Page 44 of Sol
“¿Algo para tomar?” heasked.
Dani began babbling in Spanish. “Mi amigo soldado quisiera pedir un té, pero él no sabe quétipo.”
The word “amigo” meant friend, right? That was about all Iunderstood.
“Tenemos té internacional, incluyendo marroquí, libio, turco, ruso, egipcio, y iraquí. ¿Quizás un té marroquí?” The waiter pointed at a Spanish-languagemenu.
She gazed at me and then indicated her choice to thewaiter.
“Esa es una buena opción para él.Y dos aguas del grifo, porfa.”
The waiter snapped his notebook shut. “Volveré pronto con las bebidas.” He gave us a quick smile and turnedaround.
I crossed and uncrossed my arms, then slipped my hands into mypockets.
“What did youdo?”
“I ordered you some Moroccantea.”
“I don’t think I’ve had anyone order for me since I was ababy.”
“Well, you have a lot tolearn.”
I tapped my heel on the floor then looked at the tea in her glass cup. “What did youget?”
“An antioxidant tea fromTibet.”
“Forreal?”
“Yeah. It’sawesome.”
I sat back and observed the activity in the room. “This place isamazing.”
She cupped her tea in her hands and glanced around the low-ceilinged room. “Spain? Or thistetería?”
“Both.”
“Agreed.” Glancing around the room with appreciation, she sighed. “There isn’t any place like Spain. The way the culture is so relaxed. People enjoy life, you know? And the language is so romantic.” She pressed her palms to her cheeks. “How long are youhere?”
“In Spain? Or thistetería?”
She chuckled. “InSpain.”
“At least for your class. Maybelonger.”
Her torso pointed directly at me as she reached out to brush my fingers. “How long are you staying in thistetería?”
My eyes lingered on her fingers, then followed them up the freckled skin on the upper part of her arms. “As long as you’ll let me sit byyou.”
The waiter returned with a small pot of tea and a glass, as well as two cups of water. I reached for theteapot.
“Ah-ah-ah,” she said, holding up a finger. “Let me do it. Men aren’t supposed to pourtea.”
“Whynot?”
She poured the tea and handed me the cup. As I went to take a sip, she said with wide-eyed seriousness, “It will get a womanpregnant.”
I sputtered, choking on my tea. My eyes popped open. “What?”
