Falling With Grace

One, two, three.

The pressure backed off, and I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my lips pursed.

I swiped at the stray tear with the back of my knuckle, and my gaze stuck on the girl in the mirror. “I’m fine.”

Clearing my throat, I nodded, accepting my weak affirmations, then stepped into the shower and scrubbed and shaved every part of my body until I was squeaky clean and smooth, the panic evaporating with the scalding water.

I cinched the towel around my chest and another in my hair, then walked out into the hallway and into my bedroom.

The dress flowed around my hips with a loose embrace, and the shoes fit—as did everything else in the closet. The diamond necklace hung heavy around my neck, and the soft cardigan warmed my chilled skin as I walked back into the bathroom.

I styled my hair the best I could without a blow dryer or curling iron, then walked into the silent downstairs with my guts twisting in knots.

Where is everyone?

Catalina and Mariana hauled handfuls of linens towards the closet at the far end of the hall as I turned into the kitchen and snagged a banana in the basket, then set out for the conservatory.

Rosa’s fingers trembled around the small puzzle piece as her gaze swept the surface of the table, searching for its rightful place.

“You started without me.” I pulled the chair out from the table, sat, and peeled my banana.

“I was in the mood.”

Rosa kept her gaze cast toward the table, her head sweeping side to side like those lifeguards at my city rec center. Their heads moving in a grid pattern, searching for drowned individuals.

“Can I help you?” I leaned in, tipping my head so I could see her face.

“Always,mi hija.” She continued her search, her voice monotone as she glossed over the space it belonged.

“Can I tell you where it goes?”

“Better let me find it myself.”

I smiled. “Fair enough.” I picked up my puzzle piece and searched the center for a blue space in the middle of the sky. “It’s not as easy as it looks.” My knuckles rubbed my eyes as I continued my useless search.

“You get the hang of it after a while.”

Rosa dragged her concentration away from the puzzle after fifteen minutes of me sitting with her and glanced at my dress, her eyes shifting from my knees to my covered shoulders. “You look beautiful today. What’s the occasion?”

A pang shot through my chest.

She didn’t mean it that way.

She’s always been kind.

“Elias is taking me out.”

Her hand dropped to the table as she sat back in her seat, her brows raised. “He’s doing what?”

I sunk in on myself, cowering away from the little lady who’d become the sweetest person in my life.

My hand caressed the rosary in my pocket and nibbled on my inner cheek. “He told me he was taking me into the city today.”

“That boy.” She pushed her seat back from the table with a screech as she mumbled under her breath.

“I-is there something wrong, Rosa?”

“Rosa?” I jumped from my chair and stood in front of her, blocking her exit. “Should I not leave?”