Chapter 7 – Analyse
Chapter Seven
ANALYSE
Maya comes racing into my room and jumps onto my bed. “Mama! Mama! Wake up!”
I begin to slowly open my eyes and see a wide-eyed Maya smiling at me, excitement rolling off her in waves. I let out yawn and look around the room. It’s still dark out. “Maya? What are you doing up this early, bebecita?”
“Mama! We have to get up! Today is the big day and we need a big breakfast!”
I let out a laugh. “Ahh yes, you need the breakfast of champions for the pie-eating contest later. But…did we really need to wake up now? The sun isn’t even out yet.”
“We had to, mama. I have to eat super early so that I won’t be too full for the pies later!”
My clever girl. She’s clearly been thinking about this a lot.
“You’re absolutely right! How’s huevos revueltos sound?”
“Mmm con jamón, cebolla, y tomate?” she says excitedly.
A girl after my own heart—she’s such a foodie, like me.
“You got it, mamita. Let me get up and ready, and I’ll make breakfast for us.”
The rest of the morning goes off without a hitch.
I get ready and make breakfast for Maya and I, which she wolfs down.
Now she’s watching cartoons while I clean up the mess I left in the kitchen.
Mateo texted me while we were eating, letting me know he would pick us up by nine—he said it would make more sense if we showed up together, in one car.
Anna and Mari have been blowing up the group chat all day; they still can’t believe that Mateo and I are dating. Neither can I, if I’m being honest. They’re going to be at the festival, and I just know that they’re going to be watching Mateo and I like hawks.
Mari is a hopeless romantic, so to her, this is perfect.
She loves the idea of me dating someone they’re all already friends with—no having to worry if they’re going to hate the guy, or if he’s an asshole.
Anna, on the other hand, is skeptical. She isn’t sure that my dating Mateo is a good idea; he doesn’t exactly have a reputation for getting into serious relationships.
I hear the crunching of gravel outside my kitchen window and look up to see Mateo pulling into my driveway. He steps out of his car, and I call to Maya to let her know to grab her jacket because it’s time to leave.
Maya runs out of the house and straight into Mateo’s arms. He lifts her into the air, and I can hear her little squeals of excitement. I begin to make my way over to my car for Maya’s booster seat when Mateo stops me, placing a hand on my arm.
“I already have a booster setup in my truck.”
Mateo must see the confusion etched on my face, because he repeats, “I have a booster seat setup in my car already, for Maya, so no need to grab yours.”
“You have a booster seat?”
“Yes, Lyse. That is what I said. Man, we have to work on those listening skills, huh?”
“But why?”
“Well, babygirl, listening to others is important for—“
I cut him off. “No, not that part. Why do you have a booster seat?”
“For Maya,” he says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Where did you get a booster seat?”
Exasperated, he runs a hand through his hair. “The store. I’m pretty sure that’s where everyone gets these.”
I look at him blankly, and he continues.
“Look, Maya is coming in my car, she needs a booster, so I got her one. I actually feel a bit like an asshole that I didn’t think of getting one sooner.
Why should I make you have to drag the seat back and forth between cars when I could just have one already in my truck for her?
She’s in my car frequently. It makes the most sense. ”
My stomach flips at his words. I can’t believe he bought a seat for Maya. To just keep in his car. It shouldn’t make me feel warm inside, but it does.
“That’s really thoughtful. Thank you, Mateo.”
He rubs the back of his neck, a little sheepish. “I, uh…might’ve peeked in Seb’s car to check the model. Just wanted to get the same one Maya’s used to.”
That knocks the breath out of me. He didn’t just think about convenience—he thought about her comfort.
He winks at me then, trying to play it cool. “You’re welcome, chula.”
A blush creeps up my neck. Shit. This is going to be a long day.
We arrive at the Fall Festival, and Maya immediately gets swooped away by Hilda—owner of the local bookstore—to get their faces painted. The pie-eating contest doesn’t start for another hour, so there’s time to kill.
I inhale deeply. I love the fall. I especially love the fall in Lake City.
The temperatures are cooler, the air is crisp.
The changing leaves fall from the trees, surrounding us in all their beauty of reds, yellows, and oranges.
The scent of pumpkin spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon bring a sense of nostalgia—to a life where my biggest worry was how to get Seb to let me tag along with him and his friends.
To the moments where my mom, dad, Seb and I would huddle together on the couch, watching scary movies with a batch of my mom’s cookies.
Seb would always get scared while watching, although he would deny it now.
But not me. I lived for the nights of watching and rewatching Scream, Halloween, and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
I guess that explains why I’m obsessed with true crime podcasts, and all things spooky season.
Mateo wraps an arm around my shoulder and leans in toward my ear, whispering, “You’re ready to put on a show?” then plants a kiss on the side of my hair.
I look up at him, quirking an eyebrow. “I was born ready, baby.”
He barks out a laugh. “That’s what I’m talking about, chula.”
Mariana, Anna, Seb, and Andres begin walking toward us, and suddenly, I’m filled with nerves.
“Look at the happy couple!” Mariana croons.
Seb nods a hello at Mateo and wraps me in a tight hug. “Good to see you, little sis. Where’s Maya?” he asks, looking around for her.
“Now you know the moment we got here Hilda stole her away. Those two love to spend time together.”
Andres claps Mateo on the shoulder. “My man! Look at you with a girlfriend. Our boy is all grown up.”
Mateo looks over at me. “What can I say? I’m smart enough to lock down a good thing,” he says sweetly.
At that, Mariana looks as if she has hearts in her eyes, Anna pretends to gag, and Seb just stares at us intently. The tension rolling off him is thick. I stare right back at him. Daring him to say a word that will set me off.
He’s still unhappy about Mateo and I, and I sort of get it. Mateo’s known for breaking hearts, and Seb’s worried that I’ll be broken in the way that I was after Nico. But he has to trust me and my judgment. I know what I’m doing…at least, I think so.
Sensing my frustration and Seb’s trepidation at the situation, Mariana clears her throat and says, “Let’s go do the sack race!”
A chorus of groans leaves us all.
“Ugh, you guys! We have to! What’s the matter? Scared that I’m going to kick all your asses?” she says, placing her hands at her hips.
Seb brings Mari in close to him, whispers something in her ear that thankfully I can’t hear, and kisses her hair. I feel a tug in my chest. Seb and Mari are so disgustingly in love with each other, but it wasn’t always easy.
Seb and Mari met when they were kids and dated in high school.
Their journey to get to where they are right now was a long one, and it makes me happy to see them both finally where they’re meant to be—with each other.
But there’s this other part of me, this part that can’t help but to feel this twinge in my chest at the sight of their love.
Not jealousy. Or maybe it is. Not at them, exactly…
but at what they have. Will I ever have someone look at me the way they look at each other?
Will there ever be someone who loves me so deeply that they would do anything to make sure I’m happy?
Someone who loves Maya and me, and will give us both the world.
I could never regret Maya. Not ever. She’s my whole world, the best thing to ever happen to me. But Nico abandoning us without a second thought changed me. It scared me from even considering dating.
Mateo wraps his hand around mine, large and warm. It’s almost as if he knows that I need someone at this moment. That I needed the warmth you get from another person’s touch. His eyes stay locked on mine as he says, “We’re in. But, Mari, I think my girl might give you a run for your money.”
Laughter breaks out around us, but I can’t look away from him. There’s a warmth spreading through me. One that I don’t want to think too hard about.
“Damn, chula. I thought for sure you’d let me win,” Mateo says, grinning at me.
“Let you win? Me? Never, babe. I have to keep you humble,” I say sweetly.
I kicked all of their asses. No question. Mari—I adore her—but she’s too sweet for this kind of thing. Me? Please. I wasn’t about to let a sack slow me down.
Seb went first. One well-timed shift and he lost balance—technically, I didn’t push him. He just…stumbled near me. Mateo tripped, but that’s on him for getting too close to me. Mari turned around when I told her someone was calling her. My sweet trusting, Mari. It bought me at least two hops.
And Anna—my girl—I may have squeezed her hand too tight when we were hopping, and we both nearly ate it. She laughed so hard she couldn’t breathe, and I couldn’t stop laughing either. We recovered, barely, but it was worth it.
I kept going. Sack to ankles, chaos in my wake, grinning like a maniac. I grew up with an older brother. I had to learn early on how to win with grit. I’ll play dirty if I have to. Elbows out, eyes on the prize. I guess I know where Maya gets her competitiveness from.
Speaking of which, it’s finally time for the pie-eating contest, and I am ready to watch my baby girl take all those kids down.
We make our way over to the pie-eating contest—me, Mateo, Seb, Mari, Andres, and Anna—walking across the grass. The sun’s lower now, golden and soft, casting long shadows as families crowd around the long table lined with aluminum pie tins.