After three days at her grandmother's house, Adriana felt like she was starting to lose her mind. The house was full of people for the holidays, and there was no privacy -- she even had to share a bedroom with her mother and her aunt, for God's sake. Every night all the adults got drunk and there was a loud argument about something or other. She needed a break.
So after breakfast she bundled up and went for a long walk. There was a large park in the neighborhood and she ambled all around it, enjoying the fresh air and quiet. It was cold enough that very few people were out, and she mostly had the place to herself. After a couple hours of this she felt a great deal calmer.
On the way home she decided to stop by the house that her cousin Antonio shared with his wife Gabriela, whom everyone called Gabi. It was just a few blocks away from her grandmother's house, in a direct line from where she was now. She rubbed her hands together and imagined enjoying a nice cup of tea or hot chocolate in the relative peace of Tony and Gabi's house.
When she rang the doorbell, though, no one answered. She waited a bit and tried again; still nothing. She had rung a third time and was about to give up when Gabi finally appeared at the door. She was still in her bathrobe, though it was almost noon, and her eyes were puffy as if she'd been crying. Brightening visibly at the sight of her visitor, Gabi smiled at Ana and invited her in.
"What's up, cuz?" asked Ana as they walked into the kitchen. Gabi and Tony had been together since high school, and Ana considered Gabi her cousin even though they were not related by blood. "Something bothering you?" They had seen each other on Christmas Day, but since it had been so busy and crowded, this was their first chance to really catch up.
Gabi didn't answer right away; instead she picked up the kettle, added some water to it, and put it on to boil. When she turned to the side, Ana could clearly see the rounded contour of her belly; she was seven months pregnant with her and Tony's first child.
Sighing, Gabi sat down next to Ana. "It's Tony," she said. "He's kind of freaking out. He says he's not sure if he's ready to be a dad." She looked down at her swollen stomach. "Well, he'd better get ready."
"You guys been fighting?"
"Some. But mostly he just hasn't been here. He's been out running around with his friends a lot. Or so he says."
"You think he's cheating on you?" asked Ana, concerned.
"I don't think so," answered Gabi. "But it's hard to be sure when he's gone all the time. I guess I just don't know anymore." One small tear was running down the left side of her face, and she wiped it away, smiling wanly at Ana. "So what's up with you?"
Just then the kettle started whistling, and Ana jumped up to make tea for the two of them. She told Gabi about school, cheerleading, some of the TV shows she'd been watching.