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“Amazing. Congratulations,” Clifton said.
“Gracias.”
Dante looked past Annabelle to his younger sister. “Why are you so quiet tonight?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
“I am observing.”
“You need to tell them about your accomplishment.”
She blushed. “It is not much.”
Dante paused after tearing his cornbread in half. “If she won’t brag on herself, I’ll brag on her. Marisol attends the University of São Paulo, one of the top schools for veterinary medicine in the world. This is no surprise to our family since she was always bringing home stray animals when she was a child.”
They all laughed at the teasing.
“Thanks to Dante, she can go to the university,” Contessa said proudly.
“Mama—” Dante started.
“No, I will say this. My son has blessed us all—his family, his community. And now he has blessed us even more with a new daughter.” Smiling, she looked directly at Annabelle.
“I’m very lucky we have another chance to be together again,” Annabelle said, almost choking on the deceit. Lying to their families was tougher than she expected.
“I must tell you that you are a godsend for my son,” Contessa said to Annabelle in a conspiratorial voice, though everyone at the table could hear.
“Mama, por favor,” Dante said in a hard voice.
She said something in Spanish and waved away his comment. “Why hide the truth? You are together again, and God has answered my prayers. For years, Dante hid his sadness from me, but I know my son. He was not happy. Here, tonight, I see the way he looks at you when you enter the room, and Iknow. This is true love, and he is happy again. He has peace and will have peace for many years to come. Thank you, Annabelle,mija. My son is whole once more. I no longer have to worry about him.”
She reached across the table and took Annabelle’s hand. She didn’t know what to say, forcing a smile to her lips as Contessa gave her fingers a grateful squeeze. Shame filled the depths of her soul. The poor woman was imagining things, and the lies she and Dante had perpetrated gave his mother false hope against his imaginary distress.
“Very soon, you will start a family, yes?” Contessa continued.
Annabelle stiffened.
“Contessa, you will embarrass her,” Edgar said.
“I only ask the question. I do not embarrass you, Annabelle?” Contessa asked in the most innocent voice.
“We do eventually want to start a family, but we cannot rush,” Dante interrupted smoothly. “All in due time, Mama.”
“I am an old woman. I will not live forever.” Contessa stuck her fork in a plantain.
“I have to interject here and say I also look forward to the day when I will have grandchildren. I’ll be retiring soon, so the timing is perfect,” Clifton said with a hopeful glint in his eyes.
Oh for goodness’ sake! Not her father too.
Cutting the tender brisket with a knife, Annabelle kept her eyes trained on her plate.
Babies had been the furthest thing from her mind, but this conversation made her wonder…
If she and Dante had a son, what would he look like? Would he have dimples like his father? She imagined chasing a pint-sized version of Dante around the yard, teaching him to swim, showering him with kisses as she tucked him in at night. She would love to have a little girl too. The kids would learn Spanish, of course, and spend summers in Venezuela visiting theirabuelosto learn about their Latin heritage.
Annabelle blinked, shocked at the direction of her thoughts. What was she thinking? A future together with children was never going to happen.
