Another walk under the pines with Juanjo’s dad. Bright blue sky, fresh breeze, children playing here and there. Feeling my muscles work out the tension of flying and working too hard. Talking about Spanish politics, and how the neighborhood has changed since Juanjo’s parents moved here when he was 7.
Lunch with Juanjo’s parents and grandmother. Conversations about the wedding, beginning to plan. Feeling the happiness of Juanjo’s family as the idea of a wedding here sinks in. Sitting outside on the patio and relaxing in the bright sun, feet perched on a white chair, skirts pulled up, feet bare. More wedding planning. Which church? Who will be invited? How big is big? (Because from the quick looks of it, it could be as many as 400 people, 3 of Juanjo’s side for every 1 of mine!).
A walk around Toledo to begin looking at churches, Juanjo teasing his mom incessantly, me imagining what it would feel like to get married in these places, the two of us squeezing our hands and feeling our future spread out before us. Thinking about what we want, what we don’t want. Bantering over the difficulties of scheduling places.
A delicious coffee in the Cafe Roma, followed by a stroll through the streets of Toledo up to the main plaza, Zocodover, eating ice cream and greeting people we know. Hearing how the people we run into are related to people I’ve already met.
Then finally on our way home, driving to see a friend of the family who recently lost his wife. Me in the back with the top down, Juanjo’s mom up front so her hair wouldn’t get mussed up by the wind. Shadows long across the city by now, cool spring air and the thought of how fleeting life and love are making me pull my scarf tightly around me. Feeling grateful for the multitude of ways that life has been good to us.
