Thanksgiving: Marcus Meets the Vasquez Family (Pray for Him)

So I brought Marcus home for Thanksgiving and I’m pretty sure he aged three years in one day. Papi stationed him at the grill for “man talk” which was really just forty-five minutes of questions disguised as cooking lessons. “So you want to marry my daughter?” while flipping turkey. Subtle, Papi. Real subtle.

Thanksgiving: Marcus Meets the Vasquez Family (Pray for Him)

Here’s Marcus trying to help Mami with the stuffing while simultaneously answering Abuela Rosa’s rapid-fire Spanish questions about his job, his family, and whether he goes to church. He understood maybe half but nodded enthusiastically at everything. Abuela declared him “muy flaco” and proceeded to load his plate three times. The way to her heart is apparently eating everything she puts in front of you, and Marcus delivered.

By the end of the night, Mami was already asking when we’re coming for Christmas and Abuela was showing him baby pictures of me (mortifying). Marcus looked shell-shocked but happy, like he’d survived some kind of beautiful tornado. Watching him try to keep up with my family’s chaos… I don’t know. Something shifted. Something I’m definitely not ready to think about yet.

He texted me later: “Your family is amazing. Also I think I’m in a food coma.” Yeah, he’s definitely going to fit in just fine.