She was so beautiful. I’d never seen anyone look that pretty outside of Mama and Grams.
“I missed you, baby,” Rosalina said, taking off her sunglasses. She put those in her purse, too, and then placed her hands against Kevin’s cheeks and kissed him hard. For a long, long, time.
Gross.
I scrunched up my face and looked away. It was weird seeing an adult do that kind of stuff.
Kevin pulled back from Rosalina and looked back at me. “Stella, want to say hi?”
I wrapped my arms around his leg and kept hiding behind him. He pulled me around to the front, so I stood between the two of them. Rosalina’s nostrils flared like a walrus, but she smiled big as she bent down and locked eyes with me.
“Stella, you’ve gotten so big,” she exclaimed, tapping me on the nose. “Come give your new mother a hug.”
I glanced at Kevin, then at her, then back to Kevin.
Kevin grimaced. “We were going to tell you tonight. Rosalina and I actually got married in Vegas.”
“What?!” I exclaimed, feeling sick to my stomach. But that wouldn’t make her my mama, right? I just wanted a friend.
“I know, sweetheart. Isn’t it amazing?!” Rosalina said, pulling me into the tightest hug possible. She squeezed me so tight that I thought I’d explode or something.
When she let go, Grams walked into the room, telling us all that dinner was ready.
During dinner, I didn’t say a word. I didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t my new mama. I had a mama that I talked to every single day. Just because some people were too blind to see it didn’t mean that Mama wasn’t still with me in the waves.
After dinner, I went to my room with a tummy ache.
“Stella!” Rosalina barged into my room without knocking. I was sitting in my room painting a picture. My mama was an artist, and when I grew up, I was going to create masterpieces like hers.
My door swung open, and Rosalina walked in without me even saying she could come in. Kevin and Grams never barged into my room without asking.
“Hey, Stella. I think it’s time you and I have a heart-to-heart conversation. Kevin is plating dessert for us to celebrate, even though your chunky self doesn’t really need it.” She walked over to my art desk and pulled up my other chair to sit right in front of me. “It was rude how at dinner you didn’t speak.”
I shrugged.
She grimaced. Her hair fell in her face, and she combed it behind her ears. “You do know that Kevin loves me, right?” I didn’t say anything. She cocked an eyebrow. I was shocked when he said he adopted you. Then again, he loves a good charity case, and you, Stella, are a charity token. But I’m the love of his life, and he made it clear to me that if he had to pick between you and me this time, he’s choosing me, his wife. Do you understand?”
“Kevin wouldn’t leave me!” I shouted, feeling angry.
“Oh, but he would. Maple, too. They both told me already. They said even if you bring it up to them, they will pack your bags and send you off. So, how about you and I make a deal? We will create a way for us both to live in the house together.”
I didn’t feel good. The more she talked, the more my tummy hurt.
Rosalina smiled, but it didn’t feel like a nice smile. It felt mean. Everything she did felt mean to me. “Stella, you need discipline. Since I am married to Kevin, you are who I will raise. So, you will be perfect in every way. You will do your chores without being asked. You will dress like a proper lady. You will not be this wild child. You will not raise your voice. Your job is to be as invisible as possible to make others comfortable. You will speak only when spoken to. Otherwise, you will be punished. Three strikes and you’re out. Do you understand, Stella?”
“But!” I exclaimed.
“Ah, ah, ah!” Rosalina said, holding up a finger. “No raising of your voice.”
I lowered my head and stared at my fingers.
I wanted her to go away.
Rosalina placed her finger beneath my chin and lifted my head up to lock eyes with her. “And no slouching. Only sloths slouch, darling. Be more of a lady. Less of you.”
I didn’t even know what that meant. But I didn’t want to argue because I didn’t want Kevin to send me away. I’d miss him and Grams too much.
“Now, remember, I’m doing this for you. So, Kevin doesn’t get sick of you and send you away. This has to be our little secret, okay?”
I nodded slowly, feeling my body tremble as she said those words.
Her hands landed against my cheeks. Her eyes almost looked like tears were about to fall from them as she cradled my face. Her mouth parted, and she whispered, “I’ve seen pictures of her, you know. You look so much like your mother.” Then she pinched my right cheek and shook her head. “It’s a pity you’re so ugly.”
“Knock, knock,” Kevin said, tapping on the door from the outside. Unlike Rosalina, he didn’t barge in.
“Come on in,” Rosalina stated. “Honestly, I think it’s odd that you knock. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to enter any room in your own home.”
“Yes, well, we believe in safe places. This is Stella’s space,” Kevin mentioned. “Dessert is ready.”
We all headed to the dining room and sat down at the table. In front of me was a slice of my favorite apple crumble pie and vanilla ice cream. Kevin and Rosalina dived right in. I pushed the pie around and didn’t eat much. I couldn’t stop thinking about how Rosalina called me chunky and said I shouldn’t be eating dessert.
Rosalina cleared her throat and shot me a look. She then sat up straighter and rolled her shoulders back, echoing how I should’ve been sitting. I sat up straighter and moved my elbows off the table. She smiled, pleased.
“Stella, aren’t you going to eat?” Kevin asked.
“Not really hungry,” I muttered.
“Hmm? Speak up, sweetheart,” Rosalina said. She said it in a sweet way, but it seemed mean, still.
“Not really hungry,” I repeated, louder.
“It’s probably for the best. You ate a lot of supper,” she commented, going back to her dessert.
“Can I go to my room?” I asked Kevin.
“Sure, of course. It’s been a long day. I’ll stop in to say good night soon, okay?”
“Okay.” I pushed myself from the table and started dashing toward my bedroom.
“No running in the house, sweet Stella,” Rosalina said. “Walk like a lady.”
I slowed down my speed and began tiptoeing, afraid to get a strike from Rosalina.
A little while later, there was a knock on my door. “Stella, can I come in?” Kevin asked.
“Yeah.”
I was already under my blankets, and my night-light was on as Kevin walked in. He smiled over to me and pulled up a chair beside my bed.
“Today was a big day,” he mentioned.
I shrugged, not sure what to say.
He frowned. He still looked sad, even though Rosalina was supposed to make him feel better.
“I feel like I haven’t been the best for you, Stella. Like, I’m not enough for you,” he confessed.
I felt like crying. It sounded like he was going to give me away, like Rosalina said. “You’re my best friend,” I said. His eyes got watery, and he leaned forward and gave me more ocean kisses.