Barbara the Slut and Other People

“That’s because I thought you got murdered,” I said.

“Oh Lala, are you really that upset about it? I wouldn’t have left you if I knew you would worry, but you’re a big girl, I thought you’d be fine.”

“I wasn’t fine,” I said. “I think I might go to Grandpa’s.”

“What? Why?”

“Then you can hang out with Martin as much as you want.”

“I only saw him when you were sleeping, baby. I didn’t think you would care.”

“And at dinner. And you said you were coming right back.”

“Okay,” she said. “I won’t see him again while you’re here. I’ll take you to Acapulco. We’ll go to the beach and we’ll go see the cliff divers.”

“I told Grandpa I was coming.”

“You called him?” She started to cry.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I was mad.”

She cried and cried and I looked at the ceiling.

Finally I felt too bad and said, “Maybe we can go to Acapulco before I leave.”

She looked up. “Yeah?”

“Sure,” I said. “It’s on the way.”

She cried harder for a few seconds and then she slowed down and her breathing went back to normal and after a minute she stood up and went to the sink and splashed her face with water.

“Should we go now?” she said. “We might make it to see the divers at noon.”

“Sure,” I said.

“If we wear bathing suits we can go to the beach after. You can go in the water there.”

“Okay.”

“I should bring that Victoria’s Secret underwear. Those beaches are full of rich Mexicans. I could charge a lot more. I could make a killing.”

“Great,” I said. I could tell that this had been the plan all along. “Grandpa would help you, you know.”

“That is such a smart idea, Lala. I don’t know why I never thought of that.”

“Fine,” I said, stung.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “That was mean.”

We put on our suits and got ready to go.

“Should I bring my bag?” I said.

“It’s up to you,” she said.

“I can always bring it back here,” I said.

“Right,” she said, and gave me a weak smile.

We took the bus to Acapulco, and when we got there we bought juices and walked up to the Quebrada. I wheeled my suitcase and my mom carried her bags of underwear. When we got to the entrance she bought tickets, and we went in and found a spot at the wall. We could already see the divers on top of the cliff, in the bright sun. Below them, the cliff went down at an angle, and it looked like when they dove they were going to hit the rock.

“Martin and I came to see them at night,” she said. “They dive with torches, and we met some of those boys. Some of them are pretty cute.”

“Oh yeah?” I said.

“Yeah,” she said. “You’re going to meet such a cute boy, you’ll see. I didn’t meet your dad until the end of college.”

It felt like I was either going to tell my mom in the next minute, or my mouth was going to do it for me. My heart started to pound.

“I don’t want to meet a boy,” I said.

“Oh I know, baby, all you want to do is your research. But that will change.”

“No, Mama, I want to meet girls. I like girls.”

“Oh,” she said. Her eyebrows went up. “Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“I had no idea,” she said.

“Really?” I said. “You never wondered about it?”

“No,” she said.

I waited for her to say something and then I decided to help her because I didn’t want to be mad at her.

“Now you’re supposed to say that you love me no matter what,” I said.

“Oh, baby,” she said, “of course I love you no matter what.” She pulled me into her shoulder and held me tight. “Of course I love you no matter what.”

After a minute she said, “Are you going to tell your dad?”

“He knows,” I said.

“Oh really?” she said. “How did he take that news?”

“Fine,” I said.