But cooking and caring for Roberta, that came from love.
I no longer had any reason to give anything to him.
Looking straight ahead, I went back to the bedroom and packed my bags.
In three days, I would leave this city, and leave Dana behind.
As I wheeled my suitcase out the door, my phone rang. It was Ursula Delgado.
"Cordelia, what is wrong with you? Not even married in yet and already putting on airs? Everyone's here. We're all waiting on you!"
Same as always. She opened her mouth and led with an accusation.
I knew Ursula's birthday dinner was tonight. I'd logged it in my planner long ago, and I'd already bought a gift.
I'd figured that since things were over with Dana, there was no need to go and put up with her moods.
Then I reconsidered. We'd gotten as far as talking marriage, so calling it off deserved at least a word to everyone in the Delgado family.
So I went to the Delgado family's old house.
Dana, of all things, was waiting for me at the door.
I looked over, surprised, and his expression was serious too.
"Cordy, there's something important I have to tell you."
"My mom still doesn't know Bertie's terminally ill. She loves Bertie so much. Let's just not bring it up for now."
So he'd waited for me on purpose only for Roberta's sake.
I'd actually arrived a good fifteen minutes early, yet inside, the meal was already underway.
Roberta sat beside Ursula, her voice apologetic. "Cordelia, your aunt saw how hungry I was, so she said we should start. Don't be upset."
She pointed at her own bowl.
"Dana shelled a whole bunch of shrimp for me. Want me to give you a few to tide you over?"
There wasn't a trace of apology in her tone. Only a taunt.
Ursula shot me a sour look. "Not much talent, but plenty of temper. Put your things down and sit."
As she spoke, she eyed the suitcase with distaste.
"Last year's gift wasn't to my liking, so this year you just bought a whole trunk of it? Is the house not messy enough for you? Now you'll waste that much of my space too..."
I cut in flatly. "You never like anything I buy anyway, so this year I didn't get you anything."
Last year I'd given her a gold bracelet, forty grams of it. Ursula took one look and called it tacky.
Yet she couldn't stop praising the little trinket Roberta bought for ninety-nine cents.
The year before, I'd given her bird's nest and fish maw. Ursula said she didn't care for that sort of thing.
Then she raved about the crate of peaches Roberta brought, so sweet and fresh.
All those times I'd offered a warm face only to have it met with a cold shoulder, it was just because I didn't want to make things hard for Dana.
But there was no need for that anymore.
The cordyceps I'd bought this year, I'd keep and take myself.
"You didn't buy anything?"
Ursula's eyes went round, and she jabbed a finger at me. "You think you're marrying in soon, so you've dropped the act?"
"Let me tell you something, Cordelia. My son is the most devoted child there is, and if I don't give my blessing, don't even dream of setting foot in the Delgado family!"
Her gaze slid between Dana and Roberta, and she sighed.
"He won't pick the girl we know inside and out, from a family that matches ours. No, he has to go for some small-town nobody from out of state."
Instinctively, I waited a few seconds.
Dana, just like every time before, didn't say a single word for me. He only gave me a look.
It was the look that said, She's my mother after all. Don't take it to heart.
In the past, time after time, I'd caught that look and let it settle me.
This time I calmly turned my eyes away.
I spoke. "You're right, our families don't match. I only came today to say one thing. Your son and I have broken up."
Roberta's eyes lit up at once.
Ursula was overjoyed too. "If you can really break up with my son, that counts as the birthday gift I've always wanted!"
I walked all the way out of the Delgado house, and to my surprise, Dana came after me.
At some point along the way, he'd stopped coaxing me when we quarreled.
Probably because he knew I'd always be the one who couldn't help but bow my head first.
This time, though, he gripped my hand tight.
Nerves washed through his eyes. "Cordy, is 'breakup' something you just throw around? It's not like today's the first time my mom's been this way. Why let it get so ugly?"
