slow // joshua t bassett

DIESCINUEVE

Josh and Olivia were running late. Well, late in her mother's terms. For Ramona, late means you aren't 15 minutes early. In actuality, Josh and Olivia were in time, yet Josephine's mother insisted on showing up to the restaurant 20 minutes before Josh and Olivia would show up.

While the Ortiz family, and Jack, waited for Jo's guests, Romana talked about the meal she prepared. As usual, she made Jo's favorite, tamales. She had made an assortment of salsas and made the guacamole just how Josephine likes it.

Jack was seated by all of Jo's younger siblings, he gets along with them the best because they're all so comfortable with him. He has been in their lives for the whole entirety of them, so he was like an older brother figure to them.

Olivia was texting Joey, letting her know that they finally arrived. Josephine interrupted her mother's boasting about her food to announce her friend's arrival. Ramona looked to see two unfamiliar teens, "who are they? I thought August and Anastasia were coming?"

Josephine frowned a little, "they, uh, couldn't make it. But, Josh and Oliva could and they're good friends of mine." Olivia bent down to shake Ramona's hand. Her mother stood up to shake her hand, feeling informal to introduce herself while sitting down. Josh looked rather uncomfortable, but quickly hide it when Ramona moved to greet him. Josephine watched as her mother sent her a smirk, she immediately knew Ramona was complimenting Josh on his looks. She did the same thing when she met Auggie for the first time, practically finding a wedding dress for her daughter the day after.

Jack looked to Jo, wiggling his eyebrows. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Jo's father stood up as well, "I'm Eugenio, it's very nice to meet you." Olivia and Josh both gave her father a handshake, introducing themselves. Once they stopped shaking hands with her parents, Joey stood to give each of them a hug. When she went in to hug Joshua last, she noticed a small gift bag in his hand. She sent him a disapproving look while he shrugged with a smile in response. Josephine left with her mother to go get the food, she knew her mom was going to use this time to make comments about her friends.

"He's very handsome," her mother said in her heavy Hispanic accent. "Ma, please don't."

She put her hands up in defense, "Ay, mi cielo, pero esta bien guapo eso muchacho! Si no te casas con ese guerrito–"

"Mami!"

Ramona laughed at her daughter's reaction, "Bueno, ya lo dejo. Perro es muy raro que el Auggie y Anna no están. Is it because I found them in the bathroom?"

Josephine went silent, subtly giving her mom an answer. "Well that was really funny," Josephine sent a playful glare at her mom, "They were both SO red."

Josephine finally turned to warm up the tamales while her mom went to the other side of the kitchen, "Y también estaba muy excited el Auggie." Josephine grimaced, "Gross Ma." Now she knew why August refused to see her mother, she clearly saw his boner from making out with Anna. How unfortunate for him, she shrugged.

When the two women were finished they brought out the food for everyone to feast. Usually, they would say a prayer before eating, but Eugenio, being the respectful and woke father he is, decided against it in case Joshua or Oliva wasn't Christian. Jack had been a part of the family's lives long enough, so they were all comfortable with his Lutheran religion, it's still very similar to Catholicism. Oliva smiled at Joey who was sat in between her and Josh. She whispered to Jo, "he's so woke."

"I taught him that," Josephine took a lot of pride in helping her parents adapt to change. When she came out to them as bisexual, they weren't very supportive. They were confused and just didn't understand where she came from. But then when her mother came into her room late one night she had told Jo about all the research on bisexuality she and Eugenio had done. She used all the proper terms while talking to Joey and she really appreciated it. She reviled that she had more of an interest in guys, and her mother tried to hide her excitement, but it was pretty evident on her face. Joey decided to laugh it off and appreciated the little effort that her mother put into supporting her and her identity.