Page 16 of Sapphires and Snakes
Tamayo brushes off her pants and fixes her hair. “Hear that, guys? I’m more than a gift dispensary!”
The whole group boos as they begin to disperse, some heading back into the recreation room from whence they came and some back down the hall.
Tamayo clutches her chest like she’s been stabbed. “Wow. See what I bring y’all next time. Bunch of coal.”
“You say that every time.” Harriet rolls their eyes.
Tamayo peers at them in mock threat. “You never know, I could do it next time.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” They skip into the rec room, calling over their shoulder, “Theo, wanna playZelda?”
“Yeah!” A kid with a mop of poorly dyed lime-green hair shaped into a mullet scurries after Harriet.
“Homework!” Rita calls after them. Neither acknowledge hearing her. She heaves an even bigger sigh than before then holds her arms out to Tamayo. “Glad to see you.”
Tamayo accepts the embrace, patting her back. “Always happy to stop by.”
Rita pulls back and half-heartedly smacks her arm. “You’ve got to stop bringing gifts. They’re getting spoiled.”
Tamayo shrugs. “It’s what they deserve.”
And then Rita’s turning to me, and I’m not ready. Last night, she was my guest and we met amongst a crowd of overdressed people right before mafia politics threatened to spill over into her world. All because of me. She must hate me. I would.
But she offers me the same embrace she did Tamayo, the same soft smile. And I accept.
“Welcome,” she says as she pats my back.
I squeeze her tight. It’s been a very long time since I was hugged for the sake of hugging. The comfort of her arms is soothing and full of acceptance, making my eyes prick. I blink it back as quick as I can.
Rita pulls back to hold me at arm’s length, studying me. “How are you doing?”
I half-smile. “All right. Thank you for asking.”
“Tamayo’s taking good care of you?”
Behind Rita, Tamayo winks with a wide smirk. I scowl back at her before turning back to Rita. “You could say that.”
“I know she’s involved in… things.” Rita frowns in distaste at the implication of those things. If she only knew the half of it. “I hope she’s not dragging you down with her.”
I want to laugh and clutch Rita closer at the same time. How quaint to think anyone but myself is the bad influence here. How quaint to think the best of me at all. I pat her arm in reassurance. “She’s not dragging me down. If anything, she’s the only thing keeping me afloat.”
“Good, good.” Rita smiles warmly at that and turns to face Tamayo. “Go help Harriet with their homework. Theo, too.”
“But I’m the fun, gay uncle figure. Not the stern mother figure.”
All Rita has to do is raise a single brow for Tamayo to break, her shoulders slumping. “Zarina?”
“Oh no.” Rita loops her arm through the crook of my elbow. “I’m stealing her.”
Tamayo groans. “I hate homework.”
“If I come back to find you three playingZeldaand no homework done, you won’t like the consequences.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Git.” Rita shoos her down the hall.
Tamayo grumbles as she trudges to the recreation room, throwing a pout at me, her bottom lip begging me to abandon Rita in favor of her. As if I have more of a choice in this than she does.
