by Diana Kane
“Relax. They’re going to love you.” She gives me a quick kiss and chuckles.
“Well that isn’t helpful.”
“I just find it amusing that you face life and death everyday at work, yet meeting my parents freaks you out.”
“I’m glad you find this amusing, but to be fair my patients are typically undergoing elective procedures, which means they’re hardly in dire straights.”
“No matter. Come on.” Isabella resumes leading me through her family home, her excitement evident. We pass through the house so quickly that I don’t have time to take anything in. Finally we arrive in the spacious kitchen, where a petite woman slightly shorter than myself works at cutting up peppers and onions, her hair pulled up into a familiar looking messy bun, the dark color showing the first signs of grey at the temples.
“Isabella, you’re early!” She looks up from her task and I see the striking resemblance that Isabella shares with her. She quickly steps around the island she’s working at and pulls Isabella in for a welcoming hug and kiss on the cheek.
“Mamá this is Sara. Sara this is my mother, Adelita.” Adelita’s smile radiates warmth as she quickly assesses me.
“Sara, it is so lovely to finally meet you.” I hold out my hand to shake hers but she steps right through it, pulling me into the same hug and kiss she gave Isabella moments ago.
“It’s nice to meet you as well.” Her hug eases a little bit of my nervousness, but deep down I know Isabella is daddy’s little girl. “You have a beautiful home, thank you for inviting me.”
“Of course, of course,” she assures me as she waves her hand and heads back around the island to finish her work. “You’re welcome here anytime.” I quickly find myself drawn to the openness of her family and wonder if my relationship with my parents would have looked like this if things had been different.
“Thank you.” Isabella’s smile glows enough it might be capable of lighting a small room on its own.
“Isabella tells me you love fajitas, I hope this is true.” Adelita smiles at me as she continues working away.
“I do. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“You’re our guest, I won’t hear of it. Things are almost taken care of. Isabella, would you take these to your father while I get Sara something to drink?”
“Yes, mamá.” Adelita watches us as Isabella wraps her arms around my waist and brushes her lips against mine, her adoring smile never leaving her face. My anxiety ratchets back up as the reality that I’m about to be left alone with her mother quickly sinks in. I begin to panic, wondering if the warm welcome I’ve been given thus far will quickly disappear once we’re alone.
“I need pictures of the two of you before you leave,” she calls to Isabella as she exits the room. “What may I get you to drink?”
“Water would be fine, thank you.” I watch as Adelita retrieves a glass and fills it. She walks it around the bar to me as I anticipate the facade falling away at any moment.
“Isabella has told us a great deal about you, including what happened to your parents. I’m very sorry that you had to go through all of that. Please know that you’re always welcome here.” How very wrong I’ve been. This woman is nothing but warmth and honesty, which shouldn’t come as a surprise when I consider that she raised Isabella.
“Thank you. That really means a lot to me, Adelita.” I smile at her before she pulls me into another hug. “I hope Isabella hasn’t set your expectations of me too high,” I joke, managing to garner a laugh from Adelita.
“Nonsense. She told us that you are intelligent, compassionate, benevolent, beautiful and honest.”
“She made me sound like a saint. I’m not sure I can compare.”
“You don’t have to. Isabella isn’t perfect either. If you love her, respect her, and treat her properly then I will be happy.” A commotion from the front of the house filters into the kitchen. “That will be Gabriela and the girls. Promise me one thing.”
“Of course.”
“Don’t ever break her heart the way that Esme did.” The twins burst into the kitchen before I can answer. I watch as Adelita wraps them both up in her arms and kisses each of them on the cheek.
“I promise that I won’t,” I vow to her when she looks at me again.
“I believe you.” She smiles at me before greeting the woman just entering the kitchen. I recognize Gabriela from our brief meeting during a video chat one time.
“Sara, nice to meet you in person.” She greets me in the same manner that her mother did earlier. “Please don’t mind the girls, they’re a little hyper right now.”
“It’s great to finally meet you as well.” I feel Isabella’s familiar arms wrap around my waist.
“How are you doing my love?” she whispers in my ear. I turn my head toward her and smile, causing her to kiss me.
“Are you Aunt Izzy’s new girlfriend?” one of the twins questions immediately after the kiss.
“Yes, she is. What do you think?” Isabella squats down next to her niece, and they both look up at me.
“I think she’s pretty,” is the little girl’s reply.
“So do I. Should I keep her?” The little girl nods before taking off in the direction Isabella exited earlier. Isabella grins at me as she stands to greet Gabriela. I hear a pair of male voices heading towards us, so I turn to locate their origin. Two sets of eyes are busy assessing me as their conversation continues. I quickly do my own appraisal of the pair, noting Mateo’s full head of thick black hair and his thickset build. He smiles warmly at me as he and the man I assume to be Hector enter the kitchen.
“You must be the lovely Sara,” he says as he deposits the tray of grilled meats and veggies on the island. He pulls me into a strong hug. “Welcome to our home.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“Anytime. Did you get something to drink?” Up close I finally see where Isabella gets her eye color and her nose.
“I did, thank you,” I answer, picking up my glass of water.
“Very good. Have you met Hector yet?” Hector approaches and offers me his hand. I shake it, happy to not have to hug one more stranger.
“Dinner will be ready soon. Help me get this stuff onto the table.” Adelita issues the order, and a hush falls over the room as everyone listens. I attempt to grab a dish or two to help, but Isabella stops me.
“They will get that, come with me.” She clasps my hand and leads me outside to a patio area with a full bar. “I’m responsible for making drinks. Margaritas since we’re having fajitas?”
“Sure.” Isabella stops and faces me, her free hand reaching up to brush the hair out of my face.
“How are you doing? Is it as scary as you thought it would be?” Isabella grins, clearly still feeling amused by my earlier discomfort.
“It’s been a lot all at once, but your mother is very lovely. She only made me swear to one thing, so I suppose that’s good.” I chuckle, but Isabella’s look stops me.
“What did she make you promise her?”
“That I would never hurt you the way that Esme did. It was an easy promise to make.” Isabella smiles but seems relieved. “Wait a second, you were worried?”
“After everything that happened with Esme I couldn’t be certain they would trust everything I told them about you.”
“Yeah well, you made me sound like I’m perfect from what your mother has told me. Those are expectations I’ll clearly never be able to live up to.” I give her a smile as we both start laughing.
“Now that I have you alone,” Isabella lowers her voice as she pulls me into her arms. Her lips find my neck as she trails kisses along it.
“Promises, promises,” I tease her.
“I’ll give you more than a promise,” she warns as she backs me up against the side of the house, slipping her leg between mine, causing my body to explode as her thigh presses against me. Her hands slip under my top and quickly make their way to my breasts.
“Isabella wait.” M
y body is cursing my brain, wanting what Isabella is offering. She can play my body like a virtuoso though, resisting her is nearly impossible. “Isabella, we can’t,” I pant, finally planting my hands on her shoulders and forcing the smallest of spaces between us. “Everyone is waiting for us. Plus, this is your parent’s house.” Isabella’s eyes appear unable to contain her desire. She slowly releases me and busies herself making drinks. Two pictures of margaritas in tow, we head inside and rejoin the others.
“Sara, please forgive the informal setup. We’ve found buffet style serving to work best with fajitas.” Adelita sounds embarrassed.
“No need to apologize, Adelita. It looks amazing. Thank you for all of your hard work preparing all of this.”
“My pleasure. It isn’t often we’re able to get everyone here for the same meal. Someone is always working, traveling or otherwise engaged. I should be thanking you.” She shoots me a warm smile before scanning the room. She finally grants permission for dinner to begin. We prepare our plates and seat ourselves at the table, Isabella on my right and one of her nieces on my left. Dinner passes with lively conversation and a lot of laughs. I feel so included that if I didn’t know better, I would think I’d been dining with this family for years. Isabella cannot contain her joy, her smile never fades. Her joy turns to sadness in me though. Seeing her like this only reinforces my belief, I cannot say yes.
“Where’s the bathroom?” I lean over and ask Isabella. She turns to tell me and her smile finally falters.
“I’ll show you.” I open my mouth to protest, but Isabella is already leaving her seat. “We’ll be right back.” She takes my hand and leads me down the hallway and around the corner, pulling me into the bathroom and closing the door. “What just happened?” She leans against the sink, her fingers hooked around mine.
“You’re so happy tonight, here with your family. As happy as I’ve ever seen you. It just reinforces my concern, the reason I can’t say yes. The reason you can’t leave them.” Isabella’s radiant smile is gone, sadness flooding her eyes.
“It isn’t always like this. You heard my mother, it’s rarely like this. My father works constantly, as do Hector and Gabriela. The girls are often with their nanny or my mother when they aren’t in school. This wouldn’t even be happening if you weren’t here right now. Everyone is here to meet you. Yes, I was very happy out there, with everyone I love seated at the same table, enjoying a nice meal together. The same way you’re always happy at Sunday brunch.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper as I lean into her, resting my forehead on her shoulder. There’s nothing else I can say, my heart feels fractured. “We need to get back.” I rotate my head to kiss Isabella’s cheek at the same time she turns into me, resulting in our lips meeting unexpectedly. She pulls me to her, demanding more before spinning us so that she has me pinned against the sink. Her lips leave mine, and her eyes bore into me, searching for my feelings.
“I’m not done fighting for us.” The weight of her body leaves me as she finds my hand and guides us back to the dining room. I glance around and quickly assess the room. It seems no one is aware of the emotional issue suspended between us. No one except Mateo, whose demeanor has shifted ever so slightly, showing a hint of concern. I shouldn’t be surprised that he noticed or that he’s able to conceal it so well, he would likely have to possess keen powers of observation and a decent poker face. Dinner concludes, and the lively conversation continues while Adelita brings out a small cake, cutting it and serving each of us a piece. I’m physically stuffed from the drinks and delicious meal, but I accept the dessert out of politeness.
“You’re going to love this. It’s one of my favorites.” Isabella smiles at me, the hint of sadness still visible in her eyes, no matter how she tries to conceal it.
“What is it?” It looks like a typical white cake with white frosting, but clearly must be something more.
“It’s called tres leches. Just try it.” I watch as Isabella lifts her fork to her mouth and takes her first bite. Her eyes close as the morsels connect with her taste buds, her smile growing broader. I wait for her eyes to open before picking up my fork and trying a bite. The cake is incredibly sweet and super moist, yet somehow it practically dissolves in my mouth, the whipped cream frosting a perfect compliment to the gooey sponginess of the cake.
“This is amazing,” I compliment Adelita before feeding myself another forkful.
“Thank you, Sara. Do you bake?” Adelita’s smile is full of warmth. I wonder how she isn’t exhausted from preparing everything.
“I can bake fairly well, but I don’t do it that often.”
“I’ll have to give you the recipe for this. Isabella practically begs for it every month. You know how difficult it is to deny her once she decides she wants something.” I have to force my self to swallow and plaster on a fake smile as I allow Adelita’s words to sink in. Does Isabella’s family believe her moving is already a done deal? Am I reading too far into Adelita’s words? Her manner conducts nothing but kindness and adoration for her family, yet I still can’t stop the nagging feeling that her intent was something more.
“I would be very grateful, thank you. Isabella’s happiness is my biggest concern.” I’ve chosen my words carefully, aware of their hidden meaning. I have no doubt that Isabella’s family is aware of my conflicted feelings regarding her possible move. Isabella leans in and kisses my cheek. “I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too,” I whisper back, our eyes locked on each other, ignoring everyone else in the room.
“It makes me very happy to hear that. It’s easy to see how much you mean to each other.” Adelita oozes happiness at us from across the table. Mateo has been consumed in a somewhat heated debate with Hector about baseball, yet I catch him watching us, listening to our conversation as well. “I hope you will join us for dinner again before you leave.”
“I’d like that, thank you.” The conversation continues in every direction as the twins take off to play somewhere in the house. I join in when I’m able to focus enough to contribute, but more and more my thoughts keep shifting back to Isabella. As if possessing a sixth sense, her hand reaches over and squeezes my thigh. I give her a strained smile as I rest my hand on top of hers.
“Hector, we should probably be going. We have a busy day tomorrow.” Hector nods his agreement to Gabriela and finishes his conversation with Mateo. “Sara, perhaps we can find time for lunch while you’re here.”
“Absolutely, let us know when you’re free.” Gabriela smiles at us before heading off to find the girls. I take her exit as a cue that dinner is over and rise from my seat and start to gather the dirty dishes.
“Sara, please leave it. You’re our guest. We will handle the clean up.” Adelita smiles at me as everyone stands.
“Sara, come have a drink with me,” Mateo suggests. With no reason to refuse the offer, I kiss Isabella and follow her father outside, for a conversation I’ve known is inevitable ever since Isabella and I excused ourselves to the bathroom earlier. I watch him as he makes us each another margarita, generously pouring the tequila before adding the triple sec and lime juice. “Sit,” he says as he hands me my drink. I sit in one of the chairs, and Mateo takes the seat directly across from me. The seat affords him a direct view of my face, allowing him to gauge my reactions, to try to determine if I’m being genuine or not. “I’m not known for beating around the bush, so I apologize in advance if I start to seem a little pushy.”
“No need to apologize. I can appreciate getting straight down to business, so to speak.” I’m fairly certain why we’re out here anyway.
“Yes. Isabella told me that you’re a partner in your practice. How is that? So much for not beating around the bush, I guess.
“It’s good. I have more opportunities than I have the ability to handle, so we recently added another partner. She’ll be able to help with the cases I don’t have the time to take on as well as do additional procedures. It’ll be good for our growth.”
“You’re right, it never does. I remember when we started the practice, it was just the two of us. Thankfully my partner enjoyed the business administration and numbers side of things. I much prefer to be in the operating room.” I take a sip of my drink, trying to relax. “That first year felt like pure chaos. Establishing a brand, garnering name recognition, getting ourselves out there. It felt so impossible at times. Then we finally got to a point where things were just smooth, and we thought we were where we needed to be. It just keeps growing though, even without an added effort, it just grows. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for what I have. I just never imagined it would become what it is.” I take another sip as Mateo appraises me. “I guess you understand this better than most though.” Mateo laughs as he nods his head.