“It looks like a car, doesn’t it, Jess?”
“Smells like a car.”
“Moves like a car.”
Together they cried, “It must be a car!”
Sophia just turned and charged back up the stairs. She rushed past Alisha and into the house. Alisha continued to gape at us for a moment and then followed her in. The moment the door closed, Jesse and Edward burst out laughing.
“Revenge?” Edward asked me.
“I don’t know what to call it, Edward. I am in more shock than she is,” I said, looking back at the car and down at the keys in my hands. I couldn’t even imagine what the look on my father’s face would be. Such things were even beyond our dreams.
“C’mon. Let’s get you started on preparations for your party,” Jesse said.
We were only halfway up the stairs when the front door opened again, and Tía Isabela appeared. She looked at us and then down at the car. We saw Sophia standing behind her with Alisha.
“Is this true, Edward? You bought her that car?”
“Mother, I cannot tell a lie. It is true,” Edward said.
“Are you clear out of your mind?”
“I don’t think so, Mother. Why do you ask?”
Tía Isabela stared at him a moment and then turned and went back inside.
“The only reason my mother is upset,” Edward told Jesse, “is that now she’ll really be pressured to buy my sister her car.”
“She’ll hate me for it,” I said.
“She’ll get over it,” Edward assured me. “She’s hated me before, too. Don’t worry.”
“Just concentrate on your wonderful evening,” Jesse said.
When we entered the house, we saw Sophia stumping up the stairway with Alisha. Tía Isabela had returned to her office or bedroom.
“Jesse’s right, Delia. You should start thinking about dressing for your party,” Edward said. He looked in the direction his mother had gone. “Jesse will help you up the stairs. I’m going to speak with the queen.”
“Make sure she knows I did not ask for such a gift,” I called to him.
He laughed and walked off. We started up the stairway. When we got to my room, my phone was ringing. Jesse hurried ahead of me to answer it.
“And who’s this?” he responded to obviously the same question. He listened. “Well, I’m Miss Yebarra’s valet. I’ll call her to the phone,” he said in an exaggerated correct voice.
It was Adan. “Do you really have a valet?”
“No, it’s just my cousin Edward’s friend, Jesse. They have helped me today.”
“You will go to the party, then?”
“I think I’ll feel foolish, but yes,” I said. “I will go.”
“Great. I’ll be by at seven. It’s still just you in my car, right?”
“More than right,” I said, laughing to myself. I couldn’t imagine Sophia sitting next to me. “Oh, wait. How will I get my crutches into such a small car?”
He thought a moment. “Good point. I’ll be there in one of my sedans,” he said. “Don’t worry about it.”