Chapter Sixty-Six
Not that it’s even the least bit of a surprise to anyone, but my family adores Elise already.
She took her sweet-ass time getting up this morning, but when she eventually did, she made sure to shower before me so she could help Mamí in the kitchen.
As I enter the kitchen, I find Elise bent over the sink, trying to suck in air as she laughs a full-bellied laugh I’ve never heard from her before.
Mamí turns, facing me, and I see the flour handprint on her cheek as she does.
She’s got tears streaming down her ruddy cheeks and a smile so blinding I might need sunglasses to protect my eyes from it.
Her shoulders are shaking with the semi-repressed laughter, and when Elise turns around, she and Mamí make eye contact for a brief second before sputtering out more laughter.
Elise is covered in flour, both of her pink cheeks coated in the substance with two handprints that mirror the one on Mamí’s cheek.
“You two want to explain what’s going on in here?” I ask, my cheeks starting to burn from the smile I’m unable to fully quell.
“ Tu novia cero en la cocina, ” she says, another laugh spilling out past her crinkling lips, more tears leaking from her eyes as she presses a hand to her chest, spreading the flour even further.
“ Che! Te escuche! ” Elise laughs, swatting at the air in front of Mamí, who grabs her by the cheeks and presses a kiss to her forehead.
They each let the laughter die down, but the unadulterated joy I feel simmering in my blood never seems to follow suit.
Their immediate connectedness makes me feel elated, and the way Mamí is nurturing Elise in the same way she always did with me soothes a messy part of my mind I haven’t fully dealt with.
“Yes, Mamí. I know she can’t cook,” I say with a smile as I meet Elise’s glare, but her little smirk gives her away immediately.
“That’s why you taught him how to cook, right? So he could one day be a happy house husband to a wildly successful athlete,” Elise says, beaming at me.
“ Exactamente ,” Mamí answers, reaching up to pinch my cheek. Mamí wets a washcloth, cupping Elise’s cheek and swiping at her face, cleaning her off as she asks about our plans for the day.
“I’m taking her swimming.”
“Ooh, are you going to?—”
“Ah, ah, no, Mamí. Don’t ruin it,” I chide, cutting her off before she can effectively ruin the surprise.
“Ohh, I see,” she says with a knowing look, her smile wide and brows raised. “Well, you two have fun, but I expect you home for Chinchón and dinner tonight, yes?”
“Yes, Mamí. We’ll be home by sundown.”
Mamí cups my neck, giving me a quick peck on either cheek before doing the same to Elise, who looks over at me like my mother hung the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the sky.