“She loves you, Veronica. Anyone can see that, except you, I guess. She understands how different your jobs are, and she loves you anyway. She just wanted to be there for you, but you’re too stubborn to let her. Do you want to lose her?”
“No.” I didn’t even have to think about my answer. I didn’t want to lose her, I loved her. “I don’t.”
“You’re going to if you don’t fix this. You have to stop being stubborn, Veronica. It doesn’t make you weak if you ask for help. It makes you weak if you don’t ask for help or you don’t let the people who love you help you and you lose them. You come over for dinner tomorrow, mija”
“I don’t know if I’m in the mood?—”
“Dinner tomorrow night, Veronica Elena. Seven p.m. Do not be late!”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you tomorrow."
“Good. I love you, mija. And wear something nice.”
“What? Why?”
She hung up without an explanation and I groaned. I wasn’t in the mood for a physical lecture, but I guess I didn’t have a choice.
I drove home thinking about our conversation. She was right, I needed to fix things, I just didn’t know how. Maybe after dinner I’d drop by her house so we could talk. Hopefully she didn’t slam the door in my face. I loved her and I couldn’t see my life without her. If that meant I had to woman up and apologize, then I would. My abuela was right. I was going to lose her if I didn’t do something, and I wouldn’t let that happen.
Talking to my abuela really kicked my ass and knocked me out of crisis mode. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter what jobs we had. I wasn’t any better than Cara because of my job, and if I asked for help or accepted help, it didn’t mean I was weak. It meant that I was a strong enough person to admit that I couldn’t do everything on my own, and I didn’t need to. I had all of these amazing people in my life that loved the hell out of me and just wanted to help me. If I could throw myself to help someone else, why couldn’t I let them do that for me?
Chapter Forty-Three
CARA
When I pulled up to Vera’s abuela’s house, I was still so anxious. Why did she want me over for dinner if she knew Vera and I weren’t talking? I didn’t show up empty handed, though. Because I was dreading this dinner, I stayed up until about eleven baking cookies. Snickerdoodles were the cookie choice for today. I couldn’t bring myself to make Vera’s favorite cookies.
I rang the bell and waited on shaky legs. Was Vera here? Would she see me and storm out? I didn’t know what to expect and I absolutely hated that. I picked up my phone last night to call her a few times, but I stopped myself every time. I didn’t know what I would even say.
“Cara, I’m so glad you made it!” Vera’s abuela brought me in for a hug when she opened the door.
“Thank you for inviting me. I brought cookies. Do you like snickerdoodles?”
“I’m not sure I’ve ever had them, but that was very thoughtful of you, dear.”
“I have to admit I was a little nervous for tonight. Does Vera know I’m here?”
She shook her head. “No, mija. She’s not here.” She pulled me inside and led me to the dining room where she already had food laid out. It all smelled amazing.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I didn’t see Vera anywhere. I felt about twenty pounds of stress fall off my shoulders as I sat down.
I took in all of the food as she told me to get my plate filled. There was ham, a few sides, and some rolls. It was like a Christmas dinner. “This is a lot of food for just the two of us, isn’t it?”
She shrugged. “Leftovers are a wonderful thing.”
That was true. I smiled and started filling my plate. Pausing when the doorbell rang.
“Excuse me, won’t you? I better get that.”
I nodded and continued to fill my plate. I wondered who was at the door. I heard her quietly speaking Spanish, but I couldn’t hear who she was talking to.
I had just picked up a roll when she walked back into the room. “Who was?—”
All of my words died off as she moved to the side and Vera came around the corner. I stood up, not sure what else to do. I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. I hadn’t seen her in over a week and I hadn’t talked to her since our fight. The tears threatened to spill out but I had to control them.
She stood there, seemingly just as surprised to see me as I was to see her. She looked amazing in a nice button up shirt tucked into a pair of jeans. I looked her up and down. God, she looked good! I hated that.
“Hi,” she finally said. She still hadn’t moved from the doorway and I hadn’t sat back down. I wasn’t sure how she’d react to me being there, so I was ready to leave if that’s what she wanted.
