The rest of the day was calm unfortunately. Taste Teas was in the middle of its annual summer slump, so about one third of my regulars from the adjacent university were home for the break. The financials of it didn't worry me as I always saw and prepared for it. What bothered me about the lack of customers was the lack of distraction from my ever-turning thoughts.
Without a steady flow of orders to fill or the monotonous movements of my hands pouring coffee for the millionth time, my mind was free to torture me with repetitive thoughts about meeting my boyfriend's mom tomorrow afternoon, starting the tedious process of hiring a new baker since my old one was becoming a trucker, and whether or not Ashley would have the strength to leave her abusive situation on her own.
I'd never been so happy to see five o'clock in my life. Devonte and Lana had already swept, mopped, and left by that time and Pasha had closed out the register. I checked to make sure all doors were locked and secured then grabbed my purse and drug my tired body out the back door.
On the back stoop, my phone started ringing just as I put the key in the lock. I knew it was Manny without looking. He had taken to calling me around this time on weekdays since he knew I was off work.
I dug my phone from my purse then juggled them and the keys as I continued to lock the door. "It was a hell of a day." I said when I answered.
"Oh?" It was comforting to hear his voice after a long day.
I turned the key in the lock until I heard the distinctive click. "Crazy story of a lady whose own boyfriend was blackmailing her."
"What?" Manny's theatrical gasp encouraged my rant.
"He found some old nudes of hers, then he had this secret account, and he threatened to leak them...It was a mess."
"What an asshole."
"Right? I pretty much had to convince her to break up with him." I trotted down the stairs; looking around for my favorite alley cat but he was AWOL. I continued to my car.
"You had to convince her? Was the blackmail not enough?"
"Poor self-esteem." I hit the clicker on my key ring and watched the rear lights flash twice. "How's your day going?"
He got quiet like I'd asked him to explain the color blue or something. "It was fine."
"Just fine? Nothing interesting happened?" I opened the driver door but paused.
"Nothing interesti—let's not talk about work." A shady segue. He usually liked talking about work just fine. "Let's talk about Saturday!"
I laughed. "You're trying to freak me out!"
"She's nice, I swear!"
"She raised you, so I'm sure she is—"
I only had about three seconds to react. I heard the rapid stomping of feet first. From my left, someone was running right for me. I spun, my heart beat wildly. My purse clattered to the ground. My phone fell with it. Manny called to me from the concrete, humor replaced with concern.
Where was my pepper spray? In my purse with the taser. The only weapon on hand then, was my pocket knife...
"Are you Evie Harper?" The man said, his harsh voice echoing off the buildings. "Stay the fuck away from my girlfriend!"
I recoiled, stumbling back. My open car door caught me before I could fall. "What are you talking about?"
"Ashley!" His rage wafted off him like the most noxious of fumes. "You almost ruined my relationship!"
Ashley? I stared at the thing before me. He wasn't as big as he'd seemed. He was as slim as a twig with pale blonde hair that washed out his pale skin. His eyes were a ghastly translucent blue. He was as fierce as a soaked kitten.
Noah fucking Walker.
I pushed forward and came completely to my feet. "Uh, as I recall, you almost ruined your own relationship when you threatened to leak her nudes! What's that got to do with me?"
His eyes grew wide. I don't think he expected me to stand my ground. "I wasn't really gonna do it! I was just—"
"Teaching her a lesson?"
"Exactly! If it wasn't me, it'd be somebody else. Somebody who doesn't love her."
"Wow. And all this time I thought love was mutual respect. Never considered extortion, though. That's interesting."
"You don't get it. Even having those pictures just sitting on her laptop was dangerous! One hack and it's over."
"And this couldn't just be a conversation?"
"She—she wouldn't have listened!"
"Yeah, right!"
"Yeah! You have no idea what goes on in our relationship. You had no right—"
"No, you had no right!" All my fear had vanished. I took a step forward. "All I did was do what she asked. She came to me crying and asked me to find the dirtbag blackmailing her and I did! What happens after is none of my business."
He stepped closer into my face, then pointed his finger right at my nose. "All I know is you need to stay the hell away from us—"
I pulled my knife and released the blade in one swift movement. "No! You need to back the hell out of my space!"
He raised his hands defensively, then took a couple of steps back. "Whoa. Easy."
I stepped forward into his space, my fear suddenly anger. "Easy, nothing! Back the fuck up!"
He backed up. "Okay, okay."
"I don't know what you thought you'd accomplish by coming here, and I don't give a shit. Don't bring your sorry ass back around here again."
He took a deep angry breath and huffed it back out. There was so much more he wanted to say to me. But the knife between us was a destroyer of conversations before it had ever been used. "Fine. But you keep your nose out of my business."
He turned to march back to his car.
"Oh," I said after him. "And it was real easy for me to stumble across your little extracurricular activities so I imagine the cops would find it even easier if they knew where to look."
He turned around and frowned. "Is that a threat?"
"Nope. Just a little extra incentive for you to stay the hell away from me."
He turned back toward his car and continued his march. "Trust me, sweetheart. You'll never see me again." He mumbled.
When I was sure he was gone I realized my fingers were sore from gripping the handle of my knife. I folded the blade then put it back in my pocket. My purse lay where it dropped, nothing spilled but a couple of quarters. My phone was undamaged; the hard plastic protective case wasn't even scratched.
I picked it up. Manny was still calling for me with increasing panic. "Evie!"
"I'm okay." I climbed into my car and hit the locks.
He sighed with relief. "What the hell happened?"
My heart started slowing. "Just a dissatisfied customer."
"Are you sure? I'll come up there."
"You're ten miles away..."
"So? I got my keys; I was about to get in the truck—"
A laugh erupted straight from my gut. "No, its fine."
My laughing seemed to calm him down a bit. "You sure?"
"Yeah. I'll tell you all about it when I get there."
"See you soon."
I sat in my car for a couple of minutes gripping the steering wheel while my confrontation with Noah played over again in my head. He was aggressive but not violent. Would I have been able to stab him if it came to that? I turned on my radio to drown out the noise.
Hopefully, I'll never have to find out.
****************************
"You warned your mom I was Black, right?"
Manny looked over and smirked. "Warned is an ugly word in this context."
The next day, I stood on Manny's mom's porch in one of my cutest yellow sundresses. The weatherman's promise of a sunny cloudless sky was fulfilled but a passing tropical storm had kicked up a wonderful breeze. All good omens for the day.
"We don't really talk about it much, but, um...I'm a Black person."
He reached out and rang the doorbell. "Really? I never noticed."
I nudged him with my elbow. "This is serious!"
He reached an arm around my shoulder and pulled me in closer. "My mom doesn't care that you're Black."
I pushed away so I could look him in his eyeballs. "You told her then?"
He looked away. "Well, yeah...but it wouldn't have mattered."
I shrugged and turned back to the door. "You never know."
People surprised you. Sometimes in the worst way.
But I knew this argument was ridiculous. I was pretty, youngish, successful, and frankly charming as all hell. On top of that, I've never met a boyfriend's mother who didn't love me...all two of them. This bout of insecurity was therefore irrational. But then, racism was irrational. Especially in a country like the United States that had been diverse culturally and racially since the Mayflower hit that rock. But then, Manny said his mom was from Mexico. And in my experience, immigrant racial tolerance varied from country to country. My heart fluttered but I willed it to calm. He wouldn't let me go in there blind.
At least his dad's dead...that sounds awful, but he's hinted before that he was the less tolerant parent.
"My mother's not like that." Manny was saying as he hit the bell one more time.
"I just think this is a very real issue that we should discuss."
"We can talk about it. I just think we could have talked about it on the way over. Not on the porch. Seconds before she opens the door—mom!" The door flew open. Manny's smile faded immediately. "Eddie, what the fuck?"
The man in the doorway wore a lopsided smile so playful I instantly relaxed. "I can't visit my mom?" He said with a shrug.
Manny sighed and crossed his arms. "Why today—"
He braced himself on the door. Casual as all hell. "I was in the neighborh—"
"Bullshit."
"—And we thought we'd stop by and say hello."
"Who is 'we'?"
"Me and Isaac. It's my weekend." He transitioned easily from that devil-may-care grin to sad puppy eyes. "Would you deny a young boy's chance to spend time with his abuela?"
Manny was unimpressed. "You knew I would be here."
"So? Am I avoiding you? Are you a debt collector?" I admit that one almost made me laugh but I should refrain from interjecting between siblings. That's what Henry says, anyway.
Manny frowned. "You need money, don't you?"
He turned to me suddenly, and his eyes slipped from sad to flirty. "You're not gonna introduce me?"
"Evie, this is Eddie, my little brother." Manny rolled his eyes and absently grabbed my hand. "My little brother who wasn't supposed to be here."
Eddie smiled at me and reached out a hand. "Nice to meet you."
I released Manny's hand then reached out to shake Eddie's. "Uhh, hi."
"Eddie!" Shouted a woman from inside the house. "Stop letting all the cold air out!"
"Okay!" Eddie's countenance dropped from teasing to fearful. "Well, you heard her."
Eddie stood to the side as Manny led me through the threshold. My first impressions of his childhood home was the explosion of color happening in the living room. The furniture set was a vibrant turquoise accented with golden throw pillows. A geometric patterned rug splayed across bamboo flooring. The walls were a splendid lemony yellow. Clusters of family pictures graced every one.
It should have clashed but somehow it didn't.
A middle-aged woman with light skin and straight brown hair came shuffling toward us in a flowy floral blouse and dark slacks. Manny bent down slightly so he could receive her in his arms.
"Manuel!" She said with a semi-heavy accent as she squeezed him tightly and then kissed him twice on the cheek. Once they finished hugging, she turned to me, her smile didn't waiver. "You must be Evie."
"Yes." I held out my hand.
"I'm Sylvia," she looked down at my hand, then waved it away. "A handshake? Please."
She opened her arms and embraced me. The warmth made my shoulders relax. "Manuel has been talking about you nonstop!"
"Oh?" I looked at him with an eyebrow raised as he smiled bashfully. I've never seen the man be anything less than confident. "All good I hope."
"Yes! He wouldn't bring you home if it wasn't good." She nodded toward Eddie. "He's not like this one. It's a new woman every year for him."
"That's not true."
"Hush, Eddie." She gestured for us to follow her back down the hall. "Come on."
Sylvia had prepared the back patio for our lunch. I was worried when she led us straight through the house and back outside, but the patio was covered, screened in, and wired with enough electricity to power three fans and a bug zapper. A stereo played music, but I couldn't understand the words.
A wicker table had been set with glasses, a stack of plates, napkins, an assortment of bottled sauces, and trays covered in foil.
"Where's the meat?" Manny asked.
"Eddie was just about to cook it."
"It's not done yet? Typical."
Eddie rolled his eyes. "You're the one who's late!"
"Are you going to introduce Isaac? Rude motherfucker..."
Sitting in one of the chairs was a little boy who couldn't have been more than six. He looked up at me with large brown eyes, his legs swinging over the edge of the chair. Isaac, I presume.
"Evie, this is my son, Isaac." Eddie started walking toward a lit grill. "Isaac, say hello."
"Hello." He said with his little voice.
"Hello." Be still my heart! He was cute as a button.
Manny walked around the table and grabbed Isaac up into his arms and jostled him until the boy broke into a fit of giggles. "How's my favorite nephew, huh?"
Isaac laughed then wrapped his little arms around Manny's neck and hugged him as tight as he could. "Good!"
Oh, Lord. I think my ovaries just activated. Down girls! It's not time yet.
"Would you like something to drink?" Sylvia asked me.
"Yes, please."
She led me to a cooler sitting near the door. Inside were an array of bottled soft drinks, cans of coke, and bottles of beer. I've never had a 'Jarritos' before and I was feeling adventurous, so I grabbed a fruit punch then went to take a seat next to Isaac.
Manny grabbed some kind of beer that read Pacifico, I think, and walked over to where Eddie was getting ready to grill steaks. "Did you marinate?"
Eddie tsked. "Of course!"
Manny looked over the uncooked steaks with a discerning eye. "It's not wet enough. Where's the beer?"
"I don't use that shit on my steaks."
"That's why they always taste like shit then."
"Man, the only thing you need is onion, cilantro, pepper, my secret spice rub, and some fresh squeezed orange and lime juice. Trust me."
"I don't trust you to wipe your own ass—"
"Boys, no fighting!" Sylvia sighed before turning to me. "I understand you own a café?"
"Yeah. Over on University."
"My grandfather owned a business in Jalisco for a time. He was bad at it though. Terrible with money." She chuckled and sipped at her coke. "So, how's business?"
"I do okay." I took a sip of my own drink. "It pays and even leaves me a little pocket change to keep myself pretty."
She smiled, her eyes crinkling in the corners. "Manuel told me you were funny."
I nodded awkwardly. "Sure. So, you're from Jalisco?"
"Yes. I left to marry Javier and move to California. Instead, we moved to Chicago. And then down here." She shrugged at the unraveling of life's best made plans. "I'll have to stop by for a coffee sometime."
"Absolutely! On the house."
It took no time at all for Eddie to finish grilling and cutting the meat. Once everything was ready Sylvia finished setting the table. Once it was done and everything was plated and uncovered a feast sat before us. My greedy eyes roved over grilled steak, Mexican rice, tamales, sliced lime, homemade tortillas, refried beans, some kind of red sauce, and some kind of corn Eddie grilled and smothered in some kind of crumbly cheese. They went all out and honestly it seemed like a lot for little old me, but I was starvin' like Marvin so I turned my brain off and dug in.
As the day went on the five of us fell into a nice little groove. It felt easy. Not as easy as my own family of course, but Sylvia made every effort to make me feel welcome in her home. A few times she lapsed back into Spanish, leaving me confused but a gentle reminder from Manny that I couldn't understand was all it took for her to remember to consider me. I was even thankful for Eddie's last second presence as his roguish antics and Isaac being adorable absorbed a lot of her attention.
That didn't last though.
"So," she said to me. "Are you Catholic?"
Manny choked on his beer. "Mama!"
Sylvia's faux innocent face looked just like Eddie's. "What? It's just a question!"
Eddie snickered. "Yeah. It's a free country. People can ask questions."
"Mind your business."
I straightened in my seat. A few hardball questions weren't unexpected considering the circumstances. "I'm not Catholic. But I am Christian."
"Okay." From the tight look on her face that was not a hundred percent okay, but she could tolerate it. "So, if you had children—"
"Mama!"
"—Would you consider a christening?"
I mean, it's all Jesus, right? "I don't see why not."
"Good." She clasped her hands together, her smile returned. "How do you like it?"
I realized with relief she was talking about the food. "It's delicious."
"Here have some more." She started piling more rice on my plate.
"Oh, I don't—" But it was too late. Oh, well. It's not like she's fattening me up for the sacrifice. "...Thank you."
"So, Evie." She said in the sweetest tone. "When you get married, will you consider doing it in my church?"
"Mama!"
Her head snapped to the side to look at Manny. "That's what you intend, isn't it?"
His eyes widened. "I mean—I... well..." He cleared his throat. "I haven't proposed or anything."
"But you want to." She stared at him in that way mom's do when they're challenging you with their eyes. "Evie, I know my son. He never brings women home. All he talks about on the phone is you."
"This is supposed to be a nice laid-back lunch." Manny sighed and stared her down. "You promised."
She was unfazed. "I just want to see grandchildren before I die."
"You already have six grandchildren."
She pouted her lips. "But none from my favorite son."
"I thought Benny was your favorite."
"He hasn't called me in a few weeks. I don't like him anymore."
Eddie grinned. "Where do I rank, ma?"
"The bottom." She looked him dead in the eye. "I never liked you."
When they all started laughing, I realized they were just kidding around.
The rest of the evening was thankfully relaxed. As our little get together wound down, I offered to help Sylvia clean up for extra brownie points. Unfortunately, she accepted so I found myself washing dishes in a house that wasn't even mine...The price we must pay to impress mothers.
At the end of it all I walked out of there with an extra tight goodbye hug, a promise to visit again, and enough leftovers to eat until dinner tomorrow.
"So, about this marriage stuff..." I said on the drive back to my place.
Manny's mouth pressed into a tight line, then he glanced at me before putting his eyes back on the road. "I hope you don't think I told her to say that."
I shook my head. "No. She's just being a mom."
"You know I love you, right?"
"Of course. I love you too."
"And I would love to be married to you."
"This better not be a proposal." Seriously. I appreciate that moms are always on the marriage prowl when it came to their adult children, but realistically we weren't there yet. Love or no love. "You shouldn't propose to someone with leftover tamales in their lap."
He just smiled at that. "All I want to say about it is I love you; I could see myself marrying you in the future, but I'm happy with where we are right now."
We were on the same page then. "I'm happy too."
And that was the whole truth.