Vera Martinez has never dated. (Leaving out her seven minutes in heaven with a boy from fourth grade). All she's ever known about relationships and love are from the books she reads and old films she watches.
Until, in her English literature class...
It was Friday. Which meant family night at my house. It's been two weeks since I've confirmed to my parents, Frida, grandparents and sister - that Nathan and I are a couple. Everyone was excited. To me, it still felt like a dream.
I was waiting for Nathan outside the record shop. This is my first time driving him to my place - in my car.
Having ABBA sing in the background, while on the phone with my mom, Nathan taps on the window. I unlock the doors for him to get inside.
"I'll stop by el super to buy groceries. Yes, and candy. Te amo, adios." I hung up and turn to Nathan.
He wore his glasses with his hair combed back. I hold on tight to the steering wheel as I hold in this "excitement". He wore the guayabera Wito gifted him to wear for tonight's family gathering. He had three buttons unbuttoned that exposed his broad chest and neck. It matched with the dark-cuffed chinos and polished dress shoes. Nathan looks absolutely perfect. Too perfect. He even smelled nice - sweet vanilla and mint.
I tap on the steering wheel. "You ready?"
"I'm quite nervous," Nathan admits. "I'm meeting your whole family properly."
I let out a short laugh. "This isn't my whole family. Half of them live around the world."
I shot him a quick wink before turning on the engine and driving to the market. I take one glance of him, only to find him stare blankly ahead.
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"Nathan, mijo," mom greets him at the door with a kiss on both cheeks. "I'm so happy Vera and you were able to make it. Come, I'll introduce you to everyone."
Mom pulls him by the waist through the living room, kitchen and the glass sliding-doors to the veranda. Nathan shots back a worried look. Which I try to comfort him with two thumbs up as good luck.
In the kitchen, I find Alma and a couple of our primas drinking wine and preparing margaritas. I take the seat between Alma and Betty, and fill a glass of wine. It was a special crowd to be part of. Most of them either are in a relationship, married, or a mother. Even though I never had a boyfriend until now, they've always welcomed me into their circle of advice.
Betty, who's the oldest of the eight of us, was advicing Odessa, another prima about sex. Apparently it was Odessa's first time with this boy from her choir class. Odessa had multiple boyfriends and random guys - since kindergarten - confessing their crush on her. Odessa Martinez is polite. Yet with every boy she's been with, her cold stone heart is top ranked as most likely to break a boy's heart. But meeting this mysterious choir classmate, Geneva changed to actually not have her heart broken by him.
I take a sip of wine. The sweet bitterness taste running down my parched throat.
Alma was chatting with Eunice, who's six months pregnant. My phones dings in my jeans. I check to see a text from Nathan.
