Ride Or Die | o. diaz

cuarenta y cinco

Tatiana sat in the diner her mom worked in, watching her run around trying to get everyone their food. Tatiana didn't know how she was doing all of that without cussing people out because some of them, mainly guys, were completely disrespectful.

Yesenia was going from table to table, taking people's orders and delivering their food. "Oye, mami. Why don't you back that ass up on me?"

Yesenia stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at the group of 40-something-year-old truck drivers. Inside, she was fuming and full of words, but in a way to keep her job, she just said, "No, thank you."

Even as she left, they continued calling after her and trying to get her attention. "Does that always happen?" Yesenia sighed and nodded her head as she looked at Tatiana, her only child. "You don't ever say anything?"

"I do, but I need this job. This is the only place that would hire me." Yesenia looked over when the door opened, then down to Tatiana. "I have to take plates to tables."

Tatiana sighed as she watched her mom walk away, then shrugged as she kept eating her food. The manager might be shit, but the chef knew what they were doing. "Mija, there you are."

Tatiana turned around and saw Miguel, her father, smile at her before he leaned down and hugged her tightly. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you and Oscar said you were here, so here I am." Miguel smiled. "Oh, what is that? It looks good."

"It's just-"

"Tati, you want another smoothie?" Yesenia asked, finally having time to slow down.

Miguel looked up slowly, thinking that his ears were deceiving him. "Yesenia?" He questioned. She abruptly looked up from her notepad and to Miguel, looking at him with wide eyes. "You finally decided to come back and take care of your daughter when she's graduating?"

"What do you me-"

"You kept her away from me because you had an affair. It took me over 15 years to find her again, and when I did, I found out that you've been missing the majority of her childhood."

Miguel stood up from his seat and Tatiana watched the two of them, this being the first time witnessing her parents argue. "Miguel, lo siento. I-"

"I don't care anymore Yesenia. Because of you, I missed out on almost two decades of her life and I'll never get them back." Miguel said quietly, watching emotionlessly as Yesenia looked down and avoided his strong gaze. Miguel looked down to Tatiana, who looked conflicted, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I'll see you later, mija."

× × ×

"I didn't know you invited Ruby and Mario." Tatiana smiled, looking up at Oscar as his arm draped over her shoulders.

"Yeah, little man wasn't feeling good. We're making him feel better."

"By bringing him to a Santos Party?" Tatiana asked. "I'm gonna go say hi." With a quick kiss to Oscar's cheek, Tatiana walked away and over to Ruby who had just finished redecorating the food and drinks. Now, he was getting rid of the sporks. "Hey strangers."

"Hey, Tati." Mario greeted absentmindedly. "Wait... Tati! How've you been? And why's your flannel so big?"

Tatiana smiled and hugged Mario back with enthusiasm to match his. "Good, and it's Oscar's."

Mario raised his eyebrows and looked over his shoulder to Oscar. He just gave a little two-finger-salute thing and turned back to his conversation. "Right, I knew that."

"Tati, can you throw away these sporks? They're useless and a disappointment."

Tatiana raised her eyebrows and grabbed the handful of sporks from Ruby's hands. "I see you're feeling better."

Ruby hummed and stood back to look at his feng shui job. "Cholos are so messy. No offence."

Tatiana just shook her head and rubbed Ruby's hair. "Have fun, and don't get run over in the street."

A few hours later, the sun had set and Tatiana buttoned up the flannel she was wearing, giving her body complete warmth. "You're like a whole teddy bear." Tatiana drunkenly mumbled as she squeezed Oscar.

"A whole? Not half?"

She smacked her lips at his lame joke and mumbled, "Cállate." The beer bottle in her hand was dangling, so Oscar grabbed it before it could shatter on the floor and started walking Tatiana to a chair. "No, no me dejas."

Ruby watched with blurry vision and his eyebrows raised as Tatiana stumbled over to the empty chair while holding onto Oscar, then shrugged to walk to the group of cholos chugging solo cups.

"No me voy." Oscar sat down and because of the lack of balance, Tatiana fell onto his lap.

With her eyes shut, Tatiana put her head on Oscar's shoulder and mumbled, "Did I ever tell you I love you?"

Oscar chuckled and nodded his head as he kissed Tatiana's forehead. "Everyday."

"Good." She mumbled, ignoring the little game Ruby was playing with the cholos. But when they started chanting his name, she sat up and looked over to see what was happening. "Podemos levantar?"

Oscar nodded and rose to his feet while keeping a firm grip on Tatiana to make sure she didn't fall.

"I wanna give a big shoutout to Spooky." Ruby announed, eliciting cheers from the Santos. They're so drunk, Tatiana thought. "Listen, I didn't wanna come tonight, but Spooky made me come."

Tatiana smiled to herself and looked up when Oscar rubbed his chin. "He made me come, too." She mumbled, but somehow the cholas beside them heard what she said.

Oscar didn't say anything, but he did smirk to himself. "And now, I feel like a new man! Thank you, Spooky. Oh, I also wanna give a big shoutout to my brother, Mario! Thank you for making me an uncle in the next couple of months!"

Tatiana was suddenly awake and looked to where Mario was standing with Angelica. Simultaneously, Tatiana and Angelica asked, "You're having a baby?"

Everyone looked over to the former couple and all had a front row seat to Angelica slapping Mario. "Hey, how come I can't do that to you?"

"Because I'm not a dumbass."

The way yall cant even see the drama building up is a v big accomplishment of mine ;)