The War at Home
There’s nothing wrong with narcissists that reasoning with them won’t aggravate.
There was never any equality in the fight.
From the moment Armando Rafael Cortes was born, he was always behind the eight-ball. Never the front-runner. Never the winner.
He started off wrong by being six days late. Not his fault. He had no idea that the doctor had assigned him a birth date and that, by being late, he’d disrupted his mother’s careful plan. Armando should have been first, so Connie could smile smugly at her sister and congratulate herself for having a beautiful baby boy first. Armando came when nature decided it was his time, but this was held against him for years.
Antonio Felix Delgado had done things correctly. He’d arrived on time and was a calm and happy baby from the start. He was also incredibly beautiful. A perfectly shaped head (C-Sections make that possible), long eyelashes, a cute button nose, and soft skin. Chita showed her baby off everywhere and enjoyed the way everyone cooed over him. He was her prize after so many years of heartache and frustration. Her husband finally adored her again. She’d not only gotten it right, having a son the first time, but he was a handsome boy. A boy Felix was proud to show off everywhere.
Armando looked like a reject from the baby pile. Since he was a vaginal birth, it took time for his features to settle into the right places. In the meantime, people looked at Connie’s first son and cooed insincerely. He was an ugly baby. Pale, bumpy skin, odd eyes (are they black or blue or gray?), one ear bent forward, and a cone head. He suffered from colic and his eyes didn’t move together.
Connie was embarrassed that her first son was so ugly and vowed never to have another.
Pedro didn’t care. He had a son and his family adored the boy. Pedro himself was a handsome man and his family all tried to console Connie by telling her that Pedro hadn’t been the most handsome baby at birth either. It took about a month for his skin to clear, three months for his eye color to settle, and a year for the colic to subside. Pedro smiled at his wife, who was stone-faced. Her perfect sister had given birth to a perfect baby boy a week ahead of her while she had this . . . ugly thing.
Connie wished she’d married Felix. He loved her and he’d wanted to marry her, but she’d wanted to make him jealous. She’d wanted to make him work for her and she decided to date Pedro. They got carried away one night and she ended up pregnant. She was forced to marry him and Chita got Felix.
Pedro wasn’t so bad. He became a businessman and was determined to give her a good life. Their first two girls were beautiful. Now Pedro had given her an ugly son.
He could have that ugly thing. She didn’t want him.
By the time Tony and Mando started school, their roles were set. Tony was the golden boy. He’d learned to read by three, do simple math by four, and was charming and helpful to adults. They loved him. He was a beautiful little boy, graceful, well-mannered, and likeable. He was always clean and presentable, the little angel.
Mando was the scapegoat. He didn’t learn to read until almost five, but once he learned he was a powerhouse. He read everything. Nothing was safe from him but, in his mother’s eyes, it didn’t make up for the fact that he was two years behind Tony. Mando also learned simple math by five. Still, it didn’t help his standing with his mother or his aunt. His aunt snickered and called him ‘slow’ and ‘simple’. His mother said nothing at all. His uncle felt bad for the little boy but his son was the smart handsome one. He liked to smile at Connie, a smile that said Tony could have been your son, if only you’d chosen me.
Pedro didn’t care. His little boy could read and do simple sums. He would spend his nights, after he came home from his lawn care business, teaching Mando how to do simple math with the account books. Mando cherished time with his Daddy and he and his father were a tight little unit. Even the birth of Ernesto didn’t change that. Mando kept an eye on his baby brother and the two of them, and their Daddy, played together as a group.
Mando was well-liked by other children and played well in groups. He was seen as a good team player and the right man to have if you needed a win. He was just a solid player. Tony? Tony had lots of ability, but he wasn’t a team player. Everything was about him. He had to be the captain. He had to be the one in charge. He had to be the one to make the game-winning shot or score the goal. So Tony wasn’t chosen for team sports unless the adults put him on a team. Mando was usually chosen first or second and frequently elected captain.
Tony had gone home crying to his mother and only a lollipop and a new toy had calmed him. It was hard not to believe him; he was so upset. He complained that Mando was telling everyone not to choose him for teams and not to play with him. Mando was jealous of his abilities and now the other kids hated him.
Connie chased Mando around the house and backyard until she caught him and whipped him for turning the other children against Tony. She turned him loose and locked him out of the house for the rest of the day. Pedro came home to complete confusion and finally found his son in a corner of the backyard, asleep. Mando wept in his father’s arms and told him that he didn’t tell anyone not to pick Tony. The other kids hated Tony because he was a bully and he didn’t play nice.
Pedro comforted his son as best he could. He took him inside, cleaned him up and fed him some soup, Connie glaring at Mando the entire time. He rocked Mando until Mando went to sleep, then went looking for his wife and found her in the kitchen, cleaning up. She had not fed Mando all day.
“Connie?”
She looked up, a calm look on her face. Pedro stepped right up to her and looked his wife, his biggest mistake, in her face.
“If I ever come home and find you’ve whipped my son, I’ll divorce you that day.” All color drained from Connie’s face and she reached out and grabbed the counter to steady herself. “You will never whip my son again and you will never refuse to feed him.”
“Tony said—”
“Tony’s a little liar,” Pedro growled. “I’ve watched the boys at the park. Mando always gets chosen because he’s a team player. Tony is a bully and he always has to be the leader. That’s why he’s never chosen. You whipped my son for nothing. You whipped my son over lies his cousin told without asking him to explain.”
“Tony’s a natural born leader,” she cried. “He’s smart—”
“Being smart has nothing to do with leadership. Leadership is getting people to do what they have to do. It’s not something that can be learned from books. The other children follow Mando and want Mando to play with them because he plays fair. He doesn’t have to take over to lead. Tony isn’t wanted because he’s a pain in the behind. If you don’t do it Tony’s way, Tony makes you miserable.”
Like you and your selfish sister, Pedro thought. I’d divorce you if I weren’t faithful to my faith.
Pedro glared at her before leaving the kitchen. Connie watched him leave, a cold hatred settling in her heart.
Her husband threatened to divorce her because her son was a little liar, lying against his cousin and pretending that he hadn’t told the other children to ignore Tony. Her son was just as ugly in spirit as he had been in looks the day he’d been born.
Tony grew into the promise of his looks. His self-confidence drew girls to him in flocks and he dated only the prettiest and smartest. Chita gave her son big sums of money and shopped for him constantly. He had the best of everything: clothes, shoes, watches, etc. If it was fashionable, Tony Delgado had it first. Chita and Felix were proud of their son, of his grades, of the fact that he was already taking college classes, and they bought him a car. Nothing big or special. Just a used Mustang, a year old. Their insurance premiums went through the roof, but Tony had earned it.
Tony totaled the car within six months. His excuse? It was slippery after a major rainstorm and the brakes had failed. The police had a different determination: Reckless driving and speeding, which caused him to slide into a concrete bunker. The passenger side of the car was completely smashed in and the police had been relieved to find that the young idiot was alone in the car when he totaled it.
His parents were outraged. Tony said the brakes failed so the police needed to investigate that more closely. In the meantime, they bought him another Mustang.
It took him 18 months to total that one. He walked away unscathed but his girlfriend at the time (using the term loosely; she was merely the girl he was sleeping with the most) had a broken ankle and seatbelt burn. Her entire right side hurt and, to this day, she knows when it’s about to rain because her ankle swells. That’s incredibly inconvenient in a city like Miami, but the Delgados tried to pin the accident on her. She was leaning across to tease Tony, distracting him, and he lost control of the car, they claimed.
Her parents sued and they settled out of court. Tony received a third Mustang after complaining about driving his mother’s Camry for months.
Mando received a driver’s license at 16 but Connie wouldn’t even consider buying him a car. She wouldn’t allow him to drive any of the family cars either. It was embarrassing but his mother held firm. Tony was responsible, had good grades and was winning prizes all over the city and he still had car trouble. Mando had good grades but he didn’t need a car. He spent his time helping his father with the lawn care business, mowing yards, pulling weeds, and setting up sprinkler systems. That was the only reason she allowed him to get his license, so he could help his father and drive the work truck.
Pedro taught his son (actually, all his children) to drive using his work trucks. All three Cortes boys (Mateo having been born shortly after Pedro threatened to divorce Connie) were known as hard workers. Pedro put his sons on the payroll and taught them the value of a dollar.
They idolized their father.
Pedro was helping Mando buy his first car but he also sat Mando down and had him research cars and their costs penny by penny. Did Mando really need a car? Mando considered this. No, he really didn’t. Where would he go? When he and his friends got together and went to the movies or out to eat, someone else had a car and he was willing to chip in gas money in exchange for a ride. He and his friends did things as a group and he had a loyal group of friends who were always ready to help him out.
Anyone who spent any small amount of time in the Cortes household quickly realized that Mando lived in a war zone. Mr. and Mrs. Cortes spent as little time together as possible. The Cortes girls (Isabella, Bianca, and Josefina) were beautiful and lively and their mother adored them. The few times any of Mando’s friends showed any interest in Bella or Bianca, Mrs. Cortes became frosty until they backed off. Mando’s friends weren’t good enough for her daughters.
Tony’s asshole friends were different. They were college boys and high school seniors, closer to Bella’s and Bianca’s ages, and they were warmly welcomed and encouraged to date her daughters. Bella’s second date with one of Tony’s friends ended so horribly she never spoke of it. She cautioned her sister never to date any of Tony’s friends, no matter how wonderful Mamí thought the match was.
The next time Bella saw that particular young man, she put a knee in his groin and told him to quit smirking at her or he’d have one less appendage to wag. Tony’s friends spread rumors about the Cortes girls, that they were lesbians, and both girls sighed in relief.
Better a lesbian than raped, Bella thought.
Tony was furious because his cousins were considered beautiful and lots of guys got close to him to date them. He didn’t care; he got close to them to ingratiate himself with their families, some of Miami’s leading families. Now with the word out that his cousins were lesbians, his friends disappeared. He had no other use for Bella or Bianca. He was smarter than they were and they were girls. He couldn’t understand why tío Pedro was sending them to college in the first place. They’d end up getting married and having babies anyway.
That was a waste of money. He and his father laughed, his father remarking that Pedro was educating his daughters into spinsterhood. What man wants a woman who thinks she’s smarter than he is?
Tony’s loss of friends was Mando’s fault, according to Connie. Mando had brought his low-class friends into her home and now her daughters were assaulting and insulting handsome young men simply for showing an interest in them. Tony’s friends were the sons of some of the best families in the city. Her girls would have it made if they married up into those families.
Pedro congratulated Bella for her quick thinking and taught her and Bianca to throw a punch.
The younger Cortes boys were friendly and handsome and their mother spoiled them. They had the best of everything: game systems, toys, clothes, shoes; you name it, Ernesto and Mateo had it. Ernesto ran track and Mateo played basketball, so Connie bought them the best supplies and gear for their sports. She made sure the entire family turned out to attend their games and track meets. Ernesto decided to join the band and Connie bought him a brand new saxophone.
Mando’s room was nearly empty. His clothes and shoes were purchased by his father, so they were more utilitarian than stylish, but they were kept neat and tidy. Eventually, Pedro noticed the imbalance and gave his son money to purchase his own clothes and shoes. That’s how Mando finally had a chance to be as stylish and hip as the other boys. Mando played basketball and his father bought his gear. Pedro, Bianca and Ernesto attended his games. Mando’s room did not have any posters on the walls, no TV in his room, nothing that made the room look personal. Mando had a boom box and a CD player. That was all.
Mando had no explanation for it. When asked, he merely shrugged his shoulders and said, “She loves Tony. She wishes I was Tony.” Personally, he felt he only had his own room so his mother could press home the fact that he was unwanted. When guests visited, he was always forced to give up his room and sleep with his little brothers.
Knowing Tony, all of his friends pitied him. Tony was a major-league asshole. Their girlfriends would dump them for a chance to date Tony Delgado and end up crying on their shoulders, begging to be taken back. Occasionally they did get back together and, with a smirk and a crook of his finger, Tony Delgado would take them away again. Mando’s friends hated Tony and it was worse if Tony was there when they were all together at the Cortes home, trying to chill and hang out.
Tony would look over and complain to Mrs. Cortes that he was having problems concentrating on his AP Calculus homework or his college psychology paper and she would glare at all of them until they got the point to leave. They ended up at someone else’s home and Mando began to encourage that.
No matter how bad his friends thought their homes were, their parents cared. Their houses were warm and loving and, if love had a feeling, Mando felt it every time he walked into one of his friends’ homes.
It made going home, to his house, so much harder.
Tony graduated as salutatorian. He was beaten by a girl and he railed for months that the teachers had given her better grades and hadn’t graded her essays as harshly as his. That’s the only reason why she beat him. The valedictorian smirked and told him, in front of his family, that he wasn’t half as smart as he thought he was. She finally revealed her SAT score, a closely held secret that he’d been dying to know all senior year.
Her score was 150 points higher than his. He was floored. She rubbed salt in the wound by telling him that she had not taken the SAT her senior year. That was her junior year score. She knew it was good. She didn’t feel any need to improve it. Now, she said, her hands on her hips and smirking at him, how are you going to explain that? The SAT is a national test. It’s graded by Scantrons. How did I cheat there, hmm?
She then proceeded to call him an asshole in front of his family and friends before revealing that she was headed to Harvard in the fall. She heard he was rejected from Harvard, which wouldn’t surprise her. Harvard already had enough over-privileged assholes walking around. Why add another to the mix?
The Delgados were quietly furious. They started to complain to the principal, Mr. Lincoln, but he raised a hand.
“They’ve graduated. They’re adults. She can say whatever she wants to him and I have no standing to say anything else. I will tell you this, Mrs. Delgado.”
Mr. Lincoln looked at the Delgados and Mrs. Cortes, helicopter parents if he’d ever met any, and relished the words he was about to say. He’d wanted to say them for four long years.
“I expect Tony will not be a success in life.” Connie and Chita both gasped. “I expect Armando to be the big success. Armando knows how to work hard, how to get along with people, and how to sacrifice to make things happen. Tony? You’ve spoiled Tony. You’ve given him everything he’s ever wanted. Tony won’t know how to recover from failure because you’ve always complained on his behalf. I expect college and adulthood to be a big shock to Tony.”
Mr. Lincoln smiled at Mr. Cortes and walked away. He’d watched the two cousins for four years and marveled at the fact that Mando clearly did not receive the love and attention from his family, with the exception of his father, that Tony did. The way the family treated Mando was an open secret among the faculty and staff of the school and they felt for the handsome young man who never seemed to get a break.
They wrote wonderful letters of recommendation to help him get into the University of Florida. Mando’s grades put him on the cusp. He hadn’t taken the AP and college classes his cousin had to boost his GPA. He was a smart young man, in the top 15% of the class and diligent, but UF was competitive. It was hard to get in, but nearly everyone on staff had called the admissions office and lobbied for Armando Cortes.
Mando was stunned the day his acceptance to UF came. His father took him out and they celebrated, just the two of them. Every time Tony got a new acceptance from some school, Chita framed it and bragged to her sister that everyone wanted her son. Now Mando had gotten into the school he’d wanted to attend and he and his father celebrated alone, the way Mando wanted. He didn’t want to brag. He didn’t want his accomplishment belittled.
Pedro and Mando began working on the financial aid paperwork and, even though Pedro owned and operated a prosperous business, he couldn’t afford the room and board expenses for Mando. Bella and Bianca were a strain already and Mando might break him. He started considering how he could do it. He’d move heaven and earth for his son, his eldest son who had never given him a problem, had always made him proud, had never asked for or complained about anything.
He was ready to take a loan out against the business when Mando came home and told him he had signed up to go ROTC in college. The Marines would pay for Mando and he would be able to serve his country, go to school, and not cost his father a penny. Mando was proud that he’d taken care of the financing for his papa, but something in Pedro’s soul broke that day.
His son was willing to put his life on the line to prevent him from having to take out loans and debt to finance his education. His son, who’d never asked for anything, had taken care of paying for college on his own. He was proud of Mando and ashamed he couldn’t help him more.
Mr. Lincoln was right. Away from their families for the first time, it was easy to see who would be the success and who wouldn’t.
Armando was finally going to win a battle.
Mando quickly gained a reputation in ROTC as a steady soldier. Hardworking and always prepared, he never let his fellow midshipmen down. He always passed inspection, he always passed physicals, and he was always ready for anything. His instructors watched. Most recruits like that turned out to be assholes but the opposite was true of Armando Cortes. He was simply ready.
A team player. A natural leader.
Meanwhile, Mando fell for the funny, outspoken, sexy girl he met in freshman orientation. Mariela Ruiz was from Tampa but she’d spent summers in Miami. Mando was surprised to find she’d spent her summers five blocks over from his home. Then again, he spent summers with his father, mowing lawns. When would he ever have met her?
Mari and Mando hit it off immediately. Mariela liked Armando’s steady, patient nature and he was hot. Girls at UF were jealous because Armando was considered as having one of the sexiest bodies on campus and he was hers. He was smart and funny and when other girls hit on him, he was polite but not especially encouraging. Mari was clearly his and he was devoted to her. Other girls sighed and were catty to Mari, jealous that she’d gotten a good guy who was also sexy and not a dud.
Her parents met him and actually liked him. That surprised Mari. Normally her parents hated her boyfriends, but Mando was different. He and her father spoke man to man the first time they ever met and, although Mari had no idea what was said between them, her father gave her his blessing to date Armando. By junior year, Mari was thinking about weddings and babies, but Mando splashed some cold water on her dream.
“I still have a commitment to the military. You’ll be a military wife. Is that what you want?”
Mari kissed him and said that she wanted him, so if the military came with that, OK.
Mando was nervous about introducing her to his family. His father had met her and he loved Mari. She and Mr. Cortes teased each other and talked about baseball, fútbol, cooking and politics. Pedro Cortes chided his son for falling for some spitfire Boricua and Mari laughed and told Pedro to get used to it. She wasn’t going anywhere.
Pedro was thrilled. His son would know happiness in his marriage. His son would never have the pain of having his wife’s eyes look at another in regret.
Pedro and Mando both knew the time was rapidly approaching for the rest of the family to meet Mari, so to alleviate the pressure on Mando, Pedro took his future daughter-in-law out one afternoon and explained the Cortes-Delgado family to her. It was the only source of friction between Mari and Mando, Mando’s steadfast determination not to talk about his family. Mari’s heart broke listening to Pedro describe his wife and in-laws and she finally understood why Mando didn’t talk about them.
“I’m asking you, Mariela, to be patient with Mando when it comes to the family,” Pedro said, tears in his eyes. “You’ll understand more when you meet Antonio. I think everything will be crystal clear for you then.”
Meanwhile, Tony Delgado was having just as many problems as Mr. Lincoln declared he would.
Without his mother around to bully people into ‘correcting’ their impressions, Tony was failing for the first time ever. Not schoolwork; Tony was smart and bright and his work was always technically correct. However, FIT is a school that also prides itself on creativity. As a training ground for astronauts and adventurers, there’s a strong sense of creative ambition amongst the students, a determination to find and explore new things.
Tony did just enough while his classmates learned how to program new solutions and market them. Many of his classmates dropped out and became Internet entrepreneurs, overnight millionaires at 21. Tony was completely blocked from joining those groups; everyone knew he was an asshole and most likely to steal your idea and patent it himself. You didn’t allow Tony Delgado to join unless you had a stinker of an idea you wanted to pass to him to watch him fail.
Tony borrowed money from his parents, ‘borrowed’ ideas and attempted to patent and market them to interested parties. He sunk $50,000 of his parents’ money before his father said enough.
“Try finishing school, Tony,” his father said, annoyed. “Quit trying to be a success overnight.”
“He just needs a little more money to market the idea,” Chita whined to her husband. “All his friends and classmates are successfully marketing big ideas. Tony has big ideas. He just needs you to believe in him more.”
Felix held firm, so Chita started slipping Tony money on the sly. Well, she thought she was sly. Felix had control over every bank account in the family and, after his wife lied spectacularly about the $10,000 advance she gave Tony, he cut off her access to every bank account except one. That bank account only had $5,000 and it was supposed to be used for the household. Felix then called and put credit limits on every single credit card Tony had. He clipped his son’s wings and Chita and Tony never forgave him for it, especially after one of the few real ideas he had was successfully marketed and patented by another classmate.
Felix didn’t care. His business was doing well, but his wife and son were bottomless drains. They didn’t work. They didn’t understand what it meant to work hard and sacrifice. He cut them both off.
The students at FIT enjoyed passing bad ideas to Tony Delgado. He was such an asshole and watching him fail was fun. It almost became a game: Who could humiliate Tony Delgado most?
They learned: a woman.
He despised being shown up by a woman on any level. When a female classmate out-programmed him, he chalked it up to male assistance. When a female professor marked him badly, he complained to the male department heads to get it changed. When the female campus police officer gave him a ticket, he refused to take it. She shrugged and let him go on his way.
Refusal to take the ticket did not relieve him of the responsibility to pay it, as he learned late one night as he walked outside to find a boot on his car.
Unlike high school, women in college weren’t interested in Tony. At least not the brilliant women at FIT. They looked at Tony and saw a sexist asshole, someone who belittled their accomplishments in class, ignored them in study groups, and always, always double checked their portion of the group work. Their professors shrugged and said Welcome to the real world of computer engineering. It’s male dominated and you’ll have to work twice as hard to be thought of as half as competent.
Fury didn’t begin to describe their reaction to that response but, later in life, some of those women would appreciate that the professors had not run interference. They had one Tony Delgado in college; they had 20 of them at work. Having to deal with Tony toughened them up considerably and prepared them to battle assholes for the rest of their lives. They learned how to handle men like that learning how to put Tony Delgado in his place.
Meanwhile, Tony partied in the clubs with guys from other colleges and dated their women. They loved Tony. An FIT student, sexy, handsome, charming, Tony had it all. His new friends helped him make contact with other groups and businesses in the city. His mother bought him a professional suit and had it tailored and he mingled with the rich and powerful. He had his first job lined up while still in college because he knew how to schmooze and say the right things to the (male) managers in charge.
Chita Delgado was thrilled. Her son was going to be a success. Mr. Lincoln was wrong.
The dinner where Mariela Ruiz met the combined Cortes-Delgado family was awkward and uncomfortable. Mari drove (Mando still didn’t have a car) and when they pulled up outside, Mando locked the doors. Mari looked over at him.
“I know you love me. I love you,” he said, and Mari smiled. “Don’t feel the need to defend me. Don’t feel the need to try to correct their impressions. It’s useless. And if Tony hits on you, beat the shit out of him. OK?”
“OK,” she replied softly, and Mando kissed her. They got out of the car and Mari had her first glimpse of her future mother-in-law.
The woman did not have the slightest look of welcome on her face and Mari nearly froze at the sight of her. Mando didn’t. “Mother.”
“Armando. You could have directed your friend to park somewhere else. Antonio will need space to park when he arrives.”
“Of course, Mother,” Mando replied blandly, leading Mari inside. Mari opened her mouth, to volunteer to move her car, when Mando shook his head sharply. So Mari closed her mouth and smiled, tremulously, at Mrs. Cortes.
“Mrs. Cortes, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Mrs. Cortes smiled. “I’m sorry I cannot say the same. Armando has told me nothing of you, not even your name.”
Cue awkward silence, alleviated by the appearance of Pedro in the doorway.
“Mariela!” She beamed and happily hugged Mr. Cortes. She pulled away from him to see Mrs. Cortes had turned even colder than she had been initially. Pedro didn’t care. He was determined to make up for his wife’s arctic welcome. “How are you? Keeping my son in line?”
“I’m trying,” she replied. “Mando is stubborn, you know that,” she said, laughing. Armando rolled his eyes.
“Yes, he always was a difficult child. Always doing something,” Mrs. Cortes said. The front stoop was silent for a moment before Pedro turned back to Mari.
“Please, come in. Are you staying overnight?”
Mrs. Cortes laughed. “I assume you mean, does she have family in the neighborhood, right?” She looked at Mari. “After all, it would be highly inappropriate for you and my son to share a room here. Not under my roof.”
“Odd,” Bianca said, approaching. “That’s not the approach you took last month when Tony brought his latest puta home. Hello, Mari,” she said. She gave Mari a big hug. “About time you came to meet the entire family.”
“You two have met?” Connie asked.
“Yes,” Bianca replied. “Hard not to get wind of the fact that my little brother was considered the sexiest man on campus and that Mariela Ruiz had caught his eye.” Bianca laughed. “I was glad I only had to hear it for two years.”
“Armando is considered sexy at college?” Mrs. Cortes asked in wonder. She laughed, not a kind laugh. “I thought the University of Florida had athletes everywhere on campus. Football and basketball players, handsome young men. I mean, my son isn’t ugly but . . . ”
Mari couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Pedro was right. This woman was poisonous. By now the family was in the kitchen/dining room and everyone was listening avidly. Pedro had directed Mari to the seat of honor and placed Mando next to her, thereby displacing his nephew and annoying sister-in-law.
“Armando is considered one of the most handsome men on campus,” Mari said, trying to rein in her temper. “His looks are improved further by the fact that he’s also considered kind and gracious. A true gentleman. On UF’s athlete-heavy campus, Mando’s manners and kindness set him apart from and above men who are merely nice-looking.”
Pedro was thrilled. The Boricua spitfire his son had chosen was showing her mettle now! She would not allow Mando to be slandered. Bianca was impressed by Mando’s girlfriend. Rarely did anyone challenge Consuela Cortes and now someone had. And from the look on her mother’s face, Mamí did not appreciate the challenge.
“And of course Mari will stay,” Pedro said. “As Bianca said, that’s not the approach you take with Tony, so you won’t treat our son any different. Mari, where are your bags?”
“I left them in the trunk,” Mari replied nervously. She pulled her keys but whispered to Pedro, “I can stay with my family. They’re aware I’m in town.”
Pedro shook his head. “Nope. I’m tired of watching my son be ill-treated. He’s brought his future wife home. She is welcome under my roof.” Mari smiled and sat back down.
Connie watched this in astonishment. Clearly her husband was well aware of this girl and her importance to Armando. She looked at Armando, but he merely gazed at her. Something in the boy had changed. Before, he would look at her with a needy, hopeful look on his face. Connie had never recognized that look as the face of a boy who wanted desperately to be loved by his mother, but she did recognize that it meant he was ripe to be kicked emotionally. It gave her pleasure to give him pain, to make him hurt the way he’d made her hurt from the moment he drew breath.
Now? Mando’s face and eyes were shuttered. She couldn’t read him. She couldn’t figure out when and how to attack him. She looked at the girl, at the love and devotion clear on her face, and realized that attacking the girl might cause Armando to attack her, his mother. Assuming the girl left anything for Mando to attack. She was clearly ready to defend him against everyone.
Armando neither wanted nor needed her love anymore. Mariela, this new girl, was the love of his life. She was the one he needed.
“Who parked in my spot?” Tony bellowed as he walked through the door. The family had spent the past hour getting to know Mariela. Only Bianca and Pedro knew her and the family was astonished to see the easy relationship Pedro and Mari had. They teased each other, talked fútbol and politics, and talked about future plans. It was all but acknowledged that Mando and Mari would get married. Neither had any doubt.
Pedro looked over at his nephew and, before his wife could say a word, he responded. “This is not your home, Antonio.”
It was said sternly and the Delgados froze in the living room. Pedro stood, Connie standing furiously with him. “We have a guest in our home. Please conduct yourself appropriately.”
Felix was amused but bored. He wondered what could have happened to cause the gardener to find his balls. He looked over at the beautiful young lady sitting next to Mando and felt his loins stir. He hated accompanying his wife to her sister’s. This was time better spent with his mistress and this gorgeous thing reminded Felix of her.
Felix decided to manufacture an emergency and leave right after dessert.
Chita and Tony both looked at the girl and wondered who she was. Mari was stunningly beautiful. She was a ringer for Dayanara Torres, the former Miss Universe, and she was entirely too gorgeous to stand next to Armando. Chita immediately considered the girl Tony’s future wife.
Tony immediately curved his lips into his most charming smile and approached her. “My apologies, uncle. I did not realize we had company tonight. And you are?”
“Mariela Ruiz,” Mari answered, looking at Mando, who was getting her a glass of iced tea. Tony had kissed her hand and Mando rolled his eyes and smiled at her. “You must be Tony.”
“I am, and whatever Mando’s told you about me is a lie,” he said, smiling at her.
“Oh no, so far, he’s been absolutely accurate,” Mari replied, smiling. She looked over and Mando was laughing silently. Tony was not amused. He had no idea how to respond to that.
“Well, I’m hoping that means he’s only said the best, most wonderful things about me.” Tony sat in his normal spot, determined to begin chatting Mari up, when Mando returned.
“Get up.”
The entire table froze. Tony looked at Mando, amusement clear on his face.
“This is my normal spot, primo—”
“Not today. You take my normal spot. Mari is the guest of honor and she’s my girlfriend, so I’m sitting next to her. Get up.”
“Armando,” Chita began, but Pedro had returned at that moment. He took in the seating arrangements and cut in.
“Get up, Tony. Mari is Mando’s girlfriend. He’ll sit next to her.”
Everyone froze in shock, looking to see what would happen. Tony had a mulish look on his face that Mando knew was the prelude to his whining to get his way, so he decided to prevent that.
He lifted Tony, by his shoulders, and removed him bodily from the seat. The entire family watched as Mando dropped Tony onto his ass, dusted his hands, and retook his place next to Mari. Mari’s mouth had dropped. Mando handed her the glass of tea she’d asked for and smiled.
“So Papa,” Mando said, turning to his father, “how’s business?”
The rest of the evening was awkward. Tony continued to hit on Mari, and Mari could see Mando was growing more and more furious with it but he was trying to hold his temper. Finally, she turned to Tony and smiled.
“You’ve teased Mando all your life, haven’t you?”
“Of course,” Tony replied. “He’s an easy mark. He’s easily upset.”
“Yes, I can see why. After all, he brings his girlfriend home, the first woman he’s ever brought home to meet his family, and his cousin spends the entire evening trying get into her pants.” Multiple gasps. Pedro and Mando both smiled into their coffee cups. Mari was going to get him. “Even though I’ve given you absolutely no encouragement and have zero interest in you, you still think you have a chance. Tell me, how long does it take for women to lose interest in you?”
Everyone was silent, waiting.
“I don’t understand,” Tony said slowly, looking for the trick.
“Surprise.” Mari sighed dramatically. “That’s the difference between you and a sperm. A sperm at least has a one in three million chance to become a decent human.”
Mando and Pedro nearly choked on their coffee trying not to laugh. Mari stood and looked at Pedro. “Mr. Cortes, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to prepare for bed.”
“Of course,” Pedro replied, grinning. “Mando, show Mari where she’ll stay.”
Mando and Mari left the room. Everyone sat in complete shock and silence. Pedro sipped his coffee and looked forward to the day his son married his girlfriend.
Tony’s first job, out of college, was as a computer programmer. Again, technically proficient but not creative or imaginative. He had no idea how to take a spec and turn it into useable code.
His response? The analysts had submitted a bad spec. By the time he was done forcing them to make all the corrections necessary to turn it into a good spec, the project was late.
The female project lead decided to test him. She had a male analyst write the spec and had a female analyst submit it. Tony started his usual series of complaints and digressions. Meanwhile, another programmer, given the same spec, wrote the code.
The project was completed on time and they had proof Tony had a problem working with women. Tony declared that the code would turn out to be incorrect and, unfortunately, he was correct. There was a major problem in the finished project because a condition had not been tested. The analyst had failed to ask enough questions to learn about it.
The project lead was now on the defensive but she pointed out that she was the only woman involved and her job was to marshal the resources needed to complete the project. Tony’s job was to write the code, and if he didn’t communicate with her in a timely fashion to let her know that a condition had been left out, then he was at fault for failure to communicate with the project lead. Tony was unable to prove that he had communicated with her, but the rest of the project team was asked to pull all their communications about that project.
Tony had certainly complained to everyone else that the project had a problem but he refused to communicate with her.
The company put Tony on a performance plan and he quit in disgust. He wasn’t taking the fall for that bitch’s inability to run a project right. He worked his contacts and got a job as a project lead at another company. They won a bid to program a job and he ran the project team with an iron fist. His former employers were stunned and wondering if they’d made a mistake in putting him on a performance plan.
Tony ran three more project teams, each more successful than the last, before asking for a raise. He received a slight raise, not enough for him but enough to keep him quiet for a moment. He purchased a Ferrari and a South Beach condo during the boom and finally met a girl he thought he might settle down with for a little while.
Shannon Ortiz was a model, a beauty, and she was ready to retire at the ripe old age of 22. She looked at Tony and was thrilled to finally meet a strong, capable man who was willing to work hard and sacrifice to give her what she wanted. She started thinking marriage and babies and was eager to meet her future mother-in-law.
Chita Delgado hated her.
She looked at this interloper and saw a threat to her control over her son. So she began insinuating that perhaps Tony wasn’t ready to be married. Perhaps he should wait a little longer. Tony was amused. He was well aware that his mother saw Shannon as a threat but as long as his cock stayed wet and his mother was out of his hair, he was fine. He had no intentions of marrying anytime soon. He was barely 24. He had plenty of time.
After all, Mari Ruiz was still available. Shannon was beautiful but Mari? Mari put her in the shade, even if she was mouthy. That mouthiness could be corrected, though.
Meanwhile, Mando was off fighting overseas. Mari prayed daily for Mando’s safe return and her father-in-law was her biggest comfort. They watched the news and their emails and passed any tidbits that they had to each other. Mari was working as an art dealer in Miami, a competitive market and a competitive field, but she enjoyed it. She and Pedro would meet with her parents on weekends and travel to galleries and exhibitions. Pedro was never much of an art man, but with his daughter by his side he learned.
When Mando was picked to join a special team composed of Army Rangers, he let his future wife and his father know that communication from him was about to be few and far between. Mari became a regular in church and she and Pedro wore down many rosaries praying for him. The day Mando wrote to tell her that he was getting out and that his special teams commander had asked him to join his new company, Mari wept.
He told Mari to pick a date. They were getting married.
Mando was working 18-20 hour days at RangeMan. It was hard, trying to get the business off the ground and preparing for a wedding. They married on a hot summer day when RangeMan was six months old. The Ruizes had flown in from New York, Puerto Rico, and California to celebrate the nuptials. Mando had worn his dress uniform and Mando’s high school, college, and ROTC buddies had made up his half of the wedding party. Mari’s art dealer friends and college buddies were her bridesmaids.
Women at the wedding completely ignored Tony Delgado, a first.
The RangeMen were the hottest men in the room and Ranger Mañoso was considered the hottest thing alive. Tony Delgado studied this man and was impressed. He was dressed elegantly, in a custom tux, but with an edge that made him seem dangerous. He moved fluently and gracefully, was polite and proper to everyone and knew how to excite women and detach himself easily. His mother was struck speechless when she was introduced to him and his tía Connie was reduced to a giggling girl. His father was impressed by Mañoso’s business acumen and he gained his tío Pedro’s respect and admiration by praising Mando’s military service.
“One of the finest Marines I ever commanded, Mr. Cortes,” Mañoso said, mock grimacing. “You have no idea how much it pains me to compliment a Marine, sir.” Pedro laughed, proud of his son. “You’ll have to tell me, sir: how did Mando end up falling off the boat so many times?”
Pedro doubled over in laughs and motioned for Mañoso to follow him. Minutes later, everyone looked over to see Ranger Mañoso crying with tears of laughter. Even Mando looked shocked to see his former commander, now his boss, laughing so easily.
Lester Santos was even more exciting to the women in the room. Insanely gorgeous but more approachable than Mañoso, he left with the phone number of every gorgeous woman in the room. Tank LaPierre, Bobby Brown, Mark Phillips, Diego Garcia, the men Mando worked with were handsome, well-built, and charming and they worked the room.
Ranger was able to charm Chita and Connie but he personally had no respect for them. Tank sized both women up quickly. Bitches, Tank muttered, and Ranger looked at his second in shock (which meant a barely raised eyebrow). He’d never known Tank to use that term in regards to any woman, so using it now, for women they’d barely met, meant that these two were special. After watching the way Connie and Chita disparaged the bride in the most polite terms, Bobby agreed with Tank’s assessment. Ranger and Lester watched and realized that Armando Cortes was stronger than they’d ever given him credit for, to survive that mother.
The RangeMen had absolutely no time for Antonio Delgado. Tank’s assessment: spoiled. They were introduced to him and, beyond a polite head nod, said nothing. They lost respect for him when they realized that Tony tried to make Mando and Mari’s wedding day about him. Connie had pitched a fit and demanded that Mando allow Tony to make a speech at his wedding, to deliver the congratulations from the family. Mando told her hell no in no uncertain terms then threatened to remove his cousin from the venue entirely and ban him from his home.
The congratulations from the family were delivered by Ernesto, and Pedro scoured the speech for hidden language and back-handed insults. The speech had been written by Connie, so Pedro replaced it with a speech he and Mando had written. Connie was furious when Ernesto read the speech his father handed him, one full of warm congratulations from the family and containing not a single reference to anyone in the family besides Mando.
Mando had saved his money carefully for years. Since he’d never bought a car and Mari drove them everywhere, they had a small nest egg. He and Mari made decisions together and they decided to buy a home with their money. Until they were ready, they stayed in a modest apartment, spent time with their families, and talked about their future.
Mando was a steady success at RangeMan. He was a team player, just as he had been in the Middle East, but when put in a leadership position and forced to make decisions, he made good ones. He was firm, fair, and smart. Ranger and Tank watched him carefully, trying to decide if he or Mark would be better to take over the Miami office. Mando didn’t discuss work with his family often, but he made the mistake of being overheard one afternoon while talking to his father.
“I don’t know if he’ll choose me or Mark,” Mando said to Pedro. “Ranger likes Mark and Mark worships him. I think I’m probably Tank’s choice to head the Miami office.”
“Well, that’s simple enough,” Connie said. They turned to look at her. “If the boss doesn’t think you’re good enough, you won’t get the job. I’m not surprised. Ranger Mañoso looks like the kind of man who rewards excellence. I’m sure you’re doing a good job, but if you’re the choice of the second, you’re the second choice.”
Connie turned and left the room. The entire family looked at Mando, who had his blank face in place.
Mari had had enough. “Connie, you have it wrong.” Connie walked back in and looked at her daughter-in-law furiously. “Tank is a partner in the business and the partners make decisions jointly. If Tank thinks Mando is the ideal candidate, then Mando has one of the four partners. He needs to impress Bobby and Lester and I’m sure Mando will.” She smiled at her husband. “Mando will prove that he deserves to be head of home office.”
“I’m sure he’ll try,” Connie said, a cold smile on her face.
The next week, the assignment was announced. Mari couldn’t wait to crow but Mando asked her to allow his father to deliver the news.
“So, Armando, I hear from Mari that you were named the General Manager of RangeMan Miami. Congratulations,” Pedro said, smiling. He was thrilled to deliver the news and watched in great delight as his family looked at Mando in shock.
Mando smiled coolly. “Yes, I was. Thank you, papa.”
“No, you’ve earned your position, son. So this means you’re the head of home office, right?” Mando nodded. “What about Mark?”
“Mark will take Boston, the new location. He’s happy because Boston was his idea.”
Pedro nodded. “What’s the salary?”
“$125,000.”
Forks and mouths dropped. Chita and Felix were stunned but Tony?
“You’re a liar,” he said, seething. “That’s more than I make. There’s no way you make more than I do with a history degree.”
Mando shrugged and finished his flan. He turned to his father. “Mari and I have found a house, Papa. We’d like you to come look at it.” He smiled at Mari and clasped her hand. “We’re ready to have a home of our own.”
“We’d love to look at it,” Connie said. There was no way her son was moving into a home and she didn’t inspect it.
Mando looked at his mother. “No thank you, Mother. We’d like an honest, impartial opinion. I’d invite you, but we don’t need constant comparisons to Tony’s condo.” Mando sipped his coffee and stared at his cousin. “By the way, Tony, how’s work going?”
Connie felt as if she’d been slapped. Armando goes out of his way to insult me constantly, she seethed, and Pedro encourages him to do so. Tony also felt as if he’d been slapped. He’d just been fired that day and he didn’t want to talk about it but somehow, looking at Mando’s face, he had the feeling Mando knew.
Pedro looked at everyone around his table, at his family and in-laws, and realized that his home was poisoned by his wife and her irritating sister and their preference for his annoying nephew. He’d said nothing for a long time but, looking at his son, at his quiet contentment, he felt the desire to make a statement.
“I’ve sat here for years and listened as Armando was belittled for nothing more than existing and I’m tired of it. He’s tired of it. His wife is tired of it,” he said quietly. Everyone looked at him, including Mando and Mari. “Armando is a highly decorated Marine who served his country in one of the most deadly wars of late. He’s always been a steady boy, dependable, honorable, and he’s gotten no respect at this table.
Well, he’s just shown his strength again. His boss, one of this country’s most decorated military men, has named him to run the home branch and instead of an outpouring of congratulations and happiness, he gets snide comments and shock. Well, I’m taking a stand. This is the last family dinner we have like this. Until this family learns to support all its members, don’t show at this dinner table.” Pedro ended the statement yelling. He was angrier the more he realized how much it hurt to see his son be belittled.
“Pedro—”
“I’ve spoken, Connie! This is it!” At this point, Pedro was yelling. He was furious and red and angry. His son deserved some respect.
“Papa, it’s not necessary—”
“Yes, it is!” both Mari and Pedro replied. Mando looked at his wife in surprise but she merely nodded.
“Yes, it is necessary mijo. Everyone else sits at this table and is praised for their accomplishments but you never are. We have your celebrations separate from the rest of the family. We celebrate your successes quietly. I’m done with that.” He looked down the table at his wife. “If you cannot prepare special meals and desserts to celebrate your eldest son, you won’t do it to celebrate anyone else in this family. I vow it, Connie.”
“Papa!” Josefina cried. “My graduation party—”
“Is off until your mother can compliment and congratulate your brother.”
Josefina did not have a graduation party. Individual successes were not celebrated at the Cortes family table until Pedro died.
Nothing would compel Connie to say anything approving to the son she despised.
Pedro’s death caused a lot of bombshells to go off within the family.
The vigil was well attended by many people in Miami and most said just the bare minimum to the widow. They were looking for the eldest son, Armando. He’d been his father’s pride and joy and they wanted to express their sorrow and share their memories with him.
Felix looked at his dead brother-in-law and decided to get out while the getting was good. He could have Connie for the asking now but he was no longer interested. She was old and used, well used, by Pedro. She probably still smells of fertilizer, he thought. Besides, his mistress was tired of him denying her and their daughter and she was pregnant again. She was ready to start making a stink. Felix stepped outside and called his lawyers. He would leave the marital home tonight, while Chita pretended to console her sister.
Chita looked at Pedro and wondered what would happen to Connie. She hoped Pedro had enough life insurance.
Tony looked at his uncle and smirked. One less gardener in Miami. He wouldn’t be missed too much.
Josefina looked at her dead Papa and wailed. She didn’t want to be left alone with her critical mother under any circumstances.
Mateo and Ernesto wondered what to do with their father’s business. It was profitable but neither of them was interested in being a gardener. They hoped Mando made it back in time to deal with all of this.
Bianca wept on her boyfriend’s arm. Drew looked at the man he’d hoped to ask for Bianca’s hand and wondered what to do now. He liked Pedro Cortes. He’d been a good man, a solid man, and now he was gone. There weren’t a lot of men like him.
Bella stood by her father’s coffin and hoped to God that Mando made it back in time. She had enough dealing with Connie. Trying to deal with everything else would overwhelm her.
Consuela Cortes stood dry eyed next to the coffin. She tried to remember when she’d last loved Pedro but she couldn’t. She couldn’t remember ever loving him. He was just a way to make Felix jealous. Getting pregnant with Bella had ruined that and she was stuck with him. He’d loved her, she knew that, but over time he’d fallen out of love with her.
The day he told her he would divorce her for disciplining their children was the last day she even considered loving him.
Only Mariela Cortes Ruiz stood next to the coffin and truly grieved. Her father-in-law had been another father to her. Her baby was due next month, a little girl, and only a week earlier Pedro had stopped by with a little dress for the little girl. It was blue and yellow and had daises on it. It was adorable but, like a man, he’d purchased something way too big for a newborn.
Still, she cherished the last item she’d ever gotten from her father and cried for him. They’d debated baby names and finally agreed on Alyssa. Pedro loved the name. He couldn’t tell her why but he liked how it sounded.
There was a hush in the room and she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her. It was Mando, she knew it, and she cried and grieved for both him and Pedro. When she’d finally tired herself, she looked up at him, as his calm face and demeanor, and realized that her husband would break later that night. Right now, he was holding it together for the family, so she needed to be strong for him.
She looked over and saw both Mark Phillips and Ranger Mañoso standing there and she stepped over to them. They both looked a little singed. They’d just gotten back from a mission overseas a week ago, one of the few times Ranger had taken Mark and Armando since RangeMan started, but he’d needed their skills. They gave her a big hug and walked her to a seat while Mando conferred with the priest, his mother, and sister.
Ranger smiled. “When is she due?” he whispered.
“Next month. How did you . . . ”
“Mando talks of nothing else,” Mark said, smiling. “He can’t wait to be Daddy.”
Mari glanced at her handsome husband, standing to greet those who’d come to pay their respects, then the coffin, and felt the tears well up again. “I know.”
The RangeMan lawyers helped Mando settle his father’s estate. The business was profitable but it was a sole proprietorship. They sold the business to one of their father’s colleagues and used the profits to pay the business debts first. The money left over, combined with the life insurance, wasn’t enough to pay off the two mortgages on the house. Mando wondered why his father, always careful with money, had two mortgages on the house and he soon found out.
Pedro had taken out a HELOC to put his last three children through college. Mando smiled slightly and shook his head. He’d been the only child willing to sacrifice to go through college. His siblings had never considered what it would cost. That was surprising in the case of his brothers but Mari pointed out that while his brothers worked hard, they also liked fine things. They’d always had fine things. Work hard, play hard.
Connie needed a home.
Mando was completely against it. Mari looked at her mother-in-law, prostrate with grief, and wondered how she would go on if Mando died. She couldn’t imagine living without him.
Mando looked at his mother and saw a calculated attempt to rouse his pity. She knew Pedro had extracted a deathbed promise from him to take care of her and she knew that Mando would be obedient to his father’s wishes, but Mari was a wild card. Mari might refuse to have her in her home and Mando, torn between his wife’s wishes and his father’s last request, would uphold his wife’s wishes. Connie had never been able to manipulate Mariela but the outward show of grief did it. Mari asked Mando to honor his father’s last request. Mari loved Pedro and it was the last thing he’d asked of them.
He looked at her, sighed, and kissed her pregnant belly. “You will someday wish you had not asked this of me.”
Tony was furious.
His family was being broken apart by some puta who didn’t know how to find an abortion clinic.
Felix had kept his promise to himself. The day of Pedro’s funeral, Felix was a no-show. Chita hadn’t particularly cared, but when she returned home to find all of Felix’s clothes gone, she was curious.
The good-bye note pissed her off. Felix admitted he had another family and his girlfriend, soon to be wife, was demanding that he come support their two children. She was tired of being a dirty secret and he was tired of her, Chita. His new wife was 20 years younger and still young and nubile. Chita was old and tired and Tony was an adult now. He was moving on.
Chita raged and screamed. The divorce was amazingly civil, however. It had to be. Felix had successfully placed most of his assets in his children’s names and the girlfriend used that to ensure Felix found his way to her home.
Tony looked at his father and spat in his face. “You threw away our face for some puta who couldn’t get rid of it? You deserve what you get.”
Felix wiped his face and barked a laugh. “You spoiled son of a bitch.” He looked at his ex-wife and smirked. “Literally. You’ve gotten everything you’ve ever wanted. You’re a grown man. Make your way in the world. Quit getting fired.”
He turned to Mando, who was watching quietly. “Congratulations, Armando. Your father was right. You’ve long been the only person in this family with any sense. Don’t allow your mother to bully you, and stick close to your wife. She’s a smart one.”
Felix climbed into his Mercedes and drove away.
Years later
Antonio Delgado’s disappearance was investigated as a missing person. His cousin was interviewed and Mando was cool.
Yes, he’d fired him.
It was the fifth time Tony had been fired.
He’d last been seen at a club getting drunk with his friends. Mando had no other information.
The detectives were stunned by how cold Armando Cortes was about his cousin’s disappearance. They’d known Mando for years and he wasn’t a cold person. That attitude toward Tony actually gave them a chill down their spines.
Miami-Dade PD knew Armando Cortes. He was a straight-shooter, former military, a good guy. He worked his ass off at RangeMan Miami and when Miami-Dade PD needed help, they were comfortable turning to him and his men. The relationship between Miami-Dade PD and RangeMan was close because the Chief of MDPD was an old friend of Pedro Cortes, Armando’s father. Chief had known Mando for years.
Chief had also known Antonio Delgado for years. He told the investigating detectives to add angry ex-girlfriends, jealous boyfriends, and infuriated fathers to their list of suspects and try to get a list of Tony’s bed partners. It might help them later.
They did some basic interviews and realized that the cousins hated each other. Mando wasn’t going to grieve for Tony in the slightest. He’d done his part by employing his asshole cousin and that bit of charity had nearly cost him his job.
After speaking to the Acting General Manager and the Managing Director for RangeMan, they understood. Ms. Plum had played the tapes of conversations with former and current clients so the investigating detectives had a good idea of who Antonio Delgado was. The detectives asked for copies of those tapes and, after conferring with the corporate attorneys and obtaining the permission of those on the tapes, copies were made and released to Miami PD.
The detectives quickly realized that if Antonio Delgado was dead no one was mourning.
He was not someone who would be missed by many people.
His former co-worker, Thomas Williams, was the last person seen with him.
Thomas Williams immediately disappeared shortly after the disappearance of Antonio Delgado, but the Managing Director of RangeMan confirmed she’d approved his vacation well in advance of his disappearance. They checked with the local policía in the Dominican Republic and learned that Thomas had taken R&R with his family because his grandmother’s 90th birthday was that weekend. The family had had a big party for her.
The policía in the DR visited him and asked some basic information on behalf of MDPD. Williams used the RangeMan master code to deposit Mr. Delgado in his apartment the night he escorted him from the club. However, Mr. Delgado presumably left of his own accord the next morning, as he used his personal code to disarm and rearm his alarm.
His missing friends had the same pattern of behavior. They all left their apartments within a short period of time of Mr. Delgado and were never heard from again.
The apartments were dusted, but there were multiple sets of fingerprints found besides those of Mr. Williams. That was unexpected. Thomas Williams was expected, because he had deposited each man in his apartment, but who did these other fingerprints belong to?
Fingerprint analysis later turned up scores of women who admitted having been a guest in each man’s apartment. Chief was right. They needed to make a list of each man’s bed partners.
Miami PD was baffled. When Thomas Williams returned to Miami he was questioned, heavily. His former reputation as a gang member was heavily against him, but it was also known that he was no longer in that life. They knew that. They knew him. He’d gone straight. He was no longer involved.
Besides, he readily admitted to putting each man in his apartment. He admitted his fingerprints were there but he’d also locked them up tight in their apartments and not returned after he left them. He’d gone to work the next day, made sure everything was OK for him to take a few days leave, and left. When he learned he was wanted for questioning, he immediately showed up at Miami-Dade PD. He wasn’t guilty of kidnapping them from their homes and wasn’t confessing to shit.
Miami PD left Thomas Williams alone and started investigating in other directions. They realized that if RangeMan was behind these disappearances, they might as well start trawling the Everglades.
The bodies would never be found.
Mando knew Thomas had done it and he knew why.
Mack.
It didn’t take Mando long to put two and two together. Stephanie planned to place Mack in Diego’s position in Miami. Thomas did it for Mack but Mando didn’t care.
If Tony had ever been family to him, a real cousin, someone he could respect and admire, he might grieve. They were only a week apart in age, yet Tony had treated him like shit his entire life. He wanted to grieve for him but he couldn’t. He couldn’t find one pleasant memory of Tony to grieve over and that was sad. Tony had been a user and a taker all his life and now someone had taken his life. Mando was shocked and sadden to realize that he only felt relief.
For the first time in his life, the war was over. Chita and Connie were tearing up Miami and most of Florida looking for Tony. They were frantic. Felix was informed and he hired a private investigator. The private investigator got no further than the cops had.
He attempted to speak to the RangeMen but they said nothing. They had nothing to say. It helped that half the branch was men from other locations. Those men truly had nothing to say.
For the Miami men who remained, Tony entered RangeMan history as an asshole. An irritating piece of shit. Now universally hated within RangeMan, no one missed him. He was a cancer that had finally been excised and it was clear he would never return. The branch bounced back with a vengeance under Diego’s leadership, with Mando’s guidance from afar. The men were determined to prove that the reputation that they had as sexist assholes was over.
If they didn’t get it, the CO would sic her grandma on them again. They were prepared for anything except Granny Mazur and the nude beach.
Chita cried nearly every day and Felix got sick of it. He loved his son, but he wasn’t putting Tony up for martyrdom. It was entirely possible that he was pissed at Armando and hiding out somewhere, determined to reappear a bigger success than his cousin. Besides, the boy had been a pain in the ass, one he’d spoiled beyond belief, and he loved and missed his son, but living with his new wife had shown him how he’d wasted almost 30 years in a loveless marriage. He was determined to ensure his daughter, and now a son, in this marriage didn’t end up like Tony. He didn’t spoil these children the way Tony had been spoiled and they were much better for it.
When Tony reappeared, he’d scold him for making his mamí worry, but he wasn’t going to fret over the boy’s disappearance quite yet. Besides, Chita was known for being hysterical. When Tony reappeared, a bigger success than Armando, Chita would fall all over the boy, fawning over him. He was determined to balance that ridiculous overreaction.
Connie also cried because now she no longer had her perfect, handsome sobrino to dote on. She looked at her son, at the barely concealed disgust in his eyes, and realized that none of her children actually loved her.
They tolerated her, at best.
Armando had made it clear that Connie would never live under his roof again, so the rest of her children bickered and argued about where she should live. Since Chita got spousal support from Felix, she was covered, but Connie wasn’t old enough to collect Social Security. Mando was the child who could afford her easiest, but he refused to give a penny for her maintenance. The rest of her children refused to put themselves into financial straits to care for her.
“That’s why Papa wanted you to take care of her,” Josefina said mulishly.
“And I did,” Mando replied. “I took care of her and you and damn near everyone in this family. All of you are emotional vampires and you aren’t sucking me dry anymore. Figure it out.”
They spoke of her as if she weren’t sitting right there in front of them. Chita had mentally checked out, thinking of her son and wondering where he was. Ernesto and Mateo finally decided that Connie and Chita would have to live together and Connie’s children would chip in for her maintenance. Neither woman was happy about that but Ernesto asked her if she had a better idea.
She looked at her children and realized that not one of them would consent to have her under their roofs. Armando and Mariela had never been able to take honest, helpful advice. They saw everything she said as some sort of criticism. Bella was blaming the shaky state of her marriage to that drug dealer on her. She looked at Bianca and Drew, but Drew’s blue eyes were cold.
“No. We gave you a place in our home and you couldn’t respect us or our home. On behalf of my wife and myself, no.”
Drew respected his brother-in-law. Mando walked his sister down the aisle and had given his approval as a proxy for his father. Drew and Mando were pretty close now and he refused to go through the same hell Mando had. Drew had put her out of his home after two weeks and made Bianca promise never to allow her in the house again. He gave Josefina six months to get her life straight and move out. Josefina wailed and he told her that if she didn’t stop, she could leave that night.
So Connie agreed to move in with Chita. It was a bitter pill. She never expected that, out of six children, not one of them would take care of her in her old age.
Again, Mando refused to give anything.
“I had her for years and none of you gave me or Mari a penny. You never had time to help Mari. You never had time to babysit the girls or chauffeur Mamí. Well, I’ll chip in in a decade. Enjoy figuring it out on your own in the meantime.”
Everyone understood. They didn’t like it, but they understood. Mari smiled and delivered the death stroke.
“We’ve asked Stephanie to post us to Charlotte permanently. We love it there and we don’t want to be involved in the family politics.”
Mando looked at his fractured family, broken because of his mother’s hatred of him, now bickering over her. He’d never known what he’d done to cause her to hate him so, but he didn’t care now. He looked at his wife’s taut womb and thought of his son, warm and safe under his mother’s heart. A heart that would look at him and love him the moment she saw him and he grieved all over again for his father. He thought of all the decisions he’d made, good and bad, that had brought him to this point and sighed.
He wished, painfully, that his father had lived long enough to know that he’d won the war.
Children begin by loving their parents; after a time they judge them; rarely, if ever, do they forgive them.—Oscar Wilde
