Page 139 of Sombra
Epilogue - A wedding
“‘Bout time you got here,” calls a tall, dark-eyed cowboy wearing Wrangler jeans and boots, approaching us.
He’s awfully good-looking, but nothing compared to my Tavo.
Tavo and I pulled up to the parking area of a ranch in California, north ofSanta Barbara. Ever since we rented a car at the airport, we’ve been driving with open windows along the deep blue Pacific Ocean and rolling hills dotted with oak trees.
Smells I’ve never known before. Salty. Sagey. Maybe dusty. And warm and dry.
Once we got to Headlands Ranch, we stopped the car and got out, but were immediately met by a group of people.
“This is my cousin,Will Thrash,” says Tavo.
“Kim de la Guerra,” I say, shaking his hand. Will’s got a baseball cap over curly dark-hair and a baby on his hip. A tattoo peeks out under his T-shirt.
I’ve got a tattoo, too. On my ankle.
“Nice to meet you,” Will says with a drawl, and gives Tavo a bro hug, slapping each other on the back.
Marie, his wife, comes running out. She’s tall andslender, with pink hair.
Like mine.
“So nice to meet you,” she says, holding out her hand and shaking mine. “Look! We’re hair twins!” She picks up a lock of her hair and wiggles it. Then she peers over my shoulder. “Can I meet Sebastian?”
“Absolutely.”
While she’s waiting for me to get our son, she gives Tavo a big hug. I pull our one-year-old out of his car seat, andtwo vans with more of Tavo’s family come up the dusty drive.
“Good excuse to have a family reunion,” a tall, older cowboy says, pushing Margarita up in her wheelchair. She’s as elegant as María Luisa—Tavo’s mom and her sister. He holds out his hand to me. “Bill Thrash. I’m Will’s dad and Tavo’s uncle.”
Meanwhile, Marie has latched onto Sebastian, who’s waving his hands in the airand all awake. He slept the entire ride up, so now he’s raring to go.
I shake Mr. Thrash’s hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Kim, Tavo’s wife.”
Margarita wheels over to Marie and holds out her hands in a gimme motion. “Let me see my grand nephew.”
“I’m not letting this cutie go,” says Marie, holding Sebastian closer. He tugs on her hair. Marie eventually relents and hands Margaritaour son. Margarita gives him a big hug, and he looks at her and drools.
As family spill out of the two vans, I catch snippets of conversations. It’s a jumble of words and noise.
“Are you serious? You have an album now?” Marie squeals. “I’m buying a copy for all of my friends!”
Tavo rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “Yeah. It’s catching on. And those YouTube videos arereally starting to get some views.”
“How close are we to the beach?” asks Antonio. He’s bigger now, with more muscles. Even though he spends a lot of time working on farm finances, he still gets in plenty of physical labor.
He’s also got a boyfriend.
“My son Tavo is famous,” says María Luisa, then leans over and gives her sister two kisses on the cheeks. “He has brought thede la Guerra name to millions.”
“Not yet, Madre,” says Tavo. “That’s not true.”
“I’m managing his audio equipment on tour,” says Antonio.
Mari Carmen pulls me aside. “So good to see you! How did the pop-up restaurant go in Portland?”
Guillermo pulls out his phone. “Listen.”
