“Was it because she said she sent me a nude?”
“Ew. No.” She pulls a face as we head to the door. “I just don’t want you to think this is something it’s not.”
“A friend date then?”
“Why do you have to label everything?”
“I don’t label anything.”
“Really? So you only like to label things with me then?” She walks inside when I hold the door open for her, but she’s still looking at me as I speak to the hostess, waiting for an answer I can’t give her, because she’s right, I do label everything when it comes to her.
Chapter Thirteen
Past
Misty
My parents never let my sister and me out of their sight, so it was a shock when they agreed to let me come to New York for the summer. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that my sister was going to a volleyball camp, and my parents were workaholics who didn’t want to entertain me or watch me mope around the house. Nevertheless, I was overjoyed when they agreed to let me stay with my aunt Nini for a couple of months. Their agreement didn’t come easily. Aunt Nini lived in the same apartment building as our family friends, The Cruzes, so if my aunt would be out for the night, she was to tell them to keep an eye on me. I was seventeen. I didn’t need anyone to keep an eye on me, but my parents were strict, and I didn’t even bother arguing. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I walked outside of the airport and spotted my aunt.
She looked like a Taino Princess, or at least what I assumed one would look like. The Dominican Republic’s indigenous people were reported extinct in the 1500s, and yet, if you looked at my aunt Nini, there was no other explanation for the matter. She had deep brown skin, a defined jawline, high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes, and thick, straight, striking black hair. She had a look that said intense and wore bright colors to show it off even more so. My mother sometimes joked that I could pass as Aunt Nini’s daughter, but I didn’t have those super-defined curves or the confidence she carried them with.
Everyone in my family with the exception of Aunt Nini moved to North Carolina, but she always said New York made her feel like she was back home. Home, meaning the Dominican Republic. I always found it odd when she called it home since Aunt Nini moved to the United States when she was little. Despite our distance, we saw each other pretty often. Mom always said Aunt Nini was her best friend and that no amount of distance put between them could ever change that. When my aunt spotted me, her picture-perfect smile widened, and she shook her head as she walked over, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into her warmth.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” she crooned against my hair.
“Me too. Thanks so much for letting me come.”
“Are you kidding?” She pulled back slightly, taking me in. “I can’t think of a better person to spend the summer with.”
I smiled and let her help me with my bags. I tried to pack as light as possible, opting to bring a large suitcase and a small carry-on—an improvement from the two large suitcases I wanted to bring. As we walked to the car, Aunt Nini told me all about her life, primarily her dating life, which was always exciting. As we drove toward her apartment building in Chelsea, I took my camera out and snapped pictures of everything—the buildings, the sidewalks, the people. New York had always felt like it was calling for me, and I had always said that this was where I wanted to be.
She parked at the parking lot down the street, and we walked over to the building, greeting the doorman as he opened the door for us. As we rode the elevator, my aunt told me about the area and the eateries I’d find around here if I wanted to explore without her.
“I’ll be honest, I’ll be pretty MIA during the week,” Aunt Nini said as we walked to her apartment.
“I know, don’t worry, I don’t require much attention.” I shot her a smile. “I’ll probably spend my days photographing anyway.”
“I have a few big cases I’m working on right now and I need to focus on those, but every second of free time I get, I’ll spend with you.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” I smiled.
“You can always hang out with the Cruz kids. They’re up on the penthouse floor.” She nodded up as she unlocked the door and swung it open. “I haven’t spoken to Milly, but I’m sure the boys are home for the summer. I mean, when they’re not playing sports. You know they don’t stop practicing and training.” She rolled her eyes. I laughed.