The Chameleon's Grin ll Camilo Madrigal

Chapter 10 : Cinnamon

Camilo's pov:

When dinner was over, Carmen cleared her throat, getting my attention.

The cake. She mouthed so Dolores couldn't hear.

"Ah," I whispered, and stood up, addressing the table. Everyone looked my way. "Carmen and I have made a surprise for you all."

Before anyone could ask questions, we both bolted to the kitchen, and came back with the cake. We had made it larger than the ones from yesterday due to the large amount of people we were feeding.

We hadn't tasted everything together, so we too got a surprise.

I also brought the cutting knife, and I tried to hand it to Carmen, but she wouldn't take it.

"I think you should do the honors." She said softly. "It's your cake after all."

"But you-"

"I helped mix and make the frosting, but you got out the ingredients yourself and poured the right amount in the cake. This time I was the assistant."

I looked at the smiling faces of mi familia.

"Cami, you made a cake?" Mamá asked.

"I-I guess so." I shrugged.

She smiled at me, but there was some emotion deeper there that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

However, I pushed that thought aside and focused on the cake cutting. I had never done this either, even on my own birthdays, so when I sunk the blade into the soft delicacy, everyone at the table clapped.

As I continued to portion it out, Carmen passed the slices around. When she put one in front of mamá, the woman whispered something into her ear and she laughed, saying that whatever it was they were talking about was no big deal. I forgot that I was staring at them, so when they both looked at me, I snapped out of it and put my focus back on the cake. Their chuckles only embarrassed me further.

Carmen came back to pass some more pieces, so I asked what they were talking about.

"Oh, she just thanked me." She stated.

"...About what?" I waited for her to continue.

She smirked. "That's a secret between us ladies." And with that, she walked away, cheerily giving Abuela her portion of the cinnamon cake.

What does that even mean?

Once everyone had a slice, I sat down at my own seat tensely. I don't know how Carmen looked so calm yesterday when so much was on the line over a couple of cakes. I was getting anxious even though the worst that could happen is that they wouldn't like my food.

"Alright," I announced. "Let's dig in."

I took my first bite, and I almost teared up.

It was amazing.

I should open a bakery someday.

The flavors melted together beautifully with the texture of the frosting.

The room was so unbearably quiet for a moment that I was almost tempted to chew louder just to fill the silence.

"Camilo," Carmen spoke up. "This is amazing."

I grinned. "It almost lives up to yours." I dared to say.

She squinted her eyes at me. "Almost."

"Almost." I agreed.

***

The rest of the night went smoothly, but when it was time for the Cortes sisters to go, Mirabel offered to walk them home, along with Luisa.

I was going to offer my services as well, but Dolores called me upstairs.

"What is it?" I snapped.

"Calm down, you'll see her again tomorrow."

"That's not what I meant-"

"Okay, whatever. What I was going to say, was that mamá had thanked Carmen for-"

"Hey 'milo," Isabela interrupted. "If Carmen will be here every night, I'd like to make her a plate, y'know, like the one's that we have. What do you think it should have on it?"

Distracted by what Dolores was about to tell me, and annoyed with Isabela, I couldn't think of what to put on Carmen's plate. "I don't know her too well personally yet, I'd ask Mirabel." I told her.

"Ugh, some boyfriend you are." Isabella rolled her eyes.

"Considering that I am in fact not a boyfriend to anyone, I'm not taking that personally. And I don't even know if we can count as friends yet."

"Your love life is drier than the climate my cacti like." She insulted.

"Oh yeah? Well your... uh, I don't have an comeback, but if I did you'd be offended!"

Isabela smirked, knowing she'd won, and walked away.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to where Dolores had been, but she was gone.

"Where did you-" I sighed, throwing my head back. "Seriously?"

Carmen's pov:

I said my goodbyes and thank yous to Mirabel and Luisa, and closed the door.

"Hola hijas (daughters)." Mamá said, getting up off the couch to greet us.

Diana wrapped her arms around mamá's waist and I hugged her around her shoulders.

Once my little sister had said goodnight to the both of us, she went straight to bed.

"How was work?" Mamá asked me.

I smiled before I could stop myself.

"It was good I take it then?"

"Si mamá, how was work for you?"

She sighed, her eyes giving way to exhaustion. "It was work."

I hugged her tighter. "Tomorrow Julieta is selling my first batch of cake pops, that means my first paycheck. And our first step out of this life."

"Oh Carmen," The woman whispered in my ear, "you shouldn't have to work, you're young and should be worry free."

"We'll get there someday Mamá, I promise."

"Well someday better come soon because I can't stand the idea of you having to work because I can't provide enough for all of us."

"Mamá please, don't worry yourself over me."

Mamá quickly pulled away from our hug and cupped my face in her hands. "Don't you ever, ever say that sentence again. I am your Mother, that is my job, not yours. Never feel like a burden to me. We are a family, we aren't burdens to each other. Do you understand me?"

I muttered a weak 'si.'

She swung my head around in her hands. "I said do. you. understand. me?!"

"Yes mamá!" I laughed, wriggling out of her grasp.

"Good, now go to bed! It's a school night!"

"Alright, alright, I'm going. Goodnight Mamá."

She stood in the middle of the living room, smiling down on me. "Buenas noches mi hija."