En la Casa de mi Abuelita - Joint CD w/Damon Graves

Ibarra Family Compound
La Moraleja, Madrid, Spain
Saturday, June 27, 2009

It was the same as every summer ever since before she could remember, the Quinn family would pull into the gravel-covered driveway that led up to her grandparents’ front steps. In her younger years, Aurora was always eager to run up the stairs as soon as the engine cut off, hoping to beat her older brothers to the door. But by the age of 15, her enthusiasm had dampened a bit. Now that she was a teenager, she knew she was about to be bombarded with questions about boyfriends and other such girly things. She loved her grandmother, but hated getting the third degree.

The one thing that remained the same, was that Abuelita Cristina would always there to welcome her, a plate of freshly baked Polvorones de Canele waiting for her and her brothers. Sometimes, the simplest thing could bring a smile to Aurora’s face. Just one bite of her grandmother’s cookies, and Aurora would be smiling like a 7-year-old at Disneyland.

Abuelita: Querida, when are you going to bring a boyfriend out to visit me?

Aaaaaaand there it went.

The smile left Aurora’s face, even as she brought the cookie to her lips for a second bite. The cookie hovered about an inch away from her face as she looked at the family matriarch with a pained expression.

Aurora: Abuelita, I’ve already told you. Most of the guys at my school are nothing but tools.

Abuelita: Well, tools can be useful, can they not?

Aurora shook her head and laughed.

Aurora: Not these tools, Abuelita. They’re about as useless as rubber lips on a woodpecker.

Even Abuelita Cristina couldn’t help but laugh at the remark from her youngest grandchild as Aurora resumed eating the cookie she had snagged from the plate. Her brothers followed, each grabbing a handful of cookies as they pulled their suitcases behind them. Leander would pass by, giving Abuelita a kiss on the top of her head as he passed, but Orion stopped to follow up on Aurora’s words.

Orion: Abuelita, I thought you knew that Rory’s got next to no interest in guys right now.

Abuelita: Give it time, mijo. She’ll find her prince sooner or later.

Oh, if she only knew....



Present Day

A black Mercedes ML pulled into the driveway, stopping at the base of the front steps that led to Abuelita’s front door. The passenger door popped open first as Aurora stepped out onto the all-too-familiar gravel. It crunched beneath her feet as she stood with her arms crossed and her eyes closed, taking in a deep breath.

I think I smell polvorones....

She sighed, then reached for the rear passenger door, opening it to retrieve Ysera from her carseat. Cradling her sleeping infant daughter in her arms, Aurora smiled.

Aurora: Oh, Yssie... just wait until you’re old enough to enjoy Abuelita’s cookies. You’re going to love them!

As she whispered to her sleeping baby girl, she paid no attention to the sound of the driver’s side door shutting, her husband Damon stepping out to stand behind her.

Damon: Yeah, but what will your Abuelita think about the first guy you’ve ever brought out to visit her?

Aurora giggled softly as she turned to her husband. Damon leaned in and grazed a finger gently against Ysera’s cheek.

Damon: I swear... she’d sleep through a tornado.

He smirked.

Damon: I just hope I don’t turn out to be some sort of major disappointment. I’m sure your grandmother was expecting you to be swept off your feet by some knight in shining armor... you know, with the white horse and everything.

Aurora: Yeah, well, it just so happens that MY knight showed up in jeans and tattoos. Relax, Puddin’. She knows all about you.

Damon: That’s what I’m afraid of.

Aurora: Oh...

She rolled her eyes.

Damon: So, this is where your mom’s side of the family lives, eh? You’d think we came from different sides of the tracks....

Aurora: Well, technically, we did. But more so in a literal sense. Different area codes and whatnot.

Damon scoffed.

Aurora: What? What did you think I meant?

Damon shook his head.

Damon: Never mind. Forget I said anything. Anyway, let’s just get in and get settled. Once you and Ysera are inside, I’ll come back out and get our bags.

Voice: ¡Querida! You’re here!

Damon and Aurora turned toward the source of the voice. With a wide smile of recognition, Aurora looked up at her grandmother. For a woman in her 70’s, she was still fairly spry, hurrying down the stairs to greet Aurora. She threw her arms around her granddaughter, careful not to squeeze too tightly. When she pulled back, she looked down at the little bundle wrapped in purple and clapped her hands together.

Abuelita: ¿Y quien es esta muñequita?(And who is this little doll?)

Aurora: Es tu bisnieta, Ysera.(This is your great-granddaughter, Ysera.)

Ysera, having heard the voices, opened her eyes. She blinked a couple of times, then pushed a tiny hand out from beneath her blanket. Cristina quickly stuck out her finger, which Ysera quickly grasped.

Aurora: We call her our “Little Dreamer,” nuestra pequeña soñadora.

Abuelita: Because she sleeps a lot?

Aurora and Damon shook their heads as Damon chuckled.

Aurora: It’s a long story.

Abuelita: Well, you can tell me all about it once we get inside. But first...

Cristina looked up at Damon, then leaned toward Aurora with a raised eyebrow.

Abuelita: ¿Es este hombre guapo tu marido? (Is this handsome man your husband?)

Aurora: Sí...

Damon cleared his throat, folding his arms in front of him.

Damon: Entiendo un poco de español. (I understand a little Spanish.)

Aurora and Cristina giggled as they all walked toward the house. As they ascended the front steps, Cristina glanced over her shoulder at Aurora with the same sly grin that Damon has spotted on his wife. Knowing where she got it from, he smiled.

Abuelita: By the way, I hope you two brought your appetites... guess what I just pulled out of the oven.

Aurora let out an enthusiastic gasp as she turned to Damon.

Aurora: YES! I knew you’d be baking polvorones!