Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
I smiled. My sister loved pretending to be tough, but inside she was as gooey as a roasted marshmallow. I suppose I was the same way. It was something we had in common, only because of our upbringing.
“I am okay, Cat,” I told her.
“Good.”
I placed my coffee mug down. “You know, I have never properly thanked you for always being there for me.”
“Please,” she muttered. “You don’t have to thank me for anything.”
“Yes, Catalina, I do.” I sat forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “When I lost Eloise, I sort of lost myself. You know that. And at the time, I felt like I was just surviving with Aleesa until she was old enough to sort of do things on her own. I got lost in fatherhood, in trying to be the perfect dad. I took so many things for granted with you and Mamá. But I am thankful for you both. Because had it not been for you two, I know I would not have survived.”
My sister was quiet for a while. Then I heard a sniffle. “Javier, you know it is too early for this sentimental shit, right?”
A laugh burst out of me. “Lo siento. I have a habit of being sentimental in the mornings.”
“Don’t apologize; that’s a good thing,” she murmured. “We were there because we love you so much. And you have sacrificed a lot just to make our lives easier. Do you remember how much Mamá had to work? We hated seeing her come home all worn down and exhausted. But she would still cook and clean and take care of us.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“And I will never forget this, but when we were kids, you said that one day you would make sure Mamá never worked again. You promised that you would give her the life she deserved. And look at her now? She lives beautifully in Argentina. She travels wherever she wants. She’s finally shopping for outfits that aren’t all from thrift stores.”
I snorted a laugh. “You know it is serious when she stops thrift shopping.”
“Exactly.” Cat giggled. “Though I do think that vase she got me with all those weird faces on it was from a thrift store. She swore it was art, but that thing was ugly.”
I chuckled.
“Regardless of all that, you kept your promise. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to go to art school. I wouldn’t have been able to paint and sculpt for a living, but I can because you made a way for me to do that. You have been here for us since day one, so trust me when I tell you that we have no problem at all being there for you. Even if we didn’t have all of this, we would still be here. We love you. I love you, hermano.”
My eyes burned with tears. I blinked them away before more could accumulate.
“Thank you, Cat.”
“Always. After the showing, I plan to come down for a bit. Your season starts soon, right?”
“Two more months.”
“So soon. I’ll let you know what day for sure. I’m gonna go now because I really need to finish this damn piece. Te quiero, Javi.”
“Yo también te quiero, Catalina.”
I placed my phone on my lap and took one more look at the trees.
Catalina always made me see the world a bit differently. She had always been the more optimistic one, and I appreciated her for it.
Though it was only a small shred, I could feel hope blooming inside me.
As long as there was a sliver of it, that was all I needed to get through each day.
Forty-Seven
Octavia
I was so thankful to have my best friend, Naomi, in town. She’d taken two vacation days and decided to drive from Raleigh to Atlanta to hang out with me.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love babies, but watching them crown grosses me out every single time.” Naomi snickered as the nail tech lifted her hand to evenly file her nails. “There’s all that liquid, blood, and gushy stuff.”
“So why do you still do it?” I laughed with her, examining my manicure.
“Because of the hefty paychecks, girl.”
One of the things I loved about Atlanta was the amazing nail techs. When I’d realized I’d have to be living in Atlanta for a while, I’d been worried about where I’d get manicures and pedicures. But one quick search, and I’d been flooded with endless options.
Getting my locs retwisted was another bonus. There were so many loc stylists in the area, and many of them were holistic.
“So your boo let you have the day off, huh?” Naomi side-eyed me with a smirk. “How does that work, anyway? Are you still a nanny? Stepmom? Like, where does that put you with his daughter?”
“I’m still her nanny, and he insisted on still paying me for my time. He thinks I will feel like he’s using me if he doesn’t keep sending me deposits.”