left.
We arrived at the house and wheeled our luggage up the sidewalk toward the entrance. It was a traditional cream-colored Spanish style house with a reddish tile roof, located out in the country. There were several lush plants and cacti landscaping the front yard and tiled porch area. The inside of the house was large, but it had a warm, cozy feel to it, filled with bright colors that reminded me of my parents’ house.
We rounded the corner near the kitchen and I smelled the mouthwatering food my aunt started preparing before they came to pick us up. “Aunt Maria, dinner smells delicious.”
“I made molé for you, Zoey. Your mom mentioned it was one of your favorites.”
Oh, yum.
“What’s molé?” Sasha asked, looking very confused and a little grossed out.
I laughed as I tried to explain it. “Well…the molé sauce has several different ingredients in it, including plantains and chocolate. It sounds like an odd combo, but it is the best thing you will ever eat. It’s filled with chicken and you wrap it up in a tortilla to eat. Trust me. You will love it. And my aunt makes the best rice you’ve ever tasted. We’re in good hands, I promise.”
After the girls and I unpacked and settled in, we all sat down to dinner. “Zoey, your mom said you were in an accident a couple of weeks ago. What happened?” my uncle asked.
I explained what happened and my aunt Maria, being the wonderful, concerned woman she was, forced me to stand up and show her my remaining bruises.
“Oh, Mija,” she cried, with a pained expression on her face. “You could’ve been killed from hitting your head like that. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Tia, I’m fine. I have a hard head. I’m not even taking pain pills anymore for it, just when I need them for my hip.” I jokingly knocked on my head. “See, hard as a rock.”
Thankfully, she smiled and changed the subject to a much better topic. “Your mom also says you have a new boyfriend. Is that true?”
Dang, was my mom the town gossip or what? I laughed at the thought. “Yes, I do. His name is Andy. He’s originally from New Zealand.”
She seemed pleased. “Good for you. You deserve to be happy.”
After dinner, we helped clean up then my uncle made margaritas for everyone. We sat around the fire pit on the back patio talking in to the night. We were drinking and having a good time when I realized I forgot to call Andy. I excused myself and went to my bedroom to find my phone. Shit, it’s after midnight. Should I call?
Well, he did say to call anytime and I did tell him I would call him later. My finger hovered over the button on my phone for several seconds before I finally pressed it. He answered on the third ring. His voice was low and groggy so I knew he’d been asleep.
“Hey, I’m sorry I woke you up,” I said quietly.
“I said to call anytime and I meant it. How are you doing?”
“Good,” I stated. “The flight was decent. We ate dinner soon after we arrived. Now we’re having some margaritas.”
“Sounds like your vacation is off to a good start then,” he said in his deep, sleepy voice.
I heard James meow in the background. “Are you and James at my place or yours?”
“Mine. I moved him over here while you’re gone.”
“Probably a good idea. Hey, I’ll let you go, since you have to work tomorrow and I woke you up. I wanted to say goodnight and tell you how much I love you.”
I heard him moving around, probably trying to get comfortable. “Okay, send me some pictures tomorrow when you’re out so I know you’re enjoying yourself. Goodnight, love.”
Well, he sounded better than before, half-asleep, but better. We ended the call and I rejoined everyone on the patio. I still couldn’t help feeling like I drove an invisible wedge between us.
It all started after the accident. I was getting better, but he wasn’t. He was distant, broody, and just not himself. I would deal with it another day, when he had more time to get
We arrived at the house and wheeled our luggage up the sidewalk toward the entrance. It was a traditional cream-colored Spanish style house with a reddish tile roof, located out in the country. There were several lush plants and cacti landscaping the front yard and tiled porch area. The inside of the house was large, but it had a warm, cozy feel to it, filled with bright colors that reminded me of my parents’ house.
We rounded the corner near the kitchen and I smelled the mouthwatering food my aunt started preparing before they came to pick us up. “Aunt Maria, dinner smells delicious.”
“I made molé for you, Zoey. Your mom mentioned it was one of your favorites.”
Oh, yum.
“What’s molé?” Sasha asked, looking very confused and a little grossed out.
I laughed as I tried to explain it. “Well…the molé sauce has several different ingredients in it, including plantains and chocolate. It sounds like an odd combo, but it is the best thing you will ever eat. It’s filled with chicken and you wrap it up in a tortilla to eat. Trust me. You will love it. And my aunt makes the best rice you’ve ever tasted. We’re in good hands, I promise.”
After the girls and I unpacked and settled in, we all sat down to dinner. “Zoey, your mom said you were in an accident a couple of weeks ago. What happened?” my uncle asked.
I explained what happened and my aunt Maria, being the wonderful, concerned woman she was, forced me to stand up and show her my remaining bruises.
“Oh, Mija,” she cried, with a pained expression on her face. “You could’ve been killed from hitting your head like that. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Tia, I’m fine. I have a hard head. I’m not even taking pain pills anymore for it, just when I need them for my hip.” I jokingly knocked on my head. “See, hard as a rock.”
Thankfully, she smiled and changed the subject to a much better topic. “Your mom also says you have a new boyfriend. Is that true?”
Dang, was my mom the town gossip or what? I laughed at the thought. “Yes, I do. His name is Andy. He’s originally from New Zealand.”
She seemed pleased. “Good for you. You deserve to be happy.”
After dinner, we helped clean up then my uncle made margaritas for everyone. We sat around the fire pit on the back patio talking in to the night. We were drinking and having a good time when I realized I forgot to call Andy. I excused myself and went to my bedroom to find my phone. Shit, it’s after midnight. Should I call?
Well, he did say to call anytime and I did tell him I would call him later. My finger hovered over the button on my phone for several seconds before I finally pressed it. He answered on the third ring. His voice was low and groggy so I knew he’d been asleep.
“Hey, I’m sorry I woke you up,” I said quietly.
“I said to call anytime and I meant it. How are you doing?”
“Good,” I stated. “The flight was decent. We ate dinner soon after we arrived. Now we’re having some margaritas.”
“Sounds like your vacation is off to a good start then,” he said in his deep, sleepy voice.
I heard James meow in the background. “Are you and James at my place or yours?”
“Mine. I moved him over here while you’re gone.”
“Probably a good idea. Hey, I’ll let you go, since you have to work tomorrow and I woke you up. I wanted to say goodnight and tell you how much I love you.”
I heard him moving around, probably trying to get comfortable. “Okay, send me some pictures tomorrow when you’re out so I know you’re enjoying yourself. Goodnight, love.”
Well, he sounded better than before, half-asleep, but better. We ended the call and I rejoined everyone on the patio. I still couldn’t help feeling like I drove an invisible wedge between us.
It all started after the accident. I was getting better, but he wasn’t. He was distant, broody, and just not himself. I would deal with it another day, when he had more time to get
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