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My sister grins at me. “Well, as much as I love your visits, I have to go help out. We’re swamped.”
“I’d offer to help but-”
“Nope!” She interrupts me. “I’ve seen you in customer service. We’ve got it covered. You want some lunch?”
“Yes, please!” I clasp my hands together like I’m begging for my very life. “And a lemon tart?”
Lilah nods and gives me another hug before heading back behind the line. I watch her go, but something catches my eye from behind the swinging door to the kitchen.
“He fucking better not…” I mutter as I storm into the back. Sure enough, Luis is standing over a mixer next to a kid who can’t be too far out of high school, waxing poetic about gluten development. The kid has that faraway, glazed-over look one gets when they’ve heard something half a dozen times already.
“Luis! What are you doing here?” I snap.
He jumps, his eyes meeting mine guiltily. “I was just checking in.”
“You’ve been here two hours,” the kid moans.
“And you’re wearing your chef coat,” I accuse.
“Well…” Luis hedges. “Yes. I only wanted to check in but then—”
“No,” I interrupt. “No buts. You’re coming with me.” I’m shaking with anger and it’s seeping out through my voice. He doesn’t move, so I circle him and put two hands on his back, marching him towards the front of the bakery.
“Okay, okay!” Luis laughs as we pass through the swinging door. Lilah gives us a startled look.
“Luis! Where did you come from? What’s going on?”
“Luis can’t be trusted to follow the doctor’s orders, so I’m kidnapping him,” I say before he can make more excuses.
Lilah rests one hand on her belly, waving us toward the front door with the other. “Carry on, then. Don’t forget your lunch. I threw in some extras.”
I grab my bag from the counter and shepherd Luis out of the bakery and to my car. He laughs the whole way, clearly underestimating my sincerity.
“I get it. I’ll stay home,” he says, pointing at his little red car in the back of the lot.
“Nope. I have the week off. You’re coming with me and I’m going to make sure you rest like you were told to.”
“Julia…” he says my name cajolingly, but I’m tired and out of patience.
“You scared the shit out of me last night! You get that, right? You keep acting like this is a game and we’re all overreacting, but this is serious, Luis. You are going to take your medication and rest like you were told. And once you go back to the bakery next week, it’s going to be at reduced hours with a lighter workload. Do you hear me? You are the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let you work yourself to an early grave.”
Luis’ face softens as he watches me yell at him. “Okay.”
“Good. Then get in the car and let me take care of you. Please.”
He nods and opens the passenger door with no further argument.
One person fills my thoughts the whole drive back to my place. I almost make it all the way there before I have to ask. “Where is Mateo?”
Luis squints at me. “He left early this morning. He had a job interview with a security firm in San Francisco.”
“He left?” There’s a little prickle at the back of my neck. He’s just going to take off again? This is the Navy all over again.
“He’ll be back…” Luis trails off as he looks out the window, grinning. “Don’t worry.”
“I’m not. I’m just surprised he left you alone this morning, that’s all.”
“In his defense, he did leave a note telling me to take it easy.”
