Puddin'(74)

“But you have Aurelia. She’s, like, your ride or die. I don’t have a lifelong BFF like that.”

“You will. One day you’ll wake up and find that there’s a woman, or maybe a few, who have outlasted every changing season in your life.”

That evening, everyone arrives in Millie’s minivan. I’m almost expecting to see that Willowdean is missing, and Ellen by association, but they prove me wrong when all five of them spill out of the van like it’s a clown car. Well, there’s no turning back now.

Amanda pours a half-eaten bag of Corn Nuts down her throat, then, with her mouth full, says, “The best road trip food. Ever.”

“The drive is barely an hour,” I tell her.

She grins, showing off half-chewed bits of food. “Any excuse for Corn Nuts.”

Millie turns to me, her cheeks flushed from unloading bags and pillows, but still buzzing with excitement. “Lead the way!”

Hannah, Amanda, Millie, Willowdean, and Ellen all follow me inside my room, where they leave their stuff on my bed. For a minute there, Willowdean looks like she’s walked into the lion’s den, until she finds Ellen smiling at her. “I’m not stealing your best friend,” I almost say. Trust me, she doesn’t want to be stolen.

Out on the screened-in porch, Abuela has set up a full spread of chips, homemade salsa, guacamole, and anything else you might want, including warm corn and flour tortillas. The screen door swings shut behind my dad as he carries in a huge flank steak on a bed of peppers and onions to cut into fajitas.

“Ladies’ night!” he says.

“Dad.” I shake my head.

“Too much?” he asks.

Millie giggles, and so does Ellen.

“Being the cool dad is a lot of work.”

I try my best to hold back my smile. “Yeah, it shows.” I quickly introduce everyone, and we all take a seat at Abuela’s long table.

At first everyone is quiet while we devour the spread. I sit between Millie and Ellen and across from Dad and Abuela.

Millie, with her relentless parental suck-up abilities, says, “Thank you both so much for having us all here tonight and for welcoming us into your home, Mrs. Reyes.”

Abuela waves her off. “Callie hasn’t brought girlfriends over in years.”

Dad nods. “She used to all the time back in grade school. But it’s been a while now.”

For a moment, a wave of guilt hits me. I would never want them to think I’m embarrassed of them. The truth is, my time here is precious to me. Coming here is like a chance to be a new person without all the Clover City drama back at home. Even if it’s just for a weekend.

“Dad would set up tents outside,” I say. “For slumber parties. Claudia’s friends would get one tent and mine would take another.” A big smile creeps across my face. “And I remember, Abuela, you had these amazing tents that felt like mansions.”

Abuela’s eyes light up with memories. “The property really is wonderful.” She sighs. “We’re a bit of a fossil hot spot, too. During the summer, kids from town come out here with pails and shovels and go nuts. Especially down by the creek.”

“Whoa,” says Amanda. “What about, like, dinosaur bones?”

“We think we’ve found a few. Or at the very least someone’s bones.”

Amanda shakes her head, eyes wide. “That’s like some Jurassic Park stuff. Do you know Jeff Goldblum?”

Abuela chuckles. “No, but that movie got one thing right.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

She grins. “God created dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs. Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth.”

Everyone bursts into laughter.

Hannah and I both shout “Amen!” in unison.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” says Willowdean.

Once the giggles have subsided, Ellen says, “I’ve never even been camping before.”

“You’re not missing out,” Hannah tells her.

“We should go camping for one of our slumber parties,” says Millie.

“I’m really only interested in glamping,” says Willowdean. “With, like, electricity and running water.”

I roll my eyes. The diva has spoken.

“Why not tonight?” Dad offers.

All of us, caught a bit off guard by his suggestion, are quiet for a minute. On the one hand, bugs and humidity and other gross outdoorsy things. But then . . . Abuela’s house is so tiny, and eight people under one roof (and most of them in my room!) is no joke.

“Can we really?” asks Ellen, breaking the silence.

Dad looks to Abuela.

“All my tents are still out there in the barn. I’ve even got a few lanterns and sleeping mats,” she says.

“I don’t want to caaaaamp,” moans Willowdean.

“Well,” says Millie, “it’s Callie’s birthday, and if she wants to camp, we’re camping.”

“Come on,” I hear Ellen whisper. “It’ll be fun.”

Amanda hoots and whistles.

“But first,” I say, “cake!”

Abuela throws her hands up. “Yes! I’ll be right back.”

Dad dims the lights when she returns with a beautiful cake decorated with creamy-white whipped frosting and multicolored flowers all over, with sparkler candles that crackle and pop.