Free Bad Habit by JD Faver Page A

through something in a
large pot and replaced the lid. “Love,” she said. “That’s all you
think about Elena.”
    “ That’s true,” she happily
agreed.
    “ Tell me about your family, Teri,”
Isabel said. “Where do your parents live?”
    “ My parents were killed in an
automobile accident when I was a child,” Teri said. “My
grandparents raised me. My only living relative is my sister. She’s
a nun and she lives in a convent in Maine.”
    “ A nun?” Isabel’s voice resounded
with enthusiasm. “You’re Catholic?”
    “ Absolutely!” Teri’s stock answer
seemed out of place to her ears but Isabel was delighted. She
grinned at Teri in approval.
    “ What are you cooking?” Teri asked
to change the subject.
    “ Carne Guisada, papas, calabaza, ensalada y torta chocolate por
deserté.
    “ She’s being difficult,” Angel said
from the doorway. “Salad, stewed beef, potatoes and squash.
Chocolate cake for dessert.”
    Teri realized he’d overheard their
conversation. “It smells delicious.” She lifted her eyes to meet
his, stirred by the intensity of his gaze. Was there was any truth
to his sister’s remark. Could Angel have any real feelings for
her?
    Elena tossed the salad and poured
dressing over it.
    “ Go sit down with Angel,” Isabel
directed.
    Teri rose from the kitchen table
and walked to the doorway where Angel waited for her. He led her to
a chair and pulled it out.
    Arturo entered the room carrying a
tiny elderly woman. He gently placed her in a chair and arranged a
napkin in her lap. She smiled up at him and he dropped a kiss on
her cheek.
    Angel went to the woman’s side and
spoke in Spanish close to her ear. He said the name Teresa and they
both looked her way.
    Teri waved and smiled as the woman nodded.
    “ Teri, this is my great-grandmother.
She is my mother’s grandmother.”
    “ Amazing,” Teri said. “You have such
a great family. No wonder you are the way you are.”
    “ And how am I?” He came to stand
beside her, his voice almost a whisper.
    “ I don’t want you to get a big head
but I think you’re pretty amazing, too.”
    He grinned at her. “That makes it
mutual.” He took a seat beside her.
    “ I’m not amazing,” she said. “I
keep making all the wrong choices. Given an opportunity, I turn the
wrong way and get lost every time.”
    “ You’re not lost.” He winked.
“You’re with me now.”
    A chill ran down her spine causing
a visible shiver.
    He put his hand on her shoulder. “Are you
alright?”
    “ Absolutely,” she said.
    The others began assembling at the
table. Isabel brought a plate to her grandmother with the meat cut
into bite-size pieces. Elena brought a plate to Teri and one to
Angel. The two women served everyone a generously filled plate
before joining them at the table.
    Arturo crossed himself and the
others followed suit. He said grace, looking up to smile at Teri.
“And we are so thankful to have our son, Angel, and his lovely
friend, Teri at our table. Amen.”
    Teri smiled back. The family ate
and talked, passing food back and forth. Elena and Rosario served
chocolate cake with ice cream for dessert.
    “ I think I’ll have to be rolled out
of here,” Teri said to Angel.
    “ You need some exercise,” he said.
“I’m going out but I’ll try to return in time to take you
dancing.”
    “ I have nothing to wear,” she
protested.
    “ Don’t worry, Teri,” Rosario said.
“We have lots of dancing dresses.”
    “ It’s settled.” Angel rose from the
table. He kissed her temple and delivered the same to his mother
and his great-grandmother. He tousled Esme’s hair and got a hug
from Rosario and Elena who were clearing the dishes from the
table.
    Teri sat for a few minutes,
watching him leave through the back door. She tried to process her
feelings. How did she feel about being included in the affectionate
farewell he gave the women in his family?
    Good. It felt good.
    #
     
     

CHAPTER NINE
     
    Angel drove to the