This Could Be Us (Skyland, #2)(71)

“Yeah, they know. I can’t imagine I’m their favorite person.”

“They don’t know about… whatever is not going on between you and their mother?”

“Correct.”

“Whoo-wee, you getting messy down there in Atlanta, but what’s supposed to be, will be.”

“Yeah, how’s Dad?” I ask, wanting to talk about anything other than my would-be love life. “Taking his meds? Sticking to his diet?”

“I watch him like a hawk, but he cheats from time to time. His numbers look good, though. Cholesterol down. Blood pressure down. What about the boys? Any changes to their meds? You look at that study I sent on coadministering clobazam with CBD? May help reduce seizures.”

The nurse has entered the building. From the beginning Mama has been involved with the boys’ treatments and medications, even several states away.

“I saw it. Tremaine and I heard about it too. We’re talking to some parents who tried it about the efficacy, side effects, et cetera… Adam’s in a pretty good place right now. Not nearly as many seizures as before.”

“I just don’t want my baby to end up in the emergency room again.” Mama draws and expels a deep breath. “I’ll be down there so fast.”

“I know, Mama,” I tell her, letting her love and concern for the boys touch me by extension.

“I better go,” she says. “Your daddy will be back from Home Depot soon. Got it in his head to plant a garden. May be something your girlfriend put in his head.”

“She’s not…” I shake my head and give up because this woman has been pushing my buttons since before I had buttons. “Bye, Mama.”

“Bye, Judah.” She smirks, but the look in her eyes tells me she likes the idea of me finding someone, even if that someone isn’t ready to be with me… yet. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Ma.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX





SOLEDAD


The Boricua High Council is now in session,” Lola says, banging her imaginary gavel to start our FaceTime call.

“Can it not be in session more than ten minutes?” Nayeli asks, carrying my nephew Luca on one hip and brushing cereal from my niece Ana’s hair. “Some of us have six kids and are running on green juice and adrenaline.”

“Did Luca’s fever break?” I ask, glancing from the screen of my iPad and back to the ingredients I’m sorting on the counter.

“His fever didn’t break, but I have. These kids have shattered all sense of time and space.”

I herd a group of green peppers into a row. “Did you try the bone broth I told you about, Nay? And the elderberry? That might help with the fever.”

“Yeah.” Nayeli frowns and kisses Luca’s hair. “I’m going to do a bath. I’ll take him to the doctor if it doesn’t break soon. So again, can we hurry this along, mija?”

“I won’t hold you up,” Lola says. “You’re not the only ones with pressing things to do. I’m watching season two of Fleabag.”

I point to her and grin. “Told you it’s the best. It’s a crisis of faith and a sexual awakening.”

“I couldn’t go to confession for a month.” Nayeli crosses herself. “God forgive.”

“Okay.” I take a stool at the counter. “I really do need to start this ‘Cook with Me Live’ in a few minutes, so what’s this about, Lola?”

“I’m moving to Austin.” Lola eeeeks and covers her face.

“As in Texas?” I ask, willing all my frown muscles not to flex.

“Yes, Texas,” Lola says.

“And you’re endangering your reproductive rights for what?” I ask.

“Books,” Lola says simply. “I’m opening a bookstore with Olive.”

“Olive, your best friend,” Nayeli clarifies, “who you recently realized you’re in love with? You’re following her to Texas?”

“I’m not ‘following her,’” Lola protests. “We’re doing this together.”

“And if you just happen to slip and fall between her legs”—I shrug—“oh well.”

“That is only a possible enjoyable by-product, not my primary motivation.” Lola’s expression loses all levity. “I’m done teaching. I need to do something different. You know I love books the way Mami did. This is what I want to do. I’m even gonna have Cat’s Corner.”

Catelaya.

“It’ll be a section for Mami’s favorite books,” Lola says, her eyes bright with unshed tears and enthusiasm. “And we’ll have a banned books library. If a kid’s school doesn’t carry those books, they can come to us and check them out. Can’t you see it? This will be amazing.”

“I see it,” I say softly. “If this is what you want, I support it.”

“I guess I do too,” Nayeli says grudgingly. “Just make sure you’re chasing dreams, not a piece of ass.”

“That’s a really crude thing to say.” Lola beams. “Proud of you, Sis.”

I roll my eyes but can’t suppress a grin. “So when will this move happen?”