“I also participate in conversation.”
She smiled tightly.
“You tend to tell a lot of family stories.”
“I’m Gabriel’s grandmother. Family stories happen around me.”
“My parents don’t know the people in those stories.”
“They can listen.”
Her smile vanished.
“You also talk about prices.”
“Prices?”
“Deals. Sales. Grocery discounts. What things cost.”
I stared at her.
“You excluded me because I know where to buy olive oil?”
“That’s exactly the kind of response I mean.”
“What kind?”
“You make everything sound ridiculous.”
“Some things require very little help.”
Hugo shifted again.
“Can we calm down?”
“I’m calm.”
Carla leaned forward.
“We have different lifestyles, Margarita.”
“And mine embarrasses you.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You haven’t needed to.”
Her eyes moved over my navy clearance dress, low heels, and old leather handbag.
She thought I hadn’t noticed.
I had noticed for years.
“I don’t want my parents uncomfortable if you show up in one of your bargain outfits and spend dinner talking about how much everything cost.”
Heat rose into my face.
Not shame.
Anger.
I turned toward Hugo.
“Do you agree with her?”
He looked at Carla, then me.
“Carla is saying this too harshly.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Silence.
“Hugo.”
He sighed.
“I think maybe this year it would be easier if everyone celebrated separately.”
“Where would I celebrate?”
“You could have dinner with a friend.”
“And if nobody is available?”
“You could stay home. Relax. Watch a Christmas movie. We can come by the next day.”
I stared at my only child.
“That’s what you think your mother should do while you sit here with your wife’s parents.”
“Mom, don’t make it sound like—”
“Like what?”
He stopped.
Carla continued.
“There’s also the gift issue.”
“What gift issue?”
“Gabriel doesn’t need more simple toys.”
“The construction set?”
“It broke.”
“He played with it for months.”
“My parents gave him a travel experience.”
“That’s wonderful.”
“There. You do that.”
“Do what?”
“You respond like everything is a competition.”
“You mentioned their gift.”
She had no answer.
Hugo finally said, “Carla, enough.”
But he looked down.
It wasn’t a defense.
