With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Forgiveness
’Buela is watching TV on the couch when I get home. I drop my book bag on the coatrack, kiss her forehead, and walk into my room, where Babygirl is already asleep in her crib. Recently she’s been pulling herself halfway over the railing and I know she’ll be climbing in and out soon. I scan the space. I don’t know how we’re going to fit another bed in here, but we are going to have to figure it out sometime down the line. Maybe I can angle mine and have a cool diagonal room setup. I rub her dark hair from her forehead before placing a kiss on each eyebrow.
It’s technically Tyrone’s weekend, but he and his family are traveling to a funeral and I didn’t feel comfortable with them taking Babygirl, so we switched this weekend’s visit to next week. I’m so glad she’ll be home with me.
When I go back into the living room ’Buela pats the seat of the couch beside her.
“How was your day, nena?”
“Long. The bus was running late, or I would have been home in time to put her to bed. Thank you for doing that. Was she good?”
“She was fine.”
I nod and close my eyes.
“Your father called.” She puts a hand up before I can say anything. “He’s fine. It had nothing to do with the storm. He was asking for you to call him. I know, he can just call you on your cell phone. I told him that, but he says you’re the child, et cetera.”
I laugh and open my eyes. “That man is hilarious. Who does he think he is?”
’Buela raises an eyebrow. “Your father. And you know his brain’s scattered dealing with the coming storm.”
I nod. ’Buela and I do not see eye to eye when it comes to my father, but I know in this moment she’s right. “Emoni, yo sé, you have a lot of hard feelings about him. You can’t hold that anger inside.”
“I’ll give him a call later and make sure he doesn’t need anything.”
But when I grab my phone it’s to call Angelica.
“Hey, Gelly, I’m going shopping in the morning for the groceries. This is your last chance to change the menu.” I’ve had her dinner all planned out for weeks and tomorrow I get to put those plans together. Gelly left the money I need to buy the supplies in our locker, and what I have planned for her is better than even she could imagine.
“I don’t want to change anything. Just make sure it’s fancy. Something you’re learning about in class.”
I haven’t told her yet. I haven’t told her or ’Buela that I’ve stopped going to class.
“I got you.”
“Great. I’ve already started planning Babygirl’s Halloween costume, so it’ll be even.”
“Angelica, we’ll always be even in my book. No owing here.”
And I don’t have to see her smile to know it’s there.