Nydia smiled. Danny knew that was her favorite restaurant. “I’m okay with El Rincon.”
“Are you busy tomorrow night?”
Monday night fit into her plans because she’d promised her mother she would come by and spend the day with her. She owed it to Isabel to tell her in person that she was planning to move to New Orleans. “Tomorrow night works well for me. What time do you want to meet?”
“I’ll pick you up at six.”
Did he really believe she was that gullible? There was no way she wanted him to know where she lived. “I’m not going to be home. What if I meet you at the restaurant at six?” she countered.
A pregnant silence ensued before Danny said, “Okay. I’ll meet you there at six.” There came another pause. “Thank you, Nydia.”
“You’re welcome, Danny.”
She tapped the screen, disconnecting the call, and set the phone on the bedside table. Seeing her ex again would not only close a chapter on what they’d had, but also the book. Danny had sacrificed a relationship with her to make his dream a reality, and she was truly happy for him.
* * *
Nydia unlocked the door leading to the first story in her parents’ brownstone. It was apparent her father had replaced the runner along the hallway and the carpeting on the staircase, which had begun to show signs of wear.
Luis Santiago had prided himself on being an excellent landlord. Since his retirement from the NYPD he’d taken over some of the maintenance responsibility from the elderly longtime building superintendent. Her father now shoveled snow and mowed the small patch of lawn at the rear of the property. He’d also parceled off a section of the backyard for his wife, who’d planted an herb garden along with tomatoes and peppers.
She rang the bell to the apartment even though she had a key.
“It’s open,” Isabel shouted from somewhere inside.
Nydia pushed open the door and entered the expansive entryway with its exquisite parquet floor in a herringbone pattern. It had taken years for her parents to restore the property to its original magnificence. She walked through the living and dining rooms to the kitchen, where she found her mother and grandmother sitting at the table watching the television that rested on the countertop.
“No digas nada,”Ana Medina whispered without taking her eyes off the television when her granddaughter kissed her.
Nydia swallowed a groan. She should have known better than to come whenMaurywas on. It was rare that her grandmother missed theMauryandJerry Springershows. And because Isabel closed her salon on Mondays, the older woman had recruited her daughter to watch them with her. She sat through two segments of “Youareand you’renotthe father!” before garnering her mother’s attention and signaling she wanted to talk to her.
Nydia looped her arm through Isabel’s and led her out of the kitchen and into the family room. The obvious gray in her mother’s short, wavy, dark hair indicated she’d stopped dyeing it. And those who saw them together were astounded by their resemblance. It was as if Nydia were Isabel’s younger clone.
“Thank you for rescuing me,” Isabel whispered. She sat on the love seat, and Nydia dropped down next to her.
Nydia gave her mother a sidelong glance. “I thought you likedMaury.”
“It was entertaining when I first started watching it, but after a while there’s a limit to the theatrics.”
“It’s too ratchet for me,” Nydia admitted. “And you know I’m not into sitcoms or reality TV.” She’d grown up watching nighttime dramas with her mother. “Where’s Papi?”
“He went fishing with a few of his retired buddies. I didn’t tell you, but they pooled their money and bought a twenty-foot boat. They moor it off City Island, and a couple of times a week they go fishing.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was. At first I thought they used the boat just to hang out and drink beer, but when Luis came home with an ice chest filled with almost a dozen fish I was really impressed.”
“Good for him.” It was nice that her father had found a new hobby other than tinkering around the house. “I came over to tell you that I’ve decided to accept Hannah’s offer to invest in her inn.”
It had only become a reality for Nydia when she’d downloaded and printed out Hannah’s partnership agreement. She’d read it over twice and then forwarded it to her attorney sister-in-law for her approval. Twenty-four hours later she received an email with a thumbs-up emoji. It was only when she’d electronically signed the contract and authorized her bank to wire a check to Hannah that she’d felt compelled to tell her family about her future plans.
Isabel’s expression spoke volumes as a smile spread across her face. “Oh, I’m so happy for you. When you first told me about your friend’s offer to make you a partner in her business I kept waiting for you to say you’d do it.”
“But why didn’t you say something, Mami?”
Isabel’s lids lowered over her dark green eyes. “Because I didn’t want you to think I was trying to run your life. I heard that enough when you were younger.”
Nydia laced her fingers through her mother’s. “That’s because I thought I knew everything.”
