Page 94 of Tell Me What You Want, Or Leave Me

“Mamá!”

“That’s right, girls. I need a delicious dark-skinned man who’s also a good person and who’ll leave Trevor Gerver and his date in the dust,” says Sonia, clapping.

“Mamá!”

“If it wasn’t important to me, I wouldn’t ask,” Sonia says after revealing her wish. “Surely you know a decent young man who can go with me.”

“Let’s see if I understand, Mamá. What you want is a young man who’ll go with you to the party, respect you, and make you look like a queen in front of everyone else?”

“Exactly! I don’t want an escort or a rent boy. Just a handsome young man who’s decent and fun who would want to escort this poor elderly woman.”

“Oh, now comes the melodrama,” I tease and Sonia laughs.

“OK, OK,” she says, laughing. “Bottom line: I need a piece of arm candy I can trust.”

“We can ask Reinaldo,” I say.

“No,” says Marta. “Reinaldo was at your wedding, and Trevor might recognize him.”

We both give it some thought until we both suddenly come to the same conclusion. “Mr. Perfect Torso!”

“Who’s that?” asks Sonia.

“Our friend, Máximo,” says Marta. “He came to Germany six months ago, and he’s a great guy. He’s a dance teacher, and he’s in a relationship with Anita.”

“Really?” I say and Marta nods.

“Anita is your friend who owns the boutique, right?” asks Sonia.

“Yes, Mamá.”

“Máximo is definitely arm candy,” I explain, “and he’s Argentinian.”

“Che, perfect!” says Sonia, clapping again. “I love Argentinians.”

Marta immediately calls Anita and tells her what’s going on. She agrees to talk to Máximo and says she’ll call back.

“One thing, my dear, sweet daughter-in-law,” says Sonia, “do not mention a word of this to Eric, or he will never speak to me again for the rest of my life.”

“No worries! Because if he finds out I had a hand in any of this, he won’t speak to me for the rest of my life either.”

We all laugh. Marta’s cell rings. It’s Máximo. We all agree to meet in one hour at Anita’s store.

The situation strikes me as surreal, but funny. One more of Sonia’s eccentricities. When we get to the boutique, Máximo isn’t there yet, and so we chat with Anita. She thinks the whole thing is funny too.

When Máximo shows up, Sonia’s face gives her away. She’s thrilled!

The Argentinian is impressive, not only because he’s such a dreamboat but also because he’s so nice too. He greets us all with kisses, turns to Sonia, and takes her by the arm.

“You and I are going to be the king and queen of that party,” he says.

My mother-in-law nods, and we all laugh. Half an hour later, they’ve finalized the details.

“My dear mother-in-law, you’re going to have a great time!” I say in the car on the way home.

“Oh yes, have no doubt!”

“Mamá, Jude and I can only tell you one more thing,” says Marta, who’s driving.

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