Chapter 2
Felipe was not a genius.
Sure, he was an inventor. A tinkerer. An innovator. Whatever you wanted to call his and his brother’s passion. But that didn’t mean he was smart.
Sure, he had thought of the idea of sending letters to Johnny, which Johnny enthusiastically agreed to, to help them each learn the language and of each other’s homes and cultures, but that didn’t mean he was smart.
No, in fact, he was quite dumb.
So when Johnny wrote saying he was visiting his friend in Santa Cecilla to see how he was doing and he wanted to spend time with Felipe as well, Felipe had been a little taken aback.
They had gotten close over the six months of correspondence, and Johnny had done nothing but encourage and support Felipe in his endeavors. Felipe had done the same for him.
Is this what Imelda used to feel like when…?
He stopped that thought, shaking his head before getting back to the trinket he was working on.
Johnny would be here at noon.
That’s an hour. He had an hour to get his feelings in check.
God, this was so weird. Love is weird.
Love.
He stopped tinkering at that thought, breath catching in his throat.
Love?
Love.
Love!
He was in love.
He was in love with…
He was in love with an American.
Felipe blinked.
What is he going to do? He didn’t know anything about love! He didn’t know how to woo a romantic partner, he was too dorky for flirting, and the music ban. He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t ask someone to give us music just for him. Sure, he did it for Imelda but that’s different. He was okay with giving up music and he knew the reasons for the ban. But was Johnny? And even so, he couldn’t take that joy away from him.
And Johnny was American. He lived in America. He couldn’t ask him to move countries for himself either. That’s even worse than making him give up music forever. He had served his country too!
Ugh, this was making him dizzy.
“You’re distracted.”
Felipe jumped, comically falling out of his chair and letting out a soft “owie” when his tinkering toy fell on his head after his bowler hat had basically flown away.
“See?”
“Imelda don’t do this to me, por favor,” Felipe whined while his sister snorted.
“I’m just keeping an eye on you,” she remarked. “I know you like him.”
“Whhattttt? Me, ¿enamorado? That’s loco!” he laughed out, scrambling to stand up.
“I just said you liked them, not loved them,” she said simply, a smile forming. “I like Johnny. He’s a hard worker and would be good at making shoes. I have always seen how he looks at you. I think he’s a good man.”
Felipe blinked again.
“Sooooo, you wouldn’t be mad?”
She looked at him, eyebrow raised. “Why would I be mad at you for falling in love?”
“I dunno. Just felt guilty.”
“No, nada de eso ahora.” she stated. “I know how you and Oscar can get.”
“So, is this whole situation actually okay?”
“Sí, stop asking, I will get the boot.” she threatened, pointing at him.
“Right, right.” he paused. “I still feel guilty.”
“¿Por qué?” Imelda asked, helping Felipe pick up his mess.
“I mean, he’ll have to go through so much change for us to be together. Moving to Mexico, learning Spanish, learning to make shoes, giving up…” he trails off.
Imelda inhaled sharply, causing Felipe to wince. Now he’s done it.
“...If he is not willing to give up something as silly and useless as music, then he is not worth your time, Felipe,” she said plainly, a slight fire in her voice.
“Yes, Mamá Imelda. I know.”
“Good.” Imelda picked up his hat, brushed it off, then handed it to Felipe before pausing. “You know I’ll murder him for you if it’s ever needed, right?”
Felipe laughed, placing his hat on gently.
“Sí, I know.”
“Good. Now, finish cleaning then help with dinner, por favor.” And with a swish of her skirt, she walked away.
Felipe stood there in silence for a few seconds, quietly cleaning.
“Oye, I must be crazy. In love with Johnny.” he scoffs, before smiling and chuckling to himself.
“I’m in love.”
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“I’m in love,” Johnny said aloud.
Cut him some slack, it’s not like anyone was here. He’s allowed to feel things dammit.
And he was feeling alright. He was feeling so many swirling, powerful emotions. Love, passion, adoration, love, love, love, love.
“I’m fucking in love,” he laughed out, looking like a madman as he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror.
Actually, madman might have been an exaggeration.
His eye bags were gone, his hair seemed fluffier, and his eyes shone with something he hasn’t seen since his childhood. His freckles were also making an appearance again. He looked healthier. He was getting better. He huffed out a laugh.
“That asshole made me take care of myself and I didn’t even notice. Love is crazy.”
There’s that word again. Love.
He was in love.
With multiple things.
The way the sun always shone in Santa Cecilia, the smell of leather, the greenery spring brought with her, life. He loved life again.
He loved Felipe.
Felipe helped him love again.
“I owe that man so much and I doubt he even knows.”
A pause.
“I mean I gotta tell him though. I’m horrible at keeping secrets. I’ll accidentally make my feelings known.” he thought aloud to himself. “Yeah. I’ll tell him. I should buy him flowers. Does he like flowers? Everyone likes flowers. He hasn’t mentioned any allergies to them. I’ll go safe. What about dahlias?”
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The dahlias were fucking perfect. They were very pretty, in white paper with an orange ribbon to match the flowers. He has to be conscious of how he held the fragile things he was so excited about how perfect this was going.
He did hesitate when he reached Rivera’s place of residence, which was just the shoe shop. He felt…nervous now. Ew. He didn’t like being nervous, so he quickly shook himself for a bit before taking a deep breath and knocking on the front door.
It felt like years before Felipe answered, a soft smile on his face.
“Hola gringo.”
“Hola Felipe.”
“Are those for me?”
“Sí, they are.” Johnny smiled, offering them to Felipe.
He saw Felipe smile and examine them before setting them on a table next to the door.
“I’ll put them in a vase later. Would you like to take a walk?”
“I’d love to.”
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