Page 71 of No Merciful Corruption

Lyss squints at me. “Ha-ha. Very funny.”

“Lyss cooks really well.” Karina goes to sit down and I pull out a chair for her. “She has the magic touch.”

“This one’s just buttering me up.” Lyss puts down another spoon. “She knows I can’t deny a pregnant lady Sunday sauce.”

Karina’s eyes widen as her head bobs up and down in agreement. “Oh yes. Matter of fact, it’s a sin. Says so in the Bible.”

Lyss pops a hip. “Oh yeah? Which book?”

“Whichever book makes it more convenient for me.” She replies cheekily.

I laugh and Lyss rolls her eyes but even she can’t suppress a smile. Karina so rarely comes out of her shell nowadays that it’s a delight to see her actually enjoying herself, even if it is at Lyss’s expense.

I head downstairs and help Doña Ana bring the food upstairs. Fettucine alfredo, chicken cutlets, stuffed peppers, and a salad with a balsamic vinaigrette that looks delicious. I meant what I said before about being excited. Matter of fact, I’m thrilled.

“Hi, hi, hi!” Dahlia calls out as she runs up the stairs. “Sorry I’m late. I got bread at the bakery!”

“Oh, that’s—” Lyss yelps as Dahlia tosses the loaf into her arms.

Dahlia dumps her purse on the side table, kicks off her heels, and strips out of her jacket in record time. She runs over to where I’m seated at the head of the table, kisses me, and then waves at Doña Ana in passing before disappearing down the hall.

“I need to wash my hands!”

Karina casts me a look. “Are you sure you want to be with her forever?”

I smile. “Yes. I’m sure.”

Diego’s the last to arrive. As usual, he greets Karina first with a chaste kiss on the forehead and soft touch on the belly. He sits beside her in silence and every once in a while I catch them stealing glances at each other.

Dahlia and I have taken a hands-off approach to Karina and Diego these past weeks. They’re our family and we’re here to support them in any way we can. Anything more and it’ll put our relationship in jeopardy. Dahlia and I already learned the hard way that when it comes to Karina and Diego’s co-parenting situation, we need to stay out of it. We disagree on too much and it isn’t worth fighting over.

“Oh my God,” Dahlia plops down in the seat beside me. “I’m starving.”

Lyss glows with delight. “I made stuffed peppers.”

Dahlia waves a fork at her best friend as she surveys the dinner table. “And that is why you are the love of my life.”

I look at her. “Ouch.”

She takes my face in her hands and kisses me quickly. “No te preocupes, mi amor, you’re still the sexy one with the credit cards.”

Lyss smiles contentedly. “I love being a kept friend. It’s so nice.”

“Espera,” Doña Ana gives Diego’s hand a smack when he reaches for the cutlets. “Primero la bendición.”

She makes us bow our heads and say grace and only then does she allow us to eat. Dahlia goes on an entire rant about her project and spews a bunch of architectural jargon none of us knows how to translate. Then it’s Lyss’s turn to tell us all about her new job: it’s a law firm, it’s temp, she hates it, and one of the partners is a creep with a wandering eye. Doña Ana listens contently before telling us about the walk she took in the park today and all the beautiful things she saw.

Evenings like this are my favorite. The only thing missing is my sister and then our family would be complete.

“How about you, Kay?” Lyss asks. “Anything interesting happen on campus today?”

“I teach a bunch of history nerds for a living. Trust me, nothing interesting ever happens at work.” She attempts a lighthearted smile. “But I do have another doctor’s appointment next week.”

“Will you be finding out the baby’s gender?” Dahlia asks.

“We haven’t decided yet.” Diego says. “On the one hand, it’d be a nice surprise. On the other, it’d be useful to know what color to paint the nursery.”

“Nursery?” Dahlia quirks a brow. “And have the two of you decided on where that’ll be yet?”