did everything to please her because we were desperate for her approval." She opened up about our late madre, taking me down the memory lane.

"Luciana, I wish that mama was a little more accepting instead of always judging us. Then maybe, Emiliano would have been alive." At the mention of his name, a shiver ran down my spine.

Suddenly, the traumatic memories of that night crowded my mind. His cold lifeless body sprawled on the bed. His open lifeless eyes staring at me. White foam oozing from his mouth and cascading the edge of his lips. An empty bottle of prescription pills rested on the nightstand.

He had overdosed that night.

Ended his life.

"Luciana, are you okay?" Her voice drew me back to reality. It was then, that I felt a familiar warm liquid cascading my cheeks.

"I'm...fine." I stuttered, wiping the tears from my cheeks.