"To have them. But did he bring presents?"
Diamond laughs and pulls a bag from behind her back. "Coloring books and candy. Don't tell your mom about the candy."
"I can hear you," Rosa says, but she's smiling. She pulls Diamond into a hug, then me. "You're late."
"Traffic."
"Liar. You two were probably doing gross married stuff."
"Rosa." I glance at the kids.
"They don't know what that means." She herds us inside, the kids already tearing into their gifts. "Miguel's in the backyard pretending he knows how to grill. Go save the carne asada before he ruins it."
I kiss Diamond's cheek and head out back, leaving her with Rosa. They'll spend the next twenty minutes gossiping in the kitchen—they've become close this year, my sister and my wife. I didn't expect that. Didn't expect a lot of things.
Miguel, her husband, is indeed murdering the meat. I rescue it while he protests, and we stand at the grill together, beers in hand, watching the kids chase each other around the yard through the window.
"You seem different today," he says. "Good different."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. You've got that look. Like you're about to do something."
I just smile and flip the carne asada.
Dinner is chaos, the way it always is. Sofia and Jose fighting over who gets to sit next to Diamond. Rosa shuttling food to the table while Miguel tries to help and mostly gets in the way. Diamond fitting into all of it like she was born here, like she didn't grow up in penthouses with servants and silence.
She catches my eye across the table and smiles. I smile back.
"Okay." Rosa sets down the last dish and drops into her chair. "Before we eat, does anyone have anything to share? Jose, did you learn anything at school this week?"
"Frogs can breathe through their skin," Jose announces.
"Disgusting. Sofia?"
"Madelynn B. is a liar and I hate her."
"We don't use the word hate. Diamond?"
Diamond glances at me. "I think Cesar has something."
Rosa's eyes narrow. "What did you do?"
"Why do you assume I did something?"
"Because I know you." She crosses her arms. "Spill."
I reach into my jacket and pull out the envelope. Set it on the table in front of her.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
She does, frowning. Pulls out the letter. Reads the first line.
Her face goes white.
"Cesar..."
