Page 102 of The Broposal

Say it. Just three words.

“Areyouokay?” I flipped the question.

“I’m just happy we’re finally doing this,” Kenny said. He started to reach for my hand but then pulled away. Goddammit, why did he have to pull away?

Before I could say what I wanted to, a knock on the passenger-side window brought a startled noise out of Kenny. TíaMary was waving for us to come inside. She ushered us out of the car and into the house. Once we were inside, we signed the marriage license so we wouldn’t forget later on, with Elisa and Tía Mary as the witnesses. Now all we had to do was the ceremony to make it official. My eyes got a little misty at the thought, but before anyone could see, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder.

“It’s good to see you, mijo,” a familiar voice said from behind me. I had to have been imagining this.

“Papi?” I whirled around to see that my ears were not playing tricks on me at all. The familiar smile lines I’d only ever seen over WhatsApp, the thick salt-and-pepper hair I’d surely inherit, and those dark brown eyes that mirrored the shape of my own. How was this possible?

It didn’t matter. I didn’t know who pulled who in, but before I knew it, I was in a firm embrace with my dad, neither of us daring to let go. I didn’t realize I was crying until I felt him patting me on my back. His shoulders were shaking, too, so I wasn’t the only one getting emotional.

“How are you here?” I asked, finally pulling away and wiping my eyes.

Papi just smiled warmly and gestured to Kenny and his parents. “You have your husband and in-laws to thank for that.”

“I… I don’t know what to say,” I started. The tears came back, but I’d never cried like this before. Never been this happy. Instead of words, I just pulled the three of them into a hug, then hugged my dad one more time before Elisa pulled Kenny away from me.

“Sappy reunions will be for after the wedding!” she said.

“Don’t worry, Han. I’ll keep your papi company while youget ready! You’re not the only one who misses him,” Tía Mary teased before pulling me in the other direction so Kenny and I could get dressed in two separate rooms.

While Kenny got dressed in his old bedroom, I was getting ready in Cedric and Elisa’s. I stared at myself in the full-sized mirror, hardly believing what I saw. I was gettingmarried. This was really happening. I was going to be a citizen, all thanks to Kenny. I still didn’t understand why he was doing all this for me, especially given the way I’d been acting recently.

Before I could get too into my thoughts, there was a knock on the door.

“Can I come in, mijo?” It was my dad.

I rushed over to open the door and pull him inside. I gestured to my tux.

“How do I look?”

His smile creased the lines around his eyes. “You look good, mijo.” He put a firm, congratulatory hand on my shoulder and squeezed, holding the other hand behind his back. “You look good. I brought something for you.” Then he pulled his hand out from behind his back, revealing a brown envelope.

I took it in my hand, hesitating before tearing it open.

“Go ahead,” my dad coaxed, and I finally opened it up.

There was a folded piece of paper inside, and a jellyfish necklace. I held the pendant in my palm and stared at it for way too long before all the memories came flooding back to me. This was the necklace my mom always wore. My dad started singing then, and I recognized it as the song she used to sing to me every night.

When the world feels too heavy, when the tides feel too strong,

Take my hand once you’re ready, for we may not have long.

Just close your eyes, breathe steady. Remember where you came from.

It all made sense now. Jellyfish wereherfavorite animal. Not mine. Tears pricked at my lashes, and I wiped them away quickly.

“What’s this?” I asked as I unfolded the piece of paper.

“I found it in your mom’s things. When your mom was in treatment a year ago, she apparently wrote you letters every day. This is the last one she wrote. I can give you the rest if you want them.”

My hands shook as I looked down at the letter. This whole time, I hadn’t been the only one writing letters?

I cleared my throat and blinked away my tears so the words wouldn’t be blurry. It was handwritten in blue colored pencil, which I was now remembering was her favorite color.

Mydearest Alejandro,

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