The Dam (Pituca y Abi)

Pituca did a cartwheel, then a front flip, then a back flip, then the spider which consisted of walking her legs all around herself from the bridge position where the back fl9p landed her. She ended with a split. Abi applauded. He stood by a tree and Pituca performed on the kite flyer's lawn by the Guacabon. It was barely dawn. Abi was her only audience. After all these years she could still do her routine from her Gymnastics Club performance her senior year in El Instituto de Coral. She'd performed to Mofongo de Pilon, her favorite song her last year of high school. She made Abi sing it now. She couldn't believe he knew it. It had not been de moda for a long time. She didn't know he had a beautiful singing voice, deep and low, lower than his speaking voice, and warm. A good voice for secrets.
They took off jogging along the path runners had worn along the Guacabon's bank. She raced ahead of him. He was still singing Mofongo de Pilon. She'd never realized as a high school girl that the lyrics, especially sung with Abi's deep, gravelly voice, were de doble sentido. "Dame, dame, dame, mofongo de pilon...dale a tu pilon, sube y baja, dale a tu pilon."
This day was glorious. She could not not believe life was good She could not not believe she too had a birthright of happiness and joy even if the island was full of desaparecidos, the empire could invade again any moment, and their revolution had not yet been made.
Pituca ran and ran. Abu was usually faster but he could barely keep up with her.
She came to the dam, where they usually ended their morning runs.
This day she climbed to the top of the huge concrete wall. Firrst she crossed her arms and raised one leg. Then she raised both arms and let out a loud cry. Then she raised her fist.
She dove into the deep waters of the Guacabon reservoir. She floated on her back, eyes closed, red light behind her eyelids. She lost herself in the cool waters of the Guacabon, sprung in the heights of El Pico.
She felt Abi dive into the water and swim to her side. Not for one second did she doubt he would join her. She had never had a partner in life before him.