Page 133 of Sombra
“Tavo,” I murmur against his chest.
“Let me say this plainly, Kim. I have fallen in love with you. I love the way you twitch your nose when you’re thinking. I love the way you are enthusiastic about everything. I love the way you igniteunder my touch—even when I’ve barely touched you. I love the way we are together. We complete each other. You’re the part of me that was missing. You lived so far away but you were part of me. And we need to be together.” He squeezes me. “No matter what. I will love you until my dying breath. And longer if I can.”
Reaching in his pocket, he pulls out a little box, and rubs the back of hisneck. “This isn’t a ring, Kim. I thought you had too many of those. And not yet. But you needed this from me.”
I open up the box, and there’s a delicate bracelet with a dragonfly charm, green and blue. He puts it on my wrist with a kiss.
And we walk out of the airport holding hands, with his bag slung over his shoulder.
As we drive backto my house, I tell Tavo about Shane coming out. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. It was not my secret to tell.”
He smiles in relief. “I understand.”
“It bothers me, though. His secret was central to his being. So huge that keeping it meant that he was denying his true self. Does that make sense? It wasn’t just that he was keepinga secret about a surprise party. He wasn’t letting anyone see him truly because he was scared. By doing that, he couldn’t have the intense satisfaction of being loved for who he is.”
His eyes fall on my heavy coat while I’m driving. “I think that’s why we are so good together. We show each other the parts we’re scared to show someone else. And accept them.”
“Right.” I turn into myparents’ street, little nerves forming in my stomach. “Another thing is that with all the structure and rules and denying himself, he lived a small life. Maybe now that he’s broken free, he can live a limitless life. Like us.”
“Yes.”
“It’s real and messy and human.”
“But it’s our whole selves, amor. Not just dark. Not just light. Our whole selves.”
I park the car. “Here’swhere I live. I told my parents that I am pregnant. I told them that I love you.”
“Did you tell your parents that I was coming here today?”
She shakes her head. “Nope. This will be interesting. Come and have Thanksgiving with us. It’s the one night my mom allows carbs in the house.”
For the most part,my parents behave. I figure the shock of me returning early from Spain with unicorn hair, my ex-boyfriend they’ve known all their lives coming out of the closet and dating our other best friend, telling them I wasn’t living by their rules anymore, and oh, I’m pregnant, might have been a wee bit much for anyone.
“Mom, Dad. This is Tavo. He’sthe love of my life.”
My mother gazes at him, his beauty clearly overwhelming her. I mean, anyone can see how handsome he is. But he leans forward and kisses her on both cheeks, still smelling like his gorgeous self, and she swoons.
My mother.
Freaking.
Swoons.
I stifle a laugh.
He’s mine, Mom. No touchies.
After a few more times talking with them,they’ve come to a sort of peace with me. It’s uneasy, because my mom’s habit is to tell me what to do, but each time I push back, she does it less.
Right now, my dad shakes his hand. “I don’t understand what kind of name Tavo is.”
“It is a short name for Gustavo.” He shrugs. “Everyone calls me that.”
And somehow, with the ice broken, that evening we enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.
What I am most grateful for is that Tavo is with me. Mind, body, and spirit. Forever.
Later that night, while lying in my pink childhood bed, which now matches my hair, I run my hands through his hair. We talk about what happened. All the misunderstandings. How Sonia was behind all of it. How his mom is going to marry her dad. And how Guillermo has to learn for himself whether ornot he wants to handle Sonia’s crazy.
