What Do You Say?

''Okay Keith...What do you think man...This ring is about my cousin's size...You like itttttttttttttttttttttt? asked Carlotta's cousin..Ernesto... At home in Philadelphia...I was the law...but I had also been raised in West Philly, where you didn't ask questions you didn't want to know the answer to...I didn't know where or how he had come across this ring...But I liked it...I had to have it...

"It's beautiful...but man...I can't afford this...At least not right now..This is a huge rock."I said.

"Afford? I told you to leave your money at home...This is on the house family...Consider this my early wedding gift..." he laughed.

''Come on man..I gotta break you off something..." I said.

"Okay...Gimme a G. American money if you insist..." he said.

Everybody has a price....I peeled off one thousand dollars and gave it to him...That was what I had planned to spend..He looked at it...Handed me back $500.00 and said sternly...

"Take that...This five hundred is my party money for tonight...You gotta have somethin to buy my cousin champaigne tonight...Eh? Now don't say nothing else about it...Go make my cousin smile.." he said and flashed that kilowat grin of his..

"You love Carlotta don't you?" I said.

"Don't tell nobody, but she's my favorite cousin..Always looked out for me...Even when we were little..That's my girl..." he said.

"She's good like that." I said.

"You know it...Be good to her....I know you will." he said and patted me on the back.

It had been all I could do to get out of Carms house in the morning when they discovered that I was hanging out with Ernesto..

Both sisters grilled me as to the nature of my business with Ernesto...I gave the same stock answer....

''We just hangin out..."

Carlotta just looked at me puzzled..

Carm whispered in my ear..

"Hanging out eh?  You're going to buy something for Carlotta...You don't fool me..A ring  right? " she asked.

"Nah...No ring." I said smiling.

She gave me a side eye!

"Uh huh..Yeah...Right...You're a lousy liar handsome!" she said.

 I just smiled and kissed Carmen on the cheek...She rubbed my hand softly.

II-

Carlotta and Her Sister were going to get news from a different source than me though...Their Father dropped by Carm's house and sat them both down..

"Carmen, Carlotta.." he said and cleared his throat....

"Uh Oh Carlotta...If he's calling us by our full names...That means this is something major." said Carm...

Carlotta smiled..

"Well uh...as you know...Ahhh..You two are my only children...My hearts...Well uh..Sometimes in life er ahhh, well things happen and uh ..er...Well..When a man meets a woman..uh er..." he said.

"Daddy, what are you trying to tell us?" asked Carm...

"We know about the birds and the bees papi." laughed Carlotta..

"Uhhhh, ruhhhh.. Well like I said...When a man meets a woman..uhhh..." he said.

Just then, Ernesto and I returned...

"We are back! See Carlotta, He's in one peice...and he's got something for you.." said Ernesto....patting me on the back and winking at his cousin, Carmen.

"That's nice...but Daddy was getting ready to tell us something." said Carlotta...

"No...No...Don't let me interrupt...Keith, you're our guest...Tell uh Carlotta whatever it is you have to tell her." he said.

"Uh Carlotta, come outside with me a minute." I said.

"Huh?" she asked...

"Please, it's important..." I said.

"Ohhhhhhhhh,okayy." she said jokingly....She looked at Carm...Carm shrugged her shoulders!

I took her by the hand and led her outside...

"What you got?" she asked...

I pulled out the box and gave it to her...

"Open it!" I said.

Carlotta's eyes got huge....

"Oh My God, Keith ,Did you and Ernesto steal this?" she asked..

"Well, I didn't steal it." I said..

She looked at me funny and gave me a side eye...

''Well, Carlotta Anna Maria Rodriguez, What do you say? Will you marry me?"I asked.

She put both of her hands over her mouth.....Then she let out a scream that scared the hell out of me...

"YESSSS...YESSS...YESSSSSSSSSSSS...YESSSSSSSSSSS!!.."she yelled and kissed me like it was going out of style! Carm was looking out the door...She had a broad smile on her face....

We walked back into the house....Without me saying anything...Carm grabbed Carlotta and they both danced around...

"I told you!!!!....I told you!!!!...I told you he was going to propose to you...Didn't I tell you!..I could see it in his eyes..Welcome to the family handsome!" screamed Carm...Who eyed the rock on her sister's finger and patted me on the back.

''Ernesto...I owe you man." I said.

Ernesto patted me on the back and shook my hand...

"No you don't. Good Job Man....My work here is done.Take it easy...but do take it babe!" he said and he left...Got in his car and pulled off.

"Always..." I said.

Mr. Rodriguez seemed relieved..But Carmen was just as quick on the draw as her younger sister was...

''Okay Daddy, now what was it you had to tell us?" she asked.

"Oh now..now..now..No need to spoil this occasion with my news...This is about Carlotta, My baby girl is getting married...You two crazy kids set a date?" he asked.

''Daddy, he just asked me to marry him..No we haven't set a date..." she said.

"So...What you got to tell us?" asked Carlotta...

"You too baby girl?/" he said..

"Well I might as well get this out....You two are about to have either a brother or a sister in about eight or nine months...My lady friend is uh with child." he blurted out!

The room went silent!

"Oh I knew that." said Carm.

''You Did?"he gasped!

"Yeah, I thought it was something else." said Carlotta...
Even I was puzzled...

"We could see she was pregnant when she came over to meet Carlotta the other day." said Carm..

"Plus she told us....We were just wondering when YOU were going to tell us."said Carlotta.

Again He looked relieved ...I had to laugh...

"Oh Lord....My daughters....just like their mother, may she rest in peace...Can't keep nothin from em." He said..

He and I busted out laughing...

Carlotta picked up her smartphone and walked over to a corner...There was a stream of tears suddenly running down her face...She was making a long distance call...I knew who she was calling...

Carm rubbed my arm....

"She's Alright Handsome!!..She's crying because she's happy! You made my little sister very happy." she assured me.

"Hello." said Sissy..

"Hi Boss Lady." said Carlotta..

"Chica is that you?" she asked..

"Yes..." she said.

"You're crying , Are you alright?" she asked.

"I couldn't be better Boss Lady..Guess what?" said Carlotta.

''What?"

"I'm Engaged!! Keith asked me to marry him and I said Yes!!!!" she said...

I heard Sissy scream through the phone....Carlotta was laughing and jumping up and down !

''I knew it...I knew it..I had a feeling he was going to pop the question soon..You know he can't live without you..." Sissy joked...

"I guess I know now.." said Carlotta...

"Aww you knew...Can I tell the guys or do you want to keep it a secret?" she asked..

"No you can tell em.." she said...

"Duke and Tyriq are out on a case, Jimmy is in court...They all miss you Chica..All they talk about is when is ''Top'' coming back!" she laughed...

Carlotta laughed...

"I'm sooo happy for you Chica..." said Sissy...

"You're next Boss Lady.." said Carlotta.

"We'll see...I actually think Duke and Dr. Hunter might be next..They're getting pretty chummy...Like you and Keith." she giggled.."But look...I'm gonna let you two go and enjoy the rest of sunny Puerto Rico...I Can't wait to see you two." she said.

''Can't wait to see you either,Boss Lady."said Carlotta.

"Give your future hubby my regards." said Sissy.

"I will." she said.

''Sissy said Hi" said Carlotta.

I laughed...I put my arm around Carlotta...

"Come on future Mrs. Wallace...Let's celebrate at that club we were at the other night." I said.

"Okay baby! Wowwww, Mrs. Wallace..I like the way that sounds." she said.

"Me too!" I said and smiled.



III-

Carlotta and I drove up to the club just in time to see the police arresting a woman..She had her face covered by a jacket...

Carlotta's cousin, Detective Mercedes Rodriguez and Officer Munez were there as uniformed police officers brought the woman out, handcuffed her and put her in the patty wagon....

"Cousin Carlotta." said Mercedes...

"Is that your victim's wife?" asked Carlotta...

"Yes...The boyfriend gave up the entire thing...She hired him to bash in the boxers head  after she witnessed their fist fight in the bar earlier that night. They were fighting over her, ironically enough. And they strung him up to make it look like it was a suicide after he was already dead...Only the belt wouldn't hold him...I was right...or rather You and handsome here were right...Thanks again for your help.." she said.

"Nah...you were on the right track Mercedes...you would've cracked this case whether I was here or not."said Carlotta..

"Thanks Cousin..."said Mercedes.

"Handsome here as you call him, will soon be a member of our family!He just asked me to marry him today and I said yes."said Carlotta, showing her the engagement ring.

"Ayyye Mios Dios...Look at that rock!! Cousinnnnn...you took my advice!!  Congratulations! Welcome to our family!" she said and she kissed both of us on the cheek!...

I looked at Officer Munez....He shrugged his shoulders..

"Uhh Mercedes..Officer Munez has something to say to you." I said.

He looked horrified..

"Uhhh, errr..Uhh Detective Rodriguez...I uh, would really like to uh, go out with you for a drink sometimes....You know sometimes when we are off duty.." he blurted out!

"And then you want to jump my bones right?" she laughed...

''Mercedes stopp!" said Carlotta laughing!

He blushed...

Carlotta smiled.."Awww he is sooo cute...He likes my cousin." she said.

"I'll go out with you...But when you make Detective, you know we won't be working in the same precinct, You know that right? We won't be partners...This aint Telemundo." she said.

"Yes..I know..." he said.

"You knew all the time didn't you?" I asked Mercedes...Who just smiled.

"Of course...This guy brings me coffee and pastries everyday, Always remembers my birthday...and follows behind me like a puppy..Even sent me flowers once on Valentines Day,because he knew I was bummed about being alone and didn't sign...but I knew it was him..Yes..I knew.I'm a detective.I was waiting for him to say something...and getting a little impatient" she said and laughed..She sounded just like Sissy.

"Hmmmm, kind of reminds me of somebody else I know." said Carlotta giving me the side eye..

Carlotta and Mercedes burst into raucous laughter....

Carlotta and I sat at the bar later on that night...

''Carlotta?" I said.

''Yes?"she answered..

"Look..We had a deal...That if your Father really liked me..That you'd move in with me...But I see how you were raised and I respect your principles..You don't have to do that...We are gettin married soon...And that will be time enough for you to move in.." I said.

"A deal is a deal...We are engaged now!!..I'll move in with you.." she said.

"Yeah?" I said.

"Yes..I was kind of gettin tired of going back and forth from your place to mine anyway...I live halfway across the city from you." she said.

"Well, I'm plannin to sell that loft and buy a house in a few months.."I said.

"For real??" she said.

"Yeah...Kevin's wife,Sepia and Bonita, her business partner are supposed to show me some homes in the area when we get back...I'd sure love it if my fiance came with me and had some say so in it." I said.

"Wow...Fiance..I like the way that sounds."she said..

''Me too! Sounds a little more serious than girlfriend." I said.

We walked outside.... Carlotta's cousin, Detective Mercedes Rodriguez and Officer Munez were standing around the corner from the club kissing passionately....

I stared...

"Is she older than him?" I asked...

"Mind your business." said Carlotta as she tugged on my shirt...

''You're my business now, Future Mrs. Wallace." I said.

"You better know it, Mr. Wallace." she said.

We both laughed and walked towards our rental car.

EPILOUGE:

Carlotta's cousins all came to see us as we got ready to go...Her sister Carm shed a few tears...

"Oh My God...My baby sister is getting married.." she said...

"Ohhh Carm, don't cry, you're going to start me crying." said Carlotta...

They embraced.... Ernesto walked up to me and gave me dap....

"Okay Homie...I'm gonna check you out when I come to Philly." he laughed...

"I'll be looking forward to your visit man...You know you'll always have a place to stay..." I said.

"Oh that won't be a problem..I got places to stay...feel me?" He said and grinned..

"I feel you." I said and laughed..

Salizar Rodriguez shook my hand and hugged me....

''Welcome to the Family son...Take care of my baby...She doesn't think she needs protection, but she does." he said.

"I know....and I will." I said.

They helped us put our luggage in our rental car and all of them gave us something to take with us...

"When we get a date set...We'll call you....I do hope you all can come up to Philly." said Carlotta...

''Wouldn't miss it" said Mercedes...

Carlotta hugged everyone...Mercedes and Carm shed a few tears but said nothing...And we got in the car and pulled off slowly..Watching them wave as we drove off towards the airport...

I stared out the window and watched as we left San Juan and headed towards Philly....

''Wow..We are getting married...I can't believe it...Just a year ago..I was too nervous to say anything to you and now look." I said.

"Yes, now look!..You are real comfortable with me now , Taking my clothes off  at will..,Chasing me around the bedroom.." she joked...and laughed , squeezing my hand.

"You know Carlotta, That's not going to stop." I said.

''Wouldn't want it to sweetie." she said and kissed me..