Big Chicas Don't Cry(51)

“I hate you,” I muttered as I picked up a carrot from my plate and then dropped it right back onto it.

“What? I thought the best thing about Weight Watchers was that you could eat whatever you wanted as long as you added up the points? Don’t hate me just because you’d rather use your points for rabbit food instead of deviled eggs.” Selena laughed and then got up to check out what was on the dessert table.

“She’s right, you know,” Gracie added. “We’re not supposed to deprive ourselves. If you want something else, then you should eat. Otherwise you’re not going to be able to last.”

“So then why aren’t you eating some cake or pie? Isn’t that what our weekly points allowance is for, hmm, Ms. Weight Watcher?”

“I’m not eating cake or pie because I don’t want cake or pie,” Gracie responded and went back to focusing on her piece of broccoli.

“Mentirosa,” I told her.

Selena came back to the table with a bowlful of fruit salad and a very large piece of pineapple upside-down cake. “Are you calling her a liar because she won’t admit that she has the hots for Tony the gym teacher?” she said with her mouth full.

Gracie shot her sister a dirty look. “Whatever, Selena. If anyone is a mentirosa here, it’s you. Erica, did you know Selena visited Nathan in New York? She says it doesn’t mean anything, but I think she’s lying. I think they’re starting to get serious.”

Selena rolled her eyes. “For the love of God, Gracie. I already told you we aren’t even dating.”

I was too busy cutting into Selena’s piece of cake and inhaling every crumb to even pay attention to their squabbling. It was moist and sweet and delicious and so much better than anything I’d eaten so far. I was just about to cut another inch off when Gracie grabbed my fork.

“You had a bite, now leave it alone. Don’t you have anything to say about Selena and Nathan?”

I gave her my most pissed-off look. “That was just mean, Gracie. You don’t take a starving chica’s fork away like that.” I was serious too. She had crossed the line. “Anyway, Selena lusting after some guy is not news. What I want to know is why you’re trying to change the subject? Come on, Gracie, spill the tea. What’s the deal with Tony?”

“Yeah, Gracie,” Selena teased. “What’s the deal?”

She hemmed and hawed for a few seconds and then gave in to temptation.

“Aaah, forget it.” Gracie grabbed Selena’s plate and dove into the cake. “Oh. My. Gosh. This is amazing. Who made it?” she said with her mouth full.

“Who do you think?”

“Mari?”

“Yeah, apparently she was here yesterday to drop off a gift for Welita too.”

“Yesterday? Why didn’t she come today?” Gracie asked.

“Abuela said she was hosting a brunch for Esteban’s clients at their house.”

“Of course she is,” I muttered.

“Erica, don’t be like that. At least she came by to see Welita. That counts for something, doesn’t it?”

I shrugged and got up from the table and headed straight for the desserts. I was mad at myself for allowing my issues with Mari to cloud another family day. Selena and Gracie never understood why it bugged me so much. Sometimes I didn’t either.

About thirty minutes later we visited Welita in her bedroom. She looked less tired, but still not herself. I watched my cousins to see if they seemed worried. They didn’t, so we talked with her for a bit.

Afterward, the three of us decided to take a walk around the block so Gracie and I could work off the piece of cake we’d brought for Welita but had ended up eating ourselves.

“Gracie, I’m sorry I teased you about Tony,” I said after we’d passed the neighbor’s house. “My body was starved for carbs at that time, and you didn’t deserve my misdirected anger.”

She put her arm around me. “It’s fine. I just don’t want it to be like how it was when we were in school, and everyone thinks I’m following him around like a little lovesick puppy dog,” Gracie admitted.

“We don’t think that, we promise,” Selena said. “But if you really like him, then you should ask him out. And if you don’t, you could still just screw him.”

I let out a surprised laugh. Gracie, on the other hand, was appalled.

“You know I don’t like talking about this, Selena,” she huffed.

“Why? It’s perfectly normal to talk about sex. How else are you going to learn?” Selena ducked before Gracie’s right fist could hit her shoulder.

“Seriously, Gracie,” she continued. “I’m not saying you need to go out and get laid tomorrow. I just don’t want this virginity thing to hold you back. When it’s meant to happen, it will happen. But it’s not going to happen if you spend every Friday and Saturday night home with Mom and Dad.”

“What if it’s too late for me?”

Selena and I stopped walking. Had Gracie just admitted that she actually wanted to have sex one day? I’d always assumed her choice to stay a virgin had to do with religion. But that didn’t explain why she never really went out or had a real boyfriend.

“It’s not too late,” I offered. “You’re still young, smart, beautiful, and one of the nicest people in this world. There is a man out there who’s going to want you because of all that. But Selena is right. You’re not going to find him without at least looking a little.”