Page 37 of Along Came Amor
“We brought you a present.” Yadiel held up a massive silver gift bag stuffed with light pink tissue paper.
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” Ava said in surprise, taking the bag from Yadi.
“Es tu cumple.” Ashton kissed Ava’s cheek as he passed by, and then Yadi popped up on his tiptoes—and Ava leaned down—so he could do the same.
Ashton was tall, with dark curly hair and chiseled featuresthat had made him a star in Spanish language television. The older Yadi got, the more he looked like his father. They had the same dark brown eyes and smile, although Yadi’s teeth would probably need braces in the next couple of years, and his hair was a lighter wheat blonde.
Everyone hung up their coats and trooped into the kitchen—the heart and soul of Casa Rodriguez. Esperanza hugged and kissed everyone, and made a big deal over Jasmine’s engagement ring, even though she’d seen it before. Then she pulled Ashton, her favorite telenovela star, off to the side to get his opinion on the pernil.
Ava and Jasmine sat at the kitchen table, where Yadi bounced on his toes until Ava opened her gift. Ava let out a gasp when she saw the expensive hair dryer.
“It’s the kind my stylist uses. The diffuser isamazingfor drying curly hair,” Jasmine said.
Yadi dug deeper into the bag. “There’s more.”
He filled Ava’s lap with office supplies—brightly colored sticky notes, gel pens, fancy highlighters, and more.
“I picked them out,” Yadi explained proudly, slinging his skinny arms around Jasmine’s neck and leaning his head on her shoulder. “Because you’re a teacher, and Mami said you like this stuff.”
“I do.” Ava smiled through the pain of hearing him call Jasmine “Mami.”
Jasmine gave Yadi’s arms a squeeze and ruffled his hair fondly. “Go ask Abuelita for something to drink, okay? You said you were thirsty in the car.”
When Yadiel bounded away, Jasmine turned her attention back to Ava. “How’s it going? You’ve been quiet in the group chat.”
“Just busy with school,” Ava said lightly. She couldn’t admit that the constant wedding chatter was wearing on her. Or that when she saw Jasmine with Ashton and Yadiel, she couldn’t stop the jealousy burning in her gut, the intense feeling ofI want that too. God, she was a terrible person. Jasmine had gone through hell before meeting Ashton, even having her last breakup splashed across magazine covers. But it didn’t matter how much Ava chastised herself for envying her cousin—the feeling was there, and it wasn’t going away.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming text, and Ava was grateful for the distraction.
“Is it Michelle?” Jasmine asked.
Ava shook her head as she typed back a quick reply to her sister. “It’s Willow. Dad and Olympia are running late with the portokalopita.”
“Mmm. Olympia’s orange cake.” Jasmine’s expression turned wistful. “You know, I don’t miss the chaos of this place when I’m in Los Angeles, but I do miss the food.”
Ava had to agree. While the central point of her family experience revolved around her Puerto Rican grandparents’ house, her extended family was a case study in multicultural diversity. Jasmine’s mother was half-Filipina, Michelle’s father was Italian, Ava’s mother was Bajan and her stepmom was Greek, and Ronnie and Sammy’s dad was Jamaican. The mix of cultures, customs, and foods present at every birthday party and holiday celebration had imbued the Rodriguez family with flavor and depth.
Anda huge gossip network.
Michelle showed up next, with her boyfriend Gabriel Aguilar in tow. Gabe, a physical therapist and personal trainer, carried a large white bakery box in his heavily muscled arms. Michelleoften referred to him as her “Latino Superman,” and the moniker fit.
“We come bearing cannoli,” Michelle announced to the room at large. “And no, that’s not a euphemism.”
Yadiel scrunched up his face. “What’s a—”
“It’s a joke,” Ashton said quickly. “It means she’s not kidding.”
“Like when people say ‘literally’ but they mean ‘figuratively’?” the boy asked.
Ashton blinked. “Claro. Just like that.”
Shooting Michelle a flinty-eyed look, Ashton ushered Yadiel into the living room. “Time for television.”
Michelle grinned. “He’s gonna learn what innuendo is at some point.”
“In the window?” Yadiel repeated on the way out.
While Abuela fawned over Gabe—and the box full of Italian desserts from Arthur Avenue—Michelle joined Ava and Jasmine at the table.
