Chapter 27-29

Chapter 27

“Wait what? What the hell are you talking about?” Yuli said grabbing her sister running out the store before even trying anything on. She sat her sister down on the bench in front of the store.  “What do you mean he wants to have babies?”

“We’ve talked about it…a lot. And it’s going to be so hard. Even if it takes a long time I know that’s where we’re going…”

“Isela…a year ago you couldn’t stand to be in his presence and now you want to be his baby’s mama? Come on. That’s not right…and don’t play that ‘you know when you know’ bullshit. Because if that was true you two would be married and would have like 8 kids by now…not to mention you said that the last time you two were together…when is it going to explode again? Who is going to get sick of who and then..oh we have a baby…”

“I know, I know…yes. We don’t have the most stable relationship. But we get through it. I’m not a psychic, so I can’t tell if he’s in my future forever…but I know that if I were able to write my future for myself I would only have him in it…” she explained to her sister.  “And, I mean..we know it’s going to be pretty darn impossible for me to have babies anyway. “

“Oh, honey. I know that. Which is part of why I don’t want you to pull a Maggie with the thought. I mean…y’all aren’t even married. How pissed would that make him?”

“Well…I never really thought of that…”

“Of course you haven’t thought of that. You never think of things like that…”

**

Isela sat in a big rolling chair in the studio listening to a song Bruno was working on.

“I like it, Brunz. It’s really good….” she responded. “It goes on my playlist.” she told him.

“But are you paying for it or are downloading it from Ares?” he asked her. “Or stealing it from my pretty little hands?”

“Itunes. And the video.” she told him.

“You’re just being nice! When was the last time you paid for one of my songs?”

“Ummm…” she thought to herself. Never. “I bought Lighters!” she exclaimed.

“No you didn’t.  I e-mailed it to you after we finished it.”

“No! I did! I did!” she said pushing herself away from him knowing that he was going to do something ridiculous to her.

“Okay. Fine, I believe you. But I want to see the receipt for this one’s purchase…” he winked at her as he walked back to the front of the room.

“You’ll see it because you’ll buy it for me.” she told him spinning in her chair. “My hands…my hands! Who knows what’s going to happen?”

“Isela! What are you doing?” he burst out laughing at her.

“I don’t know!” she smiled back at him. He grabbed the chair next to her moving in close to her chair.  He played with her fingers looking at her.

“You creep me out sometimes, Bru.”

“You creep me out every day, Isela…”

“I’m taking that as a compliment.” she answered getting up from the chair.

“In a good way!” he told her watching her walk away. She turned around suddenly remembering the conversation she and her sister had had earlier in the day.

“Bruno….” she paused waiting for him to look up at her. “I can’t have babies until you marry me.”  

Chapter 28

He looked at her seriously contemplating what to say. Woah. “Let’s go…right now.” he said grabbing her hand.

“What are you doing?” she asked him.

“Marrying you.”

“Bruno! No! What the hell are you talking about?”

“Baby, I’ve got a pocket full of cash…” he started.

“No! We have to do it right.  I was serious. “ she sat him down on the couch.

“I was too!” he answered.

“No. I want the white dress, the bridesmaids, the emotional breakdown when I realize that you’re the last person I’m going to see naked, the annoying wedding planner, and my dad to walk me down the aisle..and a rose where my mom should be sitting…next to him. Brunz. I want everything that a wedding is about. “

“Isela…” he paused moving closer to her. He squeezed her arm leaning into her head. “You’ll get all of that. Every last bit. I would give you the stars in the sky if I could.”

She cracked a smile as he pulled away from her.  “But no pinkie promises.”

“No pinkie promises.” he answered her.

**

The two didn’t talk about the night in the studio again. There was something just right about it. It wasn’t quite a proposal from either of them, but they knew that it was right decision to be made…even if they hadn’t decided on having a family. But was it? Were they just feeling this way because they were together again…for more than a day at a time? What would happen when he had to leave again? When he ran off to the studio for late nights of recording? Those questioned plagued Isela for a long time. Will it ever go away? She thought to herself.

“Tonight was so nice, Bru…” Isela said getting into the passenger seat of his car with lights flashing. They had also just decided to be open about their relationship after several interviews. He talked about her being his rock and not being able to do anything without her. Truth was, he was her rock too. “Where are we going?” she asked as he turned left instead of right toward his house.  He didn’t answer her. He kept looking straight ahead. “Where are we goooinnnng?” she asked him again.

“Shhhh!” he answered her.

“I didn’t ask you what cologne you were wearing…” she answered him.  He turned to her laughing at what she had said. “I asked you, where are we going?”

“Just calm your tits, Sel. You’ll like it.”

She gasped at his reaction. “God! sometimes …”

“Close your eyes..” he told her as he started to slow down to park.

“Not until you tell me what you’re doing! You know I hate surprises!” she yelled at him.

“I don’t want to walk up there backwards making sure you don’t have your eyes open…” he told her.

“Fine, you win this time..” she said closing her eyes tightly.

“I’m gonna open your door, hold your hand and tell you where to walk, okay?” he said closing his door.

She felt his hand touch hers. “Take my hand..” he said. She handed him her hand. “Now get out of the car…but don’t fall. “ she moved her legs to the side of the car standing up feeling him close to her. He continued to tell her where to walk, instructing her to step over rocks and sticks as they walked.

“I don’t know if I’m going to like this…” she told him after stepping over a big rock.

“Okay..sit down …” he said guiding her toward a boulder.  “Don’t open your eyes yet…”

“Bruno! I want to open my eyes!”

“No! You can’t open them!” he exclaimed.

“Don’t scream..I don’t know where we are…” she told him.

“Okay…open your eyes.” he said from a distance.

She gasped in awe. They were sitting on top of the Hollywood sign at dusk. She could see the orange lights of the city which was beautiful, but what caught her eye was him. He stood in front of her not saying a word. He’s not going to do this. This isn’t happening…

“This is my most favorite place in the world, Bru! I haven’t been here in sooo long…thank you!”

He sat down next to her wrapping his arms around her listening to the city sounds and her breathing.  They didn’t say anything for a long time.

“I came here after the Meadows..I never knew how pretty it was until then…” he told her.

“You didn’t tell me that…” she said turning around to face him.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal.” he said pushing a piece of hand behind her ear to see her.

“I guess you’re right. I don’t tell you everything..” she answered looking into his eyes. I don’t get this…what is this? Just do it, Bruno. Geez.

“Look up there…” he said pointing to a bright star. “It’s winking at you…”

“Bruno! That’s Venus. You’re so dumb.” she laughed at him.

“No, it’s your star…” he said. “Every time I see it I think of you.”

“You talk to the moon, Brunz. You don’t talk to Venus…” she said looking up at the stars he was talking about. She found a perfect spot to set the back of her head against his chest.  He squeezed her tightly as she laid her head back. She felt him lean back into his pocket as she nestled into his jacket. She closed her eyes starting to feel his heart beat against her back. She matched his quiet breathing while he took her left hand intertwining his fingers through hers. She felt his finger tips on hers. He kissed her shoulder letting go of her hand. “Hey! I was comfortable. Why did you move?” she asked him finding the comfy spot she was in before.

“You’re making me melt, Isela. You’re just so darn hot, tonight.” he laughed at her unnecessary anger toward his readjustment.

Isela flipped her hair off to the side of her shoulder running her fingers through her hair. She felt him stop breathing the moment she ran her fingers through her hair.

“Oh…oh…oh my.” she caught her breath opening her eyes shoving her hand out in front of her to see a sparkling diamond on her ring finger.

“Isela Luz Ortiz…will you marry me?” he asked her as she turned around with a surprised look on her face,

“Yes, Bruno..yes…a million times over yes…” she answered wrapping her arms around his neck kissing him.

Chapter 29

“Shut up! Let me see it!” Lola exclaimed as Isela opened the door to her apartment.

“Calm down, lady. It’s not going anywhere fast.” Isela put down her purse and a bag of clothes she had brought for her chronically broke sister. Isela shoved her hand out to show her sister the diamond ring.

“He knows you so well, sissy. It’s perfect. It’s not like Kim huge but it’s not tiny either.”

“You don’t have to tell me that twice.” she smiled bringing her hand back down to her side taking her seat on the couch. “Now look at the clothes I bought you …”

**

Bruno was welcomed to his oldest sister’s house with giant hugs from her youngest son.

“Brunz! You asked her to marry you?” he asked.

“I did!” he told him sparing the details.  “Now come on, your mom cooked for us.”  he answered leading the little one into the kitchen.

“Thank you for the idea, seeesssteer.” he said kissing her cheek grabbing the plates to put on the table.

“What did she say when you put the ring on her finger?” she asked.

“She didn’t say anything right away. I think she was almost asleep…”

“But she found it?”

“Of course she did. “

“What did she say?” Jaimo asked him.

“She was just shocked…and then I asked her to marry me…that was it. Just like your mom told me to do a month ago.”

“I have to see the ring. I know you went with Max to get it, but oh my gosh. I bet it is so perfect.”

**

January 2007

“Brunnnnooo…I’m so cold.” Isela fake shivered as they walked toward the car. He took off his jacket wrapping it around her.

“Thank yooou.” she answered as he wrapped his arms around her from behind guiding her through the outdoor shopping center. She stopped in front of a small boutique with a shining light in its display window. He let go of her as she started to walk toward the window. He rolled his eyes at her.
 

“B…come here…” she turned around to see his blank emotions.

“Come heerrreeee.” she pleaded. He touched her hand standing by the window. “I want that one…one day.” she told him pointing to a small diamond ring off to the side of the main display of a choker, earrings and bracelet.

**

“It was exactly what she wanted.” Bruno told his sister biting into the chicken Jamie had prepared for them.