Good girls donât use that stuff. It makes you lose your virginity. Thatâs for pirujas !â
The customers, many of whom Fabi had grown up with, broke their abrupt silence with sudden roars of laughter.
âNot true,â called Grandma Trini from the opposite side of the room. She jumped up and took the tray of hot plates from Fabi, setting it down on the nearest table. Fabiola sighed with relief, as sheâd completely forgotten about the orders sheâd been holding.
The customers at the table next to her protested that they hadnât ordered those plates, but Grandma Trini told them this was better, to stop complaining and eat. Then she turned back to Fabi and petted her hand, looking down pointedly, her sparkly false eyelashes fluttering. â Mija , we need to talk about what goes on down there, so that you donât hurt yourself.â
Fabi jumped back. This cannot be happening , she thought.
âMagda,â yelled Grandma Trini over Fabiâs head, âhave you had THE TALK ⦠you know ⦠boys ⦠and the stuff that happens down there ? We should have THE TALK. I remember when I was her age â¦â
Fabi felt her ears burning. She just wanted to disappear.
âWhen you were her age,â interrupted Abuelita Alpha, âyou were chasing every boy en el valle â sinvergüenza . I will not have you teaching my granddaughters ââ
âI was not chasing boys!â protested Trini. âMen were chasing me! And they are not YOUR granddaughters only!â
Just then a hand appeared, like divine intervention, and pulled Fabi to the back of the restaurant and into the restroom. As usual, it was her baby sister, Alexis, to the rescue! Alexis slammed the bathroom door behind them and Fabiola sank down to the floor, covering her face with her hands. She wanted to dissolve into the pink tiled walls. âOh, my God! I canât believe that just happened. I can never show my face in there again. I hope there was no one from school there.â
Alexis started to laugh. âFabi, estás loca . What possessed you to buy tampons from our Sunday school teacher?â
âHey, itâs not funny!â
âNo?â Alexis said, laughing even harder. She leaned against the wall for support as she held her stomach and wiped the tears from her eyes.
âWell, maybe a little.â Fabiola tried to keep a straight face. She looked at her sister and couldnât help cracking up along with her. âOh, please, stop,â Fabi protested, applying pressure to the cramp on her left side from laughing so hard. âYouâre going to make me pee my pants.â
âWell, thereâs the toilet,â Alexis cried, doubling over in hysterics.
When the girls finally got control over their giggles, Fabi pulled herself up to wash her face. Her sister was running her fingers over her newly flatironed hair. Even though they were sisters by blood, they really looked nothing alike.
Grandma Trini said they were like different flowers from the same garden. Alexis got her light-colored skin and petite figure from their motherâs Basque roots. Fabiâs strong indigenous features and thick frame stemmed from her dadâs family in Mexico. They were made from the same ingredients, but as different as mild and picante chili.
And Fabi didnât understand her sisterâs latest obsession with flat hair. Sure, everyone at the mall was doing it, but Alexis naturally had the most beautiful soft curls. Fabi would trade her plain hair for her sisterâs any day.
âPoor Mom,â Alexis commented as she adjusted her sparkly silver headband.
âWhat do you mean?â Fabi asked. âI was the one crucified in there.â
âYeah, but Mom is the one who has to deal with them all day long,â Alexis explained. âYou should consider yourself lucky that you didnât have to sit through Grandma Triniâs âhow to
Salomé Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk