How To Salsa in a Sari by Dona Sarkar

had talent. I asked Diego to come in to talk about his daughter’s future. Diego told me he was so happy to hear that I believed in Cat, because every other teacher in her life tells him that she’s never going to amount to anything.”
    Harsh. But still, Cat deserved it.
    Alisha reached over and hugged Issa. “Diego has spoiled her to make up for a lack of family. She’s lonely. She and Diego aren’t friends like we are. He’s a dad and she’s a kid. That’s how things work in their house. She needs us.”
    Issa didn’t buy it.
    â€œTheir house isn’t like ours. They’re not a democracy,” Alisha continued. “Diego makes the rules and expects Cat to obey. He told Cat months ago that he was seeing me and he told her last week we were getting married. And that Cat was getting a new stepsister with whom she’d be sharing all her lavish things.”
    Aha.
    It explained everything. Why Cat had reignited her hatred for Issa after almost two years of leaving her alone. She was warning Issa about what her life would be like if this wedding took place. Cat couldn’t break up the engagement, Diego would never allow it. Issa would have to be the bad guy here.
    Issa groaned at the revelation. She had to do the un-doable. All alone.
    â€œCome on, babe.” Alisha was still holding Issa. “I need you to give them a chance, okay?”
    Issa could feel herself weakening. Alisha was her best friend and she had sacrificed so much for her and Amir. She could try to deal with Cat. For her mother’s sake at least.
    But not without one last-ditch effort to bail.
    â€œMama—-come on—” Issa whined. “You’re really going to ruin your precious baby girl’s life? Your last born? The light of your life?”
    â€œBuy you that leather-bound version of Pride and Prejudice you have your eye on if you pack without any more whining.” Alisha had an amused glint in her eye.
    â€œAre you bribing me?” Issa asked. “You expect me to fall for this—this—”
    â€œWhy, yes, I do.”
    â€œMom!” Issa grinned despite herself. How did Alisha do it? Alisha had a way about her, she could enchant anyone within the hour.
    And Diego was no exception. Issa sighed. It was up to her to undo what Alisha had done. If her mother wasn’t willing to listen, maybe Diego would.
    As Issa sadly lined her jasmine and gardenia candles into a box and folded her sari curtains on top, she formulated a plan. If she knew one thing about Diego, it was that he was all about appearances. Issa knew she could play on that.
    As she finished removing every glowy star from the ceiling, she glanced around the barren room. She would miss this place. If everything went well, she and Alisha would be moving back in no time.
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    After the bulging moving trucks pulled away from the driveway at precisely 5:45 p.m., Issa pounced on Alisha. “Let’s get going. I want to make sure I get a bigger bathroom than you.” Issa turned her eyes so her mother couldn’t see into them. She’d never been able to lie to Alisha and she wouldn’t put it past her mother to call her out on her little plan now.
    Alisha tousled Issa’s bangs absently. “Thanks, babe. I knew you’d come around.”
    Score. Alisha seemed too distracted to notice her daughter’s newfound eagerness to get to Casa Morena.
    Issa felt only slightly guilty as she practiced her speech to Diego in her head on the car ride over. As the car puffed up to the driveway, Issa tried to sound casual.
    â€œHey, Mom, could you give me just a few minutes with Diego? I want to apologize for being such a pain.”
    Alisha looked pleasantly surprised. “Sure, hon. I’ll wait here.”
    â€œThanks.”
    Confronting Diego had seemed like a good idea when she was safe in their little town house, but standing here in front of Casa Morena, Issa felt