Ana Maria Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle by Hilda Eunice Burgos

Author:Hilda Eunice Burgos
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Published: 2018-09-25T16:49:29+00:00

Chapter 25

We had finished labeling about half of the bottles when Cosita came out and told us lunch was ready. We went into the dining room and sat at a long table under a crystal chandelier. The cook brought out platters of roasted chicken, rice, pinto beans, salad, and fried ripe plantains. Every time she came into the room, she yelled at Cosita to get out of her way. “You’re going to make me drop this food, you useless girl!” So Cosita planted herself in a corner of the room and did not move.

The white walls in the dining room were covered with framed paintings and wooden artifacts. “Where are those from?” I asked Tía Nona.

She looked at the masks I was eyeing. “Oh, different places. Some are African, and some Asian. And this” — she tilted her head toward a painting on the other side of the room — “is our latest acquisition from our trip to Spain. It’s an El Greco print. Isn’t it beautiful?”

I nodded as I looked at the spooky landscape in the painting.

“Isn’t there anything Dominican in here?” Abuelita asked.

Tía Nona laughed. “Oh, Mamá,” she said.

“I’m starved,” Mami said. “And everything smells delicious.”

We passed the food around and served ourselves heaping platefuls. “When does Lalo get here?” Tía Chea asked.

Tía Nona snorted. “He called this morning. Apparently, he missed his flight last night.”

“Don’t worry, Nona, he’ll be here in time for the wedding,” Abuelita said.

“Oh, I’m not worried. Either he’ll make it or he won’t. Whatever.”

Abuelita’s face got all tight and pinchy. “Well, you do need him to walk you down the aisle.”

Tía Nona put her fork down. “About that, Mamá. I really want you to walk with me.”

“What? That’s unheard of! It has to be the man of the family!”

“No, it doesn’t. It should be the parent, and you’re my only parent now, so I want it to be you.” Tía Nona reached over and put her hand over Abuelita’s. “Please. It would mean so much to me.”

Abuelita patted Tía Nona’s hand. “Well, okay, if it’s important to you. But only if Lalo doesn’t mind. I don’t want to offend him.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.”

We ate until we were stuffed. Still, there was a lot of food left over. Abuelita looked over at the corner where Cosita was standing. I had forgotten she was there. “Are you hungry, mamita?” Abuelita asked.

Cosita glanced at Tía Nona. She shook her head and looked down at her feet.

“She’ll eat in the kitchen when we’re done,” Tía Nona said. She turned to the girl. “You can take these plates now and bring the ice cream.”

Cosita sprang toward us and grabbed the half empty chicken platter. When she came back from the kitchen, the cook was right behind her. “Take the silverware and saucers,” the cook said to her. “I don’t want you to drop any of these heavy platters.”

“Tía Nona,” I said when Cosita was in the kitchen. “Is that her real name?”

“Who?”

“Cosita.” I couldn’t imagine anybody naming their child “little thing.

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