Warm

14

1,000 roses sit at my doorstep.

"Are you sure you didn't get the wrong apartment?" I ask the delivery girl. She carries the humongous bouquet into my apartment. It takes up my entire kitchen.

"Apartment 504. Aurora Blanca?"

I nod, trying to process the fact that there are 1,000 roses overfilling my kitchen.

The delivery girl heaves a big breath as she shifts the 1,000 roses carefully. She stares at me, clearly annoyed to have carried such a heavy thing. "Here's the card." she shoves it in my hand and slams the door.

It's a small card with a tiny rose decorated on it. The words on it read: 

For all the flowers I didn't get to give you in high school - Keanu.

My face heats up completely. "What am I supposed to do with 1,000 roses?"

There's a knock on my door. That must be Keanu. A blush burns through my skin.

As I open the door I start, "You didn't have to-"

"Didn't have to what?" Esperanza says, barging through my home. "Are those for me?" She points at the ocean of roses.

I close the door behind me, racking my brain. "Did we have plans today?"

She frowns. "Si!  You were going to introduce me to your boyfriend but you never brought him over so I took things into my own hands." She scans my apartment. "You have no pictures? And why is your bed in this corner? Do you have a room with a bed?"

"I like sleeping next to the living room but I also have a bed in my room for the times I like sleeping in my room." I refrain from telling her I hardly ever sleep in my bedroom.

She makes her way to the refrigerator, pushing through and struggling with the bushes of roses.

She scoffs. "What good does a million roses do when your fridge is empty? Didn't you say this guy was a CEO?"

As expected, Esperanza is being protective. She was like this too when other people approached me in school. She was skeptical of everyone. My mind flashes back to the jokes Mateo and I made about my poor future boyfriend that had to deal with her scrutiny. The time has actually come.

"He is but I can buy my own groceries now." I open my arms wide. "I'm rich."

She grumbles to herself. "What kind of man doesn't make sure his girlfriend is well fed?" She turns to me. "Call him now and tell him to come. DON'T tell him that I'm here."

Keanu would be completely caught off guard. "Manzana, please let me tell him you're here. I swear he's a nice man."

The old nickname we used to have for her works and she nods. I take out my phone to call him.

"I miss you," Keanu says right as he picks up.

I can't even try to hide my schoolgirl blush. "Me too. Do you want to come over today? Remember Mateo's mom? I've told you about her."

"Yes, you said she was like your other mom right?"

"Yeah well she's here right now in case you wanted to meet her."

"I'm on my way," he says without hesitation and hangs up.

The only thing I can do now is hope that Esperanza only hates him 25%.

I bite on my nails as I stare outside the balcony looking for Keanu's car.

Finally, his familiar grey car pulls up. "Oh!" I run across the apartment. "Ya llego, voy a ir a ayudarlo!" I yell on my way out the door.