“Gotta hand it to you, man,” Bren says, looking at me. “Never thought I’d see the day you’d settle down. And those songs you sent me are great. We’ll be recording more than a few of them. I have some notes, we might need some minor changes, but we’ll talk when you get back from your honeymoon.” Bren finishes his praise with a slight nod.
“I never thought I’d see the day when I’d get a compliment out of you,” I shoot back, and he throws me one of his crooked smiles.
Pride swells in me. I’m doing it. Finally. I have people who love me for the first time in my life and the respect of my heroes. Everything is falling into place.
To think, it all started with a bet.
42
LOLA
Sofia leads me to a sitting room on the other side of the house where the guys won’t hear us. She chews on her thumbnail nervously.
“What is it?” I ask as I sit down.
She takes in a big gulp of air. “You’re not pregnant, are you?” she rushes out and lets all the air out of her lungs.
I throw my head back with laughter. “No!” I reassure her.
When I first called her about the engagement, as expected, she was dead set against it. She only conceded when the alternative was for her to sit out my wedding altogether. Ileana had a similar hesitation to the idea, but in true fashion, she encouraged me to follow my heart. And mytíaElena?Ni se diga. She blew a gasket but ultimately wants nothing but my happiness.
Sofia, on the other hand, can’t let it go, it seems.
“You’re just so young. And you had a breakup. You’ve barely gotten yourself together. Don’t you think you should spend some time together to really get to know each other? Move in, find out if you’re suited to that level of companionship?”
I study her for a moment. “Are you sure you’re not projecting, Sofia?”
Sofia went through heartbreak not that long ago, and Bren has finally accepted that she will never marry. She has so many hang-ups about the institution. I understand her distrust. But I don’t share it.
“Sofia, I love him, and I know he’s it for me. And I know you don’t trust marriage, but that just hasn’t been my experience. My parents, they were so in love. I watched them all my life, how they supported and respected each other. How they lifted each other up when there were tough times. I have a great example to draw from. And I know, I know Karl doesn’t, but we learn from each other. It’s how our relationship works. He teaches me love for music, and I teach him how to be loved. It’s beautiful, and I want it for life. And I want it with his last name.”
My eyes get teary at the thought of my parents. I’ve been avoiding letting myself go down that path. Avoiding thinking about how Dad can’t walk me down the aisle tomorrow night and how Mom can’t be having this talk with me now. Though a sister is a great second. I know Sofia is concerned because I’m so young. To be honest, I would be too, if our roles were reversed.
But I’m just that sure.
“You sound a lot older than nineteen,” Sofia says.
“These past few years have aged me so fast,” I explain. “All that pain, all that rejection, losing my family, being forced out of the only home I’d ever known . . . it puts things in a different perspective. This is my happy, and I want to grab it with all the enthusiasm I can manage. I want to hold it tightly because I know how precious and rare it is and that I have to savor it while I can keep it.”
“I guess there’s always divorce if it doesn’t work out like you’re hoping,” Sofia says, all serious, and I burst out laughing.
“I love you for caring. But you should have more faith in us than that. Have you forgotten what a great guy Karl is? Pixel and Addy both adore him. Kids and dogs, they can tell when a person is an asshole, or when they’re a friend.”
It’s Sofia who laughs now. “Well, then. If he has the approval of his dog and my toddler, then I guess I have no arguments now.” It’s said with sarcasm, but Sofia’s eyes are welling a bit now, and I’m so sure it’s with happiness for me.
* * *
TíaElena gaspswhen she sees me in the dress.
I’m wearing my hair down in loose waves. It’s blond again, though not as long as I like it, so I had some extensions put in for tonight to return it to its former length for the pictures.
My dress is a sweetheart neckline, strapless number, with a fitted bodice. The material is lace in thick patterns that make it almost look crocheted, and I’m wearing matching lace cuffs around my upper arms. The underskirt hits above my knee, but the outer skirt fans down the length of me in a mermaid silhouette that reveals my legs through the flimsy lace material. It’s boho and perfect for our location.
“Don’t cry,tía,” I beg her. “Then I’ll cry, and you’ll ruin my makeup!”
“Mija, you look so beautiful!”
“Thank you.” I approach her and let her wrap her arms around me.