Page 69 of Out of Office
Holding hands, we walked out of the Tropics headquarters and to our future.
Epilogue
Genevieve
“Claudia, stop fussing,” I chided while we both stood in her cabana. Three fans pointed at me, and the ceiling fan was going too. The afternoon had no regard for my comfort. Yiya and Mirna were playing jacks in the corner, looking adorable in white tops with wide shoulders and with wide skirts reminiscent of polleras. Anita sat in the opposite corner, muttering something with a glass of mimosa in her hand.
“Girl, are you alright?” I asked.
“Why didn’t you tell me you invited that man?” Anita asked.
I attempted to turn my head, but Claudia disabused me of that notion real quick.
“Girl, if you don’t stop!”
I scoffed but sat still when I saw Claudia’s menacing gaze.
I swear, I didn’t need another bossy woman in my life.
“Who, Anibal? Girl...you gotta tell me—”
“Nah, not today. Not on your wedding day.” Anita winked, then went back to her cell phone where she typed what seemed to be a very loud text and then tossed it to the side. She stood up and came to where I was sitting in a high wood chair getting ready for the ceremony.
“It’s not our wedding, we’re married already,” I reminded them, as I had reminded everyone about a thousand times in the past few days. But clearly, they all knew me well because today was special.
It was the second wedding of my dreams.
Adrián and I got married on a Friday afternoon, him in a business suit, me wearing jeans and a blouse, with Gino and Anita as witnesses. All I ever wanted had been to be on the top of any hill in front of me, and that day I stood on top of the highest of them all as I became partners with my person. My Adrián.
Today, well, today was a celebration in the place of our hearts, where we fell in love.
Adrián received his work permit two months after we applied for his green card, and right away, he joined the Tropics team working remotely and making an immediate impact on the Colón project. Six months later, he became a permanent resident. The second he got that card, we jumped on a plane and came to visit our family.
“Shush. Did you both think we were gonna allow you to just marry without us?” Claudia screwed her face and found my gaze in the mirror; two seconds later, I was wheezing with laughter.
“How many times I gotta tell you, cuñada? I’m not the kids nor Adri. I got your number.” I raised my eyebrow, and she gave me a reluctant smirk. The friendship between us flourished as we learned from each other, and I considered her a sister of my heart.
“Do you think your mom’s gonna make it?” Anita asked, checking her watch. I shrugged. Mom had done her best to embrace my new life, and for the most part, things were good with her. But she was still climbing those imaginary steps that only she could see. Those had vanished from my sight, transforming to drives by the ocean, breakfast in bed, trips to different towns in the US with Adrián where I wrote my articles for my new position with Black Travel Chronicles. There was space for strategy too, the only way BTC could afford me was giving me a dual role, as business partner and senior editor. So, I was thriving in arranging partnerships with greater convention bureaus in Black cities, and Black-owned travel businesses to impact our cities the best way I knew how. And when I had to travel without Adrián, I wrote him notes of all the things we would do together once he could leave the United States again.
A video or two might have happened, and my toy chest continued to multiply.
“She’s daydreaming again. God, you would think they would get tired after eight months,” Claudia complained.
“Didn’t I find you fixing your skirt in a dark corner this morning after being mauled by your husband?” I drawled.
“Oh please,” Claudia said, then blushed. Anita cackled and went to the kitchen to get more mimosas. Every time I messed with Claudia about Mario, she got flustered, but it did not fail. But now I got it, and I got that feeling of euphoria. Of having a secret that no one knew but you and your person. I had that with Adri.
“Good afternoon.” Mom waltzed in and Yiya and Mirna ran to greet her. Yiya gave her famed introduction and caught my mom up in minutes.
“Oh, honey, you look gorgeous! Such an important day. Well, what can I do?” Mom asked after chatting with girls.
“Nothing, you can chill, because this is meant to be a chill d—” I started to say, but a chorus of protest cut me off.
“Oh, please.”
“Ay ya hasta cuando. Bendito.”
“Shhh I had to fly here, of course it’s important.”