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Usnavi hasn't been here in a while.
Not since the night Benny moved out, young and scared and fragile. The stoop was still covered in an abundance of potted plants, almost untouched as if no one had changed anything up. Benny's mother was still a gardener, or so it seemed. This heat wouldn't be helping the plants if she wasn't watering them consistently.
They had spoken. Alma had welcomed him with open arms, thanking him more profusely for taking care of Benny the whole time she couldn't. Turns out she couldn't hold a grudge, which made things so much easier for him. Easier to have this conversation.
Ringing the doorbell, Usnavi kicked around at a rock for a second, before the door opened to reveal his boyfriend's mom. She smiled at him, opening her arms happily with a joyous "carino!" and a hug. He guessed hugs ran in the family - or at least the mom's side.
"Hi Alma," he greeted, fiddling with the hem of his T-shirt. "Can I come inside?"
"Of course," she said, opening the door further to let him in with a skeptical look. "Benny isn't with you?"
"He's at work," Usnavi groaned as he took off his shoes and discarded them at the door. "Sonny's running the bodega right now, which gave me the time to run down here."
Alma laughed at him. "You two never stop working, do you," she teased, leading him into the kitchen. "Water or OJ?"
"Water is fine."
As Alma grabbed two glasses from the cupboard, Usnavi made work of sitting himself down on the couch. The apartment smelled like Benny, or at least reminded him of Benny's presence. He and his mother were fun but homey. Home to him.
Which is why the ring in his pocket weighs him down in his seat.
Alma comes in with the glasses, a tranquil smile on her face. (Right where it should be, he thinks. That night was not one to look her in the eyes.) She hands one to Usnavi, who utters a small thank you before taking a sip. Damn, his throat his parched.
"I hope you're here to give me good news. Benny better not have done something," she told him, and Usnavi stopped sipping from his glass.
"He's doing fine, actually. Amazing. In fact," he paused to place his glass on the table. "I need to ask you something really important."
Her eyes flashed into importance, before she smiled and shifted in her seat. "Please, go on."
"Okay," Usnavi breathed out. "Please breathe, well, not that you aren't, but I'm about to pull out something very important and you might freak out and kill me." Reaching into his pocket, Usnavi held the soft box in his palm, taking it out and opening it and watching Alma's eyes widen.
"I-" Alma started, before she began laughing. "This is a joke right? You're kidding, why are you proposing-"
"No no no!" Usnavi panicked slightly, before he joined Alma in laughter. "You're very good for your forties, but dear god no! I've already got Benny with me."
"Alright, alright," Alma took another sip of water. "I'm just teasing you. Go on?"
Usnavi laughed, before pulling the ring out of its little hole. "I saved up quite a bit to get this for him," he laughed, smiling down at the gold. "I sure do hope it fits Benny. His hands are really big, not that you wouldn't know, but-" Alma eyed him, so he shut his mouth and got his thoughts together. "I came to ask you for your blessing."
Taking Alma's hands, he steeled himself for inevitable rejection. "I can take care everything, even the finances for the wedding, the bills, and he's got it down too. God, he keeps insisting to, but I mean, he's so responsible - Jesus, I'm rambling - Can I marry Benny?"
He must've said something wrong, because Alma's hands slipped away from his in shock. "Alma," Usnavi cautiously whispered. "I'll wait as long as possible, it's okay if you don't-"
"Yes!" Alma tackled him in a hug, tighter than anyone who had ever hugged him. "Yes, yes, yes, dios mio, you have all my blessings. Mi yerno, you will make my son so happy," she sobbed out, and Usnavi slowly wrapped his arms around her as his shoulder got wet.
"Um, are you, y'know, crying?"
"Happy tears, mi hijo."
Something in his heart panged as Alma called him "son," and he let his chin rest on her shoulder. "I will not let you down," he promised Alma. "I'll take such good care of him, I swear."
"How could I accept without knowing so?" Alma told him. "There's no one else in the entire world I'd trust even more with my son or even my own life."
"You don't trust your son?"
"Lord no, he's a tad of a disaster. I love him though."
Usnavi laughed at that statement. "Don't we both?"
Alma pulled back, squeezing his shoulder. "I'm actually suprised you came to me so late," she told him. "You've known Benny for so long - I didn't except for you to wait before asking. Even then, I don't think I'd be in charge of him."
"Benny would definitely listen to you." He leaned up against the back of the couch. "You're a good mother."
"Me, a good mother?" Scoffing, she pulled the lever on the side of the chair. "I don't think I qualify for being there."
He gave her a shrug and a sigh. "All mothers have their faults. I don't blame either of you guys for the small fault, but I'm glad you both got off the shelf and finally spoke."
"With your help, of course. Where would we be without you?"
"And where would I be without Benny?"
"Mmm, fair point," she stated. "I do hope you didn't just come to talk about him though. All this way for a little conversation?"
"Hell naw," Usnavi laughed. "D'you wanna play some Uno?"
Alma smiled. "Of course."
After texting Benny that he would be back home late, Alma broke out the beers, ready to play against Usnavi. Uno games between them were heated and a little too loud than granted, but they were fun, and it was especially worth the expression he was seeing on Alma's face when he pulled out two draw four cards.
Three hours passed and Alma finally deemed it viable that he head back to Benny. "You sure you won't be lonely?"
"Been lonely all my life. I'll be okay."
Before Alma shut the door, Usnavi gave her one last hug. "Thank you," he told her. "Thank you for saying yes."
Walking down the stoop, he heard the door close behind him. It was back to the sweaty heat of the city.