Page 19 of Say It Isn't So

Ugh, did he know me. Bless that man.

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Swinging my feet underneath me, I reached for the butterfly hair clip on the coffee table and instructed Isabella to turn around. I placed it gently on the side of my five-year-old niece’s soft brown hair, sweeping it to one side, and patted her back when I was done. “All right, Peanut,” I said as she quickly bounced to her feet and turned for Maria to see.

Isabella cried, “How do I look, Mommy?”

Maria gave her daughter a gentle smile. “You look beautiful.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat pulled my attention away. I followed the sound and noticed what Allie was holding. “You found it!” I exclaimed, hopping off the couch and turning to Isabella to tell her the good news. “She found the glitter spray!”

Perla strutted into the living room behind Allie, fussing with her own hair in a high ponytail.

“Your bathroom cabinets are a thing of wonder,” Allie said to Maria.

Maria chuckled, but looked down at her daughter and touched her curls. “What do you think, Isabella, do you want some glitter to complete the look?”

“Yeah, you can look as sparkly as me,” Perla boasted, playing with her hair again. “I still can’t believe this is the first time I’m wearing glitter in my hair. It’s so fun.”

Isabella’s eyes widened and she nodded, not peeling her eyes off Perla’s glittery hair, so Allie walked closer to her. “All right, Princess Isabella, turn around so your hair can sparkle like the stars in the night sky.”

“Uncle Dom says stars are the most beautiful things because they’re symbols of hope,” Isabella said as her hair was being sprayed.

I looked over at Maria and smacked my lips, so many thoughts running through my head—most of them concerning Dom and, well, Maria—but not able to give a voice to any of them right now. “Did you hear that, Maria?” I asked instead. Then I told our little Peanut, “Your Uncle Dom is a smart one, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, he is,” she agreed, nodding fervently.

Allie finished with the glitter and began fluffing Isabella’s hair with her hands. “Do you and Dom make wishes upon stars often?” my sister asked curiously.

She nodded. “Mmhmm, all the time.”

“What do you wish for?” Perla asked, finally sitting down next to me and curling her feet up on the couch under her.

“I can’t tell you. Uncle Dom says if I share my wishes, then they won’t come true. And I really want this one to come true.” Then she promptly mimed zipping her lips.

Maria kneeled and spun Isabella around. Before she could turn her attention to Isabella’s glittery hair, she furrowed her brows and asked, “Thisone? Do you only have one wish?”

Isabella smiled and nodded, eyes fixed on Maria as she played with her mother’s hair. “It hasn’t come true yet, Mommy.”

Looking at my sisters, I coughed around the words, “Dom and Maria,” then quickly looked away, averting Maria’s gaze.

Maria turned and gave me a look that said don’t-even-go-there while Allie and Perla both chuckled.

Perla nudged me as she goaded, “Come on, Maria, not all wishes come at a price, some are simply good. Too good not to grant.” Then she hitched an eyebrow as she waited, as if challenging Maria to argue.

But it appeared we’d bored Isabella, or confused her, I wasn’t sure, because a V formed in between her eyes and she yawned. “Mommy, can I go to bed with my hair like this?”

“Yes, Peanut.” Maria stood up and placed a hand on Isabella’s back. “I’ll tuck you in.”

“And read me a bedtime story?” Isabella asked, her tired eyes suddenly wide with anticipation.

Maria agreed. “And read you a bedtime story.”

Before leaving, though, she ran around the room and gave each of us a hug, saving me for last. “Do you promise to call me while you’re away?” She looked at me expectantly.

“Absolutely!”

“Goodnight, Peanut,” we called in unison, and she ran off to grab Maria’s hand.

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