The Green (14 page)

“Yeah, my friend and I are looking for Winter
Formal dresses,” she said, ignoring the saleswoman as she looked at
more dresses.

“That would be for Cambridge High, right?”
asked the saleswoman, suddenly looking a little more attentive.
“We’ve had quite a few young ladies looking at our collection
lately.”

“Yep,” answered Naomi shortly. She didn’t
like salespeople and she never tried to hide it. “Get two dressing
rooms ready for us.” She ordered.

The saleswoman scurried into the dressing
room. I guess all we needed to say was we were from Cambridge and
we got better service. Well, Naomi did anyways. She must have
realized we would actually have the money to buy something there.
Normally I wouldn’t have been able to, but thanks to my newfound
career, the box of cash under my bed told me it was just fine.

One hour and fifty dresses later, Naomi
called the saleswoman over to clear away what we didn’t want. As
was our usual dance dress shopping ritual, we each tried on every
dress we could find in our size and selected three to model to each
other. There could be only one winner.

My choices were a short black cocktail dress
with a gold sash thingy around the middle. There was a long,
strapless burgundy dress with a slit up the leg—muy sexy. And the
last was a sapphire blue with spaghetti straps, an A-line that went
down to the floor.

“First dress!” Naomi shouted from her
dressing room. I put on the black dress and we both met in front of
the giant mirror, taking turns standing on the platform to get the
full effect of the dresses. Naomi’s first dress was a red-hot
number with a very plunging neckline that probably went against the
school’s dress code, not that she cared.

We went through the pros and cons of each
dress and ran back to the dressing room to try on dress number two.
I came out in the burgundy and Naomi had on a hot pink dress with a
poufy skirt.

“Not so much,” I giggled at the hot pink
nightmare.

“I like it.” She pouted. “I guess it looked
better in the dressing room.”

My second dress didn’t get great scores
either. It just wasn’t me.

“Third dress!” she shouted as she slammed her
dressing room door.

I sighed as I pulled on the sapphire dress.
It was so pretty. I could see us dancing across the floor, my dress
dazzling everyone who saw it. Only in my daydream we could dance
like those people on Dancing with the Stars. I could only imagine
we would not be that coordinated.

Naomi gasped as I came out.

“That’s it!” she squealed, looking me over as
I stepped on the platform. “You look like a freaking princess! All
right, so we’ve got your dress. What about this one?” She stood up
on the platform and twirled around. The clingy sparkly black dress
showed off her every curve. She looked like a way less trashy
Angelina Jolie.

“I think the third one was the charm for both
of us,” I said. “That is definitely your dress.”

“Great, then let’s go. I still have some
Christmas presents to buy,” she said, rushing back to the dressing
room to change.

The saleswoman rang up my dress. “Three
hundred seventy five dollars and ninety seven cents.”

Three hundred and seventy-five dollars. The
price of one ounce of pot. And after a few months of selling it
didn’t seem like that much money any more.

I pulled out my wallet and handed her four
hundred dollar bills. She raised an eyebrow at first, seeming
surprised that I actually had the cash. She gave me my change and
receipt and handed me the dress, which was covered in a green
Marshall Field’s labeled plastic bag.

We walked back into the insanity of the mall
and Naomi gave me a sideways glance. “I guess you’re making a lot
of money at your new job, huh?”

“Yeah, it pays well, but I’d been saving some
of it. That’s what I brought today,” I said. I didn’t want her to
think I was swimming in cash; she would’ve definitely been
suspicious. I’ve always been poor little Ari. I had to keep that
idea in her pretty little head. “Anyway, I’ve got a little money
left to buy something for my mom, oh, and I need a new shirt or
sweater for your New Year’s Eve party.”

“I’ve got nowhere to be and a credit card
with no limit.” Naomi laughed. “I’ll go wherever you want!”

One Christmas present for my mom, a hot
sweater for the party, a pile of clothes for Naomi, and two
Cinnabons later and we were finally done. I was convinced we’d
literally shopped until we dropped as we both collapsed into the
car for the ride home.

On Christmas Eve, we loaded up the car with
food and presents and made the thirty-minute drive to Tia Maria’s
apartment in the city. Unlike all of my other friends, we
celebrated on Christmas Eve so Christmas Day was sort of nothing.
According to Latinos, Christmas started at midnight mass. Christmas
Day was a day to recover from all of the partying.

I stared out the window the whole ride. I
hadn’t heard from Javier lately. I was surprised he hadn’t come
around to pick up his money. Oh well, that made it easy, I
guessed.

Tia Maria had the usual spread; salad, rice,
lentil beans, spicy hot sauce, and in the attempt to be somewhat
American, a ham. Mom had made fresh
seviche
, which was some
kind of shrimp dish. Totally not my favorite. It didn’t matter
though because we couldn’t actually eat it until after mass. I
could feel my stomach growling as I looked at it all. My absolute
favorites were the desserts. Maybe I’d just skip dinner and go
straight for those. I had made brownies because they usually only
had a pumpkin pie and I hated pumpkin pie.

I was forced to go to midnight mass, which
wasn’t so bad I guess. It was the only time we went to church all
year. It was really festive, with the smell of pine and incense in
the air. The big Catholic church we went to reminded me of the ones
you’d probably see in Europe, not like the big ugly mega-churches
of the suburbs. The priest droned on about family and friends and
truth and love. I thought about everything that had happened in the
last couple of months.

It was because of family that I was in this
position. Nando. My mom. Hell, I could even blame my dad, wherever
he is right now. He wasn’t much of a dad, more of a sperm donor.
But whatever. I didn’t ask for this, to have to sell drugs to rich
suburban people so I could stay in high school. Why couldn’t all
parents be like Naomi’s parents or James’ parents or probably every
kid’s parents at Cambridge? I wish the whole world could just be
more black and white instead of a hundred shades of gray.

After the mass, I felt worse than ever. I
absently picked at my food. I wasn’t really feeling festive. My
cousins from the city were more interested in talking about the
parties they’d been to or the big fights at school and didn’t pay
much attention to me. That was fine. I didn’t really have anything
to say to them.

“How’s school?” asked Tia Maria. I helped
myself to a brownie. “Hey, it’s not dessert time yet.”

“School’s fine,” I answered.

“That’s good. Your cousin Manuel is doing so
bad in school. I tell him he should go there, but you know, he
doesn’t listen to me. He just likes to sit here or hang out with
his friends. That’s boys, no?” She shrugged. “You can’t tell them
anything.”

Right. You couldn’t tell them anything in
this family. Just like Nando. Whatever. Boys could do no wrong.

After we ate, we gathered around the tree to
hand out presents. I gave Mom hers, a sweater I’d found her at the
mall.

“Oh, mija, I love it. Here, this is yours.”
She handed me a package wrapped with brightly colored Santa
Clauses.

I unwrapped the box and opened it to find a
deep purple hooded sweatshirt with the word NORTHWESTERN
embroidered across the front.

“Wow, Mom. Thanks!” I said, holding it out in
front of me. Northwestern. Another one of the reasons I was doing
what I was doing. That word meant more to me than anything else,
except maybe James. That word would change my life. If I could
afford to go there.

“Yeah, I bought you that ‘cause I know you
want to go to that school,” she said loudly, smiling proudly at her
brothers and sisters.

“Oh, you going to Northwestern next year?”
asked my Tio Beto.

“I applied there, but I haven’t found out
yet,” I said wistfully.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll get in, sweetie!” Tia
Maria said and the conversation turned to something else.

I wasn’t so worried about getting in as I was
about paying the bill. Maybe Santa Claus could bring me that
instead—a sleigh full of green should cover it. Hear that,
Santa?

The next six days ticked by as if someone was
dragging the hands of time backward. Every time I looked at the
clock it seemed that it had only moved one minute ahead. I tried
everything to get my mind off it. I made plenty of deliveries,
watched endless hours of TV, read a couple books and cursed my
teachers for giving us nothing to do. Most kids were probably out
having fun, enjoying break. Naomi was busy getting ready for the
party and James would be back just in time for the party.

I offered to help Naomi with the party
details, but she said it wasn’t necessary, her mother had hired
someone to get it all set up. She just needed to supervise.
Typical.

James and I agreed that we would meet at the
party. His flight wasn’t landing until five and he didn’t want to
make me late. I took a little extra time getting ready, just for
him. My cute new top that fit every curve perfectly, my favorite
distressed jeans and a little extra sparkle in my make-up because
if I knew Naomi, I knew the lighting would be perfect and the
sparkle would add an extra something something. I straightened my
hair so it was dark and smooth. Perfect. How could he not find me
irresistible?

I grabbed a coat and headed out to the
Cadillac. The temperature was hovering in the teens. I hated this
time of year; it was so cold and dark and everything just seemed so
dead. I drove through Slate Park and pulled into Naomi’s circular
driveway. They had plenty of room for us to park and since I was
the first one I pulled up as far as possible, also making sure I
could get out if I needed to. Naomi’s palatial house reminded me of
my customers. Pretty, perfect and expensive. Kind of like Naomi
herself.

I stepped up to the grand front porch where
the giant red door was flanked on both sides by mini-evergreen
trees covered in lights that were in ornate pots. Totally not the
tacky manger scenes that I saw in some of the middle class
neighborhoods. It was customary to leave up holiday decorations at
least through the New Year. I hit the button next to the door and
heard the chimes trilling on the other side. Naomi opened the door
wearing a tiny black cocktail dress and looked hot, hot, hot!

“Hey girl, you didn’t tell me you were
wearing a dress,” I said, suddenly feeling underdressed in my
jeans.

“Ari, you know I don’t tell anyone what I’m
wearing. I want to be the only one in a dress. I’m hoping that
everyone else shows up dressed like you. Which is still very hot,
by the way. Just not as hot as me!” She twirled around. She had a
point I guess—it was her party.

“Give me your jacket,” she said, grabbing it
before I could say anything else and throwing it in the closet by
the front door. “Let’s go get a drink.” She put her arm around me
and led me down a large hallway to a giant gleaming kitchen. I
loved Naomi’s kitchen. Everything was so shiny and I was afraid to
touch anything. The dining room table was spread like a buffet with
all sorts of appetizers and baked things, like brownies and the
most amazing giant cupcakes I’d ever seen.

“The caterers just left, thank god. They were
so annoying. Anyway, you want your drink with or without?” she
asked, holding up a very expensive looking bottle of vodka over our
two cups of cranberry juice.

“Without for right now. I’ve gotta drive home
later,” I said.

“Oh, I don’t think so. You’re staying here
tonight!” she said, pouring a generous helping of vodka into both
drinks.

“Where’s Dean?” I asked, taking a sip of the
cranberry and vodka. I coughed as the strong liquor hit my throat.
I had never been as big of a fan of alcohol as Naomi had. She was
quite the connoisseur.

“He should be here any minute.” Naomi
squealed. “We’ve been having the best time. And girl, later
tonight, I have got some juicy details to tell you about. Unless he
decides to spend the night that is, then you’re on your own.” She
winked at me.

“I take it your parents aren’t coming home
tonight?” I giggled. The vodka was already making me feel
light-headed.

“Of course not, silly. They’re spending New
Year’s Eve in the city with their friends as usual. They always
stay at the Palmer House afterwards.”

The door chimed again and Naomi clicked down
the hallway in stiletto heels to let in the next round of guests.
The door continued to chime as more and more people showed up. The
house was filling up fast and the food flew off the table. Naomi
had started up the stereo and dance music played through every room
in the house. People were dancing and having a good time, aided by
Naomi’s generous supply of all things alcohol, of course. We had to
practice for college sometime, right?

I finally caught Naomi upstairs in the loft
near her bedroom.

“Hey, what’s wrong? I thought Dean was
supposed to be here by now,” I said, noticing she looked a little
upset.

“Yeah, I thought so too.” She pressed a few
buttons on her tiny cell phone and jammed it to her ear.

“Where are you? I thought you were coming
over,” she demanded.

“What do you mean you’re not coming? You know
my parents aren’t here, right?” She sounded a little desperate and
I looked away, trying to pretend not to be listening in.