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“No, really. It’s okay.”
“Remember, you don’t have to do it all on your own. Love you, sis.”
“Love you, too. Now go on and pack up. I’m sure you’ve got a hot date tonight.”
“Jealous much?”
Sofia looked around Adrian’s home and realized that yes, she was jealous. Even though he’d been an ass, she missed him. Missedthem.Missed being part of anus,even if she’d been the only one who thought they were together.She wished she knew how to fix things between them, but how could she take him back when he had so little respect for her? It was a lose-lose situation.
“Ha, you wish. Get out of here!”
Chapter 26
“¡Ay, Dios mio!”
Adrian stood on the front porch behind his mother. Getting her out of the truck had taken fifteen minutes of coaxing. That was down from the hour it had taken him to extract her from his sister’s house. The weekend full of mothering Mahalia and snuggling little Jeremiah had brought back Mamá’s smile, the one he’d inherited, the one that had grown increasingly rare. That child hadn’t slept in his crib the entire time Abuela had been there. She’d spent so much time cooking and cleaning and holding the baby, Adrian didn’t think she’d had time to be afraid. Or maybe the medicine from her doctor had given her back a little control. Either way, the weekend had been a good break for everyone, but he knew she was anxious to get back into her own home. They’d left early Monday morning to avoid traffic and the anxiety that would bring.
During the drive home, she’d twisted her purse straps and scanned the windows constantly for cruisers. Her smile had slipped off her face, replaced by the more familiar mask of fear and anxiety. Adrian wished he could take all of the fear off her shoulders permanently, but he didn’t know how.
The fact that his mother was frozen on her doorstep instead of immediately hustling inside filled Adrian’s gut with lead. What had Sofia done? Was it so bad that his mother was literally trapped between two terrifying realities? If she had ruined his mother’s one safe space…
Mamá clutched his arm for support, and he pushed the door wider so he could help her get inside.
“Come on, Mamá. I’m sure it’s not that bad…”
He trailed off as he got his first clear view of the room, and his jaw hit the floor, now covered by an inviting Persian rug. He froze beside her, unable to process the complete transformation that had happened in just two days.
“It’s…it’s…maravilloso!” His mother cautiously stepped over the threshold. “Are you sure we are at the right house?”
Adrian leaned back outside to check the numbers on the mailbox, but yes it was their house. His keys were still hanging from the lock in the door. He couldn’t find the words to reassure her, because frankly he was stunned.
Gone was the dark, cozy cave he’d gotten used to seeing behind this door. In its place was a bright, airy retreat.
He managed to get the door closed behind them and then just stood there, arm around his mother, trying to absorb every detail.
“Look at the windows,mijo.” Tears welled in her eyes as she pointed. “So bright, but still private.”
The blinds were lowered about six inches from the top, allowing the bright California sunshine to stream in. The cream-colored paint on the textured walls fairly glowed.
“Is that my chair?” Curiosity broke through her shock, and she walked across the room to her favorite spot.
The room felt so open without all of the couches pushed up against the walls. The new couch and armchairs anchored the space around the rug, creating an inviting place to sit with friends. He’d worried about seating for the times the entire neighborhood gathered in this room, until he noticed the built-in bench and bookcase topped with throw pillows in every size and texture. Meanwhile, his mother was bouncing in her chair like a toddler at snack time.
“She fixed it!”
“It was broken?”
“Not broken, just well-loved. The seat drooped. Now it is firm again, and this fabric!” She ran her hands lovingly over the rioting poppies in muted reds and oranges with hints of green vine. “It’s gorgeous and so soft! And look at this side table, with a place for my tea and books! And this light is the perfect height!”
Every new detail brought more of the joy back to his mother’s face. This was Sofia’s gift. This wasn’t for acclaim or to show off for any producer. Hell, she wasn’t even here to see Mamá’s reaction. She listened to people and asked the right questions. She heard what was said and what wasn’t. And then she fixed it.
And it wasn’t just with her designs. The reason she was so good at her job managing the office stemmed from her ability to get the right information and act on it. Who did he go to when an order got screwed up? Who did he rely on to make sure his guys still got paid when they forgot to punch their time card?
She’d been fixing things for him for years. How often had he not noticed? He had been so busy fixing things in his own sphere that he hadn’t appreciated the gift of having a competent partner on his team. Imagine what they could do together— No, he had to quit thinking about them together. That was screwed up beyond repair. But he could think about how he would say thank you.
This transformation was amazing and would definitely change his mother’s day-to-day life. There was no way Sofia had stayed under his tight budget, but he wasn’t even mad. That smile on his mother’s face was worth every extra penny.
“She even labeled my shelves! TBR, Keepers, Lending Copies! Oh, I can’t wait to organize.” She ran her hands lovingly over her beloved books.
