Page 58 of Mariposa
A secret, forbidden romance.
Kade’s beautiful, magnetic, scarred, hard-ass face pops into my head.
Flashes of the beach, his arms, and his heavy body on top of me. The way I savored every second, I could graze my hands over his hardened muscles and tattoos…
“So tell me, why are you smiling? That’s the smile of someone in love.”
I almost choke on my food when I see her wag her silver eyebrows up and down.
“Abuelita!” I grit out while I cough up a lung.
“Tell me who it is. You’ve already found someone else, haven’t you?”
“No!” I tell her, but my high-pitched tone screams otherwise.
“Tell me, or we read the letters. Your choice.”
My mouth falls open.
“Really,abuelita?”
She nods, and a weak smile pulls at the corners of her mouth.
“Okay, okay.” I stand from my chair and reach for the box that’s sitting by the nightstand of her hospital bed. As I open it, a male nurse comes in, dressed in light blue scrubs, and injects something into her IV.
“How’s the dessert, Mrs. Isla?” He throws the used needle into the proper disposal cabinet.
“Oh, it’s yummy.” She points to the tray, where a telephone sits by the plain white wall. “There’s some leftover if you’d like any?” She settles back into her bed, letting the back of her head rest on the pillow.
“I’m good. Thank you, Mrs. Isla.” He stops at the door, brushing his long blonde hair out of his face, and turns to give us a warm goodbye smile with a wave. “Remember, press the button if you need anything.” He vanishes into the hallway.
“Ready?” I ask, opening the folded papers.
“Si, mija.” She closes her eyes again, gets settled into her pillow, and hugs her blue teddy bear tight.
Dear Graham,
I can’t listen to “We Belong Together” without thinking about you. Every time it plays in the restaurant, it takes me back to the night you stayed until closing time. And we slow-danced to the entire song in an empty diner, just the two of us, until midnight. That was the night you first kissed me. Do you remember that night? Because I sure do. As soon as the song finished, I looked into your iridescent light eyes, and you kissed me, making me feel like a princess with her knight in shining armor. Your hands on my waist, our souls intertwined for a short moment, have been permanently engraved into my dreams. That’s when I knew Graham Huntings wasn’t just a man I shareda connection with. That’s when I knew you were worth waiting for.
All my love,
Grace
I fold the letter, and myabuelitasmiles. Usually, after I finish a letter, my grandmother will go on and on about the events, but this time, something has changed. A flicker of the past lingers in her eyes as she loses herself in the depths of her thoughts.
“Grandma? Everything okay?” I place my hand on hers, gently over her wrist, so I’m not touching the IV.
She’s silent as she stares at the door intensely. Her expression changes into an unsettling, confused one. Her brows pinch together as she bends her upper body forward, trying to get up.
“Is he here right now? Graham? Are you back?” She slowly straightens and sits up weakly. She reaches for her cane, but the same male nurse, with widened eyes, comes rushing in.
“What’s happening? Is she okay? Nurse? Is she okay?” I ask.
“Violet, I think you should go now,” he tells me as he consoles my grandmother.
“What the hell? I’m not leaving her like this.” Standing up from the chair, I rush to her other side. I rub her back in circles. This is the first time I’ve ever witnessed her in a frantic state.
Does she think she’s nineteen again?
