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“Oh, Isaac.” She took them and lovingly stroked one of the petals. “Gracias.”
I gave her a hug goodbye, being careful not to squish her flowers.He brought my mother flowers. Rather than feeling like a friendship gesture, it seemed like the most boyfriend move ever, and that had me dying to get him out the door before I thought about it too hard. “We have to get going, Má. So many people to pick up.”
“I’m gonna say hi to your dad really quick,” Isaac murmured as he brushed past me, his fingers dancing over mine for the barest of seconds. He was asking forgiveness and permission with a touch. Mostly forgiveness, because he was already leaning over Papá in his armchair, asking him about his ankle. A surge of pure affection for Isaac hit me, and I took in a fortifying breath. We were going to be fine. More than fine. Reacting to the sight of him was a casualty of having such a pretty, pretty man friend. After a while, I wouldn’t even notice.
The back door squeaked open before closing with a slam, followed by the sound of whistling, and I ran over and grabbed Isaac mere seconds before Eddie would clomp in here in his heavy work boots, most likely holding a sandwich. Eddie might look like a Neanderthal, but he had a memory like a steel trap. Especially for faces. “Bye, everyone.Los quiero. Be good, Papá.”
Isaac let me drag him out the door. I held up the van keys. “I promised my mom I’d drive. You good with being my navigator?”
“Of course.” He opened my driver door for me and then went around and got in, pulling his phone out. “Do you have a list of stops?”
“Yes. I’m going to forward you the list fromAbuelita.” I pulled it up on my phone and hit send. We’d re-exchanged numbers last night, which seemed almost ceremonial after our weird history. This list would be the first text I’d sent him in… oh, thirteen years.
His phone dinged, and he pulled up the image and squinted at it.Abuelitawrote in tiny cursive. Which was why I couldn’t be looking at it while driving.
“Carmen, these aren’t addresses.”
“I know. Don’t worry. I know where everyone lives. I just need you to read off the names for me a few times so I don’t miss anyone.” I backed us out of the driveway and headed towards the assisted living community where most of the bingo players lived. After such a cold day, the van was like an icebox, and I realized I’d forgotten my jacket. Cold seeped right through my sweater. But going back for a jacket now would take too long.
“Okay, the first line says, Don Arelio and G. Davis. Or maybe E. Otis?” Isaac rubbed his jaw. “Is this a cursive test? Because I am failing, and my third-grade teacher is going to be extremely disappointed in me.”
“Mrs. Maldono? She could never be disappointed in you. You’re the only kid who brought her flowers on her birthday.” I gasped. “Is that why you became a florist?”
I could feel Isaac’s eyes on me, and I didn’t even try to hide my glee in knowing lots of tiny random things about him.
“I became a florist because it was my sister’s dream to open her own shop, and I had a business degree and a trust fund I definitely didn’t deserve, and no idea what to do with it.”
“You have a trust fund?”
Isaac turned towards me in his seat and rested his chin on his hand. “Oh, someone finds that part interesting. Am I more appealing now? You rethinking the whole friend thing?”
“No.” If Isaac’s one goal in life was to make me blush, he was making awesome progress. I stared straight ahead because that cocky half-smile of his would be my undoing. The worst part? He was right to tease me. “I’m sorry. I was just curious about your parents, but it’s none of my business.”
“My trust fund is a long and weird story I promise to tell you another time. Back to these names.” He stared down at his phone again. “Maybe it’s Davies?”
“You were correct the first time. It’s G. Davis. I have no idea what the G stands for. Every time I ask, he tells me a man needs a little bit of mystery in his life, so I just call him Uncle G. He and Don are roommates.”
“Can’t wait to meet them. Is this bingo night only for people who go to your church?”
“No, it’s for anyone.” I glanced over at him. “Why?”
Isaac shrugged. “I have some neighbors who might like to come. I should probably see if it’s their type of scene first, though.”
“Oh yeah, what’s their scene?”
“Golden Girlsreruns. Maybe someGilligan’s Islandto shake things up.”
I opened my mouth to ask about these neighbors, but Isaac shook his head. “Another story for later.”
“Isaac, are you trying to be a man of mystery?” I smiled to myself. “You’re going to make Uncle G jealous.”
“I’m trying to be a good navigator. You are awfully chill for someone about to pick up…” he counted to himself, “…nine senior citizens.”
“Isaac, they all live in two assisted living communities on the same street. This is just the list of who planned to come this week.”
Isaac rested his head back. “So, you don’t need a navigator. How dare you, Carmen? I was almost important there for a moment.”
I started laughing. “I do. I do need you.”
