Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6

force a woman to do that. I mean, you can, but it wouldn't be the right thing to do."
    "And what is the problem now?"
    Esteban answered that one. "They are enemies again because she prefers Diego and is pregnant with his baby."
    Raul stared at Esteban.
    "It could be my baby."
    "What's your version of the events, Raul?"
    Raul dropped his shoes on the floor and hunkered down on the couch like a rebellious teenager. "Just what I said, man. I got Diego some pussy and he liked it so much that he got crazy."
    Javier spoke before he could stop himself. "Really? I thought he was gay."
    Esteban's expression equaled a prosecutor in front of the jury. "He is gay, Javier. And in all the years I've known him, which is all my life, I never heard of him liking any girl. I bet Raul did something else to get Diego in this mess. Raul, what did you use? Alcohol, drugs?"
    "Javier is going to think I'm some kind of thug."
    "When it comes to Diego, you have no qualms at all. To be fair Javier, Diego has done bad things to Raul, too."
    Javier mumbled more for himself than the others. "Oh, they are really enemies."
    Esteban remarked without taking his eyes from Raul, "Worse, because they shared the affection of many people who don't know what to do when they are at war. Anyway, this time there is an innocent involved. And I'm not talking only about the mother."
    Raul got up and started pacing around a few feet. "It's my baby too. I mean that thing could be mine too."
    Esteban stood in front of Raul stopping his errant movements, and his voice came out as tough as Javier had ever heard it.
    "You're calling the baby thing, so killing him would not hurt, eh?"
    Javier also stood. "Who is killing who?"
    Javier had lost track of the argument, these two were at each other's throats, and Esteban was red to his ears when he said, "Raul wants the mother to have an abortion."
    "Oh." Javier thought that even if he was pro-life, he understood there were times people had to make choices, but still the idea of a baby never being born affected him.
    Esteban wiggled a finger in front of Raul's face. "Wait a second. How did she get pregnant? Don't tell me you were so irresponsible to have sex without protection, and forced Diego to do the same thing."
    "I didn't force him! And the first time we used protection."
    "The first time! So you guys did it more than once?"
    Outraged, Esteban stared at his brother in shock, and Raul offered his most innocent expression, if he ever had one.
    "I told you, he liked it."
    "Raul, how are you so sure?"
    "When they did it, I was there. I witnessed it."
    "You were in the same room?"
    "Yes. You don't share your girlfriend with some guy and leave them alone. Of course, you know nothing of these things, Esteban."
    "And I'm not sure I want to know the details of this incident. Javier, maybe you shouldn't listen to this either."
    "Why not? Because it's personal?" Javier asked.
    "No. Because of the level of sexual deviancy involved," Esteban stated.
    Javier found that funny. "Come on, Esteban, I'v probably had more sex in my life than you."
    Raul laughed at that for a few seconds. "Everybody we know has had more sex than Esteban. My poor brother is a virgin."
    Esteban froze and Javier thought he should not have made that comment at all.
    "I'm sorry, Esteban, I didn't mean to say it like that."
    "It's okay. One is not supposed to be sexually active while being a celibate priest."
    Javier went back to the sofa and kept his eyes on his interlaced fingers over his lap; he didn't want to risk glancing at Esteban's face, because his voice clearly announced how angry he was.
    "Jesus! Raul, how could you do such a thing? What I don't understand is why Diego agreed?"
    "Well, it's simple. He tried it, he liked it, and now, he wants to keep the girl with baby and all."
    "No, that can't be true," argued Esteban.
    "It is, and the problem is I shared my favorite girlfriend, the one I still like. And now she's pregnant and telling everybody it's Diego's baby."
    "You messed up big this time," Esteban told him.
    "It's probably my baby, not his. Esteban, I already have too many children, she's not having another."
    "Are you telling me to my face that you want her to have an abortion?" Esteban asked Raul in astonishment.
    "Esteban, the girl won't be a good mother, and I can't have more kids."
    "It could also be Diego's baby, no wonder he's so mad at you, and he didn't want to talk with me thinking I was going to bring up this issue. Life is