The elevator car arrives, and Solange backs into it, her dull gaze never straying from mine. We’re still holding hands, neither of us quite ready to let go. After a long moment, she takes a deep breath and pulls away. Then the doors slide shut, and she’s gone.

A part of me wants to run down the stairs, stop her in the lobby, and kiss her senseless. But Solange isn’t the person for me; pretending otherwise is only going to lead to the kind of heartache my mother’s experiencing at this very moment. I’ll reach out to Solange in a few days. Make sure she knows that I genuinely want us to remain friends. Anything else would be impractical—no matter how much I wish that weren’t the case.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Solange

Natalia answers the door, a sleeping Sebastian wrapped in a blanket and cradled in her arms. “It’s about time you came to see me!” she yells.

I gesture at the baby. “Shh. You’ll wake him.”

“Don’t shush me, bitch.” Spinning around, she adds, “I have a very important job these days.”

I follow her into the house. “Yes, I get it, but how is speaking more quietly going to interfere with that?”

She gives me a “duh” expression. “This kid needs to get used to his very loud mother. So I’m starting him out young. All of the parenting guides say if you make your home unnaturally quiet, a baby will respond to every little thing and—”

“Obviously that isn’t going to happen here,” I mutter.

“You’re lucky I’m curious about the contents of that bag,” she says, pointing at my shopping tote. “Otherwise, I’d tell you to turn right around and come back when you learn how to respect your elders.”

Ah, yes. The “respect your elders” refrain. To Natalia, our two-year age difference means I’m young enough to be her daughter. It’s ridiculous, but I’ve come to accept that, just as there are dog years, there are cousin years too. I’ve also come to ignore it. Besides, today I have a far more important matter monopolizing my attention: the little bundle in my cousin’s arms.

As I stare at Sebastian, I can practically feel my heart expanding to accommodate the extra love for this newest member of our family. “He’s beautiful, Natalia. Congrats to you and Paulo, and may he always be happy, healthy, and safe.”

“Thanks, Sol,” Natalia says, beaming as she looks down at her son. “Paulo and I are still pinching ourselves.”

A chorus of laughter erupts in the kitchen. “The gang’s all here, huh?”