Epilogue
Maureen must have been brutal. The settlements she negotiated were better than she'd led us to expect. Cici could cover all of Inés's in-state tuition, and could have included her housing, but she felt that Inés should be putting her own effort in, too, and working with Elián had been going well. Instead, she created a small college savings fund for her youngest sibling, Tomas. She'd texted her father the details. Even if he never learned to accept her, she was sure he wouldn't deny his youngest the chance to continue his education, especially after helping Inés.
Inés, in turn, was making the most of her time at college. Much more social than Cici had been, she still spent plenty of time studying, and occasionally took her books out to Cici's tree on the green.
One day she'd set up a time with us for a webcam viewing. She showed up with a slender guy with dark hair, only a little taller than Inés. We saw her texting. A moment later Cici's phone and mine both pinged.
Inés: "This is my boyfriend, Jacob!"
Cici: "You kept him secret! How long have you been dating?"
Inés: "About four weeks."
Inés: "He's trans."
Cici and I both did a doubletake when that message arrived.
Inés: "I know I'm not supposed to out him, but he knows I'm telling you, and he knows about all the shit in my background, and that it makes me nervous in case I haven't put it all behind me. So I want you to know so you can slap me upside the head if you ever hear any of Mamá's words on my tongue."
Inés: "I can't pretend it wasn't a shock when I found out, but he helped me understand. He's just great. I think I'm in love with him."
Cici: "We love you, Ine. If you ever feel like you're slipping into old ways, just take a deep breath. You can call us at any time. Tell Jacob we'd like to meet him if we can."
"I feel that important events continue to occur under my stalking tree," I said.
"My sister has a trans boyfriend!" Cici said. "I'm happy for them both, but can you imagine her being so open, even a few months ago?"
I shook my head. "Your little sister has come a long way, but it's more than that," I said. "She just told both of us how much she trusts us. I'll give her any advice and support she wants."
"I know you will," Cici said. "It's one reason I love you so much." After a moment, she added, "You know, it's well over two years since you first saw 'Juliet'. Over two years since I first met you at O'Neill's. I think it's time we went on another date to the gardens."
I smiled. "At least we won't be freezing our culos off. Sunday?"
"Eso estaría perfecto," she said.
We left Cici's fancy new Toyota in the parking lot, taking my less-pristine vehicle to the gardens, just like our first date. She hooked her hand into my arm, as we navigated the paths. She had a particular direction in mind. She didn't tell me what it was, but I let her lead the way.
We must have chosen the last warm day of the year for the visit. The park was tranquil, in vibrant colors; Japanese maples dressed in scarlet, and larches in gold. There was a scent of pine and fir in the air, and closer to hand, the fragrance of Cici's perfume. She'd spent far longer on her makeup than for any date I could recall, and insisted that I look my best, too.
She was wearing a green summer dress which showed just a hint of her perfect cleavage. Spaghetti straps exposed the flame skimmer dragonfly on her left shoulder, a mirror image of the one on my right. We'd had them for weeks now, but we both still liked to show them off, and I especially liked to see hers, knowing it was a commitment to me.
She also had a blue dragonfly on her lower back to complement mine. Unlike my lower back tattoo, this one had folded wings and was perched on a reed. Dragonflies symbolized adaptability and flexibility. A willingness to change. Flame skimmers add warmth and hope. We would change for each other, but we would each be our own resilient person.
Cici slowed as we approached the water feature that was in several of our photos. An elderly couple was looking into the pool, and Cici held me back until they left.
"When you first came to me, with Brooke, like the knights in shining armor you were, I knew I was going to do this," she said.
I was puzzled by that. "But we'd never even visited the gardens, then."
She gave me a weak grin, then steered me up to the feature. She seemed nervous.
The reason for this became clear a moment later, when she dropped to one knee.
"Mi amor. Samara. ¿Te quieres casar conmigo?"
I wasn't sure if I understood the words perfectly, but the gold band with its small diamond removed any doubt. My stomach lurched. Not in a bad way. With surprise, and... something that wasn't quite love, or lust. Happiness. Joy, maybe? I hadn't expected this. I knew we belonged together. We'd even talked about kids, as something that in some far distant future both of us wanted, but among all of the changes going on in Cici's life, marriage had always seemed a distant option. But even though I hesitated long enough for Cici's eyes to begin to cloud over, there was never any doubt in my mind about my answer. I reached down to pluck the ring she held out from its cushioned box.
"¡Sí!" I said. "A thousand times ¡Sí! Of course I will."
The ring was a perfect fit. I held my hand out for Cici to take, then lifted her to her feet. "I'd not have predicted this when I was imagining my little telenovela."
"I've known for almost two years," my girlfriend - my fiancée - said. "Because, of course, I am a supergenius."