What the hell? She heard that? Cara let out a soft chuckle and I glared at her, only for my lips to curve in a small smile at thesight of her. I was really down bad for her. I needed to get a hold of myself.
“It’s okay, Veronica. I like her. She puts you in your place and is actually super sweet. So you talk about me, huh?”
I shrugged. “Are you surprised? And please don’t start calling me that. I hate that name.”
“I won’t, but it was funny to see your reaction. Why don’t you like it?”
“I don’t know. It’s too girlie for me.”
“That makes sense. Vera is more of a woman’s name. And you, Vera, are definitely a woman.”
The way she said that had me thinking all kinds of things I shouldn’t have been. Thankfully, we arrived in the living room before I could think about it anymore.
“Here we are, girls. Sit down and relax while I finish up dinner. The tamales should be done in about ten minutes and then we can eat. Veronica, why don’t you get something to drink for Cara.”
“Of course, abuela. Cara, What would you like? We have wine, water, tea…”
Cara smiled. “Water is fine, thank you. Sofia, please let me help with something.”
My abuela shook her head and shooed her off. “Absolutely not. You are a guest in my home, you do nothing but relax and look beautiful. Veronica, come help.”
I chuckled and shook my head, looking towards Cara in a silent question of, “Are you going to be okay?”
She nodded and placed her hand on my arm. “Go, I’ll be fine. I promise.”
I came back with her water and asked if she was doing okay. She was just sitting on the couch looking content on her phone, probably checking a work email.
“That better not be a work thing you’re looking at.”
She looked up at me and put her phone down. “Sorry. No more work tonight. I promise. Thank you for the water. Are you sure there’s nothing I can help with? I feel awful just sitting here while you two do all the work.”
I handed her the water and shook my head. “No. Abuela would skin me if I made you do anything. Just sit there and look pretty like she said. We’re almost done anyway.”
“She said you said I was gorgeous, not pretty. But fine. I kind of like your skin and wouldn’t want you to go without.”
“I did say you were gorgeous. And wow, a compliment? It must be my abuela’s presence that’s making you act so nice towards me.”
I chuckled when she playfully swatted at my arm. “Go help your abuela before I take it back.”
“There you go speaking Spanish again. Careful, princesa.” I winked before turning to return to the kitchen. My abuela just looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
“I’m sorry I took so long. I wanted to make sure she was okay. She really wants to help, but I told her you’d skin me alive if I let her.”
She laughed. “Smart girl. But this look is not for that. If you two are ‘just friends,’ then why did you call her princesa? And what does she need to be careful about? Veronica Elena, you better not be threatening that poor girl.”
“¡Ay dios mío! There is no way you heard that!”
“Si, I did. I hear everything! So tell me what that was about.”
I groaned. “It’s just what I call her. Friends have nicknames for each other all the time. And no, of course I wasn’t threatening her. How can I help with dinner?”
“Wash your hands first, mija. Dinner’s almost ready. But you’re not getting out of this conversation.”
Surprisingly, in the kitchen, my grandmother only questioned me about Cara seven times. Asking if we wereactually together and why I’d lied to her about only being friends. To which I groaned and said we were actually just friends. She’d ask why I wasn’t trying harder to be more with Cara, why I hadn’t brought her over sooner, and some more rather inappropriate questions I didn’t want to remember.
We finished up the tamales and I helped gather everything else to take out to the dining room. Cara was sitting on the couch when we came out and immediately stood and started walking over to us.
“It all smells so good. Can I help with something?”
