"How have you been, Selenita?" she asked, gently probing for answers as she put the last garment of clothing in the closet.
"I'm doing fine."
"I hear you have a boyfriend," she announced, concern in her voice.
"Who told you?" Selena had kept it from her. She hadn’t wanted to disappoint her grandmother who had told her to stay away from Xavier.
"Your dad mentioned it to me, but I would've known anyway,” she murmured solemnly.
Grandmother Chela had a unique ability to feel what was going on in her family's lives. There were times the family wanted to keep certain things from her in order not to worry her, but she always knew. And her ability didn't stop at her flesh and blood. It extended to the people she cared about like to Mrs. Spinoza. Even if Mr. Spinoza was her son by blood, she felt Mrs. Spinoza was her daughter by spirit and knew about the cancer before she was told. In fact, it had been Grandmother Chela who had insisted Selena’s mom go to the doctor before anyone even suspected about the disease growing destructively inside.
"But I feel fine," Mrs. Spinoza had said. "Why do I need to get another check up? I just had one a few months ago."
"Go to the doctor, Belinda. I'm going to call you again and again until you do."
It was early detection that had helped to save Mrs. Spinoza. Grandmother Chela, hands down, was one of the greatest people Selena had ever known or read about. Her grandmother had survived the death of her husband at a very young age—both had only been in their forties, and she had farmed the land herself with her kids. Mr. Spinoza was the youngest of ten kids and some lived in Mexico while others in Los Angeles. Being the only one living on the border, Mr. Spinoza tried to do as much as he could for his mother.
"Are you going to tell me about your young man?" asked Grandmother Chela with authority in her voice.
"His name is . . . "
“Don’t worry, Selenita. Your dad already told me you were dating a boy named Xavier.”
Selena nodded.
“Is he the boy you were talking tome about a while back?—the strange boy?”
“I’m sorry, Grandmother Chela,” Selena implored. “I know you told me I should stay away from him, but I just couldn’t.”
“You couldn’t?”
Selena shook her head. “I tried but . . . but we couldn’t stay away from each other . . . and I’m not the mushy, lovestruck type—you know I’m not but . . . but we couldn’t stay away from one another—really, we couldn’t.”
“Selenita—“
“We needed to be together—I can’t explain it. And he really is a great guy. I know you’ll see it too when you meet him. He’s special. He really is . . . You’ll see.”
“I’m sure I will,” she murmured, her face scrunched in deep, naked concern.
“I hope you’re not disappointed in me, Grandmother Chela.”
“You can never stop being my pride and joy, my muchachita.”
“I love you too, grandmother,” Selena expressed, relieved.
"What kind of a person is he?"
"He's so awesome, Grandmother Chela. He says the most amazing things."
"He does?"
"He's been through a lot."
"Tell me about it, my muchachita."
Selena spent the next hour explaining about Xavier and Grandmother Chela listened very carefully, not interrupting at all. Selena could see her grandmother's heart opening when she told her about Xavier's mother.
"He seems like a good boy," Grandmother Chela said once Selena had finished.
"Dad still has some problems with him being the nephew of Blake Montgomery. He doesn't say anything, but I can tell it still bothers him."
"Don't worry about your dad, Selenita. I raised him to get over himself."
"So you think he'll accept Xavier someday?"
"Your dad may be fighting with his own demons, but he's not blind."
"My Grandmother Chela is here!" exclaimed Selena over the phone.
"You didn't tell me your grandmother was visiting," said Xavier.
"My mom surprised me when I got home from school."
"I'm so happy for you, Selena. I know you miss her."
"Xavier, I'm afraid I won't be able to spend as much time with you this week."
"Why not?" he asked, disappointed.
"Grandmother Chela will only be here for the week."
"So?" he asked, puzzled.
"She's seventy-seven years old. I don't know how much longer I'll be lucky enough to have her, and I want to spend as much time as I can with her."
"I'm not invited to meet your grandmother?"
"Yes, of course I want you to meet her, but I'm sure you have better things to do than hang out with my grandmother and me."
"Selena, I've been wanting to meet your grandmother ever since you started talking about her. I would also love to spend time with the both of you."
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"I guess I never thought you'd want to hang out with us."
"Sometimes I like to think that your family is my family," Xavier said quietly.
"Really?"
"Yes, really.
Chapter 37
On the bus from school, Xavier seemed jittery. Selena asked him if everything was okay. Xavier nodded his head and changed the subject. While walking her home, he stayed silent. The car alarm from the red Chevy at the house next to Selena’s home blared when Selena and Xavier went past it. Selena winced painfully as she remembered the last time that had happened. Luckily, the owner of the vehicle rushed outside to check on it and to turn off the annoying noise.
"Please tell me what's wrong," Selena told Xavier.
"I'm nervous about meeting your grandmother."
"But you weren't nervous about meeting my parents."
"I was but I faked it."
"You faked it?" Selena asked, surprised and baffled.
"You thought that I’d be a Neanderthal, remember?"
"What do my silly ideas have to do with you being nervous to meet them?"
"I didn't want to make you any more nervous than you were about me meeting them."
"Let me get this straight. You were nervous about meeting my parents, but you were also nervous that I was nervous, so you made believe you weren't nervous. Is that it?"
"That sounds right."
Selena chuckled heartedly. "Xavier, I practically need a psychiatry degree to keep up with us."
"Stop laughing," Xavier said, irritated, his solemn eyes sweeping over her. "I'm really nervous about meeting your grandmother."
"I thought you told me yesterday that you were anxious to meet her."
"I was . . . I am. . . but what if she doesn't like me."
"Since when do you care what anybody thinks of you?" Selena asked with curiosity. From day one of meeting him he had carried himself and acted as if the world had to be on his terms instead of the other way around.
"Your grandmother isn't an anybody."
"True, she is the most remarkable of persons."
"That’s exactly my point."
"Xavier, you're worrying for nothing."
"It's easy for you to say. She likes you—you're her granddaughter."
"And you're the extraordinary Xavier Jones. Don't forget that."
"You give me too much credit,” he stated, frowning.
"I don't give you enough."
"I met Oprah Winfrey last year, and I wasn't as nervous as I am now."
"You are more nervous about meeting my grandmother than you were about meeting Oprah Winfrey?"
"I wasn't really trying to impress her,” he stated, his eyes fully on her. “I'm trying to impress your grandmother so that she gives us her blessing."
"It's important for you that we have her blessing?" Selena asked.
"It's important to me because it's important to you."
A wave of warmth spread through her. "Don't worry!"
They stepped
in the front door, and Grandmother Chela sat on the blue recliner next to Zac watching Green Acres. Mrs. Spinoza was in the loveseat and laughing at the screen.
"Zac has both of you watching Green Acres?" Selena asked, amused.
"They don't make them like that anymore,” said Mrs. Spinoza.
"Grandmother, this is Xavier."
Xavier stepped over to her and shook her hand as her discerning eyes surveyed him solemnly and intently.
"Buenas tardes," he said in Castilian Spanish. "Como esta?"
"You speak Spanish!" exclaimed both Selena and Mrs. Spinoza.
"I lived with my dad in Spain for a while," Xavier said, embarrassed. "I hope my pronunciation isn't too bad. It's been a while since I've spoken Spanish."
"You sounded great," Selena said. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I guess it never came up," Xavier responded.
Grandmother Chela smiled with amusement, her eyes still intently on him. "I speak English, Xavier."
"You do?"
"Grandmother Chela studies and reads a lot," Selena asserted.
"I try my best," said her grandmother.
"Grandmother Chela used to work in the United States as a maid before she married my grandfather," Selena informed him.
"In fact, I used to work next door to your grandparents," Grandmother Chela stated.
“Isn’t that a coincidence?” gushed Mrs. Spinoza, surprised.
“Yes, a coincidence,” Grandmother Chela said wryly.
“But you don’t believe in coincidences, Grandmother.”
“No, I don’t,” she stated, sighing. “Life sometimes comes together in strange ways.”
“So you worked next door to my grandparents?” Xavier questioned, amazement and concern in is voice.
“Yes.”
"I'm sorry," Xavier said nervously.
"You're sorry? —for what?" asked Grandmother Chela.
"For my grandparents. They weren't very nice people. They're gone now but when they were alive, they thought they owned the world."
Grandmother Chela smiled at him. "Your grandmother was nice. It was your step-grandfather that wasn't."
"Really? I don't remember that much about my grandmother since she died when I was very young, but my uncle says his mother was the socialite of Texas."
"Your grandmother was a very gregarious and friendly lady."
"My father doesn't talk much about her."
"I'm guessing that that's because she was an alcoholic. I don't think she had a very happy life with your step-grandfather. Her true love was your grandfather, but he died. Your step-grandfather was a prideful man who only cared about his importance in his world."
"Like my uncle,” Xavier stated.
"Some people think they need to twist this world into what they want instead of making their way through it."
Xavier nodded. "That sounds like my uncle Blake."
Zac started grunting loudly. Green Acres had finished.
"What's wrong with Zac?" asked Xavier.
"We haven't said hello to him," Selena stated. "Hi, my Zac."
Zac oinked happily at her.
"Hi, Zac," said Xavier.
Zac squealed at him.
"Your pig is funny," stated Grandmother Chela.
"He has some problems with Xavier," Selena said.
"He's just a little jealous," offered Mrs. Spinoza, smiling.
"I'm glad he's not a bull," commented Grandmother Chela, eyeing Xavier.
Xavier arrived at Selena’s house with a smile. He, Selena, and Grandmother Chela headed for Old Mesilla which was a little town in New Mexico a short distance from Gran Estrella. Being a Sunday afternoon, Old Mesilla bristled with the energy of joyous people. Grandmother Chela, Selena, and Xavier searched through the shops full of indigenous objects and tasty snacks. Then they sat in the middle of the plazita—a park as much for adults as for children with benches and room for entertainment. A female Mariachi band played while a ballet folklorico danced.
"Wasn't that the best?" asked Selena as soon as the entertainment ended.
"Yes, it was great," Grandmother Chela agreed.
"I'll go get you something to drink, Grandmother."
"I’d appreciate it," said Grandmother Chela.
"I'll go get it," offered Xavier. "There's a long line at the stand."
"No, I'll get it. Stay with my grandmother, please."
Grandmother Chela smiled. She knew her granddaughter very well. Selena was trying to get them to bond, but she shouldn't have worried. Grandmother Chela liked Xavier a great deal. It wasn't hard to see the kind of person he was.
"I know that I shouldn't have a favorite grandchild, but Selena is mine," said Grandmother Chela as soon as Selena left.
"How many grandchildren do you have?"
"Twenty."
"Twenty?"
"Yes, twenty. And they are all special but none of them is Selena."
"No one is Selena," said Xavier with pride.
“You really care about her, don’t you?”
Xavier nodded emphatically. “I haven’t had that many people I’ve been close to in my life.”
"Your mother died when you were very young, didn't she?" asked Grandmother Chela.
"Yes."
"Mine did too."
"How did she die?" Xavier asked gently.
"She died when my little brother was born."
"At childbirth?"
"Yes, and my brother had a hard time getting over it. The day he was born was the day his mother died."
"But it wasn't his fault."
"We finally made him realize that," Grandmother Chela said, eyeing Xavier.
"I guess Selena told you how my mom died."
"Yes, she did."
"Maybe someday I'll be like your brother and not feel responsible."
"Don't wait until the someday, Xavier. Free yourself from that heavy burden you carry."
“I’m not sure I can.”
“Of course you can,” she stated simply.
“But—“
“Believe that you can.”
Xavier nodded. "You're right. I need to get my head straight "
"Selena worries about you."
"She shouldn't."
"It's her nature. I bet she hasn't told you about what happend with her mother."
"What happened with Mrs. Spinoza?"
"She had cancer."
"Cancer?!"
Grandmother Chela nodded. "My grandchild stayed strong for both of her parents. She took care of her mother through chemotherapy and tears and kept her father's spirits up."
"Why hasn't she told me about that?"
"Because of your pain about your mother. She got her mother back while you lost yours."
"Selena has such a big heart."
"You do understand about my granddaughter, don't you?"
Xavier nodded. "I understand everything."
Grandmother Chela stared into him. “But the question is, does she understand everything about you?”
“Excuse me?” Xavier asked, bewildered.
“She doesn’t know everything about you, does she?”
“What do you mean?” Xavier asked, nervously.
“You know what I mean.” Her voice was firm and sure of itself.
“I don’t know—“
“You know what I mean,” she repeated, her voice firmer than before.
“I . . I—“
“Xavier, let’s stop these games.”
“How do you—”
“It doesn’t matter how I know. You do, however, have to tell her.”
Chapter 38
Xavier’s deep eyes stared at Grandmother Chela with complete bewilderment and total disbelief. She calmly eyed him back as he tried to dissect her.
“You can’t possibly know,” he declared. “No way.”
“I do.”
“But—“
“I know everything.”
&n
bsp; “Nobody knows,” he insisted.
"I know. I have certain abilities too.”
"Abilities?"
"Discerning abilities."
“But—“
“I tried to keep you and Selena apart,” she explained wistfully.
“You did?” he asked, surprised. “Why?”
“Do you really have to ask me why?”
His eyes shifted sadly to the ground. “I know I’m different but—“
“I tried to keep you apart, but I should’ve known better. When two people are meant for each other . . . ”
“What’s wrong with us being together?” he asked defensively.
"My granddaughter has no chance of a normal life with you."
“But—“
"I've been different all my life. I wanted to spare my granddaughter the pain of never fitting in."
"I understand," he murmured softly.
“You have to tell her, Xavier,” Grandmother Chela insisted.
He stared at his hands for a few seconds. “She already knows about my magnetic side,” he mumbled.
“She needs to know everything. You have to tell her,” Grandmother Chela repeated.
“I will,” he said, clearing his throat nervously. “When the time is right.”
“No, the time is now.”
“But—“
“Now.”
“What difference does it make if I tell her now or in the future?” he asked, bewildered.
“The time is now, Xavier. Trust me on this one. It has to be now.”
“But—“
“I’m visiting family in California for a few weeks and I’ll be coming through here on my way home. By the time I see you again you would’ve told her, right?”
“But—“
“Right.” Her voice didn’t leave room for argument.
“Yes.” And he knew he had to keep his promise to her.
Moonflower complained profusely that she had hardly seen Selena for the week Grandmother Chela had been there. She insisted that Selena and Xavier double date with her and Saul during the weekend. They would be having dinner at The Farmhouse Restaurant where Moonflower’s favorite, short ribs, were served.
Selena agreed, hoping that a night with friends would put Xavier in better spirits since he had been jittery as of late. When she asked him about it, he insisted it was nothing.
Moonflower loudly smacked her lips as soon as they arrived at the restaurant. "My stomach is growling mega loud. I hope no one can hear it," she announced.
Xavier held Selena’s hand as he laughed lightly at Moonflower's hungry faces. Selena could feel the tingly warmth beneath his skin.
“We’ll feed you soon, my butterly dudette,” Saul stated.