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Back Salt and Sugar Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Pedro’s face gets so red, I know Victor’s struck a nerve.

“So this is just all fun and games?” Pedro barks. “This isn’t just a club where anyone can kill time after school. The organizations we work with depend on us and deserve respect. I’m not about to let just anyone join and cook less than perfect food.” He scowls at me. “This club means a lot to me. Please, don’t drag our families’ issues into it, if that’s what you were doing. That food you saw in boxes, and the brigadeiro you burnt, we donate to NGOs in the community. A lot of families rely on these meals. So whatever problems you have with me, my family, or Sugar, I’m begging you, Larissa, just don’t do anything to ruin the work we do here.”

Does he actually believe I’m that horrible of a person? I feel tears prickle at the back of my eyes.

“I would do no such thing. But of course you would think the worst of me!”

I whirl around and I flee before he sees me crying.

17

MONDAY, MAY 2

My hand hurts and I’m still shaking with anger, but the sting of Pedro’s accusations is much worse. He’s always quick to jump to conclusions about me, and usually I don’t care what he thinks, but this time he hit where it hurts. I would never hurt my community just to get payback.

I turn left at the corner drugstore and begin going uphill, headed home, when I spot Mom and Dona Eulalia shouting at each other in the middle of the street. I halt, my heart in my throat.

“You’re vile!” Dona Eulalia shouts, one finger in Mom’s face. “That’s what you are! Vile!”

“Get out of my face,” Mom yells back. “You’re the only vile thing in this neighborhood.”

I’m afraid this could get physical. Despite my trembling legs, I run to Mom’s side.

She’s so surprised to see me, it’s like she forgot I stayed at school this afternoon. She swings an arm around my shoulders and begins steering me back into Salt, practically dragging me away from Dona Eulalia, who keeps yelling behind us.

Mom closes Salt’s door in a hurry, and for a second I worry Dona Eulalia will try to force her way in, but after hitting the door once with her open hand, she turns around and marches back into Sugar.

“Is this still about that wedding cake?” I ask, my heart thumping in my chest.

Mom sits at the counter, massaging her temples. Her top bun is coming undone, strands of hair falling at the side of her face.

“Eulalia is just throwing a fit because she heard I met with the client she stole from us. Dona Fernanda, remember? Her daughter was getting married.”

I gasp. “You did? Why?”