Standing in my girlfriend's kitchen, we packed her belongings and wiped out the cupboards. There were moments of conversation, but more times of deafening silence with the sound of dishes the only reminder we were there.
We have known one another since high school. A week after her fortieth birthday she told me her husband accepted a job across the country. That shock sent an emotional tidal wave through my body. I have always viewed her as wild and sassy, a true Mexican spitfire. She has always been the wild one of our friendship, while I lived vicariously through her escapades. We're both about 5'4" but built quite differently. She buys Levi's because of her thin hips, while I have a rounded figure. What she lacks in ass she makes up in tits. On several occasions I admired her body, but kept it to myself and offered joking remarks to her about it.
"So when are you leaving?"
"Three weeks."
"You're packing early."
"I have the entire house to do, I don't want caught at the last minute."
"I understand."
I kept working as we spoke, but I felt tears welling in my eyes. I didn't want her to see me because I knew this move was just as hard for her. I didn't want to make it any worse. As I stood there working I thought back over all the years we have known one another, 26 total. We both married and had kids. Even when life got busy we still found time to call occasionally. Our contact was not always constant, but even after six months of living life we knew we could pick up the phone and call one another like no time had passed.
"Did you get the pans under the stove?"
"Huh?"
"You need to clean out your ears girl." She chuckled.
I couldn't resist laughing with her. "What did you say bitch?"
Her contagious laughter flowed, "You are the only person I have ever allowed to call me that."
I looked at her with a soft smile, "I know."
"What am I going to do without you so close?"
I saw the mood on her face change quickly. Never one to allow anyone to see her emotions, she had always had that freedom with me for some reason.
"I'm sure you will find an innocent white girl to corrupt in California."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do. We can still talk on the phone like we do now."
"But, I won't be able to jump in my car and drive to see you whenever I want."
"I know, but there isn't really any alternative."
"You're right, you're always right. Even when I have one of my dumbass attacks and rant like a fucking wild woman you always bring me back to earth. You're like my base. You know what I'm sayin'?"
"I know honey."
Without another word we went back to work. I knew her mind was running rampant about things that needed done. I also knew she was sad that we were going to be so far apart. After all these years of being friends it almost felt like we had taken it for granted, until now.
When we met my parents didn't approve of her, she was Mexican, I was white. She was always in trouble. I always tried to be good. Inwardly I had always admired her strength and yet when she was upset or hurting she called me for strength. Early on I knew she trusted me more than anyone in her life, something that was very rare for someone that had grown up hard and fast.
"Do you remember the first time you got in trouble with me?"
I laughed, "Yeah."
"You came to baby-sit with me and that girl down the street was so jealous that you were hangin' out with me."
"Yes, she was."
"If I would have known she was peeking in the windows I wouldn't have rolled that doobie and gotten you in trouble with your parents."
"It all worked out in the end, but you did play into the reason my parents didn't want me around your Mexican ass."
"Haha, yeah. I really did feel bad, but yanno I thought it was cool that you keep being my friend even when your parents didn't want you to."
"Someone had to keep your ass straight. It was my only shot at sainthood."
She threw a kitchen sponge at me, soaking wet. It landed with a thud on the cupboard door, just narrowly missing my head. Her laughter filled the kitchen. Snatching it up, I turned and prepared to launch it back but she ducked in the nick of time, laughing and dancing around, taunting me.
All the years of watching how sexy she is filled my senses. She was and is the proverbial Latina Lover. So many times I had listened to her recant moments that she had seen a hot guy in a club and seduced him. She could sell ice to an Eskimo, she was so hot, but it was always on her terms. If anyone got too close to her, or she felt herself getting too close to them she severed all ties. That was how our friendship evolved over the years. Many times I didn't hear from her for months, but she always knew where I was when she needed me. I gave her space, as she always says.. something she has always needed.
Her long black curly hair was up in a clip. A pair of shorts and a t-shirt danced with her body as she jumped about taunting me to come get the sponge and try again. Her 36C tits jiggled under her t-shirt, drawing my attention. My strong Latina girlfriend that could kick ass like no bodies business stood taunting me, and all I could do was look at her tits.
"Come on white girl, you 'fraid o' this?"
I struggled hard with my emotions. We always joked around like this but damn I was having a hard time today. Turning back to the cupboard I started pulling things out to put in a box. She quit hopping around and grew quiet.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah."
"No you're not. Talk to me girl."
"Maybe later."
"No, you WILL talk to me NOW."
I recognized that voice all too well; it was the voice that demanded response. She wasn't angry with me; it was just her way of telling me she meant business. I tried so hard to speak but my eyes welled up and my throat constricted. How was I going to make it without her? For all the differences in our lives, our friendship had defied the odds. She was the rebel; I was the good girl. She was Mexican; I was white. She was tossed from family member to family member; I always lived with my parents. She had such a hard outer shell; I always walked away from a fight. She always told me I trusted people too easily; she was completely opposite. Ironically, the one thing we shared in common, was trust.
Her hand touched my shoulder. "Come on, stand up a minute."
I stood and tried to hide my tears but she held my face in her hands and turned it toward her. "Awww, you're cryin'."
"Yeah, I know, pretty white of me isn't it."
"Nah, not white baby. It just shows me how much you care."
"I know you think crying is a sign of weakness."
"Sometimes, yes but sometimes we can't help it."
"You're the only person I ever cry around."
"I know and I feel honored."
"It will be ok. We'll be ok."
"I need to talk to you."