Page 118 of No Greater Oblivion

Karina opens her mouth to reply but her eyes drop to his arm and the sleeve that’s ridden up to his elbow. She gasps and grabs his wrist. “Oh my gosh, look at all those new tattoos!”

Lettie shifts uncomfortably between both feet. “I really have to go to the ladies’ room.”

“Why the hell are Evan’s kids here?” Dahlia interjects.

Karina pulls away from Diego and winces. “Yeah…they’re not the only ones who showed up.”

Dahlia throws her arms up. “What part of only the family did you not get?”

Karina rushes to defend herself. “It’s not my fault! Mom opened her big mouth and told Emilce you were bringing your boyfriend over for dinner and Emilce, la mas bochinchera que es, went and told Rita when they were at the hair salon yesterday so obviously she told Evan who called my mom and was offended he wasn’t invited⁠—”

“Of course he wasn’t invited. Nobody likes him!”

“Bathroom!” Letti exclaims. “Please! I had a gallon of hot chocolate and we’ve been driving for over an hour!”

Dahlia points. “Upstairs, first door on the right.”

Lettie bolts up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

“Apparently, we’re still expecting people. Jessica is coming.”

“Which one?”

Karina winces. “Both.”

Dahlia’s gaze suddenly finds mine. She points a warning finger in my direction. “If I catch you looking at slutty cousin Jessica I’m kicking your ass.”

“What about the other Jessica?” I quip. “Is she safe to flirt with?”

“Ha,” she mocks. “Don’t be a smartass. The other Jessica is a conspiracy theorist who thinks the earth is flat and women who orgasm during sex are possessed by the Devil. Have fun with that one.”

Karina whispers conspiratorially, “She’s the weird cousin.”

“Karina, ¿dondé está la⁠—”

Another woman enters the corridor, having come from a room I can’t quite see from here. She looks like a taller, older version of Karina with a bronze complexion, dark brown eyes, and straight jet-black hair she wears neatly tucked behind her ears. A soft gasp leaves her lips and she runs down the hall to meet us.

“Why is everyone standing there in their coats, ¡Dios Santísimo!”

“Damn it,” Dahlia comes up to me and tries taking off my coat. “I’m sorry⁠—”

“Here.” I turn her around instead and help her slip out of her coat. I unwrap the scarf from her neck and carefully remove her gloves. “Are you always this jittery?”

She glances up at me, eyes softening. “Only around crazy people.”

I remove my coat and she guides me to the coat closet under the stairs while Karina introduces her mother to Lettie and Diego, likely saving me for last.

“Promise to still love me after this?”

I’d kiss her if I didn’t think she’d be humiliated by such a display of affection in front of her aunt so I drag my fingers across the apple of her cheek, letting my touch linger for as long as she lets me. “As if I could ever stop.”

29

GHOSTS FROM CHRISTMASES PASSED

Dahlia

Montclair, New Jersey