Chapter 1
It still hasn't hit me that I'm going to be a godfather. It's insane! My dad barely trusts me to take out the trash.
I step out of the taxi and onto the street. The sun is just setting, and the bright houses are lit with a dim glow. My first true sight of Spain.
"Thomas!" shouts my uncle, Bill.
I haven't seen him since he moved to Spain, and he's the closest thing I have to a brother.
"Billy!" I greet him.
We do our secret handshake and hug.
"Sorry I couldn't pick you up at the airport," he apologizes.
I shake my head, and say, "Nah, it's all good." I know he doesn't own a car now that he lives here. "Where's Lola?" I ask.
Lola is his Spanish wife who's a week short of nine months pregnant. I imagine she's ready to burst.
Bill tells me Lola is at home resting. We walk the rest of the way to their house in downtown Seville.
When we arrive at the house, there's a sliver of light left in the sky. Their house is beautiful. At the international school I attend in Italy, most of the kids are rich and own huge houses. But my uncle's house is beautiful in a quaint way.
We find Lola on the couch next to a pile of candy wrappers. "Pregnancy cravings?" I ask with a laugh.
"Tomás! Tomás!" Lola pulls me into a tight European hug that I've gotten used to after living in Italy. She smells like roses and chocolate.
Lola pulls away and looks at me.
"You seem different," she says.
She's correct. It was brought to my attention this summer that I can be a bit of a stronzo. I've been trying to remedy that while gaining my confidence back.
"Yeah," I give with a sigh.
She looks at me as if she wants the rest of the story. And my aunt does not give up easily.
"Did something happen since the last time I saw you?" she asks in her fluid Spanish accent.
"It's a long story," I say.
Lola pats the cushion next to her.
"I'm pregnant," she says with a devilish smile. "I've got all night."
I go to bed that night utterly exhausted.
Bill and Lola have set up a bed for me in the nursery, but luckily the room doesn't look too babyish. I'm just excited to be in Spain. With a baby cousin on the way.
I fall asleep with no problem after telling Lola the story of the summer.
The version of my story I told her was hours long with her commentary, but I'll give you the short version. When my family moved to Italy, it was my chance to start over. To be popular. So I faked a British accent and acted like the popular boys in movies. I owned the place, but I guess it got to my head.
I took everything for granted, hurt my friends, and had to admit to my lies. It left me feeling pathetic.
My aunt listened and gave me advice I didn't ask for. But it was good advice. Let it go and become the person I want to be. It's funny how a warm hug and telling someone makes you feel so much better.