Page 80 of This Could Be Us
The Boricua High Council is now in session,” Lola says, banging her imaginary gavel to start our FaceTime call.
“Can it not be in session more than ten minutes?” Nayeli asks, carrying my nephew Luca on one hip and brushing cereal from my niece Ana’s hair. “Some of us have six kids and are running on green juice and adrenaline.”
“Did Luca’s fever break?” I ask, glancing from the screen of my iPad and back to the ingredients I’m sorting on the counter.
“His fever didn’t break, but I have. These kids have shattered all sense of time and space.”
I herd a group of green peppers into a row. “Did you try the bone broth I told you about, Nay? And the elderberry? That might help with the fever.”
“Yeah.” Nayeli frowns and kisses Luca’s hair. “I’m going to do a bath. I’ll take him to the doctor if it doesn’t break soon. So again, can we hurry this along,mija?”
“I won’t hold you up,” Lola says. “You’re not the only ones with pressing things to do. I’m watching season two ofFleabag.”
I point to her and grin. “Told you it’s the best. It’s a crisis of faith and a sexual awakening.”
“I couldn’t go to confession for a month.” Nayeli crosses herself. “God forgive.”
“Okay.” I take a stool at the counter. “I really do need to start this ‘Cook with Me Live’ in a few minutes, so what’s this about, Lola?”
“I’m moving to Austin.” Lolaeeeeks and covers her face.
“As in Texas?” I ask, willing all my frown muscles not to flex.
“Yes, Texas,” Lola says.
“And you’re endangering your reproductive rights for what?” I ask.
“Books,” Lola says simply. “I’m opening a bookstore with Olive.”
“Olive, your best friend,” Nayeli clarifies, “who you recently realized you’re in love with? You’re following her to Texas?”
“I’m not ‘following her,’” Lola protests. “We’re doing this together.”
“And if you just happen to slip and fall between her legs”—I shrug—“oh well.”
“That is only a possible enjoyable by-product, not my primary motivation.” Lola’s expression loses all levity. “I’m done teaching. I need to do something different. You know I love books the way Mami did. This is what I want to do. I’m even gonna have Cat’s Corner.”
Catelaya.
“It’ll be a section for Mami’s favorite books,” Lola says, her eyes bright with unshed tears and enthusiasm. “And we’ll have a banned books library. If a kid’s school doesn’t carry those books, they can come to us and check them out. Can’t you see it? This will be amazing.”
“I see it,” I say softly. “If this is what you want, I support it.”
“I guess I do too,” Nayeli says grudgingly. “Just make sure you’re chasing dreams, not a piece of ass.”
“That’s a really crude thing to say.” Lola beams. “Proud of you, Sis.”
I roll my eyes but can’t suppress a grin. “So when will this move happen?”
“I’ll finish this school year,” Lola says. “But come summer, we’re packing it in and relocating. Olive may go ahead of me and move in the next few months.”
“You have money saved up?” I ask. “Like for the transition?”
“I do,” Lola says. “But I thought a cushion might be good too.”
“Cushion?” Nayeli walks through her house, holding the phone to stay on FaceTime. “Sorry. I need to check upstairs. It’s too quiet, and I should make sure no one has done a sibling bodily harm.”
“We have to think about what we’ll do with the house when I move,” Lola says.