How Tía Lola Ended Up Starting Over by Julia Álvarez Read Free Book Online Page B

make the same wish again and again.
    “Wow, that must be some wish,” Victoria finally says, startling Cari, who opens her eyes. There is a half-concerned, half-curious look on her big sister’s face. Victoria is hinting that she wants to know what all this wishing is about. But Cari can’t tell. Wishes have to be kept secret, or they spoil on you. And this is one time when Cari really, really needs for her wish to come true.

    Tía Lola knows all about the wedding, as she is friends with all the teachers at Bridgeport Elementary. It turns out that Maisie (that’s Ms. McGregor’s first name) is getting married to Boone Magoon, which has to be the silliest name Cari has ever heard! Boone is a young farmer, and since farmers have to milk their cows twice a day every day, the newlyweds can’t get away even for a honeymoon weekend. In fact, they’re thinking of just having a justice of the peace come out to the farm and marry them on the premises!
    So, Tía Lola comes up with a plan. She invites Ms. McGregor and Mr. Magoon to stay at her B&B at a special newlywed rate. For no extra charge, they can be married right in the elegant front parlor by the colonel himself, who happens to be a justice of the peace. Since they’ll be in town, Boone can still milk his cows in the morning, attend his own wedding in the afternoon, then go out for the evening milking and be back again for a honeymoon night. Ms. McGregor is delighted and accepts right off.
    Normally, Cari would love for someone special to be staying at their B&B. It’s like having a sleepover. But Cari doesn’t want her teacher to get married. So having Ms. McGregor stay for her honeymoon at Tía Lola’s B&B will be like hitting herself on a boo-boo and having it start to bleed all over again.
    Every time the topic of the wedding comes up, Cari pouts. “But I thought you’d be excited.” Papa is puzzled. He is happily preparing the rooms for the wedding party. (Ms. McGregor’s parents are driving over from Maine; her sister is flying in from L.A.) The couple will, of course, be given the bridal bedroom. “What an enlightened idea it was to decorate the room this way,” Papa exclaims. Victoria gives him a little I-told-you-so smile but nicely doesn’t say so out loud. “Wasn’t that a brilliant idea of your big sister’s?” Papa adds, trying to pull the sullen Cari into the conversation.
    “I think it’s stupid! Stupid idea. Stupid room. Stupid, stupid, stupid!” Cari has run out of things to call stupid, which makes her feel really stupid. On top of which, Papagives Cari a little scolding about not-nice responses, then sends her up to her room for some time out, and that is the stupidest thing of all.

    Early in the week, Ms. McGregor comes over to Tía Lola’s B&B to finalize the arrangements. She brings along some blank invitations she bought at Stargazer’s store. Victoria, whose handwriting is really pretty, has agreed to help her fill them out. Meanwhile, Papa, who has atrocious handwriting but is great at licking envelopes, seals them up. The rest of the crew heads upstairs to clean the rooms and make a list of supplies needed.
    The only people coming to the ceremony in the colonel’s front parlor will be the groom’s family, Ms. McGregor’s parents and sister, the Espadas, the Guzmáns, and of course, Tía Lola. But Rudy has thrown open his restaurant for a party afterward. Instead of gifts, the couple requests that guests bring their favorite family dish with the recipe written down. After all, no one was even expecting to be invited to a last-minute wedding that would have taken place in a stable among a hundred head of Holsteins and Jerseys if Tía Lola hadn’t come to the rescue.
    The last invitation Victoria addresses is for the Magoon family, not that they need one. But Ms. McGregor says it’s for his parents and sister to have as a keepsake. It turns out Boone’s father can’t farm anymore on account of his bad arthritis, and his