Page 57 of Wishing for La Luna
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Luna
“Diablo, que bruta es esa tipa.”I stare at the telenovela’s main character in disgust. I can’t believe she was dumb enough to give up her big modeling break to help her friend break into her ex-boyfriend’s house to spy on him.
My mom snorts. “Pendeja es lo que ella es. Coje ahí. Novelasare here to teach us about real life and not about being punks.”
“Mami,” I say, shaking my head. “You know this is not real.”
“No?” My mom turns her head all the way around to look at me. In her sleeping bun, the glare in her eyes makes her look harsher, like a sterndoñaand not my sweet mom. Her gaze holds mine, making my stomach sink. I just know she’ll say something I’m going to hate. And the lady doesn’t disappoint.
“You’ve done stuff like that for Adina. And before you ask when, let me tell you. You passed on Cornell to stay in the city and close to her because she wanted you both to go to the same school. Then, she failed anyway. You didn’t go out with that player from the Mets because she liked him and pouted about it.”
I roll my eyes. “He’s a cheater, and we hate the Mets in this house.”
“But you didn’t know he was a cheater back then. And for the rightnovio, we can overlook the blue and orange.” She places a hand on my thigh. “It’s my fault. I took you there, as if you were her hired play partner. I regret that.”
I cover her hand with mine. “Don’t. I loved being her friend back then. It was innocent.”
“No, it was never innocent,miLuna. Bethany thought you would grow up to be only her kids’ companion. Maybe you would take over for me when I’m too old to take care of her household. And Adina is a leech, like her mama.Pero le diste un galleta sin mano. You’re the real deal, everything she wishes her daughter could be—smart, beautiful, and with talent they’ll never have. I can’t wait for your reputation to be fully restored and for people to see you for who you are. It’s working too.”
It doesn’t erase the way Adina turned on me and not once tried to defend me. I’ll never forget she was the main one throwing mud my way. But I think of the call with Faye & Fleur and the offers for me to sponsor products and smile. “Yeah?—”
My phone buzzes with a call from Rio.
“Your newnoviocalls,” Mami says out of the side of her mouth. I don’t miss the crooked smile. “Go take it in the living room. I don’t want to miss any part of today’s episode. Joaquín is going to find out that his evil twin brother, Salazar, married Mari Carmen, pretending to be him.”
I hop off the bed and answer, closing the door behind me.
“Am I interrupting?” he asks, his voice low.
“I’m just watching anovelawith my mom. She’s addicted.”
The quick intake of breath and the silence that follows weighs heavy on the line.
“Is something wrong?”
“No. You should go back to spending time with your mom. That’s precious.”
I chuckle. “Are you serious? You knownovelasare on every night, and she watches from 7-11 pm? Hell, if it was up to these channels, they would air them Saturday and Sunday, and Dominican moms would never leave the house at night.”
He laughs a little. “Yeah, but this is your time with her. I used to watchCorazón Salvajewith my mom.”
My phone buzzes with a text.
Tito
Look out the window. I never told you.
I frown and cross the distance to look outside my apartment window. And there’s a black SUV parked across the street.
He’s outside?
“Go back to your mom. I’ll call tomorrow.”
“No, wait. I have questions,” I say as I cross my living room and head for the door. “The oldCorazón Salvajeor one of the newer ones?”
“The old one. My mom hated the newer ones.”
