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</b><br/><span style="font-size: 18px"><b>"Disowned, man that's harsh.  Your old man wouldn't really do that, would he?" </b>asked Gabriel.<br/>
<br/>
Gabriel had the sense that Jaxon's father was similiar to his own. Julio Alcantara felt an obligation to make his sons into men, in the classical/traditional Latino sense of stoic, aggressive, self-reliant, stay-calm-in-the-face-of-danger manhood. As a result, he also felt that it was his job to wean his sons of their neediness, and to put a hard shell around his children's vulnerable emotions like fear, sadness, hurt, and loneliness.  His father was a role model that was compelled to encourage, and even to demand masculinity from his sons, Francisco and Gabriel.<br/>
<br/>
In his journey to become a man, Gabriel took an arrow in the center of his heart, in the place of his strength. Because the wound was rarely discussed and even more rarely healed, Gabriel carried a wound. And the wound was given to him by his father. Julio Alcantara expected that his sons conform to traditional masculine norms. Gabriel learned that he was a man, by having his father notice and reflect his evolving man-ness—competency, mastery, strength, bravery, intelligence and so on, back to him.<br/>
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That was what should have happened. Most Dads spent time with their sons bonding with them as males and having great adventures, or showing affection and approval through a variety of verbal and nonverbal <i>"you've got what it takes," "nice shot!" and "atta boy!</i>" messages. In this way, they bestowed a growing sense of adult masculine identity onto their sons. But that didn't happen with Gabriel. Instead, his father offered criticism, disdain, disappointment or ambivalence for him, especially when he found out he was gay.<br/>
<br/>
Instead of living with the joy of being accepted for who he was, Gabriel lived with a private fear that he wasn't really an acceptable or worthy man. His father didn't want him living at their house, and Uncle Armando was letting him rent the casita as an alternative to avoid a complete severing of contact between his father and himself. Gabriel hoped that Jaxon was only exaggerating about his own father, because one shitty relationship was enough. But at least he was still at least on speaking terms with Julio Alcantara.<br/>
<br/>
Gabriel was a quick study on the game of cornhole, and although he didn't win he remained a good sportsman about losing. <b>"That was fun, we'll have to play that again, Jaxon. And yes, you do owe me a tour."</b> he smiled.<br/>
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Gabriel grabbed his Solo cup when he and Jaxon headed back inside his house, he'd been drinking the lemonade during the game and quickly paused to refill his drink before joining Jaxon in his living room. Jaxon patiently waited for him there, willing to show off some of his awards and commendations from various places in the world that he'd served while in the military. There were so many different patterns and colors, and meanings, it was a wonder how Jaxon kept track of every single medal.<br/>
<br/>
<b>"That one is a big deal, isn't it?" </b>Gabriel asked, pointing to the Gold Star.<br/>
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Jaxon's statement following that pretty much confirmed what he'd thought when he first saw the star<b>. "Somehow I totally believe you're an incredibly brave guy, Jaxon."</b><br/>
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<b>"That's a pretty one." </b>Gabriel mentioned, his finger touching the colored sash the eagle medal was attached to.<br/>
<br/>
Gabriel grinned, impressed with the fact that Jaxon was an expert marksman, but even more impressed with the next medal, the humanitarian service award. Especially when Jaxon explained why he earned it. As Jaxon spoke candidly about some of his experiences, Gabriel could see the growing stress that it produced and how it was started to impact Jaxon's mood a little. Gabriel picked up on the change rather quickly, studying Jaxon's face and how the lines appeared to strain his features.<br/>
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<b>"I am proud of you, Jaxon. Thank you for serving with so much pride and sacrifice. I don't think I could make it through bootcamp, and besides I'm gay. I don't think they would want me to serve."</b> Gabriel shrugged a little bit, and finally clapped Jaxon's shoulder. <b>"Thanks for showing me your medals.</b>"<br/>
<br/>
Dessert was a good and necessary diversion from the diminished mood after Jaxon finished showing him everything. Although he had a little bit of dessert before the cornhole game, Gabriel still had enough room left over in his belly to share some more. Jaxon chose pecan pie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, and Gabriel decided apple pie with vanilla on top was best for him. He joined Jaxon and Kiv in the living room, completely turning off the volume of loud whoops of his guests outside in the backyard as they spent time together.<br/>
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<b>"Me? OH, me."</b> Gabriel laughed, hesitating briefly when another guest wandered in to ask Jaxon a question.<br/>
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When he disappeared from the living room, Gabriel was comfortable enough to continue speaking.<br/>
</span><br/><b><span style="font-size: 18px">"Well, my father Julio, and my mama, Marisol, wanted a better life than what they had,  something better for their first child, so they crossed over the border. In Mexico, they had to deal with oppression from street gangs, and violence. They walked all the way from Mexico City, to Tijuana when she was pregnant with me. My grandparents were already in America, they would sent money home, and my father paid someone to help him and my mother across the border. They made it to Los Angeles, and paid for a ticket on the next bus to Horizon City, Texas. They lived with my grandparents, and I was born in Texas. I am a second-generation Mexican-American. It's not like what everyone thinks about Mexicans. That we're lazy, or that we steal jobs from Americans. My Mom and Dad, my grandparents worked seven days a week, for fifteen hours a day to make our restaurant operational. At first, they couldn't speak any English. Then they learned how to speak English. My dad would work two jobs, one washing cars and the other at the restaurant. My mom picked fruit. You know how much they earned? Less than minimum wage. Babysitters make more than that."</span></b><br/><span style="font-size: 18px"><br/>
Jaxon wanted to know how they came to own Picaduras, so Gabriel explained.<b> "They saved all their money to buy the space for the restaurant, they worked non-stop, never took a vacation or break, or called out sick. They work all the time, and I help there because its my family's business, and I want it to succeed. My mom and dad learned enough English to take the citizenship test and pass it. They are American."</b></span>