Page 33 of Two For One

“Abuela!” Xiomara yelled, as I snorted.

“Or do they call it split roasting?” she pondered.

I sandwiched my lips between my teeth, loving her grandma even more.

“I’m more partial to Paris, but sure, we could go with that,” O said, sliding me a plate with an enormous omelet. “I love the Eiffel Tower.”

Xiomara glared at O as he remained oblivious, making his own egg.

“I’ve always wanted to go,” her grandmother sighed.

“Abuela, kinky!” Oliver said, as I sat down, grabbing my fork to eat.

She laughed while taking a sip of her coffee.

“Oh, the things I could tell you,” she smirked.

“Abuela, por favor, no.” Xiomara’s eyes grew wide.

O laughed as I took another bite.

“So, what’s up with you? You’re very quiet.” She turned her gaze on me.

“He’s nonverbal, Abuela,” Xiomara said quickly.

“Oh, I’m sorry, mijo,” she said, laying her hand on my forearm.

I shrugged, feeling uncomfortable with her attention.

It’s ok, I signed. No sense in dwelling on it now.

“He said it’s ok and no reason to dwell on it,” O translated for me.

“He's rotting in hell,” she said, rubbing my back.

I stilled.

“And she’s always with you,” she added, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

My eyes grew wide, wondering if she was talking about my mother.

“Abuela is clairvoyant,” Xiomara explained. “She’s always been sensitive to the spirit world.”

I clenched my jaw, wanting to ask so many questions, but too afraid to hear the answers.

“She says she loves you,” she said.

“Abuela, don’t. He might not want to⁠—”

I held up my hand to stop her from speaking.

Why did she do it? I signed, staring down at my plate as O translated again.

If she was really clairvoyant, she would know what I was talking about. I was met with silence so heavy I thought I might have to leave because it felt like I was suffocating.

“It wasn’t her, it was your father,” she said, taking a deep breath. “He wanted you to go because you weren’t his.”

I looked up quickly, my mouth opened in surprise.