Rule #7
STOCK UP ON RATIONS AND ARROZ CON LECHE
SONNY
I know I spend too much time in virtual worlds and not enough time in the real one, so my perception may be skewed, but I am finding this whole scenario—the storm, the crazy house, the family antics—invigorating.
I follow Cai into the backyard, which is a menagerie of tropical plants and trees. The sky is clear, and except for the fast-moving clouds and the wind picking up, you might not know there’s a hurricane on the way.
The hues of the plants are so green and vibrant that if these were generated in one of my games, I would’ve told my team to tone them down to make them more realistic.
There are also raised beds with more plants and large pots with small shrubs.
One has leaves that remind me of the tree star leaf from The Land Before Time.
Another has purple, fuzzy leaves that look like they belong on an alien planet.
“Will the plants be ok in the hurricane?” I say, gesturing to the trees. I notice one has a bunch of bananas, but they are smaller than the ones I’ve seen in the store.
Cai looks over at them. “Probably. They’re all tropical plants. They know how to survive a hurricane.”
“They seem really cared for,” I say, noticing the fresh mulching and carefully placed irrigation.
Cai nods, “Yeah, my dad’s an agricultural scientist. This is all him. If you ever get a chance to taste the mangos he grows, it’ll change your life.”
“Yeah? Like Harry Met Sally, deli scene good?” I ask.
“Yes!” Cai says excitedly.
She stops and throws her head back in ecstasy and imitates Meg Ryan’s “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
A gust blows through just then, carrying her moans away on a wave. I glance back at the house and around the yard, expecting to see her mother or other family members coming out to see about the noise, but none show up. It is just Cai standing there with a mischievous smile.
Why did I bring up that scene? I’m not sure I need to visualize Cai orgasming right before meeting her grandmother. Sweat beads on my brow, and it was only partly the humidity.
“There it is!” Cai says in a sing-song way, gesturing to the little house up ahead. “Abuela’s casita.”
“You cheered up,” I point out.
Cai shrugs slightly. “I think it’s just easier not to think about it here. This is like a reset.” She takes a deep breath. “I love the smell of rain. I should’ve come home sooner.”
“Why did you leave?” I ask.
“It’s hard to explain. You see this all now, and it’s magical, fun, and accepting.
Growing up, though, even with all these people around, I felt very alone.
” She has an unfocused gaze as she looks off in the distance.
“I had no one to share my interests with. Every hobby I had or mistake I made was teased. I just started to feel like I didn’t belong, and when I brought it up, it was like they were offended that I would feel lonely. I don’t know if that makes sense.”
Yes! God yes! I know this so well, too well. I open my mouth to tell her how similar my own story is, but all that comes out is, “Cai, I 100% feel—”
A voice calls from the casita, cutting me off.
“?Cayetana, mi nina linda!”
Cai trots over to the old lady in a flowery housecoat and takes her into a warm embrace. “Abuela!”
Cai’s grandmother seems impossibly short; even Cai seems to tower over her. What she lacks in height, she makes up for in personality with short, curly, and shocking red hair. Her glasses are cat-eyed and bright pink, with a sparkly beaded lanyard that keeps them secure around her neck.
I approach slowly, not wanting to interrupt the greeting. Cai lets her Abuela go as I step near. “Abuela, this is Sonny.”
“El boyfriend?” she asks Cai.
“No!” Cai says a little too quickly for my liking. “This is a friend. My boyfriend’s name is Trevor.”
“?Ah, sí! ?Y el Treckie, dónde está?”
“Trevor,” Cai corrects again. “A work thing.”
“Ah, qué lástima.” She reaches out a hand and pats my cheek. “?Este es guapo! ?No te interesa?”
I’m not sure what Abuela is saying, but she’s making eyes at me, and without a doubt, Cai is blushing. I smile widely.
Cai clears her throat. “Ok, enough of that. I heard there might be Arroz con leche.”
“?Sí, que bueno que estás muy skinny!” she says.
I understand the word skinny. I have a feeling I am going to like Abuela.
“I’m glad you think so. Mama didn’t even offer me food.”
“?Qué sabe esa flaca?” she says, and then she comes over to me and says, “Butt bigger, nicer, yes?”
Oh, I definitely like Abuela.
“Abuela!” Cai scolds, eyes wide. “Stop that.”
“Why?” I say, deadpan. “She’s making some solid points.”
Now I can’t stop looking at her butt.
Cai rolled her eyes. “Don’t encourage her.”
CAI
I walk in and make a beeline for the kitchen. Abuela hangs back, showing Sonny a picture hanging on the wall. I love that I don’t feel compelled to handhold Sonny. He seems totally at ease with everyone I have introduced him to. I don’t feel the need to perform or maintain any pretense around him.
Try as I might, I can’t imagine Trevor in this scenario, not without first imagining some serious invasion-of-the-body-snatchers-type scenario to account for a major personality change.
I suddenly remember Sonny’s advice to thank him, and in this moment, that’s exactly what I want to do. I pull out my phone, and not surprisingly, I have no messages. I decide to send Trevor a text:
Cai
I’m with my family in Miami waiting out the storm.
I just wanted to take the chance to thank you!
Who knows what or who I would’ve missed out on if you hadn’t been such a dick.
If Hurricane Olive hadn’t shifted, if I had chased you.
If you ever grow up and read these, I hope you’re happy and safe and out of the apartment by next month.
Ok, so maybe I did more than just thank him, but I am feeling petty. My finger hovers over the send button for half a second, considering whether I should push it. But when I hear Abuela and Sonny getting near, I hit send and put my phone away before I can change my mind.
Sonny was laughing, and Abuela was saying something in broken English. “Yes, yes! 89!”
“So, Abuela, Mama says you didn’t want to come to the big house.” Abuela rolls her eyes dramatically.
Sonny’s phone rings, and he raises a hand, excusing himself as he goes to answer it.
I realize, for the first time, that I haven’t asked Sonny about himself. Does he have family around? Were they concerned about the storm? Does he have a wife? Kids? I was such a self-absorbed piece of—
“Que dramática”, Abuela says. Has she been reading my thoughts?! Was she calling me dramatic?
“Huh?” I say.
“Tu Mama!”
“Oh, Mom’s dramatic! Yeah, always. And kinda mean. So you can’t leave me over there with her alone, ok?”
“?No estás sola! ?Tienes el Sonny!” (You’re not alone! You have Sonny!)
I feel my face redden. “Sonny is nice, but I barely know him!”
“?Y que? Yo nunca he conocido al Tracy y no me gusta.” (And what? I’ve never met Tracy and I don’t like him.)
“Abuela, how is it that you remember Sonny’s name after hearing it once, but you can’t ever remember that my boyfriend’s name is Trevor?”
Abuela shrugs as if she doesn’t care, and Sonny comes back in, typing something into his phone before putting it away. “Sorry about that.”
“Everything ok?” I ask, not wanting to pry but to open the door for him to tell me more about his life if he wants.
“Yeah, there’s just this work thing that has a tight deadline, and with the change of plans, I’m having to put out a few fires.” He waves a hand as if it’s not important. “Is it time for this amazing dessert yet?!”
Abuela brightens as if she’s just won an award. “?Sí!”
She pulled out a huge platter from the fridge. The creamy rice pudding smells like cinnamon and childhood.
“?Come y me voy a cambiar! Después nos vamos.” (Eat and I’ll go change. Then we can go)
“Okay, but don’t take long. It’s already getting pretty windy out there,” I say, gazing out at the rolling clouds.
Abuela clicks her tongue at the suggestion, then walks to her room to change.
“Should we wait to dig in until we are back at the house?” Sonny asks.
“No way!” I say, grabbing spoons and bowls. “At the big house, we have to share, and it will be Arroz con Leche with a side of guilt!”
“Guilt for eating dessert?”
I shrug. “For eating too much, or too little, or not the right thing. For not being active enough. For not relaxing. For not eating enough protein. For not drinking enough water.”
Sonny is digging in with gusto. “Oh my goodness, this is so good I’d eat it even if it came with a side of disdain!”
It makes me happy to see him enjoying it. “So what’s this project with work all about?” I ask, trying to take an interest in his life for a change.
He looks at me with wide eyes as if he isn’t sure how to answer. “Uh… It’s kind of complicated.”
“Oh, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“It’s not that, it’s just… I don’t think it’s anything you’d find interesting. Plus, I’m kind of tired of talking about it. I’d rather just learn more about you.”
When he looks at me with his undivided attention, my entire self is exposed. As if he can see through me, the focus is both flattering and nerve-wracking. Is it a special ability of his, or is this just how someone looks when they genuinely were listening?
“I feel like I’ve told you more than I should have on a first date.” As soon as I say it, I want to take it back.
“Date?” he says, a slow smile spreading across his face.
“I meant day! Like the first day we’re meeting.”
“So if this is a date, am I paying?”
He isn’t going to let it go.
I groan and bury my face in my hands. Sonny keeps going, “Meeting the family on the first date? That’s a bold choice!”
He reaches over and gently brings ht my chin up to face him. “When do I get to go in for the goodnight kiss?”
My mouth goes dry. His eyes look hungry. I don’t know what to say. Why wasn’t I pushing him away, getting outraged? If I allow this type of flirting, am I not as bad as Trevor?
I am so conflicted about this thing with Trevor. There is a lack of closure there, and I’m not the type of person to jump into something new so quickly.
“?Vámonos!” Abuela says, standing in the doorway in a fresh house dress, small overnight bag in hand, saving me from making a fool of myself.
I pull away from Sonny and clear my throat. “She says, Let’s go.”
Sonny leans back casually, eyes sparkling and relaxed, so he probably was kidding.
He breaks eye contact with me and goes to Abuela to carry her bag. He is gentle and sweet and has already won her over. I find myself wishing I had taken him up on that kiss, then guilty for even having the thought.