S2/02. Bad Blood
2.6 Alejandro GonzalesSpring 1998, Mountaver Records studio, San Myshuno
Fine, Alejandro couldn't deny that Francesco wasn't completely wrong.
It was kinda hard to keep up consistency when they were dependent on supports for their concerts because there was no way they'd do playback. Adding a new member or two would improve their music's quality, no doubt.
Once they actually were four in the band.
When Raj left, they'd looked for a replacement, but even though there were enough competent drummers around, none had clicked with them.
There was the rub: you couldn't just pick up new band members on the street – Francesco had been a lucky coincidence.
Alejandro would talk to Joanne so she'd look for options. Francesco obsessed over a bass player; likely thanks to his new man, but Alejandro wouldn't limit their search to that.
"Cut the crap, Alejandro."
How rude. She could at least pretend a little.
"You know Sofia is getting married," she said.
"Yeah, you told me." He had no idea if Rita had ever talked about it or not. Anyway, he couldn't care less, Sofia wasn't his daughter.
"You'll have to come and walk her down the aisle."
When Raj left, they'd looked for a replacement, but even though there were enough competent drummers around, none had clicked with them.
There was the rub: you couldn't just pick up new band members on the street – Francesco had been a lucky coincidence.
Alejandro would talk to Joanne so she'd look for options. Francesco obsessed over a bass player; likely thanks to his new man, but Alejandro wouldn't limit their search to that.
His ex-wife picked up the phone.
"Rita darling, what can I do for you? Do you miss me already?"
"Cut the crap, Alejandro."
How rude. She could at least pretend a little.
"You know Sofia is getting married," she said.
"Yeah, you told me." He had no idea if Rita had ever talked about it or not. Anyway, he couldn't care less, Sofia wasn't his daughter.
"You'll have to come and walk her down the aisle."
Okay.
Rita always had a crude sense of humor, but this was just plain crude.
"Yeah... Seriously, what do you want?"
"I am serious. Get your sleazy butt here and walk her down the aisle. You're the closest to a father the poor girl has, and you're not gonna ruin her big day."
"I'm pretty sure she'd prefer to walk without me."
The spoiled brat hated his guts since the moment they met. Not that it wasn't mutual, but Alejandro once had tried at least.
Rita always had a crude sense of humor, but this was just plain crude.
"Yeah... Seriously, what do you want?"
"I am serious. Get your sleazy butt here and walk her down the aisle. You're the closest to a father the poor girl has, and you're not gonna ruin her big day."
"I'm pretty sure she'd prefer to walk without me."
The spoiled brat hated his guts since the moment they met. Not that it wasn't mutual, but Alejandro once had tried at least.
Sofia acted all well-behaved whenever her mother was near but she was insufferable every time Rita'd turned her back. And so spiteful! First it was only Alejandro, then her poor baby brother too whom she'd never miss an oportunity to hit or pinch; just because she wanted to be the only one that got her mother's attention.
Needless to say, Alejandro refused to ever stay with the kids alone, if that little demon did something to Fernandez it wouldn't be on his watch!
Sofia was selfish, disrespectful and dumb as a door knob – and she hadn't changed the slightest while she grew up.
"Not at all," Rita said. "How would that look like if she's going all by herself?"
"There's no way I'll come down to play pretend happy family for her show," Alejandro said, then another thought crossed his mind. "Wait, isn't she still too young? Isn't she still in high school?"
"She is almost nineteen!"
"Wow, about time she'd get married."
"Save your wisdom," Rita spat, "you know how she is! I am grateful that she didn't come home pregnant before she finished school. She better get married as soon as possible."
In that regard she did better than her mother. Maybe it was the guy who had some brains, though it couldn't be too much if he chose to marry Sofia.
Rita sighed dramatically. "Oh, Alejandro... seeing my eldest daughter being a happy bride I can't help but think of us... I know we didn't end well, but do you remember our beginnings? We were so young, so hopeful!"
Alejandro did remember, though he'd say Rita may have been the only hopeful one – he'd been just young. Way too young.
Not quite eighteen yet and freshly dropped out of high school, he'd been without a solid future and certainly without hope. She was a few years older, a beautiful widow, lonely and terribly bored.
She'd looked for a thrill and found it by seducing him while he absolutely hadn't minded being seduced to escape his own problems.
Their little affair had taken a blow when she'd been too sloppy with contraception and he too inexperienced. He'd tried to do the right thing and she'd been quite desperate, she'd rather taken his offer than having a baby out of wedlock, those were the times.
And if he were honest, he could've done only worse than marry a filthy rich and pretty widow, and with love he was done anyway.
It'd turned out better than he'd expected. She couldn't stand having a loser husband and she knew people that knew other people that could make use of his only talent – playing the guitar.
He made a band; got his old school band mate Nico on board and two more guys from the label, and his career with Deep Rift took off.
He could've been content, maybe, but then Rita'd started popping out babies. First it had to be a sibling for Fernandez. Alejandro hadn't quite objected, his son could use a buddy to fight off that rotten brat of Rita's, and it was Rita who'd wanted to take care of the kids anyway, so he'd let her.
Then there was another "accident".
At that time Alejandro mostly avoided her for various reasons already, but she was his wife, after all. Occasionally more "accidents" happened. Alejandro wasn't sure if it'd happened twice, three times?
He could've been content, maybe, but then Rita'd started popping out babies. First it had to be a sibling for Fernandez. Alejandro hadn't quite objected, his son could use a buddy to fight off that rotten brat of Rita's, and it was Rita who'd wanted to take care of the kids anyway, so he'd let her.
Then there was another "accident".
At that time Alejandro mostly avoided her for various reasons already, but she was his wife, after all. Occasionally more "accidents" happened. Alejandro wasn't sure if it'd happened twice, three times?
He cursed his lack of determination.
He'd dove deeper into the rock star life where he eventually found his true calling. Hard work, fame and groupies included. All the while, some sort of a bad conscience kept tying him down to stay married to Rita.
It was a relief when she'd ended it all.
"It wasn't all bad," Alejandro said. "But I'm glad it's over now."
Rita was quiet.
"It's rare that you're so soft," she said.
And after another short break: "You coming?"
"Nah. If she's old enough to get married she can walk on her own."
He hung up.
Well damn. It's not unexpected for child Sofia to act hostile towards Alejandro. Neither is it unexpected that Alejandro couldn't understand her nor took his parenting role seriously. He was barely an adult himself. Interesting to see Alejandro's perspective and the victim narrative he painted for himself. Not saying that his feelings aren't valid; there are simply no winners in their situation. I'm glad Rita ended things. Nothing speaks loveless like apathy. Separation is the best outcome for everyone's sake.
ReplyDeletehehe did I manage to arouse a little sympathy for the jerk ? 😄 It's a tragedy where no one won, that's true, but so much fun to write ðŸ¤ðŸ¤
DeleteA spade is still a spade. :)
DeleteIs it just me or does half of the characters in your story hate kids or is totally indifferent about them? There's literally Diana and maybe Ben who show some genuine love for kids, but the rest... Rita a bit too. But Rosa uses the baby to threaten Franny. Franny cares more about getting away than be with his own kid. I guess Frank may be more of a family guy, but then we haven't seen much proof of that either yet. There's a bunch of kids/babies in this story, but they aren't getting much love from anyone, which is really sad. The fact that Alejandro only remembers the name of the kid he hates and of the first one that's his, speaks volumes. I really hope he doesn't have more kids.
ReplyDeletewell most of them aren't at a point in life where children would be a matter of interest and until now they didn't have a big role in the story so there wouldn't be much about them- but you're not wrong, I see? 😅
DeleteRita loves little children like puppies, but then just wants them to function, Al - you see it here, he might have warmed up if they'd come at a different time in life, and maybe with someone he loves, Rosa loves her kid but doesn't shy away to use him for her own benefit and Franny loves him too and would like to find a way he could still be a part of Luca's life but we've seen he may or may not be determined enough to find a way to make it happen. Linda can't imagine being a mother rn and rather dreads it, Mae loves kids (at least older ones) but is not mature enough to take responsibility, then Diana and Herbert just have and love their kids without questioning it too much, the former would probably not be over the moon about other's kids and the latter feels responsible for the sports team he coaches but the relationship is also not the most intimate, ofc. Frank is a family man so every kid of his fam/close friends is precious, especially Lana as his niece, and I can say Ben is probably the only single one atm that genuinely loves children lol
now I wrote a wall of text, did I forget someone? 😅
It's not much different from reality, is it? 😔 Even parents often enough want their kids to function rather than to really try to understand them.
As for if Alejandro will have more children, we'll see 🤫
Love for your own child should be unconditional, so I don't buy the excuse for Al that he would love his child more if it came later in his life or with someone he's in love with. A child is not responsible for his shitty choices in life and deserves to be loved unconditionally. Period. If he fatherly instincts didn't kick in back then I have little hope that they would ever kick in. Sadly there are men like him in the world who don't give a damn and even put down their kids all the time, causing a damage that is hard or impossible to fix. They way Al treated Sofia, all the unsensitive things he said to her, would have lasting consequences in real life. And that's unforgivable. Alejandro, you're still an ass and always will be. 😡
ReplyDeleteEvery child should be loved unconditionally, absolutely!
DeleteIt's not meant as an excuse, but rather an explanation. To love a child, it's not a switch that's turned on once it pops into the world, it's a slow process that requires lots of bonding time and emotional maturity that most teens and early twenties don't have. Mothers have the (dis-)advantage that they are forced to spend time with their child while they're pregnant, so usually by the time it's born they accept it and can grow to love it. Fathers would have to bond actively, and if they're emotionally not ready, it's easy for them to avoid it.
And yes, it matters who's the partner, too.
Sadly for Al and his kids the ship has sailed already v.v I'm afraid that there's not much to salvage.
I didn't realize Al was so young and Rita was the one lulling him in. It's not that that would justify any of his actions but it kind of makes them... more logical. He fled into the relationship, then he fled from the relationship. I wish he could have been closer to his kids, as he should be. It could have brought all of them more happiness. And while I condemn the way he just left them alone, I kind of (?) understand why. They were forced upon him by Rita by all those accidents.
ReplyDeleteHe would need therapy (all of them)
ahaha if anything you can be sure, none of the nbht characters will ever seek out therapy (at least not on their own account) and be happy and healthy three chapters later ðŸ¤
Deleteand yes it was a combination of unfortunate events that led to Al being Al 😔 not that it's any excuse. One always has a choice, and he chose to avoid his problems and children, and was enabled by Rita too. 😔😔