Dominic
Two days later I’ve pulled out a map of Crescent ridge and Rachel has her business plan spread out across the kitchen table when my phone rings.
I sigh. I don’t need to check the number. Rachel giggles as I shuffle reluctantly over to the counter.
“Glad to see the receptions cleared up,” my abuela says in a dry tone when I answer.
“Hello to you too,” I murmur.
“Roads are clear.”
Stubborn old woman doesn’t bother beating around the bush. She lunges in for the kill.
“We noticed.”
There’s a lengthy pause filled with smug satisfaction.
“We?” she repeats in a saccharine overly innocent tone.
“Listen closely because I’m only going to say this once.”
She remains silent for the first time in her life.
“You did good, Abuela.”
She squeals happily. I wordlessly pass the phone to Rachel.
“Yesenia! You rotten liar!”
I can only hear one half of the conversation, but I still laugh as she argues with my grandmother.
“You told a bold-faced lie!” she yells as she stomps her foot.
Working on lunch while she talks on the phone I can’t wipe the grin off my face.
“He loved it all, but especially the cinnamon muffins.”
Rachel paces the length of the cabin as they talk.
“Of course we decorated. Did you really think I’d let him get away without putting up a tree for our first Christmas together?”
“Yes!” she shouts several minutes later. “I want to see all the pictures. Especially the baby ones!”
She glances at me over the soup pot I’m stirring with a mischievous expression on her face.
“Naked baby butt you say?”
Surprise makes me drop the wooden spoon into the pot. Those don’t exist anymore. I destroyed every copy after she showed them to my friends in high school.
“I burned those!” I yell loud enough for my grandmother to hear.
Rachel shakes her head with a bright grin.
“She kept the roll of film and had more copies made,” she tells me. Then to my abuela she adds, “I’ll stop by after lunch.”