12. Taran
The next day, I”m at Carlo”s parent”s house for dinner with my mom and his family. It”s been a while since we”ve all been together with my mom”s recovery and everything, but she and I are making good on her plan to get out more and see friends again. My mom and Carlo”s mom Alejandra have always been close, so it”s great to see them cooking together and chatting animatedly while they work on making traditional Salvadoran pupusas. They”re like pancakes, made out of masa and stuffed with different fillings. Alejandra always makes hers with slowly roasted pork, refried beans, and cotija cheese. I live for them, they’re one of my absolute favorite things to eat. I’m chopping up the vegetables for the slaw topping called curtido, trying my best to back up my big talk about making it so well. Carlo and I are ribbing each other relentlessly while he makes the red sauce. In the dining room his sisters and sister-in-law are getting the table set up, dancing around to the music playing on blast, and chatting in rapid Spanish.
Carlo”s dad, Hector, is manning the flat top grill to cook the pupusas as my mom and Alejandra make them. He”s a big, gregarious man, and I”ve never once heard an unkind word leave his mouth. His glasses slide down his nose, his floppy, textured black hair falls into his eyes as he works, and I can”t help but smile at the familiarity. I keep one eye on my mom to make sure she isn”t getting tired or having trouble with her hands as she forms them. She seems to be doing great, pinching the dough around the filling and flattening it out perfectly. The house is loud, chaotic, and I”m loving it. The incredible smell of flavorful pork and refried beans fills the air, and my stomach rumbles in anticipation. This is exactly what me and my mom needed. We’re all snatching bites to eat from the snacks laid out on the back counter, because how can we cook without eating?
I finish putting the curtido together and stick it in the refrigerator to develop some flavor. It basically has to pickle for a little while. Then I head over to my mom and Alejandra, coming up between them and slinging my arms around them.
“How are these looking, you two?”
“They”re beautiful, and they”ll look even better if you stay out of the way,” my mom says, lightly hip checking me out of the way. Alejandra laughs.
“Want to make some, Mijo?” She has always been incredibly gentle, sweet, soft spoken, and I love her to death. Never cross her or tell her what to do, though. Ever since high school she”s treated me like another son. I give her a big kiss on the cheek.
“I’ll go and see if the ladies need anything, you both look like you”ve got it under control.” I give my mom a kiss on the cheek too, before I head over to the dining room.
“What about me? You”re not going to help me??” Carlo calls after me.
“Nope!” I call back on a laugh, and I can actually hear him giving me the finger.
In the dining room, Carlo”s oldest sister Lucia and her wife Daniella are putting out plates while his youngest sister Anita counts out silverware. His sister closest in age to him, Rosa, is in the window seat quietly reading her e-reader, which is very much on brand for her. The three sisters look so much like Alejandra, with her same thick, wavy black hair, big brown eyes, and bright smiles. They all have her slight build too, I tower over the three of them. Their styles are so distinct, though. Lucia wears her hair long with red streaks in it, and has distressed jeans with a long sleeved concert tee on. Rosa keeps her hair in a short bob, has glasses like her dad, and likes to be in her standard uniform of comfy leggings and oversized sweater. Anita is the most into fashion, with red skinny pants and a silky looking button down tucked into them. She always has a perfect blowout and makeup. Never have I met three such different sisters. Lucia sees me walk in first.
“Taran, sit and chat with us if you”re done with the curtido. Everything else is under control, so it”s time to tell us about this woman Carlo has gone on about without Mami listening. It”s been too long since we”ve all been together.”
I obviously didn”t have a sister growing up, but in high school these three happily filled in, and now Daniella too. Lucia, as the oldest, is the most direct and doesn”t take anything from anyone. She”s used to keeping her siblings in line and always knowing their business, and that includes me. Daniella is wonderful because she lightens Lucia up and gets her to have some fun.
“Luce, he”s a grown ass man, don”t do your inquisition routine,” Daniella chides her while giving her a slap on her butt. I see Rosa roll her eyes, bored with their constant antics, while Anita giggles. I want to preempt the third degree, and Daniella gave me the out I needed.
“Thank you, Dani. Here, let”s dance instead.” I go up and twirl her as she laughs, and we start a big dance party in the dining room to the music pulsing through the house like a heartbeat. Music and dancing have always been the heartbeat that makes this house a home. Rosa puts down her book and takes a turn with me, while Luce and Dani dance together. Anita grooves along while she watches with a huge smile. Rosa can fool people. She”s quiet and bookish, but the woman can move better than either of her sisters. Anita demands a turn with me next while Rocio ends up in a circle with Luce and Dani. Finally, after a few more songs, Anita and Rosa start dancing with Dani, and Luce comes over for a turn with me. After I give her a spin and a playful dip, she pinches me on my arm.
“You think you”re so clever and charming, hermano,” she says with a low laugh. Then she grows more serious. “Carlo says you really like her, we”re all just very excited and also worried. She sounds great. You need to bring her around here so that we can meet her. Mami will be crying to see you with a serious girlfriend.”
I squeeze her shoulder affectionately. “Luce, she”s not my serious girlfriend yet, although I want that to change very badly because she’s amazing. I”m sure Carlo told you she”s going through a divorce. I don’t want to rush her and jinx the strides we’ve made so far. If something serious comes of this, you know I”m going to be bringing her here to meet you all.”
“You fucking better,” she declares, as she pokes my shoulder for emphasis.
“She loves to dance, she”ll fit in around here beautifully,” I tell her, grinning like a fool just thinking about her meeting my second family.
“Then you better make it serious and lock that shit down! Look at the way she has you grinning just thinking about her,” she says, her whole face lit up with excitement for me.
“What shit does Taran need to lock down??” Anita asks, coming over to us.
“The woman he likes that Carlo was telling us about,” Luce tells her smugly.
“You all are getting WAY ahead of yourselves, please don”t jinx it. For the last time, the poor woman is not even divorced yet! She”s going through a rough time.” All four of the women in the room just stare at me knowingly for a second, and then I”m saved by the proverbial dinner bell.
“The first round is fresh off the flat top, let”s eat,” Hector calls out to us. Teasing me about Lyra is all but forgotten for the moment with the promise of food. We all file into the kitchen to help gather everything to bring to the table. I love how Hector says, “first round.” He”s cooked off enough for all of us to have at least three each, which is a good sized portion, and there is still a ton of dough and filling to make more. I know Alejandra and Hector will be making several dozen, and then freezing the leftovers, plus sending home a bunch with both my mom and me. I grab the curtido from the refrigerator and give it a quick toss while Carlo brings the sauce to the table. The ladies gather two big platters of pupusas, a pitcher of iced tea, a pitcher of water, and some bottles of the beer I brought.
Once we’re all settled back in the dining room, we dive in without ceremony. The pupusas are heavenly as always. The slightly crisp outer corn pancake is so good against the fall apart tender pork, flavorful beans, and melty cheese inside. The zippy red sauce and crunchy slaw on top gives them so much extra texture and flavor. I could eat these all day. The conversation is flowing, and thank goodness the ladies and Carlo don”t bring up Lyra. I don’t want the third degree anymore when things feel so fragile, and almost sacred. The beautiful moments we’ve had so far, this thing we’re building, it’s too precious for me to want to share it yet. As if I summoned her once again by thinking about her, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I take it out to see a text from her. I try to keep half listening to the conversation around me while I text her under the table.
LYRA
Thanks again for a great time last night, Taran, I really had fun
I get the very strong impression that she is not the type to just say things like that for the sake of it, and it makes my chest swell a little.
I had a blast, Firecracker, I”m glad we could get together. What are you up to today?
Nothing exciting, just getting ready for the week. I don”t know how I make so much laundry, but it was time to catch up. What are you doing today?
I”m having dinner with my mom, Carlo, and his family. Have you ever had pupusas?
I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never had them
They”re delicious pieces of heaven. I”m not going to even tell you about them, I will be leaving here with a ton of leftovers and I”m going to just give you some to try.
You”re really selling them, calling them pieces of heaven. I hope they live up to your hype
My hype could never do them justice, trust in that. You around tomorrow? I could drop them off after work for you to have for dinner
That would be great, I”d love to try them. How can I say no to little pieces of heaven? I can repay you in beer and Brody love
No repaying me, I can”t wait to hear what you think of them. I wouldn”t say no to a kiss on the cheek though...
Shameless
Always!
“Taran, who are you texting so intently at the dinner table?”
My mom”s voice makes my head shoot up as she glares at me disapprovingly. The whole table is watching me, and I feel awful for being so rude.
“Sorry everyone, just got caught up talking to a friend,” I say sheepishly.
“Tell your friend to come over, we have plenty of food,” Hector says.
“Sometime I”d love to bring her here, but she”s busy tonight.”
The sisters all laugh, and Carlo elbows me on my right. They could not be making it more obvious that they know who I must be chatting with, and that something is going on the parents don’t know.
“She?!! Son, were you talking to the woman Lyra you told me about?” my mom asks, her demeanor entirely changing to hopeful and happy. It”s not rude if I”m texting the woman my mom hopes I marry, huh?
“Taran, do you have a girlfriend I haven”t heard about??” Alejandra”s hand is on her heart, and as expected, there are tears in her eyes. I bury my face in my hands. This is getting so out of hand way too soon. They”re all lucky I adore them and their meddling ways. Carlo finally saves me.
“When he”s ready to talk about her, he will. It”s very new and not even official yet. Boundaries, familia, boundaries.”
“Mijo, what has this family ever known about boundaries? If it”s new though, we won”t jinx it. Taran, I can”t wait to hear more about her and hopefully meet her. Now, who needs more pupusas?” Hector says, effectively ending the conversation on that front, thank goodness. Carlo of course takes another one, and pretty much so does everyone else except for my mom and Alejandra, who share one. Hector heads back into the kitchen to put another round on the flat top. To my left, my mom is shifting in her seat with her hand on her stomach after devouring the half she shared. I”m loving seeing her have a good appetite, but I don”t like how uncomfortable she looks. She”s between me and Alejandra, who is at the head of the table.
“You doing ok, ma?”
“Yes, just a little indigestion. I guess I can”t down pupusas like I used to,” she says ruefully.
“Do you want an antacid, Eve?” Alejandra asks, her brows pulled together in concern.
“Oh, I”ll be alright, but thank you. I just ate too quickly I think, because they”re so delicious as always.”
“Well, let me know if you need one,” Alejandra says, her concern clearly not diminished, and my mom nods reassuringly in answer.
Soon enough, Hector comes back in with another full platter of deliciousness, and we keep eating, drinking, chatting, and catching up about life. Rosa shares that she applied for a promotion to become the head librarian at our local library. Anita has a clothing line designed and ready to be launched in a couple of months that she”s incredibly excited about, collaborating with the owner of the boutique two towns over where she works. Lucia shares funny stories from her first grade classroom, and Daniella has some even funnier stories about her animal patients at the veterinary practice she works for as a tech. My mom seems less uncomfortable than she did before, so I relax more. Then Hector goes to keep cooking off the pupusas as our moms make them until there is a huge pile. Eventually Carlo, his sisters, and I end up on the back patio around the fire pit after we do our part in the clean up. Our parents are inside, gossiping about us most likely, while they get all of the leftovers sorted out.
“This was a great night, I”m so glad we could all get together,” Lucia says, taking a big swig of her beer. We all hum our agreement as we breathe in the fresh air, look at the clear sky, and enjoy the warmth of the fire. It”s comfortable silence after everything was very chatty and chaotic at the dinner table, I love that we can just sit and enjoy each other”s company. The glow from the fire limns everyone in a warm, golden light, and all I feel is peace looking at these faces I love.
My mom and I had pulled away a little in our grief, not seeing them nearly often enough. They still welcomed us like family tonight as though no time has passed, and it warms me more than the fire ever could. Someday I am determined to bring Lyra here and make this picture even more perfect. It”s the thought that keeps running through my mind as we all take forever to hug goodbye, I drop my mom off, and then get home to my empty apartment. I think of the feel of her in my arms, how silky the skin of her neck is, and that rose scent that I will now forever associate with her. I think of her dimpled smile, her husky laugh, and her sharp sense of humor.
The thoughts are good enough for now, but they also have me getting uncomfortably hard in my boxer briefs. These few weeks of dancing around each other, literally and figuratively, have my tension at a near boil. Raking my hand through my hair, I decide there”s no way I”m going to sleep until it”s taken care of. I strip my boxer briefs off and head into the shower, giving my throbbing cock a firm squeeze as the hot water sluices down my chest. Her words play over and over in my mind. I promise I”ll make it very worth the wait, Taran. The way she said it in that low, sultry whisper has me tugging faster and harder, until finally I come with her gorgeous face in my mind and her name on my lips.