The game was surprisingly light despite its packaging. Her dad placed it carefully in the front seat, and although it was a tight fit, she still sat comfortably.

Instead of addressing the elephant in the room, which was her failed engagement, her dad told her they were meeting her mom and younger sister at her favorite restaurant.

“Dad, I kind of want to go home and rest. It's been a pretty long day,” she said.

“The days are always long, mija. That never changes. But at the end of the day, food and family help us find a bit of joy,” he replied.

She didn’t respond, but one question weighed on her.

“Dad, why are you being so considerate? You were always against Adrian and even warned me not to move in with him. The last time you brought him up, I was pretty mean to you.”

“That was to be expected. You loved him. People defend the people they love, even against their parents,” he said. “I picked you up because I know you need someone in your corner. Your mom and sister feel the same way.”

“Thanks, Dad. But how did you know he would just get up and leave one day? I didn’t even know that.”

She noticed that her dad’s hands had gone still. He moved them up and down the steering wheel, tapping lightly as he waited for the light to turn green.

“I guess it comes from wisdom. The same thing happened to one of my cousins back home. I noticed similarities between her fiancé and Adrian. My cousin was able to bounce back, and so will you.”

He turned on his right signal and parked the car. The neon sign for Rocky’s Cafe flashed brightly against the cold autumn sky. 

She spotted her mother’s car and the silhouettes of her mom and sister at the third booth by the window overlooking the community baseball field.