“It’s not good. I should have gotten a real present.” I avoid eye contact with any of them as they look over the portrait. Probably scrutinizing all the flaws and comparing it to Bo’s perfect artistry.
“You got Gregory and Dante, too!” Bo hugs me, and I think it’s the first time she’s ever done that. I hugged her after confession, but this one is different. She’s fully pressed against me with her cheek nestled against my neck. I shudder, hoping she can’t feel the chill rushing up my spine.
I squeeze back, savoring the embrace for a moment before I realize her parents are right behind her. I clear my throat and take a step back.
“Oh, honey, this is beautiful! Thank you so much!” Bo’s mom is tearing up.
“We can put it on the wall with the other family pictures! We have to frame this,” Rick says.
“Yamilet, you know you’re always welcome in our home, right?” Bo’s mom hugs me. Rick joins in, and so does Bo. The group hug is tight enough that it’s hard to breathe, but a good kind of breathless.
The hug lingers longer than most, but not long enough. I get a call. I pull my phone out of my pocket to see a phone number I don’t recognize, so I don’t answer it.
We all split off into our rooms for the night. I throw myself on the mattress, and Gregory hops on the bed with me so I can scratch his ear.
I get another call. Usually random numbers don’t call twice, so I pick up.
“Hello?”
“How dare you not answer me the first time I call you?”
I sit up so fast I startle Gregory. “Cesar?”
“No, your other brother with this exact voice.”
“Okay, well, you could have been a scammer trying to steal my identity. I don’t know why you thought I would answer a random number in the first place.”
“Well, obviously I’m not a scammer. I had to use a burner phone since mine broke.” Of course his phone broke. That’s why he hasn’t seen any of my videos! I want to ask if Dad said anything to Mom, but I’m not sure I’m prepared for an honest answer.
“So, what’d you call me for?” I’m still not completely sure he’s not mad, so I’m treading with caution.
“What, I can’t call my sister on Christmas just to say hi?”
“Awwwwww, did you miss me?”
“Shut up.” Despite Cesar’s inability to be sentimental, I can hear his telepathic message. He totally missed me.
“I missed you too.” I say it like I’m joking, but I’m really, really not. I can almost hear him smiling.
“So . . . I, um . . . I feel like I should . . . say sorry. For blowing up on you,” Cesar says, and it takes me a while to process that he’s actually apologizing.
“Thanks, Cesar.” I feel myself tearing up.
“So, did you make a move on Bo yet?” He changes the subject as quickly as he brought it up. Sounds like things are back to normal.
“Cesar! No!” I whisper-yell, even though there’s no way anyone could have heard him.
“Why not? You have the ideal situation here. You could go into her room and woo her right now.”
“Woo her? Seriously, what century are we in?” I’m still whispering, just in case. I don’t mention to Cesar that Bo does in fact still have a girlfriend. He’s finally talking to me, and I don’t want to ruin it by being a bummer.
“Listen, here’s what you got to do.” I can picture him leaning forward like it’s a secret. “You make an excuse to go into her room. Lie and say you think you left your phone in there or something.”