Page 108 of Cava with My Colleague

“Diana always says no gifts. Fernando always ignores her.”

“So we’re bringing a gift.”

“We’re bringing a gift.” I sit on the edge of the bed. “I was thinking a football. She’s obsessed with kicking things right now.”

“Perfect. We can pick it up at Decathlon. And she can kick it around in the park after she opens it. And go by the market to get flowers for Diana.”

I mentally adjust what time we need to leave, because Jade loves wandering in the market, and I don’t want to be late.

Jade sips her coffee, and I watch her—this woman who upended my life, who made me brave enough to risk everything, who spent seven months in Austin searching for a way back for me.

“What?” she asks, catching me staring.

“Nothing. Just . . . happy.”

“Me too.” She sets down her mug, reaches for me. “Come here.”

I do, and she pulls me into a kiss that tastes like coffee and morning and home.

“Carlos?” she says when we break apart.

“Mmm?”

“Thank you for giving me your family.”

“You’re welcome. Now come on—shower. We’ll be late.”

“Bossy.”

“Efficient.”

She laughs and climbs out of bed, and I watch her pad toward the bathroom, Izan trailing behind her hopefully.

My life. Our life. Exactly as it should be.

Fernando and Diana’s apartment is in chaos when we arrive. Carmen is turning two, and apparently two is the age where she has opinions about everything.

“No!” she shrieks when Diana tries to put her in the high chair. “No no no!”

“Carmen, please⁠—”

“NO!”

Fernando looks up from the kitchen where he’s plating food. “She’s been like this all morning.”

“It’s the terrible twos,” Jade says.

“Right on time,” Diana says, defeated. “Everything is a battle.”

“Let me try,” Jade says, setting down the round gift that is very obviously a football. She crouches in front of Carmen. “Hey, Carmen. Want to see what Jade brought you?”

When we moved back to Madrid, Jade resumed her Spanish lessons with Manny. We speak Spanish at home more often than English, at Jade’s insistence, unless we’re with Jade’s friends.

Carmen stops mid-shriek. “Present?”

“A present. But only if you sit in your chair like a big girl.”

Carmen considers this. Then, miracle of miracles, she reaches her arms up for help getting into the high chair.