******
A week later
******
“This place is great.” JC promised, as he opened the door of the restaurant and held it open for Britney and Christina. “Not many people here either.”
They sat down at the table near the window, and JC immediately started reading the menu.
“Oh, look.” Britney nodded towards the table on the other side of the restaurant. “There’s Jorge.”
Christina’s eyes followed Britney’s. “Who’s with him?”
Jorge looked up, and waved at Christina. She waved back. “I’ll be right back.”
Christina made her way over to Jorge’s table. “Hey Chris.” Jorge said automatically, smiling at her.
“Hey.” Christina said hesitantly, staring at the girl who was with Jorge at the table.
“Oh.” Jorge grinned. “That’s my cousin, Jenny. Jenny, this is my girlfriend Christina.”
The brunette girl looked at Christina and beamed. “Nice to meet you, Christina.”
“Same to you.” Christina replied. “I’ll get back to my table then. Bye Jorge. Bye Jenny.”
“Bye Chris.” Jorge said without looking at her, and she trudged back to Britney and JC.
“It’s just his cousin.” Christina assured.
******
Flashback
******
“Christina? Don’t you like your fries?”
Christina whimpered. “Mommy…”
Shelly glimpsed at Christina. “What?”
“There’s daddy.” Christina said, pointing at a man sitting at a table with a middle-aged blonde woman.
Shelly looked shocked as she took Christina’s hand and approached the table. “Fausto?”
Fausto bit his lip and paused for a minute before looking up at Shelly. “Hello, Shelly.”
“Who are you, ma’am?” The woman sitting across from Fausto asked.
“I’m—.”
Fausto placed his hand on the woman’s and squeezed it reassuringly. “That’s Shelly. My wife. Shelly, this is Elaine. My cousin.”
******
“Oh my God.” Christina groaned.
“Shit.” JC mumbled, as a herd of teenyboppers came screaming through the doors.
“JC I LOVE YOU!” Three girls pushed past a waiter to get to him, but were stopped by four others.
“Let’s get out of here.” JC whispered.
“But—.” Christina sputtered, and was again interrupted.
“Brit! Chris! We got to go, now.” JC urged, not wanting to get trampled to death.
Britney grabbed Christina’s hand and pulled her up. “Britney, that’s not Jorge’s—.”
“We can discuss Jorge later, Chrissy! Let’s go!”
Christina fixed her eyes on Jorge’s table. Jorge and Jenny were looking into each other’s eyes. Frozen in each other’s eyes.
Christina’s eyes got torn away from them, as Britney pulled her out the door.
Behind the teenyboppers’ screams, she could hear Jorge and Jenny laughing together.