Page 22 of Between Here and There

Fake it till we make it

(Or break it)

CHAPTER TWELVE

Emily

“There they are!” Tita Evie jogs toward us. The evening heat is thick with a humid breeze that barely cuts through it. I can feel beads of sweat gathering at my temples. I am also very much aware of the arm around me, keeping me close. Joshua is holding my shoulder—as I’ve consented to—with a firm but gentle grip as he waves to his parents.

“Loosen up, Em. Stop fidgeting,” he whispers, his breath hot against my ear. I look up at him and see him smiling at me, causing me to do the same. “There you go. Just follow my lead.”

He lets go of me and proceeds to very awkwardly hug his mother. I scan the yard, my eyes landing on tables draped in white linen, crowded with an assortment of food. There are trays of sticky barbecue ribs, stacks of lumpia, pancit studded with shrimp and vegetables, and fresh mangoes sliced into perfect, golden cubes. A pitcher of ice-cold juice sweats on the table. I take a deep breath, catching hints of soy sauce, garlic, and the smoky aroma of grilled meat.

Just then, Tita Evie catches my eye, her face lighting up in a grin that’s practically its own ray of sunshine. Her eyes crinkle into slits as she wraps me in a tight bear hug. Tita Evie is a large woman, and the way she wraps me in her arms feels suffocating, but I know she means well, so I endure it.

“Emily,” she says, her voice filled with warmth. “I’m so glad it’s you. None of the girls I was going to introduce to him even come close, I promise.” Her hand remains on my arm. “The only reason I kept introducing him to others was to annoy him enough that he’d finally choose someone he really liked.”

“Okay, that’s enough sangria, mother dear,” Josh says from behind her.

“Thanks, Tita Evie.” I smile. “Josh has been amazing.”

Joshua’s probably about to say something in return, but just as he opens his mouth, we hear a chorus of squeals behind us.

“EMILY ROOOOOSE!” Bon is running toward me with open arms. Kate and Haley are right on her heels, and in seconds, we’re wrapped in a giant, chaotic group hug, swaying together under the glow of string lights dangling over the pool and patio. The water in the pool sparkles in the fading light, casting wobbly reflections on the faces around us as we laugh and squeal like it’s a high school sleepover all over again.

“Well, that noise took me back ten years into the past,” Josh says as he looks at us. “Hello, ladies.”

“You,” she points accusingly to me and Josh, “have a lot of explaining to do,” Bon says. “But I missed you both, so it can wait.” She pulls us into another hug.

“Okay, too much hugging,” I say as I extricate myself from the group. I try to laugh it off, but something in my stomach is squirming. These girls are like family to me, and lying to them won’t be easy. It already feels oddly uncomfortable standing here and hugging them but not telling them about my real life.

Joshua senses the discomfort and clears his throat. “As much as we would love to fill you in on the details,” he says, once again putting his arm around me. “This beautiful girl and I have been on a seventeen-hour flight. We need to rest.”

I put my arm around his waist and say, “Sorry, we’ll be better people tomorrow, I promise.”

We’re about to turn back and head out when I hear my mom call out behind me.

“Nonsense, at least have dinner first,” she says.

“Mama!” I exclaim, rushing to her. She lost some weight, but her radiant smile is the same as ever. “How are you?” I ask, holding her hand.

“Good, now,” she replies. “I missed you, Emily. Your sister and I have been struggling without you.” Of course they have. Ever since my dad died, I’ve been the head of the household. My mother is too soft to take on the responsibilities, so she kept herself busy with tending to the house and my sister’s needs. And I tend to hers. Don’t even ask who tends to mine.

“I missed you too, Mom.” I take her hand in mine. “Are you taking your maintenance? Where’s Lila?” I add, looking around for my sister.

“She’s busy with homework because she never does it until it’s too late.” Her tone suggests that the reason Lila’s at home buried in homework is because Mama already got mad at her. “And yes, I’ve been taking my medicine. It’s just hypertension, you worrywart,” she adds.

Just then, as if on cue, Josh steps up beside me. His timing is impeccable, like he was waiting for this moment. He hands me a plateful of the food on the table, and I start munching on some lumpia.

“Hi, Tita Elena,” Josh says with a perfect smile. He leans to kiss her on the cheek and my mom obviously appreciates the gesture because she beams at him. “I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted to, I really did. But Emily here said it would be better for us to test the waters first before involving our entire families,” he continues, rolling his eyes with a charming nonchalance.

Geez, he’s such a natural at this. And that isn’t a good thing because it means he lies regularly. Or uses his natural charm more often than I thought. Not that I should care. I mean, so what, right?

“Josh!” she exclaims. “I have to admit, at first I was skeptical. But seeing you two together… I get it.” My mom smiles at us, the kind of smile that makes you feel wrapped in warmth—soft and genuine, with a hint of amusement, like she’s watching something sweet unfold before her eyes.Get what?Even I don’t get it. “So how was testing the waters?”

Suddenly, it’s like someone hit a switch. I swear, the crowd around us has doubled, and now nearly every familiar face in the neighborhood is there, all craning their necks and murmuring, like this is the main event.

Freida suddenly speaks, her arms crossed and eyes narrow. “This ought to be good.” She’s obviously not a fan of us. Or anything that resembles love and happiness.

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