34. Spider Sprite
Spider Sprite
Holly
The table is full. I fill the sixth seat, and I’ve never had so much fun at a family dinner. Everyone has been smiling, eating without abandon, and cracking jokes. My side hurts from laughing, and my stomach is ready to burst.
Mateo is right: his mom’s pupusas are the best ever.
“Who is ready for dessert?” Canela asks as she returns from the kitchen balancing a cheesecake in one hand and a bowl in the other.
Mateo leans toward me. “Have you ever had arroz con leche?”
I shake my head. “Nope. What is it?”
He smiles. “It’s basically rice pudding, but more delicious.”
My nose wrinkles. I’ve heard of worse-sounding things, but I can’t get the idea of a pot of rice dumped into a bowl of pudding out of my head. “That sounds gross.”
Mateo gasps dramatically. “Mi vida, how dare you insult the dessert of my people?” His wide smile puts me at ease. I might be able to get away without trying the rice pudding.
He leans over until his mouth hovers next to my ear. “You’re adorable when your nose wrinkles at something you don’t like.” He plants a quick kiss on my cheek before straightening in his chair.
“Gross,” Cruz exclaims from across the table. “Mateo kissed a girl.”
Mateo rolls his eyes. “I kissed my wife’s cheek. Haven’t you been kissing boys at college? I thought you were the one who was all about romance.”
Cruz dramatically shudders. “Yeah, but not when it’s my brother kissing someone.”
Mateo shakes his head. “I’m not just kissing someone, Cruz. I’m kissing my wife. Thank you very much.”
The way he said “my wife” has my heart pounding like a drum. I like it.
Cruz folds her arms and leans back in her chair. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Keep the PDA not at the table.”
I watch the volley between the siblings until I notice Canela walking over to William. She plops herself down in his lap and kisses him. Noises of disgust erupt from the siblings, and I can’t help but giggle.
Honestly, it’s sweet to see them in love like this and messing with their children. It’s the type of relationship I always wished my parents had.
“Mom, Dad, can you stop, please?” Nadia whines. “You’re embarrassing.”
Canela waits a second before she pulls away from the kiss. She doesn’t move off William’s lap, but adjusts herself until she’s comfortable leaning into his chest. William wraps his arms around her, and they both look pleased as punch about the arrangement.
Canela turns her head toward Nadia. “It’s our job to teach you that you deserve romance and a spouse who you enjoy kissing all the time, no matter how old you are. We’re teaching by example. One day, you’ll appreciate our efforts.”
Nadia rolls her eyes and stabs her slice of cheesecake with her fork. “Whatever.”
Mateo’s lips brush my cheek next to my ear. “She’s right, you know. I’m glad I have a spouse I enjoy kissing.”
Goosebumps erupt along my arms as his fingertips trail from my elbow down to my hand. He interlocks our fingers and places our clasped hands in his lap. He leans back in his chair, watching his sisters chat, and his parents laugh at an inside joke, then looks at me with a twinkle in his eye.
“Do you want to help me refill drinks?”
My eyes widen at his casual reference to the prank he’s about to pull. No way am I going to jeopardize my relationship with his sisters by pulling a prank on them. I shake my head vehemently, which only makes him smile more.
“That’s fine.” He scoots his chair back before standing. “I’m refilling drinks. Girls, do you want anything?”
Cruz holds out her cup. “I want Sprite, please.”
Mateo grabs her cup, and Nadia’s as she asks for the same beverage.
“Two Sprites. Holly, do you want anything?”
I’m afraid to say anything for fear of giggling at the impending havoc or leaking out his secret, so I just shake my head no. He winks at me before turning to the kitchen.
Canela draws me into conversation, and we chat about my favorite foods, which I have a feeling will somehow make their way into the menu for tomorrow’s party. Mateo walks back in and I track his movements as he places two red solo cups in front of his sisters.
He casually walks back to his seat and scoots close to me, his thigh pressing against mine.
“Don’t stare, or else they’ll know something is up,” he whispers.
My eyes widen. “Well, what am I supposed to do?”
Mateo leans in closer, his voice a conspiring whisper. “Keep talking to my mom. Ask her about her favorite salad. She’ll go on a rant about things that are called salad that aren’t actually salads.”
What does he mean, not salads? “Isn’t salad just lettuce and toppings and stuff?”
Mateo shakes his head as he smiles. We’re quietly talking, our faces inches apart, and honestly, I’m so distracted by how close we are that I’ve forgotten why we started whispering in the first place.
Mateo smirks. “Oh, I know, but I like to tease my mom and tell her I’m bringing Snickers salad when she asks me to make a salad for family dinner.”
It’s my turn to shake my head. “Those aren’t salads.”
Mateo’s laughter threads through his voice. “You need to go to more church potlucks, because your life obviously hasn’t been changed by the candy bar salad, Snickers salad, or Jell-o salad.”
The mention of church potluck has my mind dwelling on a topic we haven’t really talked about yet: church. “Is there going to be a potluck after church on Sunday?”
Mateo shrugs. “Probably. Want to come with me?”
I nod. “Yes, please. I’ve wanted to attend church in California after attending a service here with Alex. I just don’t know where to start.”
Mateo’s smile is soft. “When we get back to California, come to church with me. I think you’ll love it.”
Once again, coming to Bolt feels like a breath of fresh air, and I want to soak it in.
“I would love that. I’ve been reading my scriptures and studying on my own.”
Mateo’s eyebrows raise. “I thought you and Alex didn’t go to church and weren’t religious.”
I shrug. “We didn’t, and I wasn’t. But I’ve seen the peace in Alex since he started attending church and believing in Jesus.
I want that. He’s changed so much, and has healed from our past. I don’t think I’ve healed all the way yet.
Therapy has only gotten me so far. So I thought, why not try Jesus? ”
The look in his eyes has me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. “Trying Jesus will definitely help you, Holly. If you ever want to talk about it, I’m all ears.”
“Thanks, Mateo.” I close the small distance between us and kiss his cheek. It doesn’t feel like enough with all the warm fuzzies bubbling inside of me. But I don’t have his parents' courage.
We fall silent, and I watch as Mateo looks over at his sisters. “Don’t be too obvious about it, but I think Cruz is about to find my surprise.”
I face Mateo, but watch Cruz out of the corner of my eye. She’s looking at her dad and sipping from her cup.
Cruz glances down at her drink for a second before jerking the cup away from her mouth, Sprite spewing from her lips.
An eardrum-piercing screech escapes her mouth as she hops out of her chair.
Nadia studies her own cup before her eyes go wide.
Unlike her sister, she calmly places the cup back on the table.
“You!” Cruz yells as she points at Mateo. “You put a bug in my cup!”
Mateo holds his hands up. “Why would I ever do that?”
“Because you’re the worst brother ever!” Cruz shouts.
I don’t know who to watch, Cruz or Nadia. Though Cruz is yelling at Mateo, Nadia’s smirk has caught my attention. She grabs her cup and slowly pushes back from her chair. I drop Mateo’s hand and scoot to the side. I catch Nadia’s eye, and I’m immensely grateful I didn’t partake in this prank.
Nadia’s arm swings forward, catapulting her drink into Mateo’s face. A half-melted ice cube with spider legs sticking out lands in Mateo’s curly hair.
I jump out of my chair before I can blink, and I’m suddenly five feet from Mateo.
I know the spider is dead. But it’s a spider. They gross me out, even when they’re dead.
No, thank you.
Mateo doesn’t react, even as Sprite drips down his face onto his half-wet shirt. He calmly turns to me, the ice cube finally falling from his hair. “Hey Buttercup, want to come give me a kiss?”
I let out an undignified snort. “Not on your life.”
He shoots from his chair and starts backing out of the room.
“Bye familia, can’t help clean up dinner tonight.
Gotta go wash off so the chances of kissing my wife can be revived.
” He darts through the doorway and the next thing I know I hear a door slam, and I see Mateo running down the path to the orchards with his suitcase over his head.