Page 59 of Rearranged

Chapter 21

Marco grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Are you ready? Feeling okay?” We’d just pulled up at his parents’ house, a lovely one-and-a-half story stucco home in a suburb full of tree-lined streets.

I brought my hands up to my hair to make sure it was all in place, flipping down the visor to look in the mirror while rubbing my lips together. “I’m nervous, but excited.”

“My mom texted me no less than ten times today. She’s brimming with excitement. She didn’t know what to do with herself, since we’re bringing dinner, so she insisted on making homemade baklava for dessert, even though she’s supposed to be resting. Hers is the best I’ve ever had. The pastry is light and flaky, and she brushes it with this amazing honey-lemon glaze.” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s made a bunch of desserts for us to sample. Her favorite thing in the world is to cook.”

“I can’t wait to taste it all,” I told him, leaning down to retrieve the flowers that I’d braced between my feet on the way over. “It’s so sweet of her to cook for us.”

“It’s one of her top favorite things to do. There will be a lot of Moroccan and Spanish meals in our future, sometimes a fusion of both. She’s an amazing cook. Every meal is made with love.” He opened his car door and stepped out, opening up the side door to take out the food.

We’d ended up ordering Indian from one of our favorite places.

I got out, managing to hold the flowers with one hand. Marco flashed me a smile as we made our way up the walk.

Before we could reach the front door, it whipped open. Marco’s father, Antonio, stood there. He was shorter than Marco and a bit stocky, his formerly dark hair heavily streaked with gray above his ears. He waved in greeting as he propped open the screen. “There you two are,” he called jovially. “We thought you’d never arrive.” He gave his stomach an exaggerated rub. “We’re dying of hunger over here.”

Marco laughed. “I happen to know how many casseroles are in the freezer and refrigerator at this very moment. There’s no way you’re starving.”

“Get in here and give your father a hug.” Antonio coaxed Marco forward and embraced him, slapping a hand on his back. “It’s good to see you, son.” He stepped to the side. “Now please introduce me to your new, special friend.”

“Antonio Cruz, this is Evangeline Foster, Eve for short. Eve, this is my father, Antonio.”

I started to move forward, unsure what to do, but Antonio took a step outside and enveloped me in a bear hug. “Nice to meet you, Eve. So happy to welcome you into our home.”

“Hey,” a voice called from inside the house. “No fair leaving me out of the introductions! Come inside.”

Antonio chortled. “We are on our way in, dear.” He guided me through the door Marco was holding open, his arm loosely around my shoulders. Once inside, we turned to the left into a cozy living room filled with knickknacks, family photos, and comfortable throws. Aleah was sitting on the couch, a blanket draped over her legs.

“Come.” She beckoned. “No need to be shy. They’re making me rest on the couch like an invalid, or I would’ve greeted you at the door.” She had a beautiful multicolored scarf wrapped around her head.

Marco had told me that the new rounds of chemo had made her hair fall out quickly this time. She was doing better with it the second time around, but she was still sad she was losing her hair.

I walked toward her, holding the vase in front of me. I couldn’t exactly plop it in her lap. I hoped I wasn’t messing this up. “These are for you,” I managed.

“They are utterly beautiful,” she crooned, taking the vase with one hand and waving me forward with the other. I bent over to give her a one-armed hug. As I stood back up, she brought the flowers to her nose and scented each one of them. “This is the best-smelling arrangement I’ve ever received. Thank you for thinking of me.” She nodded toward her husband. “Antonio, please take these and put them on the table as the centerpiece. That way, we can enjoy them for the entire evening.”

Antonio came and got the vase, sniffing the flowers as he walked into the adjoining dining room. “These are beautiful. So robust. Your shop is going to be a thrilling success if this is what you’re going to offer. I see nothing but dollar signs.”

Marco chuckled. “I hope so. Dollar signs are what we’re after. Hello, Mom.” He gave his mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She held on for a long moment. “You’re looking well today.”

“I’ve been feeling much better these past few days,” she said. “It’s such a relief after all of the side effects.” She directed her gaze at me. “I’m sure my son has filled you in, but they tried a new drug that hasn’t exactly agreed with me, although it seems to be fighting the cancer very well. So I will soldier through.”

“I’m so glad you’re feeling better,” I told her. “Marco has been very concerned.”

She patted the cushion next to her. “Come and sit with me. Enough talk about sickness. I want to hear all about you. Every single detail.”

“Maybe we can save some of the questions until later. Maybe after dinner,” Marco suggested lightly, grinning at me. He’d prepared me for this, saying his mother would ask all about my life, my hobbies, my family, everything.

“Nonsense,” his mother said. “Eve is going to join me here, and you and your father are going to go out and fix the garage door. Here, hand me those photo albums.” She beckoned toward a nearby table. “Eve is going to want to see you as a child. I have so many stories to tell.”

I sat next to her. “It’s totally fine,” I told Marco. “Go out with your dad and fix the garage. We can eat after.”

“Perfect,” Antonio said, coming back into the room. “I put the food in the oven to warm. It will keep.”

“You said you were dying of starvation,” Marco joked, “but suddenly we have time to fix the garage door that’s been broken for no less than three years.”

“I just tracked down the part I needed,” Antonio said. “It finally came into the machine shop over on Fourth Street. Stop wasting time, and let’s get this done. We have to keep your mother happy.” He chuckled as he turned and headed back into the kitchen.

---