Page 26 of California Love Songs
With the bright professional smile Crystal had perfected, she took one of Mila’s magazines from the pile. “Right now, it’s all about you and your big day. I’m so happy to be part of the planning.”
Mila looked as eager as any bride Crystal had ever worked with. “I’m so excited to start. I didn’t realize how much I wanted a big wedding until Hersch asked me. Now I want to bring everyone I know together and have a party!”
“That sounds great,” Crystal said, catching the wave of Mila’s enthusiasm and filling up with the particular joy of helping someone achieve their dream. “Do you have a venue in mind?”
“The beach, of course, for the ceremony. I want to be near the water, and now that Herschel has conquered his fear of the ocean, it’ll be the perfect backdrop. I’m imagining a simple ceremony with close friends and family gathered on the sand. I just want to hear the sound of the ocean while I say my vows. Does that sound crazy?”
Crystal smiled as she made a note. “Not at all. It sounds perfect. Intimate and natural. I think it’s a lovely way to involve your deep connection to the water. I know a hotel on the beach we could take over for the wedding, so you can say ‘I do’ with your feet in the sand, and then walk up to a beautiful meal and dancing under the stars. What do you think?”
“I think there’s a reason you’re the best wedding planner in the biz.” Mila squeezed her hand. “I’m just so excited.”
Crystal could feel Mila’s happiness radiating from her. She knew Mila so well that she completely understood why the bride wanted a simple ceremony at the water’s edge followed by a big, splashy party. The hotel she had in mind could offer the perfect blend of Mila’s laid-back, surf-loving soul and the sophisticated elegance she envisioned for their celebration. She told Mila about it and said she’d arrange a site visit, as well as researching some other options as backup.
“I think this place is perfect,” Crystal said. “But they’re often booked well in advance. I know you want to marry soon, but have you set an exact date?”
Mila shook her head, but a determined expression entered her eyes. “We’ll decide tonight,” she said. “But I’m hoping for spring.”
Crystal nodded and continued to make notes. She’d been doing this work for so long that she really was a well-oiled machine. She knew exactly how to make Mila’s wedding dreams come true and it felt wonderful. But Damien’s dare had got under her skin. She loved what she did, but there was always a pang of sadness when she thought back to her younger self, the girl who believed all you had to do was work hard, get good grades, do the right thing, and you could be whatever you wanted when you grew up.
It had hurt like hell to give up her dream of a career in medicine, but she’d made a great life for herself, built a thriving business. Did she really want to revisit her childhood dreams?
She’d always loved school, loved learning. What if she simply started an undergrad degree part-time? As Damien had suggested, she could look at a community college nearby so she wouldn’t have to be away from her family and friends. Med school was still far off in the future.
She’d visit her mom and talk it over. There was no one in the world who knew Crystal as well as she did. No one whose opinion Crystal respected more.
Chapter Eleven
Crystal didn’t think Damien would really show up at Ray’s for salsa night, but she still spent way longer than usual staring at the dresses in her closet. She had dresses for work, conservative outfits that projected calmness and confidence. She shuffled through the hangers, past her collection of evening gowns for the times she attended the events she’d planned. The brightest part of her wardrobe was the section devoted to Latin dance. Her salsa-friendly dresses hung together, so bright and breezy they looked as though they were having their own party in the closet. They were all strappy and fitted to the waist, with gorgeous full skirts that flared out as she spun on the dance floor. She deliberated between a black sequined number and a fiery red. Finally she settled on the red. It captured the playful mood that had been growing the more she considered making a huge change in her life. Then she curled her dark hair and carefully applied makeup, finishing with a red lipstick the color of her dress. She had Latin dance shoes in the same red, so she put those in a cotton bag to be slipped on when she reached the venue. Driving to the club, she’d wear lower-heeled sandals.
She drove to her mom’s feeling as nervous as a first date. Which was crazy, because all she wanted was her mom’s advice, and if Damien did show up later, it wasn’t like they hadn’t danced together a thousand times. She told herself to calm down.
She pulled up outside her mom’s place. The little duplex had been her home for twenty years and although she visited her mom all the time, she was always struck with a burst of nostalgia for her younger self each time she approached its white wooden façade and flower boxes brimming with vibrant blooms. She let herself in, calling, “Mama?” as the door opened into the living room. She inhaled deeply. Her mom was obviously cooking up something with warming spices.
“Crystal?” came the reply, and then there was her mom, Sofia. She was wearing a red apron over loose jeans and a frilly red smock. Her eyes lit up at the sight of her and she let out a long, low whistle. “Hola, mija,” Sofia exclaimed, her voice thick with affection. “Te ves increíble.”
“Gracias, Mama.” Crystal did a little spin. “I see you got the memo about wearing red.”
“It’s our color.” She pulled Crystal into a long embrace and then stood back, admiring her daughter again. “You off to Ray’s?”
Crystal nodded. “You should join me.”
Sofia laughed. “I wouldn’t want to show you up, mi amor, by outdancing you on the floor.”
Her mom was right about that. When she was younger, her mother had competed in salsa championships. She was a vision: full of passion and flair, but absolute precision. She should have been a professional dancer, but as Crystal knew only too well, life sometimes got in the way of dreams.
She followed her mom into the kitchen, where she insisted on serving Crystal some slow-cooked pork stew even though she’d eaten dinner before she left the house. It was useless to argue. So she accepted a small bowl of the delicious-smelling stew and sat down at the family table. Its once smooth oak surface was marked with years of use. Crystal traced the small grooves and dents from where she and her siblings had banged pots and pans as kids, and caught the edges with their compasses and pens as they did their schoolwork. The kitchen was the heart of the home, where everyone piled in the minute they were home. Crystal sighed. She missed her younger brother and sister, who’d both moved away.
Her mom sat back in her chair and seemed to relish watching Crystal eat. “So,” she said, “if you didn’t visit your mama for her cooking, then to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Crystal laughed. “I do feed myself sometimes,” she said. “Although my cooking, like my dancing, is never as good as yours.” She took another bite, savoring the smoky flavors. And then, more quietly, she said, “I came for advice, Mama.”
Sofia nodded and her warm eyes crinkled kindly. She waited for her daughter to speak.
Crystal set down her fork. “Do you remember what I wanted to be when I grew up?”
“Of course. You were set on becoming a doctor. You would line up all your stuffed animals and listen to their hearts with your play stethoscope. Then you’d give them each a blueberry for medicine.” She chuckled fondly at the memory. “By the time you were in high school, you were so serious about your studies that I used to worry you were missing out on all the fun you should have been having at that age.” She paused and her expression turned melancholy. “If things had been different at home…” After a moment, she took Crystal’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “You had the grades for medical school. The scholarship was all lined up.”
Crystal nodded and gave her mom a reassuring smile. “I love my life, Mama. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. But today someone reminded me of that early dream and I wondered… Well, I wondered if it was still possible. I’ve saved a lot of money the past few years and I have a brilliant team who could look after the business. Maybe I could find a way to go back to school.”
