Olga Dies Dreaming(73)

“You know what they say about good dancers.…” Lola giggled mischievously. “I told you it would be fine, nena.”

“So, what’s wrong with him, hermana?” Prieto asked.

Olga sighed. “So, so many things. Which, I think, is why he might be perfect.”

For the rest of the night—a blur of golden-era hip-hop, freestyle, salsa classics, Motown, and disco—Olga barely had a chance to dance with her date, such was the demand for his skills among the tías and primas. Not just in her family, but Julio’s, too.

This one’s for the lovers out there! Can I get all my lovers up here right now?

Olga was at the bar chattering with one of the other bridesmaids and could see Matteo looking for her from the dance floor, where he tried to pry himself away from Mabel’s sister, Isabel. They made eye contact just as Luther began to sing “Here and Now” and Olga walked over to join him.

“Damn, girl, I’ve been waiting for my chance to slow dance with you all night!”

“Well, you can’t help it if you’re a hot property!” Olga laughed.

“Everyone’s really cool. Making me feel very glad I came.”

“So,” she asked with a bit of trepidation, “we’re good, then? Beef squashed?”

“You didn’t hear me say I was your bae back there?” he asked.

Olga laughed. “Yes. And it made me happy. And relieved I didn’t run you off.”

“The flowers were a nice touch. Besides, how could I run from all this?” He gestured towards her, which made them both laugh since not even Matteo could not pretend that this bridesmaid’s dress was a good look for her.

“Well, I mean, I know what’s under that dress, right?”

She giggled and as the song faded into “Off the Wall,” Prieto approached them.

“Hey sis, can I talk to you for a minute?” Prieto asked. Olga had been wondering when this would happen. Mabel had already made her way to the dance floor—this was one of her favorite songs—and was all too eager for her chance to dance with Matteo, practically pulling him from Olga anyway.

“Sure,” she said. They each grabbed a drink from the bar and made their way through the mirrored lobby of the catering hall, out to the parking lot, which overlooked Sheepshead Bay. They sat on the front steps of the venue, out of earshot of the valets. The carpark was brightly lit and she could, for the first time, see how bad her brother looked. His eyes dark with exhaustion, the emotion drained from his face. She understood immediately that his cheer had been put on for the day. A show for everyone else.

“Prieto. What’s wrong?”

Her brother buried his face in his hands.

“Olga. Fuck. I don’t even know where to start. I know you’re still heated with me about last weekend—but fuck. Fuck. I have this whole other problem and I don’t know who to talk to because I can’t fucking talk to anyone about this.”

Any sense of misgiving she’d had towards Prieto was now pushed away by the sense of contrition she’d been feeling since their fight. Truthfully speaking, after her conversation with Tía Lola she reassessed and regretted the harshness with which she’d judged her brother’s personal choices. She thought about Jan’s sister at the funeral. At the end of the day, however much her brother wanted to reveal about his sexuality was his choice, and she’d support that.

“Look,” she said, “about the other day. The truth is, it doesn’t matter who you—”

“Olga, I’m worried I’ve got AIDS.” He buried his face back in his hands again, and she could see him shuddering.

“Prieto. What happened?” Though it immediately became clear to her. His reaction to Jan’s death had been strange. Disproportionate. She just couldn’t imagine when they would have gotten together.

Her brother looked at her.

“It was just one time. After your birthday party.”

“No rubber?” she asked.

Prieto shook his head no.

“Ay, bendito, I’m certainly not one to judge, because I’ve taken my chances, but for a guy trying to stay in the closet…”

“Please, don’t.”

“Sorry. I’m sorry.” She put her hand on her brother’s knee and patted it. “Have you taken a test yet?”

He shook his head again.

“I’m scared. Of a leak. I don’t know who I trust.”

“Okay,” Olga replied quietly, her wheels turning.

“I, uh, had an idea though. Like, do a public health day in Sunset. A ‘know your status’ kind of thing, and—”

“Prieto, get the fuck out of here! You can’t do something like this in public! That is one of the craziest ideas I’ve ever heard.”

“Well, ?co?o! What should I do then?”

She was silent for a moment.

“I’ll ask my gyno to do it. She’s an old client, she’ll do me the solid.”

He sighed and put his arm around her, drawing her close and kissing her head.

“But we have to take care of it this week, you hear me?”

“Yes.” He paused. “Fuck.”

In that moment all Olga wanted to do was to quell what she knew must be her brother’s fears. To be there for him, completely. To do so, she realized, she must first clear the fog of doubt that Reggie had cast over him.