“Are you going to write back?”
“Yeah, as soon as I calm the hell down and figure out what I want to say.”
“Say this. Are you listening?”
“Yes, I’m listening,” I say with a laugh.
“Dear Austin, I love you. I want to marry you and have more beautiful babies with you.”
“That’s not helpful, Car.”
She loses it laughing. “Think of all the time it’ll save you to cut straight through the bullshit.”
“I’m ending this call.” Mostly because my ovaries stood up to take a look around at her mention of having beautiful babies with him.
“I’m here if you need me.”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll be okay.”
“This is so cool, Mari. Imagine if it turns into something, and you met him by saving his kid’s life. God, that’s so romantic! It’s even more romantic than me falling for Jason when I helped to save his reputation.”
“Hey,” Jason says, “there’s nothing more romantic than that.”
“Will you guys please stop? It’s not going to turn into anything. He’s a nice guy who appreciates what I did for his child. That’s all this is.”
“Uh-huh. Okay.”
“Gotta go.”
“Invite him to the wedding!”
“Bye, Carmen.” I press the End button and stare at my laptop screen, where the photos of Austin are in the background with his email front and center.
I read it again.
Dear Maria,
I thought today would never arrive.
Releasing a deep breath full of swoon, I click on the reply button and stare at the blank screen for a long moment before I begin to type, the words pouring straight from my heart.
Dear Austin,
I’m thrilled to know your name is Austin and that Miss E is Everly! I love that name. After seeing her pictures, I’ve decided her cute name suits her perfectly. She’s beautiful. Thank you so much for sending the pictures. I appreciate them so much and am so happy to see her sweet, smiling, HEALTHY face. I’ve thought of you two every day over the last six months, and I, too, was counting down to today when we could finally talk freely. I’m so happy to hear that Everly’s remission is holding and that she’s bounced back from her ordeal.
Of course it’ll take a while longer for you. There’s nothing more difficult than seeing someone you love go through a serious illness. I can’t begin to imagine what it must’ve been like for you to have to face such a frightening diagnosis and treatment with your precious little girl. It had to be terrifying, and I think you’re wise to be in therapy to help you deal with the aftermath of that trauma. Everly is lucky that she probably won’t remember any of it. Whereas you’ll never forget it.
You asked about me… I mentioned I’m a nurse, but now I can tell you I work at a free clinic in Little Havana, which is the area of Miami where I grew up in a huge, loving, overly INVOLVED (haha) family. My parents, Lorenzo and Elena, own a firm that does accounting and legal work for tons of local businesses. My dad is an accountant, and my mom is a lawyer, so they make for a good team at home and at work.
My aunt Vivian and uncle Vincent (my dad’s brother) own a famous restaurant called Giordino’s, which is my last name (without the ’s). It’s a hot spot in Little Havana, and everyone who is anyone has stopped in there at one point or another. I waitress at the restaurant on Saturday nights because it’s fun, and it’s a nice supplement to my salary at the clinic. My aunt and uncle host family brunch every Sunday at the restaurant, which features Italian and Cuban menus, and separate sides of the house for each. My Nona oversees the Italian side, and my cousin Carmen’s Abuela is in charge of the Cuban side. They fight like cats and dogs, but Nona and Abuela are really the best of friends and would do anything for anyone. I refer to Abuela as my third grandmother.
I stop myself when I feel like maybe I’m rambling on with stuff that won’t interest him. But he did say he wanted to know me, and to know me, you have to know my family.
I have a sister we call Dee. Her real name is Delores, but don’t call her that unless you want her to punch you. She lives in New York City with our cousin Domenic Junior, and yes, he’s always called the full name “Domenic Junior,” to differentiate him from his father, Domenic Senior. His mother is my father’s sister, Francesca, and they have three other kids besides Dom Jr. I also have two brothers—Nico and Milo. Nico is older than me, and Milo is younger. You following this? Haha! Carmen is my best friend (and Dee’s), and the three of us have always run around together. Carmen is an only child, so she calls us her sisters, and we love that. She’s getting married next month to a pediatric neurosurgeon named Jason, who we all ADORE. He’s such a good guy. I really got to know him when he volunteered at the clinic, and I totally approve of him for my sweet cousin. This is her second marriage, after Tony, her first husband who was a police officer, was shot and killed on the job when they were twenty-four. That was such a tough loss for all of us, and to see her smiling again is just about the best thing ever.
I feel like I’m going on and on here, but hey, you asked…
True confession: I’m a huge baseball fan. My dad and I have season tickets to the Miami Marlins, and I’ve definitely heard of you. I think I might’ve seen you pitch a couple of years ago when the O’s played the Marlins in interleague play. Is that possible? I’ll ask my dad. He’ll remember for sure.
Well, you asked for more about me, and I wrote a book! I guess I’ll just end by saying I’m so, so happy to hear from you, to know your names and more about you both. Mostly, I’m so relieved to know that Everly continues to do well. I have prayed for her—and you—every night since the last time we talked.
Love,
Maria
I send the email before I can second-guess every word of it. I no sooner send it than I realize I didn’t tell him to write back. I really want him to write back.
I open a new email to him with the subject line: PS
The message reads: Please write back.
I press Send before I lose my nerve. And then I try to figure out what the hell to do with myself while I wait to hear from him. I could reread his email again. I do that. Four times, actually, before I make myself get up, take a shower, finish my laundry, make my lunch for tomorrow, set up my coffee for the morning and stop obsessing about Austin Jacobs.
My phone chimes with a text from Carmen. Did you write back?
I did. I regurgitated my whole life story to him.
All of it?
Most of it about the family and the restaurant and you and Dee and the others. It was probably too much.
I’m sure it was fine. He said he wanted to know about you. Are you ok??
Yes, of course I am. I’m trying not to go crazy over a guy I barely know.
How’s that going!?!?! You already know him better than you knew Scott after a year.
Jeez, if that wasn’t the truth. Austin showed me who he really is with the first message he sent. I saw his heart, and that’s all I’ve been able to think about for six freaking months. And what I got from him today only confirmed my first impression.