A Good Dude (8 page)

* * *

Being
fully
pregnant at school was an interesting experience. In her College Algebra class, one of her peers gave up his seat at ground level so Candace wouldn’t have to march the stairs to the upper level. Her religion professor stopped her after class and asked how her
condition
was going. He said he could allow extra time to finish her assignments if she needed it. Candace told him she was okay.

After Economics, a familiar face followed her out. “Hey, Candace.”

She turned and waited for Celestino to catch up. “You sure move fast for a preg—
ooh
, I’d better not say that.”

“Say what?”

“The last time I thought a girl was,
with child
, I made the mistake of asking how far along she was.”

“And she wasn’t pregnant?” Candace asked with a grin.
“No, she was just fat,” he said. “And if that’s what’s
going on with you, then let me apologize ahead of time.”

She gave him a serious look. “Well, I hate to tell you this, but I’m not fat or pregnant. I’ve got a tumor. I have surgery scheduled this week.”

He stared at her belly bulge, the smile slipping from his face. “For real?”

“No, goofy. I’m pregnant. You think I’d be at school with a tumor this big?”

“That’s not funny,” he said, that cute grin working its way back to his lips. “I used to know a guy who had a tumor that big.”

“Really?”

“Well, I didn’t really
know
him. I saw some pictures on the Internet. I read his blog.”

Candace shook her head and continued the walk to her car. “Tino, you’re crazy.”

“You remember my name! That’s awesome.”

“You’re the only friend I’ve made at this school,” she said.

“
Friend?
Oh, hell no. Don’t push me into that
platonic friend
category.”

Candace was shocked. “Tino, are you still trying to hit on me?”

“Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you’re still with your boyfriend,” he said. “Statistically speaking, one-third of all pregnant women in America are single.”

“Where’d you hear that?”

“I made it up,” he said. “It sounded good, though, didn’t it? I’ve found that if you rattle off a lie with a statistic in it, most people will believe you. Especially if you put numbers or percentages in there.”

Candace stopped and stared at him for a second. Today he wore a long-sleeved denim shirt with blue jeans. His white tennis shoes were a little scuffed. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, held together with a black rubber band.

“I like you, Celestino,” she said. “You’re a good dude. You make me laugh.”

He smiled and they started walking again. “
Sooo
, are you still with your boyfriend or not?” he asked.

“You’re serious?”

“Yeah, I’m serious.”

“Tino, I’m pregnant.”

“So? I like babies.”

“How old are you?” she asked.

“I’m seventeen.”

“Are you a nerd?”

“A nerd? No. I don’t wear glasses. My pants aren’t high-water. I don’t even like Star Trek.”

“You’re just a smart guy?”

“Just a smart guy,” he agreed.

They were at her car now. Candace disabled the alarm and opened the door.

“You got time to talk for a minute?” she asked. “Yeah.”

“Get in on the other side.”

Tino’s eyes grew big. “Hell, yeah! This is definitely progress.”

“Not really,” she said.

She got in and closed the door. Tino plopped down in the passenger seat and did the same.

“Tino, if you’re such a smart guy, why do you want me?” Candace asked. “There are plenty of girls here who’re smart and pretty and
skinny
. Have you ever dated someone with a baby?”

“No,” he said.

“Plus I’m still with my boyfriend. It’s not going good. I might end up being one of your
fictitious statistics
pretty soon, but I’m not staying here if we break up.”

“It’s not going good?” he asked.

“No. Not really. Sometimes I think it will be over any day now.”

“So I was right.”

“No, Tino. You’re not listening. If we
do
break up, I’m going back to New York.”

“Why?”

“Cause my boyfriend is the only reason I’m down here. I don’t know anyone in Texas. I don’t have any family. I’m going to finish this semester, but I don’t think I’ll be back in the fall.”

Tino looked seriously hurt by this news.

“You don’t even know me,” Candace said. “Why are you getting all depressed?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I do this all the time. My brain just starts working things out on its own. I had all of these plans for us in my head. I saw us together this Christmas, at my grandma’s house. My aunts make tamales from scratch. You would have liked them.”

Candace was taken aback. “You saw all that?”

“It was just a daydream.”

“If I break up with my boyfriend, I won’t have anywhere to live,” she explained. “I don’t have a job. No money.”

“You can get a job,” he assured her. “Everybody’s hiring in Overbrook Meadows.”

Candace smiled. “Hey,” she said. “Regardless of what happens, I want you to know you’re the coolest guy I’ve met since I’ve been in Texas.”

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Tino’s smile came back with full flair. He picked up the
Rilla Time
CD from the console and studied the Puerto Rican thug on the cover.

“You like this kind of music?”

“It’s all right,” Candace said.

“This guy’s an idiot,” Tino said. “He’s from here. He had it all. Videos on TV, the money, the girls. But he ended up losing it. He’s back now. On the south side, I think. A local celebrity, if you can call him that.”

Candace couldn’t help but laugh.

“What?”

“
That’s
my boyfriend,” she said.

Tino’s jaw dropped. “Nuh-uhn.”

“Seriously. That’s Rilla. His real name is Raul Canales. That’s the guy I live with.”

Tino’s eyes bugged and he studied the CD case again. “You’re going with Rilla?”

“Unfortunately, yeah. I am.”

“Oh, my God,” Tino said. “You kissed me. He’s not going to shoot me, is he?”

Candace giggled, but she saw that he was serious. “No, he’s not going to shoot you.”

“I never would have asked you out if I knew he was your boyfriend. I’m scared of rap guys. They got guns, knives,
grenades
!”

“They do not have grenades.”

He looked around nervously and tugged at his collar. “But you’re admitting they have guns and knives . . . . It’s hot in here. It’s not hot to you?”

“No, it’s not hot. Stop looking around like that. Are you seriously scared?”

“No. Not really. A little.”

“I would never put you in harm’s way,” Candace promised.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I just never would have thought that. You don’t seem like that type at all.”

“I know,” Candace said. “You’re right. I’m not that type of girl. A year ago I was living in New York. I’d just graduated and I got accepted to Cornell and Columbia. I went to one of Rilla’s concerts, and, I don’t know what happened. He invited me on stage and I felt so special. He asked me if I wanted to see him later, and I couldn’t believe it. He was this rich, famous guy. I was nobody. We hooked up later and he was a real gentleman. I was only seventeen. I fell in love with him and ran away to go on tour with him.”

Tino stared in shock.

“Yeah. It’s crazy,” Candace said. “Now I’m pregnant, taking classes at a community college, and he’s not trying to rap anymore. Every day I want to call my parents, but I don’t know what to say to them. I’ve made so many bad decisions, I don’t think I could ever explain myself.”

She waited for a while after she spoke, but Tino didn’t respond. He just looked at her and breathed.

“You’re going to have to say
something
,” she prompted.

He thought about it a while longer. “Candace, all I want to say is this: I think you’re a beautiful girl. A smart girl. You ran off with a rapper—yeah, that was bad, but what seventeen-year-old wouldn’t want to tour with a rapper? Half of the girls at this school would drop everything if Eminem showed up and said he wanted to be with them.

“I think you should call your parents. I think they’ll understand. But more than that, I still think you’re pretty awesome. You’re thousands of miles away from anyone telling you what to do, but you’re still coming to school. Most girls would have left that dude after he got fired, but you stuck with him. And even though you’re pregnant, you still didn’t run home. You’re trying to do everything on your own. I don’t know if you can do it, but you’re trying.”

Tino’s words made her feel really good. Candace smiled and checked her watch.

“Dang! It’s already 1:30. I have a doctor’s appointment.”

“I’m late for my next class,” Tino said.

“Thanks for talking with me,” Candace said. “You made me feel a lot better.”

“I’m a good listener,” Tino said. “So long as you don’t dump me in that platonic pile.”

“Okay,” she said.

He reached over and touched her hand. Then he got out and went to class.

* * *

The prenatal assistance provided by the fair city of Overbrook Meadows could be described as no less than remarkable. The county hospital assigned Candace a caseworker named Kayla. Kayla not only set up appointments at an OB/GYN clinic free of charge, but she also instructed Candace on how to get diapers, milk, a car seat,
a stroller,
and even
cash money
through the many mother/baby services throughout the city.

After her doctor visit, Candace met with the social worker to discuss the baby’s postpartum needs. There was no way she was going to cry again that day, but questions about her family life, financial standing, and overall knowledge of child-rearing had Candace on the verge of tears.