Page 92 of Starting Back
“For some reason, even though he’s lived here for sixty years, it’s been easier for him to speak Spanish in therapy,” tía told us. “Thankfully, his therapist is fluent, so she said whatever comes easiest for him first.” She shrugged. “Where are your girls?”
“They’re at my brother’s house, helping their aunt with pies for later. I’d like to bring them next time if that’s okay. Chloe is fifteen and quiet, but Emma is six and may drive you a little nuts.”
“Emma is the best. You’ll eat her up, tía.”
Emma loved me and hung all over me whenever I’d visit, but Chloe still looked me over as if I were a walking disease. She was polite, but I couldn’t get more than a nod or a one-syllable answer from her, and never any eye contact.
I was hoping I’d break through the ice with her soon, or at least eventually.
“I know you can’t stay long, but look,” tía said, pointing to the dish of butter cookies on the coffee table. “Mantecaditos.His therapist picked them up from a bakery in Queens.” She shook her head. “There were never any Dominican bakeries up here, at least, not any I could find. Which I never minded when I could make what I wanted myself.” She held up her hands. “They’re almost as good as mine used to be.”
“Maybe when I bring the girls over, you could tell us what to get and what to do. They love baking, and it would keep Emma busy while she’s here.”
Tía’s eyes lit up as she grabbed Kristina’s arm.
“I would love that. Our kitchen hasn’t been used except to reheat something. My son and daughter-in-law tried my old recipes but…” She trailed off as her lips twisted in disgust. “Don’t tell him I told you that.”
I cracked up when she pointed a shaky finger at me.
“I won’t, tía. Knowing that is enough.”
My uncle didn’t try to speak again for the rest of the time we were there. He’d nod, sneaking a smile at me once or twice as tía broke out the family albums from under her coffee table.
“And that baby is Leo. Such a little doll with all that curly hair,” my aunt gushed as she pointed to one of the pictures.
“Look at those cheeks,” Kristina squealed as she lifted the album off tía’s lap to get a closer look.
I peeked over her shoulder, my heart sinking a little when I spotted my father’s face.
“Is that your father? Wow, you could be his twin.”
“Especially now,” tía said, a tiny smile spreading on her lips. My nose burned when I realized what she meant. My father was around my age when he passed away.
My blood ran a little cold, but not because of the comparison. I’d come so close to wasting the second half of a life my father never got to have. Kristina was a gift, and despite the ghosts of the past swarming around me, I felt lucky and blessed in a way I never had before.
We kissed them both goodbye, promising to make a date for Kristina to bring the girls over very soon. Tío gave my hand an extra squeeze before we left, as if he knew the epiphany I’d just had on his couch.
“So, how hard are Dominican cookies to make?” Kristina asked me after we climbed into my truck. “I’ve always been good at baking, but I feel pressure to beat your cousin and his wife now.”
After she buckled her seat belt, I grabbed the back of her head and covered her soft mouth with mine. Things had moved fast between us since we’d met, yet they never seemed that way. At that moment, all the love I didn’t think I should feel so soon for the woman in my arms swelled inside me, kicking up my pulse enough to leave me breathless. I kept my hand on her nape, a groan rising from my throat as my tongue tangled with hers, the passion we could never explain always igniting easily enough to blind us both. Instead of pulling her onto my lap like I wanted to, I tore my lips away before we never made it back to her brother’s house or out of my truck.
“Wow,” she panted, roping her arms around my neck. “That was…wow.”
I laughed, dropping kisses down her cheek and along her jaw.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” I traced the tip of my finger down her cheek, loving the dazed gloss in her eyes, and pressed my forehead against hers.
“Que belleza.”
“Seriously?”
I laughed at her frustrated sigh.
“I have to go see my family and my kids now, and all I want to do is climb into the back seat with you.”
“We could make time for that later, mi corazón.” I pecked her lips and started the engine, laughing as she glared at me in my periphery.
“That means ‘my heart,’ right? I know a little Spanish.”
