Because The Mirandas love to make me miserable, They force me to come with them to Lin's parents' house for Sunday dinner. I don't know why people designate certain days of the week for fancy meals. I should be able to eat gourmet Italian food any night I want.
Today is a horrible day for one big red reason. My old friend estrogen showed up this morning, so I'm in ultra serial killer mode. And because there are two women in the house, we ran out of pads. I had to shove one of Vanessa's tampons where no tampon should be shoved. I'd never used one before, so I squeezed my eyes shut and poked around until the thing slid right up. Feels like there's a knife in my abdomen. Womanhood is traumatizing.
We take the subway to Brooklyn at 4:00. Sebastian brings along his magic kit so he can show his abuelos some tricks. Lin films himself rapping O.D.B on the train. Fifteen stops later, we get off in the land of the higher class and hippes. Brooklyn Heights in January. The moment I walk through the door of the townhouse, a blast of heat makes sweat appear in all the wrong places. Who knew fingernails could precipitate?
The house looks different from the last time I was here. A sculpture was removed from the bookshelf, and instead of a bowl of mixed fruits on a coffee table, they set out a bowl of walnuts. Luis and Luz hug The Mirandas and say their "I love yous" in Spanish. They save me for last. Luis pats my back and Luz gives me a huge kiss on the cheek. I wipe her lipstick off my face when she's not looking.
Luz brushes her fingernails against my forearm. "You have new tattoos," She jokes.
"Aren't they marvelous?" Asks Vanessa.
Sebastian tugs at the hem of her jacket. "Marvelous?"
"Beautiful to see," she tells him. "Write that one down. It'll knock your kindergarten teacher off her feet."
Right before dinner is served, it begins to snow. I watch the snowflakes outside the window instead of setting the table. Luz makes angel hair pasta and a salad with a strange type of lettuce I've never seen before. The leaves curl up around my fork. Sebastian talks with Luis in Spanish. The kid is miraculous. His brain operates in two different languages simultaneously. I don't remember how to speak Urdu, anymore. I only remember the hellos, goodbyes, and my name. ودیا.
"So." Lin glances at me and wipes his mouth with his napkin. "The other day, I discovered Viddie's hidden talent."
Everyone watches me expectantly. I ignore their smiling faces and push the pasta around on my plate. "Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah--" He tries to speak, then chuckles and spits some wine out onto his napkin. This causes a chain reaction of Miranda laughter. I watch the snow float in flakes to the ground. The plows are going to have a busy morning.
Lin regains composure and tries again. "What none of you know, is that Viddie is a world class baller. NBA material."
A collective gasp swells in the room. Luz grins at me from across the table. "No kidding!"
I do my best to laugh, but it sounds like something made from plastic. "He's lying."
"You don't have to be modest." Lin turns to speak to Luis. "She beat me in a pretty intense one-v-one, a few weeks ago."
"That wasn't a one-v-one, it was U-S-N-A-V-I." I lean forward on one arm and smirk at him. "You talk about me beating you like it was difficult. Like, come on. Every hunchback in the world called, they want their form back."
Luis laughs and claps my shoulder. "She's a feisty one."
The joke wasn't remotely funny. I twirl my fork around on the plate and listen to the pottery screech beneath the metal. Lin scoffs. "I'm not that bad."
YOU ARE READING
SHOUT - Adopted by Lin Manuel Miranda
Fiksi Penggemar"Sometimes I think the universe sets certain people out into the world like gifts meant for others, people whose purpose is to save someone else. That's how I think of families. And if the universe couldn't do me that favor, couldn't put someone on...
