Part 1
"This is your big break, sugar, don't blow it!" Papa said to me as he took the last of the suitcases to the station-wagon. He was never known as an emotional man; though at a time like this, I thought I expected a little more warmth, a little more affection, for I was his only daughter.
"I know, papa, I won't." I answered feebly. It was an overwhelming experience. I was going away from home for the first time. I was the first Marcelo kid to go to college. My father migrated from Mexico in the early 80's, to the small community of Santa Teresa, 30 miles outside of El Paso. Javier Marcelo, my Papa, came to Santa Teresa looking for what all immigrants look for – the realization of dreams. He was not an educated man, yet, he had several skills. He could tune a car engine with "a toothpick and some lube", he used to boast, or "grow apples in the desert", or "build the biggest darned barn this side of the Guadalupe River". Lupe, my Mama would just smile back at him. I don't think I have ever heard Mama have a conversation with my dad. It was always smiles, or single words of affirmation.
Papa and Mama had Jose, my elder brother, a few years after arriving in Texas, and then came I, Maria, another three years later. I had turned 18 last March, just before I graduated high school. I wasn't an exceptionally good student, but I did okay. Jose, on the other hand, was Santa Teresa's favorite son. Six-foot-two, he had the best SAT scores anyone had ever gotten in all of Santa Teresa, but he never went to college. Jose always said that Papa needed him right here, in Santa Teresa, running the farm. I admired Jose for his strong will, his personality, and his love for the family; I had often wondered if he had any desires for himself. I had plenty of desires. I had kissed Simon Dowell, a white boy, when I was 13, behind the barn. Rodriguez went to second base with me, when I was 16, in our backyard, under the giant tree, on the green grass; he pinched my nipples really hard that made me scream.
"For fuck sake, Rod, these are my boobs, not a fucking radio!"
"I am sorry, Maria …" He responded quietly, and placed his lips around my small dark nipples. I loved the tingle of his tongue and the moisture it produced. I reached down for his pants where the huge bulge had appeared.
"Hey Maria, you … want to suck my dick?"
"Fuck you Rod! Do you think I am your little whore?"
"I just though it could be fun." He stammered.
"For you maybe … okay … the other one needs some attention too!" And he quickly started sucking my other nipple.
"You are the prettiest girl in the whole of Santa Teresa." He whispered. I smiled. He was probably right, I had long curly hair, a golden complexion, big brown eyes; I had grown really fast, reaching 5'6" with a tiny waist, long slender legs, my breasts were full and supple, and every girlfriend had said my ass reminded them of J-Lo. I rubbed him until he came in his pants.
It was time to leave Santa Teresa. I had been accepted by the University of Texas at Austin. Papa didn't like that at all.
"What is it that you can learn there that you can't at El Paso?" He had barked.
"Papa, how can you compare the two? Do you want me to be just another Mexican Immigrant? I want to reach for the stars; I want to be a star!" I cried out.
"And by taking Drama, you will be a star?" He blurted.
"Yes, Papa, all the great Hollywood stars started with Drama." He walked away, biting his lips.
"Your daughter is out of control, Lupe, tell her we are a dignified people, she is expected to uphold the family name." He shouted, looking at my mom.
"I will Papa, that's why I want to get the best darned education in the world!" I shouted back. It always went like that with Papa. In the end, I always won; I always had my way.
Jose had agreed to drive me to Austin. It was a 12-hour drive in our old Chevy station-wagon. Papa gave us strict orders to stop at San Antonio overnight, before driving into Austin the next morning.
"Remember, stay at Uncle Felipe's house. He is a good man; I helped him get his papers back in '89." Papa said. Despite all my dreams and aspirations, it was sad to be leaving home. I had never left before. The anxiety for the future acted as an antidote for my sadness; I had promised myself I wouldn't cry. I put on my red dress with small white polka dots. I looked pretty, as I stood in front of the mirror in my room. My curly hair created a natural frame around my face. My breasts looked even fuller; the dress showed off just the right amount of cleavage. I turned to my side and pulled my dress tight at my hips; indeed, my panty lines showed through.
"Okay, all the bags are in the car, now you call your Mama when you get there, Maria." Papa shouted from the living room.
"Yes, Papa." I went out into the living room and hugged my sobbing mom, and then reached for my dad.
"Okay, that's enough; I will come and get you at Thanksgiving." Papa gave me a quick hug and turned away swiftly. For a moment I thought I saw a twinkle in his eyes.
"Jose, don't drive too fast, the car is old, okay?" He said to Jose.
"I know dad, don't worry." Jose answered back. He opened the passenger door for me, and walked around the front of the car to the driver's side. I stepped into the car and closed the door. Mama was still sobbing, Papa stood straight with his hand on his hips. I waved at them as we drove out of the farm. At this point, I couldn't hold my tears back, I started to sob.
"Hey, Maria, what is this? I thought you were the toughest one of us all, sis!" Jose gave me a warm smile.
"I am Jose, but I love Papa … and Mama." I wept.
"He loves you too; he couldn't work all last week." Jose said quietly.
"Really?"
"Yes, the guy loves you to death, Maria, he couldn't bear the fact that you were going away, and he just sat outside the tool barn, all day long. I think I saw him cry too." I started to cry as I looked at my handsome brother. For a moment I admired him even more, he was so elegant, so humble, so caring; he always knew the right thing to say at the right moment.
I think I slept most of the way. By the time I woke up, it was already dark, and we seemed to have reached the outskirts of San Antonio.
"You up Maria?" Jose looked at me.
"Yeah, what time is it? Where are we?" I whispered sleepily.
"Well, I am looking for Uncle Felipe's place, we are in San Antonio, I think." Jose chuckled. We drove for another 10 minutes until Jose spotted the street he was looking for.
"Yes, that's the apartment building." Jose pointed to an old run down building. He parked the car on the street.
"Stay Here Maria, let me go and check if Uncle Felipe is in." Jose stepped out of the car and walked into the old apartment building. I sat still in the car, in the dark; it must have been around 8PM. There were a few cars passing by; I saw a couple of guys standing on the sidewalk, smoking, and looking towards me. Seconds later, Jose came running out of the apartment, with Uncle Felipe in tow. I opened the door and jumped out to hug Uncle Felipe.
"Oh Maria, look how much you have grown, my dear!" Uncle Felipe exclaimed. I had not seen Uncle Felipe in over 5 years. He was a short, stocky man, in his forties. He gave me a long warm hug.
"Okay, kids, let's go inside, I have to leave in 10 minutes for work, I have the graveyard shift tonight." Uncle Felipe herded me into the apartment building, as Jose took our bags out of the car. I saw the two smokers checking me out and talking amongst themselves, as we walked into the building. Uncle Felipe's place was a modest studio apartment. There was a queen-sized bed at one corner with a small black-and-white TV in front of it. There was a side table beside the bed. A maroon couch was all that occupied the other side of the room. Uncle Felipe had never been married and had lived alone in San Antonio for the past several years.
"There is some food in the kitchen and plenty of drinks too, you kids call me at the gas-station if you need something, and the number is on the refrigerator," he reached out to hug me once again, "I am so sorry, I couldn't spend more time with you, my dear, I will see you, Jose, tomorrow evening I guess." He waved his hands frantically as he walked out of the room.