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Words and Photo by Cristina Martinez

My mami wasn’t exactly thrilled when I came out. Según it’s something I should have done desde mas chica, something that unveils when you’re a teenager… Little did she know, or could comprehend, that I suppressed alllll those queer thoughts for years, both from myself and for my parents.

She didn’t meet my first gf, gracias a dios. They were problematic AF and come to think of it… had TERRIBLE money energy. She didn’t deserve to meet my family. 

Funny enough I met the love of my life in Austin by way of Eagle Pass with Piedras Negras roots. When we made that connection, it was an instant bond. Las de border towns son más chingonas, I think. I grew up visiting Piedras and Eagle Pass (EP) over weekends and Summers and love the duality of those lands. My heart aches in an inexplicable way every time we ride down The Lonely Road, the path to my childhood.

I remember when the Kickapoo Casino first opened in EP. My grandma, whose sole experience with gambling was the many many MANY Lotería games she attended over her life, was enthralled. Visits to El Aguila soon included trips to the casino. Late nights with the humming sounds of thousands of slot machines, visits to the cafe for menudo, the lingering smell of coffee, señora perfume, and the cigarette stench that never left.

On our first Valentine’s Day, Peach organized a beautiful visit to Piedras where I was able to visit my Abuelos’ and Tía’s resting place. Little did I know she was in secret talks with my sisters putting a puzzle together of my most sentimental places in my dad’s homeland. It was so thoughtful, it was so very HER! In Piedras, we stopped by her Tia’s house where she introduced me as her NOVIA for the first time ever. 

That evening, back in EP, we found ourselves at the Kickapoo of course. We were deep in that hazy, can’t keep our hands off each other, still getting to know one another, buzzing kind of falling in love stage.

We were walking around, hand in hand, I was waiting to get the ZAP feeling of a slot machine calling my name, when I felt her gently push me towards someone.

SHE spotted my mom, en pleno gambling mode at a machine. Peach kept her respectful distance and encouraged me to go connect with my Mami.

In that instant I made the decision that the new most important person in my life would meet the very very VERY FIRST most important person in my life. I tapped her shoulder, she looked just as surprised as I was.  I said, “Mami, this is Peaches… es mi pareja.” Peaches, probably at a level 10 of nerves, extended her arm for the cutest little side hug. 

I was shaking.

In my apendejada state, I slipped my mom a few hundred dollars in winning tix, then cash, then more cash… And she, cool as ever, just pocketed it of course! 

Me, being ME, told them to get close for a picture. In all of that excitement I still knew that this moment was so important for so many reasons. In my heart, I knew that I finally found the one for me. In my heart, I knew that I finally found myself. In my heart, I knew that they both deserved to meet each other. 

The two most important women in my life forevermore.

The casino changed EP in so many ways, bringing in so many jobs, tourism that it had never seen, but also a gateway to so many vices.

I will forever think of it as the place where 3 somehow turned into 777.