“Are you serious?” she asked with a wink. “I don’t need to change. I want to look good for your big day, mi amor."
The late afternoon sun beat down mercilessly, causing sweat to trickle down Juan’s forehead and back as he navigated through the blistering hot streets of Phoenix. Despite the discomfort, he grinned broadly. “Who’s cooking tonight?”
Maria explained that the meal was being prepared by one of their friends who did a little catering on the side. She continued chatting about little things while Juan navigated the traffic. As he left the government offices behind him, the endless suburban neighborhoods stretched out before him like an endless sea of brick and mortar.
“Sometimes I miss our old town,” Juan said, his mind wandering to memories of his hometown in Mexico, where the streets were lined with vibrant colors, and the spicy smells of authentic cuisine filled the air.
“Me too.” Maria folded her hands in her lap and looked down absently. “I miss cooking with Mama.”
“Hey, maybe we can go down there this winter?” Juan suggested brightly.
Maria nodded, but said nothing.
Juan hummed a few notes from a favorite song, then made a show of changing lanes. “Hey look out!” he called, trying to frighten Maria. But there was no one there. It was just his idea of a joke. “I’ll tell you something,” he said with a wink. “Now that I’m a citizen, I won’t have so much trouble coming back from Mexico!”
“Oh, stop it!” Maria chided playfully, slapping his shoulder.
The houses and streets became familiar as they neared the South Mountain neighborhood where generations of Juan’s extended family resided. Low stone walls encircled large square lots. Many with gravel yards instead of lawns. Dozens of cars lined the streets as he neared his brother’s house.
“Estamos aqui," Juan noted, trying to find a place to park. “We’re here.”