Chapter 7

"Ooh, ooh, yes! Yes, oh, yes!" A woman's voice pierced the air with her declarations of sensual delight, high and syrupy like a burst of sugar-coated joy.

Great! Another night, another conquest for the elusive Mr. Gianni Sloan! Erica was just about to turn on her side and place the pillow over her head when her neighbor's evening guest let out a few more exclamations.

"Oh, carino, do it some more. Oh, oh, tesoro, you feel sooo goood!"

Erica shot up in bed. If she didn't know any better, she'd swear that voice belonged to her sister, Maritza. This time, she honed in on the conversation or what passed for communication.

"Oh, bebe, querido, what you do to me! Ooh, ooh, yes, yes! Right there! Alli, alli!"

Maritza called a lot of people "baby" or "honey" as a term of endearment, especially men. Erica felt conflicting emotions. Her sister was a big girl now, certainly unattached and free to do as she pleased. Yet, why did she feel so overly protective especially when it came to this guy? Because Mr. Gianni Sloan has a terrible reputation as a womanizer, that's why!

Flopping back down, Erica made sure to place both pillows over her face. Now would be a good time to smother herself. Whatever happened to alcohol-deadened sleep? She felt wide awake now. Giving up for the moment, she padded out of the bedroom and into the living room where she settled on the sofa and found the television remote. Perhaps a spate of classic movies would do the trick, at least try and persuade her mind to focus on something other than the carnal scene playing out in the bedroom upstairs. Maritza...and Gianni Sloan? Where on earth had her sister met him? Shades of the stranger at the bar kept coming back to haunt her. No, it couldn't be! At least she hoped not, if only to ease her mind that her sister hadn't picked up Mystery Man/Gianni Sloan the same night he had tried to put the moves on Erica.

The next time she awoke, sun streamed in through her sisal blinds and brightened her newly cleaned apartment. This much sparkle so early in the morning made Erica's head spin. Groaning, she grabbed her pillow, hugged it, and sighed with relief. At least the verbal throes of passion from upstairs had ceased for the time being.

* * *

Happy birthday and feliz cumpleanos!

Erica didn't feel a year older but certainly tired. By the time she struggled out of bed and headed for the bathroom, her cell phone began to trill with well wishers. The first came from her mother with a reminder about their lunch today. Erica would just as soon skip the annual birthday feast, but her mother and Tia Yolanda always took her on a shopping spree afterwards, their birthday gifts to her.

Next, Sacha called and asked Erica if she wanted to go out for a drink later that evening. "We'll go to the Screaming Parrot," he offered. "for that complimentary drink they give all birthday gals."

Erica scratched her aching head. She had consumed enough alcohol to last her awhile. She hated to fib, but she really didn't feel like going out again after last night. The image of her suitor-in-black at the bar flashed briefly through her addled mind. Instead, she told her friend that La Familia Rael expected her for dinner tonight.

By the time Erica showered and changed, she received six different calls from friends and family. Yeah, yeah, happy birthday to me! For the next several hours she endured her ladies lunch, and then a trip to the mall where she finally settled on a new bathing suit from her mother and pair of designer sandals from her aunt. Oddly enough, Maritza hadn't joined them this year, but Erica felt too distracted to worry about her sister's whereabouts.

By five, she returned to her quiet apartment with a takeout container in hand, actually the remains of her tres leches cake topped with whipped cream and slices of kiwi and strawberries.

Erica was just about to settle on the couch for an evening of old movies when her cell phone rang once more, this time with Mari's number on the screen. She and her sister quickly waded through the many happy returns of the day before Maritza made her startling announcement.

"You have to meet him, Eriqueta!" she exclaimed with a heady veneer to her voice. "He's a real enamorado, and I know you'll like him."