“There’s nothing to talk about, Mami.”
“Yes, there is, Nydia. I’ve been your mother long enough to know when something is bothering you. If you don’t want to tell me, then I won’t pry, but I’m here if you want to talk about it.”
Nydia closed her eyes and sucked in a lungful of breath before slowly letting it out. “I’m in love with a man, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
Isabel pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Now, why is that such a bad thing? When I fell in love with your father I went around with a grin on my face.”
“That’s true, but the difference is Papi was never married and he didn’t have kids.”
“It’s the man who came up to New York to stage an intervention for you.” Isabel’s question came out like a statement.
Nydia knew it was time for her to pour out her heart to her mother. She told her everything, from Lamar taking off his wedding band, her giving his daughter cooking lessons, to Lamar admitting that he had fallen in love and wanted to marry her.
“Do you want to marry him?” Isabel questioned.
“Yes,pero. . .”
“But what,mija? Why the hesitation?”
“Lamar and I are very careful not to exhibit any indication that we’ve been sleeping together whenever we’re around his daughter, but it’s just the way Kendra stares at me that makes me uncomfortable.”
“Uncomfortable how?”
Nydia shook her head. “I can’t explain it. All before she was like a giggly little girl whenever I’d come over. Now, she’s more subdued and standoffish. I believe she resents seeing me with her father.”
“Have you said anything to Lamar?”
“No.”
“Why not, Nydia?”
“Because I’m not going to come between the man and his daughter. If he mentions it to me, then I’ll say something.”
“What if he doesn’t?”
“Then nothing will change between us. They’re coming for Christmas, and hopefully you’ll be able to get a better read on her, because right now I can’t be objective.”
Isabel swept back curls that had fallen over her daughter’s forehead. “Something tells me you’re going to marry this man and make his daughter a wonderful mother.”
Nydia narrowed her eyes. “Stop with thebruja, Mami.” Over the years her mother denied having the ability of second sight, but whenever Isabella Medina-Santiago predicted something, it usually came true.
“Okay. Now that you’re going to be here until the new year, what do you plan to do?”
“I’m going to start packing up my things, because Tonya’s daughter found an apartment in Atlanta close to her future in-laws and she plans to move in February first.”
“Are you going to be responsible for the cost of shipping everything to Georgia?”
“No. Tonya has already made arrangements with a moving company. They’re going to come in and pack up everything New Year’s Eve and take it to a storage unit until Samara is ready to take possession of the new apartment.”
Isabel smiled. “I guess I’ll get to have you a little longer before you leave for New Orleans again.”
Nydia nodded. “You’ll have to put up with me for the next six weeks, and then I’m leaving to become an official New Orleanian.” She’d reserved a flight departing New York January sixth.
“Even though I’m happy that you’re going into business for yourself, I’m going to miss seeing you.”
“Don’t get melodramatic on me, Mami. There’s always FaceTime, so we can see and talk to each other anytime we want.”
“I know, but it’s not the same.” Isabel slipped off the bed. “I’m going to my bedroom to relax. You’re not the only one who ate too much.”
