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“Mi abuela always says, ‘Leticia, you’re so much smarter than you think you are. Stop acting dumb.’”
I chuckle. I can imagine her abuela saying that, because mine would most likely say the same to her.
“I think that’s the role of the abuelas, to make us feel better.”
She nods in agreement. “I know yours is one tough cookie.”
“Which is why Abuelo was too scared to even think about doing something without her approval, but back in the day, the women ran the families.”
“Back in the day. I don’t think anything changed, Diego, even now, they still do.”
I couldn’t say my stepmom is in charge of my dad. Far from it. He doesn’t respect her at all. They practically live separate lives, which makes no sense when they are still married, but to each their own. I don’t pry into their lives, and they don’t do the same with ours. Lucas complains about it once in a while, but he knows better than to talk about Papá with me.
“How come your papá wasn’t at our wedding?”
What was once a nice evening turns into a sour one at the thought and now the mention of him. I don’t want to think about him, but ever since Lucas said Jorge was back, all thoughts about him have entered my mind. I left home at the age of five and spent most of my childhood with mi abuelo because Papá couldn’t stand the sight of me. I was the child that ruined his life, and he didn’t seem to care that he destroyed my childhood.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it up. It’s just that …”
As the server finishes placing our sushi on the table, I smile at her, pretending everything is better. I know it will be once we finish eating.
“Let’s eat.”
She mumbles back, “Let’s.” And then she fumbles around with the chopsticks. I try to show her how to eat without them, but then she plops the food in her mouth using her fingers. I’m no longer in the mood for anything and it’s not her doing, but Papá always brings out the worst in me.
We practically eat in silence. She comments on her once hate for sushi turning into a love.
“See, I told you to try it and see how you get on. Now you’ll want it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
“No. I don’t love it that much. Besides, if you eat too much of something, then you start to hate it. But that’s never happened to me and chorizo.”
We both laugh at the mention of the Spanish sausage. It’s as if the idea of a vegetarian Spaniard is unheard of or doesn’t exist. I think the more people are getting healthier, they are making better food choices, including cutting down on meat.
“Can we go through the city again? I want to see more of Tokyo, but I don’t think I can walk around. I’m too full.” She rubs her stomach, and I laugh at the once sushi-hating Leticia, becoming someone that seems to love it so much.
“I need to go to the bathroom.” She smiles as she gives up once again on trying to eat with the chopsticks and puts them down.
Before I even go to the other side of her chair, a server is there, pulling it out to help her.
“Do you need me to direct you to the bathroom?” She narrows her eyes at me. She asks the waiter in Japanese, and I realize how much I underestimated Leticia. She is really trying, and it’s paying off.
I sit at the table, lost and confused. Usually, I would look at my phone, but now there’s nothing. If there’s any change to the meeting in a couple of days, then the hotel can send a message to the suite as I instructed.
I sit and think about the last time I’ve not had a phone with me. Some part of me used to feel as if I was born with one in my hand. Yet I don’t miss it. When we return home, I’ll go one day per week without my phone, because I feel so relaxed with it.
This new generation has resulted in us having our lives too reliant on phones as if our world falls apart if we don’t have it by our side.
A false sense of reality created by big brother. I remember Abuela would tell us tales of when she was a child and the only phone in the village was in the local bar. Someone from the bar would run out to knock on the house for the person who had received the phone call. The part of the story I never understood was the person on the other line. How long did they wait for the person to pick up the call?
What if the other person was in the bathroom?
Or not at home?
Abuela would say that they would wait, or they would call back another time. It was never the end of the world.
“What are you smiling at?” Leticia asks as she returns to the table. I’m so lost in my thoughts I didn’t even realize she’d come back as I jerk up as if she scared me.
“I’m smiling at where I am taking you tonight. Be prepared to be impressed.”
