Kristen Santana-Estevez's Apartment

[K. Santana-Estevez]

146 Apache St, Arcadia Apartment 3C

 

 

 

Kristen Santana-Estevez was born on the night of December 2 1997 to Marco and Theresa Santana-Estevez. Marco, Who owned an architecture firm, and Theresa, an Family Law attorney. Kristen grew up as the second oldest out of 4 in an upper middle class Puerto Rican family that valued education and hard work and striving to be the very best.

Growing up her childhood involved going to school at the prestigious Arcadia Prep and getting involved in various clubs and on the track team. During the summer she would split it between family vacations across the world and visiting her grandparents in Puerto Rico. Kristen Excelled in school but felt had no direction aside from succeeding. After years of hearing stories from both of her parents about the cutthroat nature of their jobs and her parents' often unscrupulous tactics with business and the legal system, Kristen became well versed in getting ahead.

Kristen was accepted into CFU as an early admission into the school of public affairs in the emergency management program with a minor in business with the intention of going into business continuity and eventually starting a disaster preparedness consulting company. Kristen got this idea while on vacation with her family in her teens when a tropical storm hit the island resort they were staying at and the hotel management had no emergency plans in place.

Kristen is set to graduate with her master's from CFU and has received a paid internship from the Shiloh county ERT. A rare opportunity that she will make the most of to start her career in emergency management

[K. Santana-Estevez]

 

Gato

Kristen's 3 year old Maine coon calico

[K. Santana-Estevez]

*After my first day at work I quickly leave the headquarters building and drive over to my usual bar, Pour Pete's in Oxnard and park outside. Walking in I take a seat at the bar. Its a Monday so the bar is dead and Amanda is working. Amanda is a friend and almost a surrogate mother to me. Amanda is a few years older than me, Blonde, Polish and with a lot of tattoos.*

'The usual?'

*I nod as Amanda walks down the bar and pours a shot of Jose Cuervo into a shot glass and places it in front of me.*

'Your dressed Nice, First day at the new job?'

'Yeah, the commissioner gave me the grand tour. He's kind of cute.'

'This can't be a repeat of the last place.'

*I scoff and Amanda gives me the all too familiar look.*

'Last time was a mistake, Right now I'm an intern and they can get rid of me for anything. I want to make it in their best interest to keep me on after the internship ends.'

'Make it in their best interest?'

'Yeah. I want to hang onto this job for a while, That way I can make moves.'

*I slam down my shot as Amanda goes back and makes 2 drinks.*

'Make moves? Yeah last time you tried to make moves you had to delete all your social media and had your mom send out cease and desists. Kris, I love you but your not 21 anymore. You can't do stupid shit anymore.'

'Thanks Mom.'

'I'm only 10 years older than you and unlike me you have your whole life ahead of you.'

'Your still more of a mom was than my mom is to me.'

*Amanda puts two shooter glasses down and starts mixing something for the both of us.*

'I read this recipe online, I'm thinking of making it one of the specials for Friday.'

*She slides the drink in front of me. We gulp it down.*

'What do you think?'

'Not bad tastes like resees , Another?'

*As she pours another for me. I open my phone and pull up a picture of the Commissioner from the county website. Amanda sees me looking.*

'That your new boss?'

'Yeah'

'He's old enough to be your grandfather'

 

'Cierra tu sucia boca de puta!'

*We both Laugh as a few people look over. I'm in here enough that a few recognize me but not enough that they here me speak Spanish.*

'No creo que tu jefa quiera tu toto sucio'

'Since when do you pay attention to me talking about my toto sucio?'

'When you were trashed last week you wouldn't shut up about it.' How did you get home that night?

'Jeff drove me.'

'I thought you were done with him.'

'Uhh'

'He cheated on you. With 2 different women and you keep running back. Maybe commissioner grandpa is a good back up.'

Amanda is right. Amanda is always right. I just wanted to celebrate my first day at my new job and shes about to lecture me about everything ive done.

*I look down as She talks about Jeff. He was just keeping the seat warm but still.*

'That mustache does it for me though'

Or not, Amanda knows when to lecture and when to stop.

'Stop getting hot and bothered over my new boss'

*I look up smiling as I take a swig of the chocolate peanut butter liquor concoction. Amanda grins at me I laugh*

'What time you got to be back tomorrow?'

'7am.'

'You want to order some food with me before you go home? Bars pretty dead. Doubt it will get any more lively than this'

*She looks over at the two blue collar looking middle age men at the other side of the bar.*

'Yeah you mind if I change? I hate dressing up like this.'

'If I let you change I get to decide where were eating.'

'Deal.'

*I run out to my car and grab my gym bag. I run back in and see Amanda on her phone playing with door dash.*

'Thai tonight.'

'Can't go wrong with thai. Get me the chicken drunken noodles!'

*I walk past the barflys*

'Wouldn't be the only drunken thing here.'

*One of them mutters under his breath*

'Pencil dick.'

*I say loud so I know him and his friend can hear it as I walk into the back room and get undressed and put on a pair of leggings and oversized t shirt. I walk back to Amanda.*

'Spit in that guy's drink.'

*I say gesturing over to the man in gray who made that comment.*

'I would but he's into that.'

*We both start laughing and continue drinking. Before long our food comes and the delicious noodles soak up enough alcohol to let me drive home. Stumbling in I open up a can of food for Gato. I walk over to my counter and take a few swigs of the vanilla vodka before walking over to my bed and pass out.*

[K. Santana-Estevez]

*Sitting on my balcony I take a hit of my vape as the sun begins to set, The weather is beautiful, and The vanilla vodka on the rocks is cold. The pink and orange hues of the sunset reflect on the building across the street from me I grab my phone to order sushi. I'm a couple of drinks in and the sushi spot is just out of walking distance. I open up Doordash and put my order in. The card for the joint account I share with my parents is declined. I open the Bank of America app to see what's going on. As I log in I see that the account is frozen due to law enforcement activity. I immediately call Dad. The phone rings*

 

"Hello, you have reached Marco Santana of the Santana firm. I can't take your call"

*I quickly hang up before the outgoing message finishes and call Mom*

"Mommy! What's going on, Daddy's not picking up his phone and the bank account is frozen"

*I hear hysterical crying on the other end of the phone.*

'Mommy, what's wrong? Mom?'

'Daddy and Jonathan got arrested. Everything going to be alright though.'

'What? What did they get arrested for?'

'I can't talk about it

'What the fuck do you mean you can't talk about it!'

'Everything is going to be ok! We just need to pray'

'The bank account is frozen Daddy and Jonothan are in jail. What happened? Is this about Daddy's Job'

*This is bad. The last time Mom told me to pray was when Abuelo Jorge died.*

'I CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT.'

'I'm coming over.'

'NOOOO!'

'Yes or no is this about Daddy's job?'

'YESSSS!'

'And you can't say anything more because?'

*Mom composes herself as she hears me ask*

'Because people are listening.'

'Are there people in the house?'

'Yes.'

'Are they officers?'

'Yes.'

'Call me when I can come over.'

'Ok just pray. We all need to pray right now.'

'Ok I love you, Mommy.'

*As she hangs up I get a text from Amanda*

 

** Hey I saw about your dad on the news. If you need anything let me know.**

The news?

*I quickly google Marco Santana and see a few local news articles posted within the past 2 hours. I click on the first one.*

"Local architect and son arrested in multi-million dollar real estate scheme"

As I read through the article a feeling of dread overcomes me. My parents have been supporting me through my schooling and education, Where am I going to live? How am I going to support myself with the shit money this internship pays. People don't typically get off on white collar cases. At least that's what I learned in my business ethics class.

Looking at the clock on my phone it reads 8:08. These 10 minutes felt like hours. My hands are shaking, My heart is racing and My mind is going all over the place. I pick up the bottle of vodka and start pounding. My internship is up in a few months and then I'm left looking for a job in a field where there really isn't much opportunity in this field.

While the news sobered me up that feeling was short lived. My world is spinning I don't know what to do. I put the cap back on the bottle and pick up my phone. I see a notification from Jeff my ex now turned something to do. Granted we're toxic as fuck and he's a terrible human being but I know if I show up at his house I won't be alone, at least for tonight. Granted I never went to his house unannounced but I can't be alone tonight and Amanda is working at the bar. I just want someone to hold and watch shitty Netflix shows with. I take a sip of the bottle and get changed. I change out of the oversized t shirt and pajama shorts I was wearing to black leggings and a dark purple tank top, Neglecting to put a bra on. I open a can of cat food for Gato, throw a few things including the bottle in my bag, and take the elevator down to the parking garage. As I walk over to the Mustang I see one of my middle aged neighbors staring at me.

'WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT! I'LL KILL YOU!'

*They quickly avert their gaze as I get into the front seat of the Mustang. It's been a while since I've driven drunk but I only had one incident doing it. I carefully pull out of the parking lot and start heading over to Jeff's house in Clinton. All the times I went there he would drive but I remembered the address. I carefully make my way over there. As I pull up to a red light I see a black and gold explorer pull next to me. I see a star on the door. I glance over and see a hot redheaded cop driving. I quickly look away.*

'¿Por qué siempre te vuelves gay cuando estás borracha?'

I Say to myself, as I realize I'm at the Spanish Lesbian stage of being drunk. It's only a few more minutes until I get to Jeff's. Just hold it together. Within a few minutes I pull up to Jeff's house, His white dodge ram is in the driveway parked next to a red Jeep that I never saw before. Before I get out of the car I adjust my tits and fix my hair in the rearview mirror. I grab my bag and step out of the car and walk up the concrete path to his door. I knock on the door and Jeff answers the door shocked to see me.

Jeff: 'You need to go!'

'Jeff my dad got arrested! I don't want to be alone.'

Jeff: 'No you don't understand, You need to leave right now!' He says in an angry and hushed tone

'Why? What do you mean?'

Jeff's Wife: 'Who is that?' A female voice chimes in

'Wrong house!' Jeff calls into the house

'Leave, Now!'  He hisses at me

'Who's inside?'

Jeff: 'My wife!'

'Jeff?' The woman inside's voice sounds closer now

'You told me she died in a car accident I yell loud enough for the neighborhood to hear

*The door flys open the rest of the way and I see a woman about Jeff's age standing behind him*

Jeff's Wife: 'Who the fuck is that?'

'Who the fuck are you?'

*Suddenly Jeff's Black Lab Luna runs out to greet me. Wagging her tail I briefly get distracted.*

'Hi, Luna!'

Jeff's Wife: 'Why does she know Luna?!'

'Kristen you need to leave or I'm calling the cops!'

Jeff's Wife: 'So you know her!'

Jeff: 'She's just a girl from the bar, Nothing ever happened I have no idea why she's here.'

'Nothing ever happened? You said that you wanted me to have your baby. You're a lying piece of shit!'

*Jeff's wife starts screaming at him. I start screaming at him.*

Jeff's Wife:  'Who the fuck do you think you are coming to my house, Fucking my husband and destroying my family.'

'He said you died!'

Jeff  'Kristen you need to leave now, I called the cops'

'Fuck you'

*I say as I pick up a rock from his garden.*

Jeff 'Put that down. The cops are on the way'

'Don't fucking tell me what to do. I'll go to jail just like my dad.'

*I take the rock and throw it at his truck. I miss the window and hit the door. The Rock disintegrates into a brown cloud of dust. This didn't work out as I thought it did.*

Jeff: 'Kristen, Leave Now. Whatever you thinking of doing it's not worth it. Just go. Throwing clumps of dirt at my car is just making you look like an asshole.'

As I turn to look at his wife. I stare her dead in the eyes

'We had wild sex in your bed.'

*I see Jeff dialing his phone. As I'm walking down the path to leave I change course and run over to his truck and kick it.*

'Fuck you and fuck your wife you piece of shit!'

Jeff's Wife: 'Your a homewrecking piece of shit! I can't wait for the cops to get here.'

'I'll kill you!'

*I spit in her direction but it falls on the walkway, Hearing sirens in the distance I stumble to the Mustang my world just got smaller and is still spinning. Making the judgment call to leave before the cops show I start the car and head to the only other place I can go. I point the car in the direction of the bar. Amanda's working and it should be a slow night. As I carefully drive over there to avoid being pulled over find a spot outside. I get out and the world seems empty. Looking down the street there's nobody out, and the only noise seems to be the slight hum of the neon sign above the door. I walk in and Amanda is there wiping down the bar and getting ready to close up the bar. Feeling overwhelmed about Dad and Jonathan and then Jeff, I just start crying*

'Jesus Christ, I had a feeling I would see you tonight just not like this.'

*Amanda runs out from behind the bar and gives me a hug and pulls out a stool for me*

'Sit down, Take a deep breath and if you want to talk you can. If you want a drink tell me. If you want to eat we can order something. But right now just breathe.'

*Sitting down I put my head in my hands and continue to cry uncontrollably, partially hiding my eyes in my hair.*

'Did someone hurt you?'

*I shake my head no.*

'Do you want to talk about it?'

*I shake my head again*

'Do you want something to eat?'

*I nod.*

'Chinese is the only place that's open. Is that ok?'

*I nod*

'The usual?'

'Yeah'

*I continue to cry as Amanda closes down the bar and calls in the order for Chinese. We get into her car to pick it up as we drive back to her apartment deeper in Clinton I tell her everything.*

'I don't think you should be alone tonight. And your better off staying at my place, I'm not throwing you in an Uber and your family's house sounds like a mess. Tomorrow we can regroup and get your shit figured out.'

'Amanda, All I have now is you and this shitty internship.'

Amanda quickly gets some extra blankets and pillows and sets me up on the couch. I drunkenly cry myself to sleep