Carolina scoffed. “What about love?”
Mamá turned her palms up. “What about love? I married your papá at eighteen. I didn’t know anything about him, but my papáliked him. Your papá promised to take care of me, and he has. It wasn’t always easy, especially when you were young. But our commitment to each other and to God was all we needed.”
Nothing about that sounded romantic. She was grateful her parents had a good marriage, but she wanted passion, a spark.
And she already felt one with Enrique.
Too bad whatever chemistry they had would only last until he left for San Diego.
“Tiburón is a good man. He told Papá about how he has turned his life around and how he loves kids. He played with all your sisters.” Mamá lowered her eyes. “Which is more than I can say for that novio of yours, who wasn’t even respectful enough to ask your papá first for the chance to date you, before he asked you. And he didn’t even try to talk to your father or siblings. He ran out of the house the first chance he got.”
Rage seethed inside Carolina. Her parents thought Enrique was a jerk, which couldn’t be further from the truth. If anyone was a jerk, it was Carolina, who’d forced Enrique into this Shakespearean farce.
But now, he was her faux novio. And that made her happy for now. Why did she always have to focus on the future?
“That’s not what happened, Mamá, and it’s not fair for you to judge Enrique. He wasn’t raised like us. Tiburón seems to better understand our customs, but Enrique is third-generation—he told me he didn’t even speak Spanish becausehisgrandfather, who came from Mexico, wanted his kids to be American. I studied this at college. It’s generational trauma.”
Mamá shook her head. “Don’t start with your sociological, woke nonsense. It’s about respect.”
“No, Mamá, it’s not. Enrique doesn’t see me as Papá’s property. He sees me as a strong, independent woman.” She pulled hershoulders back and stood tall. That was who she wanted to be—if only she could always act that way.
“You better not get any funny ideas, mija. I stand by your father on this. You aren’t to be alone with that man again. I will forgive you for taking off with him tonight, because he did initially come up here to inquire about the farm, but we have a reputation to uphold. I will not stand for you soiling your father’s name and possibly preventing your sisters from later finding men.”
Wow.
Enrique was right. If nothing changed, she was always going to be stuck in this controlling and oppressive household.
But what could she do?
She could grab the serving dish of enchiladas her mother had prepared and force Enrique to endure an awkward, interrogative dinner with her family when they weren’t even in a relationship.
Or she could rebel. Like a tempestuous teenager.
All she ever focused on was work. What were her personal goals? Securing a husband sure as hell wasn’t one of them. Or watching Blanca start planning a future with a guy she barely knew.
Carolina closed her eyes and inhaled a calming breath, then slowly let it out. Did she have the courage to stand up to her parents?
And if not now, then when?
She’d known this day was coming for months—years, even. She had to break free from her parents, to stand up to them and be herself. She kept putting it off... but was there ever going to be a better time than this?
At least there was finally something new in her life—Enrique was in town. She was dying to get to know him better beyond the watchful eyes of her parents. And she wanted to go dancing. Being swept up in his arms and salsa dancing the night away sounded like a dream.
But it was slipping away.
I can do this. Deep breath. Pull off the Band-Aid.
Three... two... one...
Showtime.
“Mamá. I have spent my entire life doing what is right. I went to church every Sunday, I worked in the fields, I got straight A’s in school, I went to college and commuted home to save on bills and preserve my reputation, and I even raised enough money to buy the farm so I could take care of the family. But now, I want some freedom because I’ve earned it. I don’t want to be courted and married to some man I don’t even know if I’m compatible with. I don’t even know if I want to get married. Ever. It’s fine if Blanca feels comfortable preserving this tradition—but I don’t. Not even if it makes you happy.”
Mamá’s eyes bugged, and she yelled at her eldest daughter. “You will not disrespect me in my house!”
Carolina laughed. “Well, it’smyhouse, actually. But that’s fine. I don’t need it.”
Blanca’s jaw dropped. “Cari! Stop.”
