CHAPTER 109

Teresa's POV

Tomorrow is the big day! Mama Rosa will marry Dawson Books, a man I have come to respect and admire deeply. Everything has gone smoothly so far, especially considering the short amount of time we've had to pull it all together. We were a little worried about getting the word out, but Rosa decided she wanted only family members present at the wedding, so she and Dawson only sent out a small number of invitations as keepsakes. They'll send out the lovely pink and black wedding announcements to their many friends and associates after the fact, which we all agreed is the smart thing to do.

Mama Rosa specifically requested that we keep things rather low-key, since this wedding will be a small family affair. She didn't even want a rehearsal dinner because she feared Ricardo would make a scene. We tried to respect her wishes, we really did, but we girls just couldn't help ourselves.

My daughters and I held a bridal breakfast for Mama Rosa this morning and it turned into a rather interesting impromptu bridal shower. Besides my four daughters, my sister, Carmen, my daughter-in-law, Carolina, and my nephew Mateo's wife, Lucia, also attended the event. We were just moving from the living room into the dining room when the doorbell rang.

Celia, my oldest child, hosted the bridal breakfast at her house and I should have monitored her activities more closely. Unbeknownst to me, Celia had contacted Stephanie at her office and invited her to the bridal breakfast. Everyone knows I am Mama Rosa's only bridal attendant, but Celia thought it would be a nice idea to invite Dawson's "Best Man," Stephanie Plum to join us, too. Imagine my surprise – and Rosa's – when Carlos' secret novia arrived!

"Mama, Abuelita, look who's here," Celia beamed proudly as she led Stephanie into her large dining room. "It's Ms. Plum, from Books/Plum Designs! I know she's not family, but she's in the wedding party, so I thought it would be fun if she joined us this morning."

"Hello, everyone," Stephanie smiled brightly as she gazed around the room. "I'm sorry I'm late. Traffic was horrendous! I think all the drivers went crazy today because it's Friday the 13th."

The girls all clamored from their seats to greet the famous Ms. Plum, and everyone assured her she was right on time for the breakfast. She insisted we all call her by her first name and that cemented her to my daughters as a friend for life. In all the commotion, I stayed next to Mama Rosa for a few extra heartbeats. I hadn't spoken to my son's fiancée since that fateful night when Ricardo made such an ass of himself, so I could only imagine what she must think of us as her future in-laws. Rosa, of course, had become more comfortable around the young woman, especially since she'd been spending so much time at the office with Dawson. The man speaks flawless Spanish and is able to translate between the women, which must be a considerable comfort to both Rosa and Stephanie.

I know the color must have drained from my face, but I think my daughters only thought it was because Stephanie has earned almost idol status in our household. My girls know her as the business partner of the man their grandmother is marrying and as the woman who gave both their mother and their grandmother a chance to shine as models for the phenomenal "Are you a Babe?" advertising campaign. It's safe to say Stephanie Plum has become their latest heroine. I shudder to think what Carlos would say if he could see us all together like this.

Of course, Mama Rosa recovered from the shock before I did and she walked around the table to greet Stephanie with a warm hug. Celia graciously translated Mama Rosa's welcoming speech for her and no one noticed my initial hesitance. Lucia gave me a conspiratorial wink and I almost fainted. The potential for disaster was so great here, among all of my very nosy daughters, I could barely breathe. At first, I couldn't imagine what Stephanie was thinking by jeopardizing her secret identity, but then I realized she now had a great opportunity to see my family in a better light than she had before. As soon as I became comfortable with that idea, I was able to relax a little and enjoy myself.

After a brief round of introductions, we all sat down to a scrumptious breakfast of Cuban-style huevos (scrambled eggs with onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes and cheese), croquetas de jamón (smoky creamed ham shaped into finger rolls, lightly breaded and then fried), spinach and cheese empanadas, as well as the traditional tostadas, or grilled Cuban bread, and café con leche, a very strong combination of espresso with warm milk, into which we dipped pieces of the toasted bread. All of my children are good cooks, so we always say, "No one will ever go hungry if there is a Mañoso in the house."

Celia kept up a running dialogue of translations between Stephanie and Mama Rosa as the meal progressed. Everything was fine and then the conversation took a dangerous turn. It began so innocently, I didn't realize the danger until it was almost too late.

"So tell us, Stephanie, how did you become a designer of such high-end undies?" asked Lena, my very pregnant youngest daughter.

Maria, the younger of my twin girls, giggled and said, "Oh, Lena! Don't be silly. I believe the correct terminology is 'intimate apparel'."

After a round of giggles from the others, Pilar, the older of my twin girls, piped up and said in her usual sharp tone, "Honestly! Doesn't anybody in this family surf the Internet besides me? There must be dozens of news interviews and articles online about Ms. Plum. And I'm sure she doesn't want to talk about business today anyway. What I want to know is this: do you have a special man in your life?"

Stephanie almost choked on the mouthful of huevos she had just placed in her mouth before Pilar had launched her intrusive question. Mama Rosa admonished my daughter for being so nosy, but she was unrepentant. By then, even though they knew they shouldn't, everyone was looking at Stephanie expectantly. After all, inquiring minds did want to know.

"Well," Stephanie swallowed her food and carefully avoided eye contact with either me or Rosa before she began. "There is a special man in my life. Very special. It's a … a long distance relationship for the time being, though."

"Is that what your opal ring signifies?" Pilar asked as she flicked her eyes toward Stephanie's ring finger.

"Pilar!" Mama Rosa and I gasped at the same time. Rosa continued to chastise my daughter in Spanish.

Pilar pressed her lips together for a moment and then her words whooshed out despite her effort to hold them in, "I'm only asking because I like Stephanie! And I was just thinking she'd be a good match for Carlos." Then she turned to Stephanie and explained, "Carlos is our brother – younger than Celia and Alex, but older than the rest of us. He's tall, dark and handsome!"

"He's also in the Army," Lena quickly added, her voice full of adoration. "We're not even allowed to know where he is or what he's doing most of the time. But we're all very proud of him anyway. Well, everyone but Papa." And she became shy again, staring down at her big belly.

My heart nearly stopped beating as I listened to my girls singing the praises of their brother to the woman who already held his heart in her hands.

"Oooo, you're so right, Pilar," gushed Maria. "It's already a shame he's going to miss out on Abuelita's wedding, but it's doubly a shame he won't get to meet Stephanie." Then her dark eyes became dreamy and she said, "Can't you just imagine the two of them dancing together? Carlos' tall, muscular frame holding on to Stephanie's willowy loveliness – I bet they'd make the perfect couple on the dance floor!"

Stephanie blushed and started to say something, but Pilar cut her off.

"Don't pay her any attention, Stephanie," Pilar rolled her eyes. "Maria lives for sappy romance. Her poor husband has to put up with lots of pink and floral prints all over her house. It's positively revolting. Although… I do agree with her – you and Carlos would look very good together."

Thankfully, Carmen took control when she said, "Well, it's a moot point, so stop being such a sap, Maria. And Pilar, stop trying to stir up trouble where there is none. Yes, Carlos is a dreamboat and, yes, Carlos probably would like Stephanie very much if he ever had the chance to meet her. But the simple truth is he's not here and, as Stephanie has already stated, she's not available. Now, who's ready for mimosas?"

"I am!" Mama Rosa and I both exclaimed at the same time – she in Spanish and me in English. We exchanged a quick glance and smiled nervously at the other women around the table.

"More coffee would be great, too," I commented and then I asked Stephanie about her shiny sports car. This led to a discussion of dream cars and dream houses and dream vacations.

Finally, Pilar asked, "Abuelita, are you and Dawson going away for a honeymoon?" She had addressed her grandmother in Spanish and Celia dutifully translated for Stephanie.

Mama Rosa smiled slowly and answered in Spanish, "But of course, my dear. Surely you don't think such fun is reserved only for you younger people, do you? Ever since Dawson Books came into my life, I feel very young indeed. And you know what? My novio happens to be several years younger than I am, so I suppose you could call me a – how do you say? Oh yes, a big jungle cat."

We all looked puzzled until Celia said, "Abuelita, are you trying to say you're a 'cougar'?"

Beaming with mischievous pleasure, Mama Rosa nodded and said, "That's the word! In the old days, they called it 'robbing the cradle' and today they call an older woman who captivates the heart of a younger man a 'cougar.' I heard it on the Christina! Show."

Stephanie laughed aloud after Celia translated Mama Rosa's outrageous statement. Celia also explained that Christina was the Latina version of Oprah and her show was just as, if not more popular in our culture. We all grinned at Rosa, who was very proud of her self-proclaimed cougar status.

When the girls stopped giggling, Pilar asked again, "Abuelita, do you know where you're going on your honeymoon?"

"No, curious one," Rosa replied with a throaty laugh. "But Dawson did tell me to pack for warm weather and to have my passport with me at all times."

"Oooo, that's so romantic!" Maria squealed again, earning glares from her older sisters.

Lena exclaimed, "We're so happy for you, Abuelita!"

"Yes," agreed Pilar. "Now if only Papa would get that stick out of his –"

"Pilar! Do not say what you were about to say," I warned.

"Well, it's true!" Carmen chimed in with disdain chilling her voice. "Ricardo does act like he's got a stick up his behind. I still can't believe you went back to him, Teresa. He's been nothing but disrespectful this whole time. Is he even coming to his own mother's wedding or is he planning to sulk at home?"

Every head turned my direction and I took a deep breath before answering. "Yes, Ricardo will be my escort to the wedding tomorrow. I will not bear the embarrassment of attending such a momentous occasion by myself. He is under the strictest orders to keep his venom to himself and behave like a dutiful son. Father Brady backed me up on this. I suspect Ricardo's tongue will have deep tooth marks in it at the end of the day; that is, if he hasn't bitten it completely off by then." I smiled to lessen the severity of my words and there were a few nervous chuckles around the room.

"Well… okay, then," Celia breathed. "I think it's time for presents."

"Oh, no, my dears," Mama Rosa protested. "I told you I didn't want a big fuss."

"Abuelita, it's not a big deal," Celia replied as she rose from the table. "We all just wanted you to have a few new things to start out your new life – as a cougar." She winked and then beckoned us all into her living room.

When everyone was seated comfortably around the gift-laden coffee table, Maria said, "You know, since you're not having a rehearsal dinner, Abuelita, we don't have to worry about saving the ribbons and bows for your mock bouquet."

Everyone laughed at her observation and the bridal shower part of the morning began. My daughters and daughter-in-law had pitched in together to give their grandmother a complete set of high quality luggage. The set included large, medium and small rolling suitcases, nested inside of each other, as well as a matching carry-on bag and a small cosmetic case. Mama Rosa's eyes lit up with delight.

Celia beamed and said, "Mama told us you've still got the same set of old luggage from back when you came over from Cuba. We thought it was high time for a change."

Mama Rosa merely nodded in agreement, tears filling her eyes. I knew she couldn't speak, because the plain truth was she'd rarely traveled anywhere outside of the continental United States in the past twenty years. In fact, Ricardo was so overly protective of his mother, he didn't want her to go to any locations where Spanish wasn't the primary language. During the last decade, she had been on vacation only to Puerto Rico and Mexico with her regular group of lady friends.

My sister and her daughter-in-law gave Mama Rosa a gift certificate to the famous Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa on Fifth Avenue in New York City. My mother-in-law sometimes visited a local day spa to have her hair and nails done, but I knew she had never been to such a fancy place as the Red Door. Lucia explained that one of Mateo's clients was a major investor in the upscale establishment and was able to secure special deals for special friends.

"Besides," Lucia commented, "Now that you'll be the wife of the owner of the country's hottest line of lingerie, I bet you'll be able to book your own regular sessions there."

"Thank you, Carmen and Lucia," Mama Rosa replied. "This is most generous. I'll probably need a spa day when I return from wherever it is that my new husband is taking me and this will be perfect."

"Please open my gift next," pleaded Stephanie. "I can't stand the suspense any longer."

Everyone laughed while Celia translated. Then Mama Rosa nodded and picked up the shiny, silver-wrapped package. We all "oooo-ed" and "aaah-ed" as Rosa lifted the length of silky white material from the large box. It was a luxurious negligee set; its full-length robe had a thick collar of fluffy white ostrich feathers. Stephanie smiled with gleeful satisfaction as Rosa admired the sexy, but classy, garments.

"This set is newer than new!" Stephanie gushed. "It's actually a prototype – Dawson hasn't even seen it yet, so it hasn't been approved for mass production at this time. Our team put it together at my request – especially for you, Rosa. Let's hope it won't be one-of-a-kind. We're hoping Dawson will give the outfit 'two thumbs up' after you model it for him on your honeymoon."

Mama Rosa actually blushed as Celia translated Stephanie's statement.

"And last, but not least," I said, as I carefully placed my gift in front of Mama Rosa, "This one is from Ricardo and me. Of course, he doesn't know he's giving this to you, but I'm sure he'll be fine with it once I tell him."

Rosa unwrapped the gift and then tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed directly into my eyes. It was a photo album, a scrapbook, really. There were pictures of every member of our family. The oldest ones were in black and white. The photos, ticket stubs, newspaper articles and other pieces of memorabilia represented so many years of Mañoso family life. Soon every one of us had tears in our eyes.

After a while, Mama Rosa cleared her throat and began to speak, "Thank you all for coming out on this cold February morning to celebrate my upcoming wedding. This has been a very special time for me and I am grateful to have each and every one of you in my life. My Alejandro has been gone for many years now and I never thought I would find the kind of happiness I am experiencing with Dawson. Each day truly is a blessing and I hope you all will get to know the wonderful man I am marrying tomorrow. I only wish my precious Carlito …" she hesitated and wiped the tears from her eyes before she continued, "May God bring Carlos home safely to us. Please know that Dawson and I look forward to welcoming you all into our home as we begin to build even more family memories." Then she patted the scrapbook and smiled. "I will always be a member of the Mañoso family. Now, it is time for my beauty rest so I will be at my best for the big event. You know how cranky we Mañosos get when we are tired."

Everybody laughed as Celia finished translating for Stephanie and then we all hugged Mama Rosa before the party broke up. It was mid-afternoon by the time everyone else had departed and Rosa was ready for me to take her back to the home she now shared with Dawson Books. We drove in silence for a while before she spoke.

"That was a close one, Teresa," she said and I didn't have to guess what she meant.

I nodded. "I know, I know. My girls were practically trying to play matchmaker between Carlos and Stephanie. Thank goodness she has such a quick mind and quiet tongue."

Rosa sighed. "I do not even want to think about how our Carlito would react if he knew what went on today. We are going to have to be very, very careful tomorrow and in the days to come. Not only must Ricardo be on his best behavior, but he and Alejandro and Mateo are also going to have to act as though they barely know Stephanie. To them – and to all of us, really – she must only be Dawson's wonderful business partner and friend, so that none of the girls will become suspicious."

"Oh, but Mama Rosa, you saw how much my daughters really liked Stephanie," I groaned. "I can already imagine them trying to become better friends with her, especially if they think there's even the tiniest possibility of matching her up with their brother."

"It is going to be a very long year," Rosa sighed again.

All I could do was to nod my head in agreement. A very long year indeed.

Stephanie's POV

Omigod! Omigod! Omigod!

I cannot believe I just did that! Why, oh, why did I agree to attend Rosa's bridal breakfast? I'm such an idiot! What if Carlos' sisters had discovered my true place in their brother's life? What if they decided they didn't approve of our relationship after all? Omigod! He'd kill us all.

I've decided to avoid the Mañoso family – except Rosa, of course – as much as possible after the wedding celebration. That's the safest thing for me to do at this point. The situation is too complex and dangerous. Too many people – Ricardo, Alex, Mateo, Lucia, Rosa and Teresa, not to mention Dawson – already know the truth about me and Carlos. Every encounter with the extended family increases the risk of discovery. There is no way I want to be responsible for 'spilling the beans' to the rest of the Mañosos.

Still, today was lots of fun. I liked all of Carlos' sisters, even Pilar. And it's truly amazing to see the way Rosa has her entire family believing she can't speak English. I have to wonder how things must have been for her after her husband died and Ricardo took his 'mantle of responsibility' far too seriously. I'm resisting the urge to feel sorry for her, though, because she's so deliciously devious. I'm glad she's on my side!

After I left the bridal breakfast at Celia's house, I figured there was a little time before Teresa returned home, so I called Ricardo on his cell phone. If he heard about my attendance at the bridal breakfast from his wife, he was likely to react very badly. We didn't need any more stress than we already had. He picked up after several rings and he was not happy to hear from me.

"Estefania?" he said coolly. "I am surprised to hear from you. I thought we were supposed to limit our contact, which I think is a very good idea, especially since you seem to be against me, too. My whole family – my wife, my children, even my grandchildren – everyone says I am wrong to be so upset about my mother marrying that opportunistic cad of a man tomorrow. But I am not wrong! Cannot anyone else see this marriage is doomed to failure? Why am I considered the bad guy here? Why me?"

I sighed. It was difficult to believe just how stubborn Ricardo was being about his mother's remarriage. You'd think he would be glad that she was so deliriously happy. Or that he'd at least be content that his mother was marrying a wealthy and cultured man who would take exquisite care of her in her golden years. But no, it was not to be. Sometimes it seems that Ricardo Mañoso and Ellen Plum are cut from the same cloth. Bitter and whiny, opinionated and negative.

"I apologize for calling you like this, but I felt the need to warn you about what just happened," I quickly explained. "I don't want you to have a heart attack when Teresa tells you I was at the bridal breakfast this morning."

"You were where?" he exploded.

"Calm down, Ricardo!" I ordered. "This is exactly why I'm calling you now. I knew you would need some time to cool off so you'll be less likely to upset your wife when she explains the situation to you after she gets home. Celia didn't tell anyone she had invited me to the breakfast – I am Dawson's 'Best Man' after all. And I just assumed they all knew I would be there. It was a little bit awkward for Teresa and Lucia at first, but I don't think anyone really noticed."

Ricardo continued to rage, "How can you expect me to calm down when what you have just told me has the potential to ruin my life? Did my daughters figure out who you really are to Carlos?"

"No, no," I quickly tried to reassure him with a soothing tone of voice. "To them, I'm still plain old Stephanie Plum, designer of high-quality lingerie and business partner to their future step-grandfather. They did, however, act like they wanted to set me up on a date with Carlos when he returns."

"Madre de Dios!" he exclaimed. "You are playing with fire, Estefania! I know my daughters; they can be relentless when it comes to finding potential dates and mates for their brother. How did Teresa and Lucia react to the attempted matchmaking?"

"They were very cool and didn't give anything away," I assured him. "Our secrets are safe for another day."

"Yes, the women in my life have become quite the experts at keeping secrets," he grumbled.

"From my observations thus far, I'd say it's a family trait, with no exclusions," I replied dryly and Ricardo actually snorted a laugh.

"So, now that you have spent more time with my girls, what do you think?" he asked. "Do you think Carlos was right to keep you from meeting everyone before he left?"

I considered his question for a moment and then answered, "Actually, I can see both sides of Carlos' predicament now. The women in your family are as nosy as my own relatives. Your wife and daughters like me because they first came to know me as the co-creator of the Babe! lingerie line, which happened after Carlos left. I'm not sure they would have accepted me so readily if I'd merely been introduced to them as Carlos' previously unknown fiancée before he left. As for your mother, well, Rosa is in a class by herself. She befriended my business partner when she answered the ad to become one of my company's models and, as you might imagine, we've begun to forge a deeper relationship from there. I expect Dawson will want to include Rosa on at least a few of our business decisions in the future."

I didn't want to give away any hint of the true depth of my relationship with Rosa, but I wanted Ricardo to know I considered her to be a very special lady.

"Hmph! My mother knows nothing of business," Ricardo grumbled. "My father protected her from the harsh realities of life. Of course, my mother was always wise in the ways of running a home and raising a family, but she has become silly and foolish since that despicable man swept her off her feet. I barely recognize her anymore!"

"Ricardo!" I exclaimed. "How can you say such things? Have you seen or spoken to your mother lately? She's happy. Very, very happy. Why can't you just be happy for her, too?"

"It's ridiculous, I tell you!" Ricardo exploded over the airwaves again. "She's behaving like a silly schoolgirl! And you and my wife and all the others are only adding fuel to her foolish fire!" I could imagine him waving his arms wildly as he paced back and forth in his house.

I sighed and tried again. "Dawson Books is one of the finest men I know. Remember, he's also my business partner. He's the man who gave me the chance of a lifetime and we're taking the world by storm. Trust me. Dawson loves your mother more than life itself. You won't find a better man for her than him."

"I wasn't looking for a better man," Ricardo said bitterly. "I wasn't looking for any man at all for my mother. My father should have been enough for her."

Ah! Now we were getting somewhere.

"Ricardo," I began gently. "Don't you think your mother has mourned the loss of your father long enough?"

"No," he replied sullenly.

"If, God forbid, Teresa dies before you do, do you honestly think your children will want you to remain single and lonely for the rest of your days?" I asked, wishing I could see his face to gauge his true reaction to my question.

After a long pause, he replied, "That is different. I am a man."

"I see." Trying to hold back my temper, I said, "That's one of the most asinine, chauvinistic, overbearing things you've ever said to me, Ricardo. Maybe this phone call was a mistake, but I'm warning you – as a friend – don't you dare do anything to ruin Rosa and Dawson's wedding tomorrow. Or there will be hell to pay!"

Then I disconnected the call and drove home, praying that Ricardo would be on his best behavior tomorrow and hoping that nothing would mar the day for Rosa and Dawson.

Ricardo's POV

Tomorrow promises to be one of the worst days of my life. I cannot believe my mother – my fragile, elderly widow of a mother – will be marrying that impudent man, Dawson Books. He knows nothing of honor. He knows nothing of my family's proud traditions. He knows nothing about the way my father – God rest his soul – sacrificed and toiled every night to make Rosa's a classy restaurant that pays homage to my mother even to this day. ¡O, Dios! How can this be happening?

Teresa is angry with me again. We have been arguing over the fact that I cannot support this farce of a marriage between my mother and this … this … interloper. No one will be giving my mother away at the makeshift altar in Mr. Books' home. I refuse to call him Dawson. Dawson. What a ridiculous name! It is not fair that he speaks our language so fluently! I cannot even complain about the man without him knowing it. And it is unbearable that my own dear Teresa is going to be my mother's Matron of Honor. She and my daughter even threw a bridal breakfast for my mother this morning at the home of our daughter, Celia. It is ridiculous! What is this world coming to?

After Estefania's phone call and before Teresa returned home, I wandered through the house to try to clear my head. I went into one of the rooms she has been using as a sewing and crafts room and saw that she has been making scrapbooks again. My wife is quite artistic and creative in her own way with all the different colors of paper. She knows which photos belong with each other and the comments she writes on each page of a scrapbook truly tell the story of our lives.

I was tired of my thoughts, so I began flipping through the pages of several different scrapbooks. One was of our family Christmases. It is amazing to see how our children have grown up. Another book showcased all of my daughters' dance recitals. They were so pretty in their various costumes. The last one I picked up was very old. It took me a moment to realize the scrapbook contained many photos from before I was born.

Most of the photos were in black and white. There was one picture of my mother as a young bride in Cuba. Her wedding veil was pushed back and her eyes were turned away coquettishly while my father was speaking to her. There was another photo of my parents as my father twirled my mother in a dance. I gasped as I gazed at the beautiful woman my mother had been. The final black and white photo showed my mother as she was when she first came to America. She wore white gloves and a wool shawl. In the first color photo in the book, my mother was wearing a long string of pearls. She still wears those same pearls today. I remember she told me they were a gift from my father after Rosa's had had its first successful year of business.

Tears sprang into my eyes as I looked at the last photo of my mother in that particular scrapbook. It was taken on the tenth anniversary of Rosa's success. My mother was lounging on one of the wrought iron benches outside of the restaurant, and she was wearing the luxurious fur coat my father had purchased for her to celebrate their elevated status in the local Cuban community. A painting of that photo still hangs in the restaurant to this day. I gulped as I realized, for the first time, just how sexy my mother had been. I quickly shut the scrapbook and placed it back on the shelf with the others.

I shuddered and went down to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and think, but I did not like the direction of my thoughts. How could my mother have been sexy? I could not recall my father ever displaying any overt gestures of passion toward her. I am sure they loved each other; after all, they had my brother and me. Then again, no child likes to think about what their parents probably do in the privacy of their own bedchambers. Even a grown child!

Honestly, I did not want to think about my mother and the man she was marrying, but how could I not? I refused to consider that man as my … as my stepfather. It was distasteful. I am of the opinion that women of a certain age, especially widows, should just live out their lives peacefully without too much excitement. ¡Dios mio! Why should a man my age have to accept a new stepfather? I cannot! I just cannot.

When Teresa returned home, I was glad Estefania had called to tell me she had attended the stupid bridal breakfast. She was so upset! I was able to hold in my own frustration at the entire situation while my wife explained her sheer terror that our daughters would discover Carlos and Estefania's secrets at any moment. It is a good thing so many people in my family know how to keep a secret, or else the proverbial cat would be out of the bag by now. What a fiasco that would be! I can only imagine my son's fury at everything that has already happened since he left the country. Teresa's fury at Celia inviting Estefania to the breakfast without her knowledge was bad enough. I think it was her fear that caused the fury, but thanks to Estefania's warning, I was able to remain relatively calm while my wife paced and fretted over all the things that could possibly go wrong tomorrow.

Due to Teresa's paranoia, I am banished from all preparations for the wedding ceremony, as well as the celebration afterward. My wife said my attitude is still too toxic and she will not allow me to poison my mother's happiness. Hah! Alejandro is handling the catering and I was not even allowed to adjust the appetizer or wine lists. Most of the menu selections are not even traditional Cuban dishes. It is shameful! All I may do tomorrow is escort my wife and stay quietly in my assigned place until the entire ordeal is over.

Despite my misgivings, I will attend my mother's wedding. For the sake of peace in my own house, I will behave like the true gentleman I am. Father Brady has told me many times it is the least I can do. According to him, my mother is a grown woman and she has the right to choose her own path in life. I do not have to like or approve of the situation. And I certainly will not accept it deep in my heart. But I love my mother, so I will go tomorrow – and suffer in silence.

TBC