“Yes,” Salvestro said, “it smells like rain. But the stars are shining now.”
After three city blocks, the Plaza San Francisco de Asís burst open before them. The outdoor cafés were jammed, and swarms of people stood waiting for the concert to begin. They were lined up from the white marble fountain of lions all the way down to the basilica at the far end from where their group had entered. For several minutes the church bells rang, echoing across the square and down the streets that fed into it. Only when the final chime faded away did Omara take the stage, and a thunderous cheer went up. She bowed modestly, even resignedly, as she waited with clasped hands for silence. When the crowd had finally settled, she raised one graceful hand.
The trumpeted opening staccato notes of her famous song, No Me Llores Mas, shot through the audience with colossal force. It seemed that no one wanted to waste a moment of the music and simply grabbed the closest person to dance with. Kenny led Georgia in Latin-inspired rhythmic steps that fell somewhere between the cha-cha and the mambo. Vladimir impressed everyone in his vicinity with his salsa skills, as he twirled Araceli around and dipped her backward. Brad and Salvestro careened freeform with their waitress from earlier in the evening, the lovely Danita.
Kenny nearly shouted in Georgia’s ear, “We’ll play this at our wedding. This is our song, honey.”
She pulled back and heatedly stared into his eyes, but they didn’t stop moving to the beat. “Is it? Why?”
“Because of the lyrics, Georgia.”
“What do they mean?”
“No Me Llores Mas—don’t cry for me anymore. Life can turn around on a dime—you know what I mean? Look at us! This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done.”
Georgia lowered her chin a little so she could flirtatiously peer at him through her eyelashes. She continued to hold his gaze for a few moments as they stepped and swayed to the music. Bursting with joy, she reached down with her right hand to grab the hem of her full orange skirt as a flamenco dancer would. She flipped it back and forth three times.
Kenny pulled her closer and growled into her ear, “I am the luckiest man alive.”
It was then that Vladimir and Danita cut in motioning to them that they wanted to switch things around and change partners. Georgia knew they were being polite to their new American friends. She looked at Kenny with a question written across her face. He shouted to her, “Go ahead. He’ll teach you some salsa. Don’t worry sweetheart . . . but you better save the last dance for me.”
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to:
My husband, Tom Mehuron, for creating with me a big, beautiful life.
My three sons: Bruce, Jonathan, and Thomas. You like to tease, but I know that you are proud of me. Don’t bother denying it—I know better.
The late Carol Ann Conklin Wheelock, for changing the way I look at the world.
The friends that I made in La Habana Vieja, Cuba while I was writing this book: Alejandro, Magdeline, Elvis, Keith, Silvano, Ruth, and Julia.
James M. Tabor: I would never have been a writer if it weren’t for you.
Marley Gibson, who helped me negotiate my way through the stories in my first two books and hopefully my new one.
Jen Robillard and Allen Fournier, for being patient readers and good friends.
Brooke Warner, who is empowering authors instead of defeating them. Your vision and insight is leading the way.
Publicist Crystal Patriarche and her colleague Tabitha Bailey.
Editor Lauren Wise for her hard work and wise council.
Copy editor Jennifer Caven for your talent and suggestions.
One of my favorite authors, Kris Radish, for corresponding with and giving advise to me—a complete stranger at the time. Your kindness came as a shock.
Courtney Jenkins for the last proofread.
About the Author
Mary Kathleen Mehuron is a career educator who made a splash with her first book, Fading Past, an autobiographical novel whose protagonist, like Mary Kathleen, grew up Irish-Catholic in New Jersey. The Opposite of Never is Mary Kathleen’s second book, and to finish it, she traveled alone to Havana in January 2015 in order to experience the city before it became Americanized. Mary Kathleen lives and teaches in a ski town in Vermont where she and her husband raised three sons, she is an occasional contributor to the local newspaper, The Valley Reporter and writes curriculum daily for private students. She takes extended time to work on her novels on Grand Turk Island and in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
SELECTED TITLES FROM SPARKPRESS
SparkPress is an independent boutique publisher delivering high-quality, entertaining, and engaging content that enhances readers’ lives, with a special focus on female-driven work.
Visit us at www.gosparkpress.com
The Infinite Now, Mindy Tarquini, $16.95, 978-1-943006-34-2. In flu-ravaged 1918 Philadelphia, the newly-orphaned daughter of the local fortune teller panics and casts her entire neighborhood into a bubble of stagnant time in order to save the life of the mysterious shoemaker who has taken her in. As the complications of the time bubble multiply, this forward-thinking young woman must find the courage to face an uncertain future, so she can find a way to break the spell.
Love Reconsidered, Phyllis Piano, $16.95, 978-1-943006-20-5. A page-turning contemporary tale of how three memorable characters seek to rebuild their lives after betrayal and tragedy with the help of new relationships, loyal corgi dogs, home-cooked meals, and the ritual of football Sundays.
The Balance Project, Susie Orman Schnall. $16, 978-1-94071-667-1. With the release of her book on work/life balance, Katherine Whitney has become a media darling and hero to working women everywhere. In reality, her life is starting to fall apart, and her assistant Lucy is the one holding it together. When Katherine does something unthinkable to her, Lucy must decide whether to change Katherine’s life forever, or continue being her main champion.
Elly in Bloom, Colleen Oakes. $15, 978-1-94071-609-1. Elly Jordan has carved out a sweet life for herself as a boutique florist in St. Louis. Not bad for a woman who left her life two years earlier when she found her husband entwined with a redheaded artist. Just when she feels she is finally moving on from her past, she discovers a wedding contract, one that could change her financial future, is more than she bargained for.
ABOUT SPARKPRESS
SparkPress is an independent, hybrid imprint focused on merging the best of the traditional publishing model with new and innovative strategies. We deliver high-quality, entertaining, and engaging content that enhances readers’ lives. We are proud to bring to market a list of New York Times best-selling, award-winning, and debut authors who represent a wide array of genres, as well as our established, industry-wide reputation for creative, results-driven success in working with authors. SparkPress, a BookSparks imprint, is a division of SparkPoint Studio LLC.
Learn more at GoSparkPress.com
The Opposite of Never Page 29