Page 68 of The Plus-One List

My phone pings, and it’s a text from Agustín, which causes a sudden jerk in my chest before I remember he can’t see that I’m naked.

Agustín: I made this for the plane, just in case, but you didn’t need it (yay!). Thought it might help calm you down.

It’s a video file. I click on the link and gasp. He’s pulled together pictures and short videos of the Pack from over the course of the whole summer and set it all to music. I burst into laughter as the theme song from Alf starts to blare over my phone’s speaker then I watch, my throat tightening, as images of my dogs play out on the tiny screen. I sink back and lean my head against the cool porcelain.

There’s Charleston in his diaper, licking peanut butter off a spoon. Hazel shooing the Colonel out of his own dog bed. Pip and Hazel, curled up and snoozing together. The Colonel doing one of his big stretches. Pip making a nest out of one of my favorite cardigans. Charleston in slo-mo jumping for a treat. The whole Pack out in Central Park, with me in a pair of denim shorts and a striped top giving Agustín some serious side eye.

I smile, remembering that day. We went for a long walk around the reservoir, and Agustín had to carry Charleston home at the end because he was so tuckered out.

There’s a selfie of Agustín and Pip, and another of Agustín and the Colonel. There’s a few that definitely came from Rachel, photos of Hazelnut licking her nose, and the two of us together with the Colonel snuggled between us on the couch. There are even some photos from the party last night, of Sanvi cuddling Hazel and Gretchen feeding Charleston a piece of sausage. Then an image of myself appears, and my brain screeches to a halt. I don’t know who took it—maybe Kate, since she was sitting across from me. I’m at the table with Hazelnut on my lap, golden light spilling across my face, one hand curled around my glass. I’m looking slightly to the left of the camera, with Agustín sitting beside me, midlaugh. I can hear it through the image, that laugh he makes when something really hits his funny bone, big and echoing and full of joy. The kind of laugh that makes you want to laugh too.

I’m smiling contentedly. I look relaxed. I look … happy.

The video ends and white block letters appear on a black screen.

You’ve Got This, Eloise! No problem! Love, Agustín and the Pack.

My heart flips at that one little word: Love. But I know it’s just a silly signoff and doesn’t mean anything. Like Sincerely, or Best. I smile at the Alf reference. I’m surprised he remembered that.

I rewind back to the beginning of the video. One of the earlier pictures is of me feeding Pip chorizo, the day Agustín taught me how to cook sopes. When Pip finally started to relax around me. I didn’t realize Agustín had taken it. And I can’t help but notice the difference. There’s a wariness to my eyes, a tightness in my shoulders, a defensiveness in my expression. I look like I’m bracing myself for something bad.

I fast forward to the end of the video. To that last image of myself, bathed in the sunset. Tears spring to my eyes again and fall without warning.

To see such a stark change in myself, there on a screen, staring me in the face …

My phone buzzes with a text and I shriek and almost drop it into the water. I lean over the edge of the tub and open my text thread.

Rachel: ARE YOU HERE YET???

I let out a breathy chuckle.

Me: Currently taking a bath in the ginormous tub.

Rachel sends a gif of people from The Office popping champagne, then a gif of Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman where she’s in the bubble bath with headphones on.

Rachel: Isn’t the hotel amazing?

Me: Yes.

I hesitate, my fingers hovering over the keyboard.

Me: They put me and Agustín in the same room.

Rachel: Oh shit, I bet the planner assumed you were a couple. Never fear! I’ll take care of it. We have this dinner with some of Diego’s family tonight (I am never going to keep all his cousins straight), but I’ll see you tomorrow! Breakfast in the hotel at 9?

Me: Sounds good. Thanks, Rach.

Rachel: Hey guess what.

Me: What.

Rachel: YOU’RE IN MEXICO CITY!!!!!!

I chuckle and send back a gif of a cartoon cat waving a Mexican flag.

Me: Hey guess what.

Rachel: What.