I give her a nod, and she quickly looks between Anna and me, understanding immediately what I’m about to do.
“Okay, kiddo. You keep working on these while I go to the bathroom.” Isa moves to stand, and I shake my head and mouth, “stay.”
“Hey mija, put that down and come here for a second.” I sit up straight and tap on the cushion beside me.
She bounces as she takes her seat next to mine. “Dímelo,” she says in perfect Spanish, and I have the urge to laugh and cry at the same time.
“Hey, do you remember a while back, when you kept asking me when I would consider having a girlfriend?”
She nods. “Yeah, and you said that you don’t have time for anyone besides me and Abuela, because we’re a handful,” she says with a straight face.
Kids, man.
I smile and nod. “So if I were to have the time, to have someone join our life as my girlfriend, what would be some of the traits this person should have in order for you to be okay with her?” I venture.
Her face turns serious as she ponders. “She has to be nice. And know how to make sprinkle pancakes. As well as yummy snacks. She obviously needs to like baseball and come to games with me and—” She looks somberly at Isabella, then back at me. “Those are all the things I do with Isa, and she’s my bestest friend. So…” She perks up and sighs dramatically. “Can’t you just make Isabella your girlfriend so I don’t have to find someone else to join us? Because Isabella is here to stay, right, Isabella?” She looks at my woman pointedly, and I can tell Isabella is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Isa walks over and takes the other seat next to Anna. “So you wouldn’t be upset if your Papi and I are boyfriend and girlfriend?” she asks cautiously.
Anna shrugs. “Not really. What would really change? You already live here.”
Isabella bites down on a smile as she continues. “Well, we would hold hands and sometimes, maybe even kiss.” She tickles Anna’s side when she makes a disgusted face.
“Kissing, gross. I didn’t know kissing was part of the package. You would kiss Papi with his prickly beard?” She points to my face, aghast.
“Hey, I thought you loved my besitos,” I complain as she giggles.
“Okay, I guess they aren’t that bad. What else would change?”
“Isa would be moving into my room. You know, so our stuff can be closer together.” I smirk over Anna’s head as Isa sends me a silent death glare.
Sorry, but I refuse to continue sneaking around. Any extra moment with Isa in my arms is worth adding to the negotiating table now.
Anna nods. “Okay, that makes sense. That’s it?”
Isa and I both look at each other, a bit at a loss as to what else to say. She’s clearly taking this much better than expected, and I didn’t fear she would struggle with it to begin with.
“Nope, that’s all, kiddo. Just means she has a place in my heart, like you and Abuela do.”
Anna looks down at her hands as she worries her lip. “Can I ask a question?” she asks warily.
“Of course, mija.”
She looks up at Isabella with glassy eyes. “Does that mean I get to have a place in your heart, too?”
That question and her pleading tone almost do me in.
Isabella’s eyes instantly well with tears, and I’m right behind her at this rate. She grabs Anna’s hands and squeezes them gently. “Oh, Anna, you’ve had a place in my heart for a very, very long time. And the space you take up just keeps getting bigger and bigger, my love.” Anna dives into Isabella’s arms, and before we know it, we’re all in a tearful cuddle puddle.
“You have a place in my heart too, Isa,” Anna hiccups.
Tears fall freely down Isabella’s cheeks as her eyes glow with love.
Fucking hell… love.
“Mateo, have the fire department on standby. I’m making an executive decision. Anna and I are making a sprinkle rainbow explosion cake.”
forty
