Page 39 of Ghostridden
Her brow wrinkled. “Believing in something is important for the heart as well as the head. What do you believe in?”
Yeesh. I couldn’t very well say my personal altars were dedicated to the worship of grammar and narrative logic. “The Force. Between all living things.”
Although Ricky rolled his eyes, Sofia nodded as though satisfied. “Yes, we are all linked, but you must not limit yourself to the living.”
I thought about Avi lurking somewhere in my house. “I’m starting to see that.”
“We are Catholic here,” she said, although Ricky mouthedlapsed, morphing his silent word into a smile when Sofia shot a sharp glance his way, “so I always begin a meal with grace. Although, since Guillermo said it sometimes makes others uncomfortable, I always say my prayer silently.”
I was starting to get really ticked off at Guillermo or Liam or whatever he called himself. Personally, I’d call him a jerk. “I don’t mind. If you want to speak aloud, go ahead.”
She squeezed my hand, smiling even as she shook her head. Then she closed her eyes and her lips began moving silently. I was pretty good at lip-reading after working with several clients who were hearing-impaired, but I didn’t recognize anything Sofia was saying. I suspected she was speaking in Spanish, with which I only had enough experience to read menus and askdónde está el baño?But with a sidelong glance at Ricky, I suspected that DuoLingo was in my future.
Sofia opened her eyes again and released our hands. “Now eat, eat. Boys are always hungry, I know. Enrique, would you serve us, please? Our guest first.”
I passed my bowl to Ricky, and he ladled it full of the fragrant pozole. “I’m almost thirty, Tia. And I suspect Maz is about the same age.”
I nodded. “Thirty last February.”
“See? We’re hardly boys anymore.”
“Pffft. You are all boys to me.”
I took a bite and the complex flavors bloomed across my tongue—chiles and oregano and cumin and the richness of pork. “Wow, Sofia, this is amazing. I thought the cochinita pibil atTaqueria Vargas was the best thing I’d ever had, but this is better.”
She chuckled as she garnished her stew with an avocado slice. “That’s because Maria never adds the ghost peppers. She’s afraid it will make things too hot for the customers, but I say a little bit enhances the flavors.”
I paused, my spoon halfway to my open mouth, and Ricky laughed at my obvious confusion. “Tia Sofia and my abuelo started Taqueria Vargas. They still use her recipes, except when my mother makes changes.” She harrumphed, and he patted her hand. “Don’t worry, Tia. When Felicia takes over, she’ll put the ghost peppers back in.”
She nodded decisively. “She is a good girl, your sister. Her tres leches cake might be better than mine someday.”
I perked up at that. “They have tres leches cake? It’s one of my favorites, but I didn’t see it on the menu.”
“Only for special days,” Sofia said. She patted my hand again. “And having a new neighbor, a new friend, is the most special of days. That is why I made one today. Finish your pozole. We will enjoy a slice together, and then I will give you some to take home.”
“Oh, man.” I rubbed my stomach, my jeans feeling decidedly tight around my middle. “That was a fantastic meal. Thank your aunt again for me.”
Ricky laughed as we meandered across Sofia’s front yard toward my house, him with a plate holding half the tres leches cake and me with Gil in his carrier and a bag of Sofia’s homemade cat treats in my pocket
“You thanked her yourself. More times than I can count.”
“Well, one more wouldn’t hurt. Especially since she’s watching Gil for me again tomorrow.” I glanced at him sidelong. “So. I’ve gotta ask.”
“Yeah?” Ricky raised his eyebrows as he drew out the word.
“What’s the deal with Guillermo? Liam? Whatever the heck his name is?”
This time, Ricky’s laugh held an edge of relief, and I wondered for a moment what he was afraid I was going to ask. “The guy’s a total tool. That’s the deal. But Tia thinks he walks on water,which might be the only thing the two of them have in common.”
“Wow, Ricky,” I said, deadpan. “Harsh.”
“True, though.” He sighed. “I’d like to say he was better when he was a kid, but not really. Only child of Tia’s only son, who married the boss’s daughter when he was working his way up the corporate ladder.”
I blinked at him. “Ghost has a corporation big enough to have a ladder?”
“The corporation—or at least its branch—was in Richdale.”
“Was?”
