I squeeze her shoulder affectionately. “Luce, she's not my serious girlfriend yet, although I want that to change very badly because she’s amazing. I'm sure Carlo told you she's going through a divorce. I don’t want to rush her and jinx the strides we’ve made so far. If something serious comes of this, you know I'm going to be bringing her here to meet you all.”
“You fucking better,” she declares, as she pokes my shoulder for emphasis.
“She loves to dance, she'll fit in around herebeautifully,” I tell her, grinning like a fool just thinking about her meeting my second family.
“Then you better make it serious and lock that shit down! Look at the way she has you grinning just thinking about her,” she says, her whole face lit up with excitement for me.
“What shit does Taran need to lock down??” Anita asks, coming over to us.
“The woman he likes that Carlo was telling us about,” Luce tells her smugly.
“You all are getting WAY ahead of yourselves, please don't jinx it. For the last time, the poor woman is not even divorced yet! She's going through a rough time.” All four of the women in the room just stare at me knowingly for a second, and then I'm saved by the proverbial dinner bell.
“The first round is fresh off the flat top, let's eat,” Hector calls out to us. Teasing me about Lyra is all but forgotten for the moment with the promise of food. We all file into the kitchen to help gather everything to bring to the table. I love how Hector says, “first round.” He's cooked off enough for all of us to have at least three each, which is a good sized portion, and there is still a ton of dough and filling to make more. I know Alejandra and Hector will be making several dozen, and then freezing the leftovers, plus sending home a bunch with both my mom and me. I grab the curtido from the refrigerator and give it a quick toss while Carlo brings the sauce to the table. The ladies gather two big platters of pupusas, a pitcher of iced tea, a pitcher of water, and some bottles of the beer I brought.
Once we’re all settled back in the dining room, we dive in without ceremony. The pupusas are heavenly as always. The slightly crisp outer corn pancake is so good against the fall apart tender pork, flavorful beans, and meltycheese inside. The zippy red sauce and crunchy slaw on top gives them so much extra texture and flavor. I could eat these all day. The conversation is flowing, and thank goodness the ladies and Carlo don't bring up Lyra. I don’t want the third degree anymore when things feel so fragile, and almost sacred. The beautiful moments we’ve had so far, this thing we’re building, it’s too precious for me to want to share it yet. As if I summoned her once again by thinking about her, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I take it out to see a text from her. I try to keep half listening to the conversation around me while I text her under the table.
LYRA
Thanks again for a great time last night, Taran, I really had fun
I get the very strong impression that she is not the type to just say things like that for the sake of it, and it makes my chest swell a little.
I had a blast, Firecracker, I'm glad we could get together. What are you up to today?
Nothing exciting, just getting ready for the week. I don't know how I make so much laundry, but it was time to catch up. What are you doing today?
I'm having dinner with my mom, Carlo, and his family. Have you ever had pupusas?
I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never had them
They're delicious pieces of heaven. I'm not going to even tell you about them, I will be leaving here with a ton of leftovers and I'm going to just give you some to try.
You're really selling them, calling them pieces of heaven. I hope they live up to your hype
My hype could never do them justice, trust in that. You around tomorrow? I could drop them off after work for you to have for dinner
That would be great, I'd love to try them. How can I say no to little pieces of heaven? I can repay you in beer and Brody love
No repaying me, I can't wait to hear what you think of them. I wouldn't say no to a kiss on the cheek though...
Shameless
Always!
“Taran, who are you texting so intently at the dinner table?”
My mom's voice makes my head shoot up as she glares at me disapprovingly. The whole table is watching me, and I feel awful for being so rude.
“Sorry everyone, just got caught up talking to a friend,” I say sheepishly.
“Tell your friend to come over, we have plenty of food,” Hector says.
“Sometime I'd love to bring her here, but she's busy tonight.”
The sisters all laugh, and Carlo elbows me on my right. They could not be making it more obvious that they know who I must be chatting with, and that something is going on the parents don’t know.
“She?!! Son, were you talking to the woman Lyra you told me about?” my mom asks, her demeanor entirely changing to hopeful and happy. It's not rude if I'm texting the woman my mom hopes I marry, huh?
