The Book of Want: A Novel

6. Los Dos

47 LOS DOS Julieta pulled her sons together in a tight hug. Rolando and Mateo groaned but reciprocated by squeezing their mother, sighing in unison and then ultimately accepting her love. When they were little, the twins couldn’t wait to be embraced by their mother. But as freshmen in college standing in the middle of Westwood midday on a bright, sunny Tuesday just outside UCLA’s sprawling campus for all the world to see, such public demonstrations of maternal affection embarrassed them in a way only similarly situated teenagers could understand. But they were powerless. They had no choice in the matter. Julieta loosened her grip, leaned back, and looked up toward her sons, first Rolando and then Mateo. Identical in almost every way. “Ay, so big,” she said. The twins looked down at their mother. “Los Dos,” she added. “Got class, Mom,” said Mateo. Julieta sighed. “Me, too,” said Rolando. Mateo rubbed Julieta’s left shoulder. “Say hi to Pop.” “Yep,” said Rolando. “Say hi to Pop.” Julieta nodded, turned, and click-clicked toward the parking lot. Mateo looked at his brother’s face. “You’ve got lipstick on your cheek,” he said. “You, too,” said Rolando. Mateo’s cell phone let out two beeps. He pulled the phone out of his shirt pocket, flipped it open, and smiled. “Who’s texting?” asked Rolando as he tried to look at the little screen but the bright sunlight kept him from deciphering anything. “Lisa?” 48 “No,” said Mateo as he punched in a quick response. “Lucy. She wants me to get to her room ASAP.” “What happened to Lisa?” Mateo snapped his phone closed. “Nothing.” Rolando shook his head. “Does Lisa know about Lucy?” “Do I look like a pendejo to you?” “I take that as a ‘no.’ ” Rolando started to walk toward campus. Mateo followed. “We have Econ,” said Rolando. “In fifteen minutes.” “And I’ve got Lucy right now,” smiled Mateo. “Her roommate is gone for two hours so I have to take advantage of this.” “Lucy and Lisa and whoever are going to make you flunk out and then what?” “Baby bro,” said Mateo as he patted Rolando’s shoulder, “when you get a girlfriend, you’ll understand.” “I’m three minutes younger than you,” said Rolando without smiling. “And you’re apparently dating for the both of us.” “Ain’t nothing stopping you from getting hooked up with a hot frosh,” laughed Mateo. “You’re muy guapo, chico.” “And what does that make you?” “Muy guapo, también. Except I’m a better dresser.” Rolando just shook his head. “Do me a favor,” said Mateo as he started to diverge from his brother’s path. “What now?” “Take good notes.” “And do me a favor.” Mateo stopped in his tracks. “Anything, baby bro. Name it.” “Choose one girl and stick with her.” Mateo chuckled, winked, and broke into a trot. “Whatever,” he said over his shoulder. Rolando watched Mateo head down the street. “Whatever,” he said to himself. “Whatever.” As Rolando listened to the lecture and took notes, he regretted signing up for any class that Mateo took. They had Econ and Chicana/Chicano Studies 10A together, which were two courses too many. When they attended Loyola High School, Mateo took advantage of Rolando’s inability to utilize a bit of tough love with his twin. Rolando couldn’t let Mateo sink or swim. Mateo’s problem was 49 that he enjoyed life too much. But he was also a quick study and could pull an A in most classes by studying Rolando’s notes. Rolando was the pendejo. No question. Maybe he should enjoy himself a little, too. But that would disturb the balance of the universe, the yin-yang of their twinhood. No. Things were going to remain the same as long as “Los Dos” roamed this earth. “Did I miss much?” Rolando turned to his right as a student settled in next to him. “Not too much.” “This guy is so boring, it’s hard to make myself get here on time.” Rolando nodded and turned back to the PowerPoint screen. The professor prowled the stage using a remote to operate the laptop. Rolando wondered how many students sat in the auditorium. A hundred? Two hundred? “I’m Josh, by the way.” Rolando looked down and saw a large, pale hand extended over his notes. He turned and looked at...