Memories of Summer
By. Drusilla
It was summer vacation 1986, I had completed my junior year at UCLA. I was looking forward to becoming a senior next year. My work load would increase, but I had to have my bachelors degree. My girlfriend and I had an apartment off campus that we had rented for the semester. I was taken by surprise when I came in and found a letter from Laura on the table.
"Sorry, Amanda. I do love you and I will always cherish the days and nights we spent together. I have found someone that completely understands me and I love her so much. I won't be back next fall. You'll have to find another roommate. For someone as lovable as you, that won't be a problem.
Thank you for everything, Laura."
I sat down, with a deep pain in my gut. I wanted to cry, but I was too angry. I crumpled the letter up and threw it against the wall. I really did love her, I always thought we had something. I guess, that's what happens when I let my heart control my brain. I'm sure there were signs, I just didn't see them. I packed up my things and went home for the summer.
Thank God, things at home had not changed. Mom was running about, controlling everyone and everything in sight. Dad was too busy picking out which golf clubs he should use. Mom was happy to see me, for the first few minutes. "Tell me, sweetheart. What have decided on a major yet.?"
I took a deep breath and exhaled. "You know exactly what I'm getting my degree in. Computer science."
She threw her hands up. "So foolish! They're nothing but a stupid machine. Nothing will ever come of it. You should be a doctor, like your aunt Rachael."
She could push my buttons. "Mom! I really don't want to fight with about this. I just want to go to my room and take a nap."
Mom wrapped her arm around me. "Go ahead, sweetheart. I had Carlita clean your room this morning."
I didn't know who Carlita was, but that was nothing unusual. Mom changed house staff, I think once a month. The only one that ever stayed was Marco, the cook. I went upstairs to my room, my bags were already by the closet. I open them and began to sort through my things, when Carlita walked into the room.
She was beautiful, long coal black hair, sparkling jet black eyes, and such full red lips. She was only 5'4" tall, but she had a body that would have made the Greek gods proud. The gray and white maid uniform she wore, only added to her attractiveness.
She nodded to me. "I was told to bring these towels to you. I'll put them in the bathroom."
I smiled at her. "When did you come to work for my mother?"
"Three weeks ago. I have a work visa for six months. Then I have to return home."
"Where is home?"
"Guadalajara."
"You have family there?"
"Yes. My mother and my grandmother."
I quickly opened my other suitcases, because I didn't want her to leave. "I would be grateful if you would help me put my things away?"
She smiled and nodded her head. "Yes, I would be happy to help you."
We stood close to each other, sorting my clothes out on the bed. She even smelled beautiful.
She held up my floral print Peplum top. "This is so beautiful. I have never seen one like this."
I chuckled. "I bought that in a little shop on Rodeo Drive"
She folded it neatly, placing it on the bed. "It is beautiful."
I couldn't resist her enchanting smile. "You can have it."
Carlita stood up and stared at me. "Oh, I could not take this from you."
I picked it up and handed it to her. "I'll give it to you for helping me put all the stuff away. Take it."
She clutched it, holding it to her chest. "Thank you so much. This is so beautiful."
I pointed my finger at her. "Promise me, you'll let me see you wear it."
She gave me another big smile. "I will, I promise."
We spent the next hour, laughing and talking as we put my things away. Her full name was Carlita Morales, she was 26, born and raised in Guadalajara. Her father was killed in a robbery, now the only family she had left was her mother and grandmother.
Carlita straightened her uniform. "I send my mother and grandmother the money I earn. It keeps them for the six months that I am away."
I smiled at her. "You'll always have a job here. I'll see to that."
She smiled and nodded. "Thank you. I better go do my other work, or your mother will replace me."
I shook my head. "No she won't."
Carlita didn't know anyone or have any friends close by, so on her days off, we would spend time together. We went shopping, we went to the beach, we went ate lunch and dinner out. When I looked in her eyes, they told me something more was there.
One weekend, we took a road trip to Las Vegas. Carlita had never been to Las Vegas, and she was like a child in a candy store. She had never seen so many bright lights and casinos. She couldn't believe they all stayed open 24 hours a day.
Our suite was high above the city, we could the whole city through the plate glass windows. The bathroom had a round Jacuzzi in the center of the floor. It was in that room, Carlita kissed me for the very first time. I couldn't resist holding her and kissing her so passionately. We stripped off our clothes and climbed in the Jacuzzi.
We must have kissed and played with each other for hours before we climbed into bed. I softly kissed her. "What do you call a lesbian in Guadalajara?"
She kissed me back. "We say, Lesbiana."
I chuckled. "I love it. Lesbiana, sounds so international."
We laughed, kissed and hugged each other.
She held my face in her hands. "Please don't hurt me."
I raised up. "What makes you think I would hurt you?"
"Your are a beautiful woman and you can have anyone. A beautiful, rich white girl would come along, and you would leave me for her. That would hurt me more than you know. I would never leave you."
I leaned in, kissing her on the lips. "All I can say is, I won't hurt you, Carlita."
I had never been with a Latin woman before, and I couldn't begin to explain how wild and magnificent she was. Her tongue touched me and all my thoughts stopped.
She ignited my brain and it was so intense. A feeling like that could kill me soft and slow.
We rolled over in bed, she looked at me through warm eyes. "Is everything okay?"
I said the only thing that came to mind. "OH, fuck yes!"
I wrapped my arms around her, we cuddled and fell to sleep.
When we woke, it was eight-forty in the evening. We took another bath, got dressed and went downstairs to the casino.
We had a very elegant dinner in a quiet Italian restaurant, away from the people and all the noise from the casino. We gambled a little, drank a little and danced a lot. We even took in a midnight show. We got to bed around two in the morning, but we got sleep around four.
On the way home, I told Carlita I wanted her to come with me when I went back to university in the fall. We would share an apartment. I would tutor her to become a citizen and my father could pull some strings and get her visa extended another six months.
Of course, my mother was not agreeable to any of that. "You insist on throwing your life away. Don't be stupid. Carlita is not for you!"
She pushed my button again. "Why? Because she's not from a wealthy family? Because the color of her skin is not to your liking? Because she is a servant?"
Mom threw her arms up. "I can't talk to you when you get like this."
I took her by the arm and pulled her down on the sofa. "You didn't care I was a lesbian. You were happy as could be, because that meant I wouldn't get pregnant by some boy. That would ruin your social life. None of this is about you anymore. It's about me and what I want. I'm sorry, mom."
Carlita was busy packing. "This is wonderful. I will go back to Guadalajara and take care of everything with my mother and grandmother. Then, I will fly back to meet you before your school starts. I will be there to love you."
I handed her an envelope. "What is this? This is money."
I chuckled. "Yes, my allowance. You take it and give it to your mother. Then, you kiss her and thank her for giving birth to you."
I drove her to the airport, and we kissed. "I'll be back in three weeks. Will you be here to pick me up?"
I kissed her once more. "Yes. I booked your return flight. It's 621."
Drops of dew, hanging from the jungle foliage, sparkled like diamonds in the early morning sun. The smoke was still visible and the wreckage was strewed across several hundreds feet. Rescue crews were placing bodies in the bags, while investigators sifted through the wreckage of flight 621. Another body, over there, in the jungle. A young woman still wearing a floral print Peplum top.
END.