A Shot of Espresso

Warm Welcome

"Mejor Amiga!" my brunette best friend howls. 

"I've been looking for you for hours. Mami and papi are so worried about you," gazing at me intently as if I did something horrible again this time. To my dismay, she kicks me on the shin causing me to topple down the water. 

"What's your problem?! I'm sorry, I really am for making you worry again this time." 

My lower body now slightly soaked with water sitting while cupping my painful shin. 

"You deserved that for not even answering our calls!" Eyeing me as she leans toward me while her arms crossed down her stomach. 

I straightened my feet feeling the warm water against me. "I just feel like walking for I haven't done it for a while now." 

Well, I've been exhausting myself for weeks now manning the cafe. 

I take a deep breath, "Geeez, being Barista totally wears me out oftentimes, I'm pooped," I chuckle at the last word as I tug her arm which leads her to droop beside. 

She's now dripping wet from her torso down her feet. Laughing my a*s hard, she's confused whether to suppress a laugh or frown. Not giving her the opportunity to react, I yank her facing the horizon and put my right arm across her shoulder. 

"Gracias mi mejor amiga, I wouldn't make it without you." I utter as her face relaxes a bit. 

"That's what best friends are for but please no ditching anymore, don't make me walk for hours. Indeed, these precious feet are for the runway," she chuckled. 

"Fine. Fine never again will I do that to our soon to be modelo." As I retract my hand from her and rests on my chest as a sign that I mean it. 

She stands up, her pink lips curve upward whilst offers her hand to help me up. 

"Enough for these dramas, mami and papi are waiting for us," she replies as I take one last glance at the horizon, now bursts with orange hues of sunset. 

"It's lovely indeed," I whisper to myself.

Papi is on the phone while mami is walking to and fro the living room as we enter the front door. 

"Madre mia Alexa! Where have you been all this time? We're looking for you for hours now, we called you so many times, we even called the police. I won't forgive myself if something unfortunate happens to you and why are the two of you dripping wet? I can't-" then Gal disrupts,

 "Chill mami ok, chill we just had some fun on the beach," as my best friend leans beside her encouraging her to sit but she dashes toward me and hug me tight. 

I feel her release a deep breath as a warm liquid glides through her face. 

"Oh shoot! she's sobbing," I tense. 

Papi hangs up the phone and interrupts us, "Someone's overreacting here," he then looks at me and adds with apologetic smile, "Lo siento hija, we're just too worried about you." His Spanish accent is distinct. 

He makes his way through us and pats my back retracting mami from our tight hug as Gal guides them to sit on the couch. 

Though a bit embarrassed and guilty I look at them sincerely, "I'm really sorry for making you worry. I know it's not enough, but I'll make it up to you," as I slowly slump whilst guilt and shame takes over me. 

"Forgiven!" they all replied cheerily as Gal returns from the kitchen with three glasses of water laid on a tray giving each one of us, then winks moving her lips slowly without a sound and it reads "YOU OWE ME BIG TIME."

Flashback:

"Over here," Gal said as she ushered me to the room next to hers. 

I nodded and followed her. As we reached it there was a single bed sitting at the middle, a working table beside it with an arm chair and a built-in wardrobe on the opposite side. By the looks of it and toxic smell, I presumed the walls and ceiling were newly painted with teal and off white. On my right, there was a doorway leading through the bathroom. 

"I already told them about you. They're way too excited that they renovated this room and discarded old furniture right away. This used to be our storeroom before, I hope you'll get used to it," the brunette uttered as she leaned beside the door frame with a smile fixated on her face. 

"I uhm, no, no, don't get me wrong but I like it here, it's great and I would love to decorate it myself," I said and showed her my genuine smile. 

"Help yourself, I'll leave you then just go down whenever you're done with your errands." She waved goodbye and left.

I placed my duffel bag on the bed and started to unpack my things. When I'm done I took a short shower and wore a loose white printed hanging blouse and a knee-length denim shorts and let my long black hair down. 

Though anxious, I made my way out to the living room and saw Gal discussing something with her mom and dad. She then turned her eyes to me and showed her perfectly white teeth. 

"Hey papi and mami," she said. 

They turned around to face me. 

"She's my newly found best friend, Alexa Gonzalez. Isn't she lovely?" 

My face flushed by the compliment she had made. Her mom smiled from ear to ear and dashed the space between us. I gave my hand but to my surprise she embraced me tight, 

"Mujer hermosa! You truly are a beauty." 

My jaw dropped at the confession, I've never felt being held like this before. 

"I'm more than pleased to meet you Alexa," she exclaimed in delight as she let go of me and kissed my cheek. 

I was touched by her actions. Looking at her façade round set eyes, not so pointed nose, thin lips, tan glowing skin, and a straight black hair that rested above her shoulders, I guessed she's a hundred percent Filipina, beautiful inside and out. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well Ma'am and S-sir," I smiled nervously and heard her dad cleared her throat and spoke, 

"Buena mujer joven!" he smiled at me. 

"And a fine young lady, he said," Gal translated and grinned at me. 

Her dad looks foreign, he was way taller than his wife, has fair skin, brown wavy hair, protruding brown hazel eyes which jived with his roman nose and a well-built body. He also had a prominent jaw though covered with beard. I think he looked just like a celebrity. I wasn't exaggerating only stating the fact. Most of her features were inherited from her father except her tan glowing skin and curvy bods, no wonder she looks stunning, she was a perfect breed of two different genes indeed. 

"Call us mami and papi, you're no different from us, you're a family now and we're glad to have you here," she interjected lovingly while her husband slid his arm around her waist. 

I couldn't believe how could someone wholeheartedly accepted someone they only knew for a while, maybe it takes a big heart to do it. They're way too different from my parents, my mom specifically. 

"You're welcome in here mi hija," her dad said. 

I run the gap between us and hugged them as hard as I can. "M-mami..P-papi," I mumbled then I felt pool of tears run down my face. 

My bestfriend consoled me which caused me to shed more tears. 

"I'm so sorry, I've never felt it before. Thank you so much for accepting me. You don't know how grateful and blessed I am right now," I exclaimed with a sob.

After the heartfelt meeting, they led me to the dining area and talked about some stuffs and everything that happened to me as we had our sumptuous dinner.

"This was the best day by far and it wouldn't be the last," I said smirking at myself as I laid on the bed until I succumbed myself to sleep.