I was terrified that al of this was for Eddie and me.
I couldn’t have asked for a better wedding reception.
“Jet!” Blanca disengaged from a bunch of people and rushed forward. The bunch of people she was with turned and stared at me openly.
I smel ed Eddie before I felt his hand at the smal of my back and Trixie came around the other side of Ada. I didn’t have the chance to greet them as Blanca was there.
“How are you?” she asked, her eyes smiling with the sheer delight of a mother intent on ending her days spoiling her grandchildren into unruly brats and seeing that time looming brightly just ahead of her.
“Bien. Y tú? ” I replied.
She grabbed my cheeks, pul ed me down to her and gave me a big kiss on the lips.
“Bien, mi hija. ” she said softly, letting my face go.
Uh-oh.
In less than a week and with Eddie and I only having one (weird) date, I’d graduated to her hija.
Eek.
I pushed down the panic and made the introductions.
“Blanca, I’d like you to meet my Mom, Nancy, and our friends, Trixie and Ada.”
Mom’s fingernails were digging into my arm but she let go, balanced and held her hand out to Blanca. Blanca took it into both of hers.
“Welcome to my home,” Blanca said.
Mom smiled her majorette smile and I saw Blanca’s eyes become dazzled.
Then Mom grabbed onto my arm again and we nearly both went to the ground as I staggered slightly with the weight she transferred to me. Blanca’s eyes moved to Mom’s hand on my arm and then to me. They were questioning. I shook my head in the barest hint of “no” and she immediately turned her attention to Trixie and Ada while I steadied Mom and myself.
“Jet made you cookies!” Ada announced and shoved the cookies at Blanca.
I turned to Eddie, leaning away from Mom as best as I could while stil holding her up.
I got up on tiptoe, put my free hand on Eddie’s bicep and said into his ear, “Mom needs a chair, like, now.” Our eyes caught, he nodded, then he touched his lips to mine.
I could swear I heard a col ective sigh from our audience.
Wonderful.
“Nancy, do you want a drink?” Eddie asked and pried her hand loose from my arm and guided her away.
I watched them go, Mom leaning heavily into Eddie’s body.
Okay, so, I could love that guy.
There you go, I admitted it.
Shit and damn.
* * * * *
I spent the next two hours shuffled between Blanca, Elena and Rosa being introduced to Eddie’s family; aunts, uncles and cousins. And there were a lot of them.
In this time, Eddie semi-disappeared. He was there but wasn’t there. I saw him with Lee. I saw him with Hank. I saw him with Lee’s Dad, Malcolm and Indy’s Dad, Tom. I saw him with some of his male cousins (needless to say, there was definitely a male/female divide). I did not see him anywhere near me.