She was right. She found Lucia and Jamie, who was, as it turned out, one of the groomsmen—and one of Elisa’s classmates. They were in the spare bedroom, making out on the bed. I’m going to murder her. Elisa charged in, turning on the light and shouted, “Stop.” Other than Jamie’s jacket, which was laying on a chair, they both seemed to have all their clothes on.
At least there’s that.
“Elisa—” Lucia was blushing furiously, pushing some hair out of her eyes. “You could knock.”
“Oh, hey, Elisa,” Jamie said, clearly not getting why Elisa was upset. “I didn’t know you two knew each other.”
“She’s my sister,” Elisa said, putting her hands on her hips. “My fourteen-year-old sister.”
Jamie went paper-white, and jumped up from the bed, grabbing his jacket and quickly saying, “I’ll see you in class, Elisa. Lucia, delete my number from your phone, please,” he said in one breath before hurrying out.
“We’re going home,” Elisa said. She grabbed Lucia by the arm and forced her to her feet. “Once Mom hears about this, you won’t be allowed to leave the apartment for a month.”
“Please don’t tell her,” Lucia pleaded, trying to force her wrist out of Elisa’s grasp. “We were just having fun.”
“You are too young for that kind of fun. Especially with a guy that age. Lucia—those laws exist for a reason.”
“Age is just a number.”
“Yeah, and jail is just a room.” Elisa let go of her wrist to bring her hand up to her forehead, massaging it. Her head hurt. “Lulu, you need to stick to guys your own age. For your own good, and everyone else’s. Jamie could’ve gotten into serious trouble if you two had done anything.”
“Guys my own age suck.”
“I guarantee, the kind of adult man that would do that with a fourteen-year-old girl sucks way more. The only excuse is that you didn’t tell him how old you were.”
Lucia crossed her arms, raising her chin in defiance. “I’m mature for my age.”
“First of all—no, you’re not. Second of all—if it was maturity they were interested in, they’d be going for women their own age. Not children.”
“I am not a—”
“Yes, you are. Legally, mentally, and in all other aspects. You are a child. So be a child. You don’t have to pretend you’re this mature, experienced adult when you’re not. There’s nothing wrong with just being fourteen.”
“You always said you hated being fourteen,” Lucia said.
“Yeah, but I still had to go through it. And so do you. No amount of drinking or hooking up with older guys will change that.”
Lucia glanced away, lip trembling slightly. Elisa sighed.
If she thinks she can start crying and soften me up, then she is…totally, completely, 100 percent right. God dammit.
“Okay. That’s my lecture. I won’t tell Mom about this,” she said. Lucia looked up, then, meeting her eyes for the first time since she had walked in. “But please think about what I said. You shouldn’t be in any rush to grow up—and this isn’t the way to go about it.”
Lucia didn’t respond right away, tearing her gaze away once more. “I’ll think about it,” she said quietly.
“Thank you.” She let out a sigh. “I’m just doing this because I want to keep you safe, Lulu. You know that, right?”
“Yeah. I know.”
Elisa smiled and wrapped an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “C’mon. Let’s find Char and the others and get out of here.”
…
Tiptoeing past the room where Mom slept, the Benitez sisters hurried off to bed. Lucia had gone into her section of the living room, unusually quiet, while Camila and Maria slipped into the room they shared. Elisa was last, locking the front door behind them, before going into the room that she shared with Julieta. As she expected, the other bed was empty.
She had nearly drifted off to sleep when Julieta returned an hour and a half later, quietly slipping into the room and preparing for bed. She was humming a love song that she had heard on the radio approximately six thousand times that week.
“Jules,” she whispered, “I was wondering when you’d get back.”
“Oh, did I wake you? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“You didn’t.” Elisa sat up. “How was it?”
She was beaming, looking bashfully down at her feet. “It was great. He’s so sweet. He gave me a ride home and even kissed me before letting me out.”
Elisa grinned. “A kiss on the first date? Why, Julieta Benitez, you skank,” she said playfully.
Her sister blushed, shaking her head as she laughed. “Oh no, no, it…it was very G-rated, just on the cheek. I don’t think this even counted as a date. But,” she added, “he did give me his phone number and email, and he told me to add him on social media.”
“So, do you think there’s something there?”
Julieta nodded. “I do. I really do.”
She paused. “How can you tell?”
Her sister ran her fingers through her hair, a smile still playing around her lips. “I can’t explain it. It just felt like—like the more we talked, the more it felt like we’ve always known each other. And there weren’t any awkward pauses, or any moments where I said something and then was immediately like, ‘Why did I say that?’ We just clicked, you know? I mean, yeah, maybe it was the alcohol, but I really don’t think so. I know you hate to give Mom the satisfaction, but…maybe there’s actually a future for Bobby and me.”
“Don’t tell him that,” she advised. “Guys are notorious flight risks.”
“I won’t. I’d like to keep him around for a while.”
“I’m glad. G’night, Jules.”
“Good night, Elisa.”
She rolled over and tried to fall back asleep, listening as her sister’s breaths became soft and steady. As her eyes closed again, she thought about what Julieta had described. She’d heard of that sort of thing before, of course, but she’d never known it to actually happen in real life—until now.
She was happy for her sister. So, so happy—Jules deserved this more than anybody else she knew. But she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
When’s it my turn?
Chapter Four
In Which the Benitez Sisters (and Charlene) Crash a Birthday Party
Elisa had gotten used to her and Darcy being the first ones to arrive at British Lit every Monday and Wednesday. Normally, her strategy was to ignore her, but after what she’d overheard at the wedding, she couldn’t just sit there and say nothing.
“Hello, sunshine,” she said, as Darcy took her usual seat at the end of their row. The professor didn’t technically keep a seating chart, but everyone stuck to the chairs they’d picked on the first day of class, anyway. “Decided to come to school with the rabble?”
“Why so sarcastic this morning?” she asked, not looking at her as she searched for something in her bag. “And you should know that being passive-aggressive doesn’t suit you.”
Elisa felt her jaw tighten. She sucked in a sharp breath, before forcing her voice to come out even. “I heard what you were saying to Bobby about me and my family. And, frankly, I don’t appreciate it.”
Darcy’s fidgeted in her chair. “Do you often eavesdrop on private conversations?”
“I don’t know, do you often make fun of people you barely know?”
“I wasn’t making fun of you. I was…observing.”
“Well, maybe keep your observations to yourself. People might start thinking you’re a stuck-up jerk.”
She didn’t say anything and refused to meet her eye. That was good enough for Elisa. She’d planned on being snarky all day—maybe all week—but there was one thing Darcy was right about: being passive-aggressive really didn’t suit her.
As it got closer to time for class to start, other students began to trickle in, Jamie among them. The second he and Elisa caught each other’s gaze, he went scarlet. She only met him with the look, which she�
�d inherited from her mother. He looked away, mumbling out a “good morning” before dashing to his seat, which was safely on the other side of the room.
Darcy’s eyes flicked from her to Jamie and back again. “What was that about?” she murmured, scooting her chair closer.
“Nothing.”
“You looked about ready to rip his head off. That doesn’t seem like nothing.”
“Just…he was with one of my sisters last night—I mean, I got there before anything could happen.” Why am I telling her this? We’re not friends.
She frowned. “Not Julieta?”
“No, no.” She shook her head. “She was with Bobby. It was, um, it was Lucia.” When Darcy’s eyes widened and she sat up, opening her mouth to speak, Elisa continued. “I mean, in his defense, he didn’t realize how old she is. When I told him, he ran off right away.”
The tension dropped out of her shoulders. “I’m assuming that’s the only reason he went home with his balls still attached?”
A snort erupted from her before she could stop herself, and she clapped a hand over her mouth. Poor Jamie must have heard and been able to guess what they were talking about, because he just blushed harder and sank lower into his seat.
Fighting a smile, she said, “You’re damn right it is.”
Darcy wasn’t smiling back, but something in her eyes had softened. “Well, if you change your mind about sparing him, let me know. I might be able to provide some assistance.”
“Don’t tell me. You have a hitman on your payroll.”
“No. I have a dozen hitmen. I mean, what am I? Poor?”
She said it with such a straight face that Elisa couldn’t stop herself from laughing. Even with the snobbery, she was actually pretty funny. Maybe that was why Bobby liked her. Or maybe it was just the fact that they’d known each other for so long.
Nah, that can’t be it. I’ve known Colin for years, and he still drives me insane.
If Bobby and Julieta worked out, then that meant Darcy would be around to drive her insane for a long, long time.
Now there’s a cheerful thought.
…
As Elisa predicted, Mom was over the moon that Julieta and Bobby had hit it off. She had hoped that this would be enough to get her to stop worrying for a little while, and just let things run their own course. Which only proved that she truly was an idealist at heart. A total of thirty-six hours passed before Mom went right back to obsessing over Julieta’s love life.
Elisa honestly didn’t know what she’d expected.
“It’s been too long,” she was saying to Elisa as the two of them did laundry one evening. The laundry room at Longbourn was dim, claustrophobic, and smelled like a combination of old soap and cigarette smoke. Elisa couldn’t help but wonder how clean their clothes were really getting. “Why hasn’t she seen him yet?”
“They’ve been IM’ing basically nonstop,” Elisa pointed out in an attempt to placate her.
“IM’ing is not the same. They need to be face-to-face. She needs to wear that sexy little number I got her for her last birthday—”
“That’s why you got her that dress?”
“—and she needs to up the ante if she wants to trap him.”
“Your concern would be a lot more touching if you didn’t make it sound like she was planning to eat him.”
“This is the twenty-first century, Elisa. Women can trap men if they want to. It’s feminism.”
“I…I am one hundred percent sure that’s not what feminism is.”
Mom slammed the washing machine lid shut. “I swear, if Julieta just took my advice, she’d have him, hook, line, and sinker by the end of the month.”
“Mama, I want them together, too, but I don’t think rushing it is the solution. Romance works best if it’s left to do its own thing.”
“That statement, Elisa, is proof you know nothing about love,” she said, heading for the door.
Elisa didn’t like that glint in her eye. Her mother was planning on being clever again. And when Alejandra Bello decided to be clever, things at home usually became much more complicated.
…
Saturday was typically the only day Julieta allowed herself to relax.
Their mom had other ideas.
“Julieta, dear, have you seen Bobby lately?” she asked. Elisa immediately looked up from her book. Mom knew perfectly well that Julieta hadn’t seen him yet. They all did. What is she playing at?
“Not since the wedding, Mama. But we’ve been texting a lot,” Julieta said, repeating the same thing she’d been telling her mother all week.
“Have you thought about what you’d say if you were to bump into him someplace?”
“What do you mean?” Now she looked nervous.
Mom went to sit in between her daughters on the couch, taking Julieta’s hands into her own.
“I’m just saying, it’s always good to think ahead. Like, suppose, for instance, you ran into him while at a fancy restaurant, in your best dress and highest heels, looking even lovelier than normal. He’d, of course, be too stunned to talk, so it’d be up to you to do the talking. It couldn’t hurt to have a game plan.”
Julieta looked about as suspicious as Elisa felt. “When do I ever go to fancy restaurants?” she asked.
“Maybe you should start,” Mom said, as if Julieta had been the one to think of it. “Hell, start tonight. You’ve been working so hard on that business of yours that you deserve it. Why not check out that new restaurant on Fourth? It’s called Eclipse, isn’t it?”
“Mom,” Julieta said slowly, “what are you up to?”
She finally dropped the act and leaned in close. “Darling, Bobby will be at Eclipse tonight with some friends and family. I was thinking it couldn’t hurt if you were to…spontaneously run into him.”
Elisa and Julieta both responded at once, Elisa saying, “You’ve officially reached a new level of nuts,” at the same time Julieta exclaimed, “Mom.”
“Just think of this as an excellent opportunity, Julieta.”
“An opportunity to what, provoke a restraining order?” Elisa asked. Her mom smacked her in the stomach without even turning around.
“Mom—I don’t think…” Julieta began saying, but Mom cut her off.
“Jules, I know you’re worried about being too forward, but nothing ever happens in this world if you don’t take the initiative. You wouldn’t have your business; Elisa wouldn’t be working toward a college degree; Lucia wouldn’t hold the current Steventon High record for ‘most times of being sent to the office without actually getting detention.’ Initiative is a powerful, powerful thing.”
“Mom, I can’t just show up where Bobby is. That’s not taking initiative, that’s stalking.” Suddenly, she frowned. “How’d you even know where he’d be tonight?”
Mom looked away.
“You dug through his social media again?” Julieta cried. “Mom, you promised. No more cyberstalking.”
“Well, I had to do something,” Mom huffed. “If you had your way, you’d still be flirting over Instagram captions in a year.”
“Mom, I’m twenty-two. I’m an adult. I can handle my own relationships.”
“If you’re an adult, why do you still live at home?”
Julieta flushed, clearly hurt, but said nothing. Elisa felt her jaw tighten, and her next words flew out before she had a chance to consider them.
“Mom, that is beyond not fair, and you know it. Julieta’s working, she pays for the groceries at least half the time, she helps pay the bills, and she’s trying to save up as much as she can,” she said. “If she could move out, she would. Besides, she’s working on much more important things than winning over some guy.”
“Robert Charles is not just some guy. Jules really likes him, isn’t that right?”
Julieta wasn’t meeting either of their gazes. “I do,” she admitted, “but…Mom, you know I love you, but you can be a bit…single-minded when it comes to marriage. And yeah, I want to get married one
day, but there’s more to life than that.”
“Well…well, of course there is, but…Julieta, this is about your happiness. Money or no money, I wouldn’t approve of that man if I didn’t think he was a good match for you. You know that.”
“Yeah. It’s just…well…sometimes you can be a bit…pushy. In the best way,” she hastily added, seeing her mother’s jaw set.
Elisa shifted uncomfortably as they fell into silence. Small arguments and disagreements were common in their family, but it was rare that anyone—least of all Julieta—was that blunt with Mom.
Most of the time, it felt like all of them against the world.
But sometimes, it became the Benitez sisters against their mother. And it was not a nice feeling.
Mom looked between the two of them and let out a sigh. “I’m just saying that if things work out between you and Bobby…”
“We haven’t even been on a date,” Julieta said. “Not a proper one, anyway.”
“Then it’s time to get to your first proper date,” she said. “Come on, what’s the harm in trying? It’s not like he’ll have any reason to suspect you planned it. The worst that could happen is he’ll just say ‘hi’ before going back to his own table. At least you’ll get a nice meal out of it.”
“A nice, expensive meal,” Julieta pointed out. Then, she sighed. “You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”
“Nope.”
Julieta squeezed her eyes shut. “Okay, fine, I’ll go,” she whispered, as if the words were physically painful to say.
Mom beamed at her, jumping up from the couch. “I knew you’d see it my way,” she said, looking very proud of herself. “I’m going to go pick out some options for what you can wear.”
She ran off to Julieta and Elisa’s bedroom, looking like a kid rushing to the Christmas tree.
“I can’t believe you let that happen,” Elisa said, mostly pitying, but also kind of snickering. “You used your Assertive Voice and everything.”
“I know,” she groaned, burying her face in her hands. “This is gonna suck.” She looked up. “Could you come with me? And maybe Charlene, too. That’ll make me feel slightly less like a stalker…and if Bobby doesn’t want to hang out, at least I’ll have someone else to talk to.”
Most Ardently Page 5