A few minutes before noon, they were all in Tia Isabel’s gaudy living room with photos of family, sarapes thrown here and there, and the pinatas she used to make all hanging from the ceiling. She motioned them into the dining room, a large, dark room with heavy curtains and old Spanish style, heavily carved furniture that smelled like beeswax and lemons. The heavy, long table was covered in her embroidered linen cloth and plates and clay dishes of food were all arranged on top of it. Rich, spicy steam arose from the dishes and Ruben’s mouth watered.
“I made you mancha manteles *and the *chile verde *I promised,” she said. “Sientenses.*”
In addition to the two dishes she mentioned, there was a huge skillet with refried beans topped with cotija cheese and bits of bacon, a basket of freshly made flour tortillas, a bowl of cut up lemons, two molcajetes filled with salsa, a bright bowl filled with nopale salad, and a large platter of Mexican-style rice topped with freshly cut cilantro.
“Damn, Tia, you didn’t have to go through all this trouble,” Ruben said.
“Callate, I never see you, of course I had to. Also, I get bored, so this was fun, like the old days when your Tio was alive and the kids were home.”
“How are the grandkids, Tia?” Smiley asked, piling up her plate.
“Pues, tu sabes. The grandkids are in college over there in Connecticaca. I don’t know why my girls married gringos and moved so far away.” She shook her head and nibbled on a tortilla.
After they had eaten, Ruben said, “Tia Isabel, do you remember anything about templar knights.?”
“Well, si, hijo, your grandfather was one, no? Did you come for the copa?”
They sat stunned for a moment then all started talking at once.
Finally, she raised her hand, “Silencio,” she barked.
They all quieted down.
“I knew it would be you, Rubencito. I’ve known for a while.”
“You knew,” Ruben asked.
“Well, of course I did. Your grandfather was my brother. I grew up knowing about the copa and the history of our family.”
“But you never said anything,” Ruben said.
“Well, no. You were supposed to find out for yourself.”
“So where is it,” asked both the Jokers at once.
“Right there,” she said pointing at an old wooden bowl on a fireplace mantel that had pencils in it.
“It’s been there since my brother brought it to me and told me to hide it because people were looking for him.” She wiped away a tear.
“What am I supposed to do with it?” Ruben asked.
“Pues, no se. I don’t know.” She shrugged.
“It can’t be this easy,” Ruben said.
She shrugged again.
Ruben went over to the mantle and reached for the cup. Immediately, he felt an electric shock traveling up his arm and into his brain and almost dropped the bowl. Instead, he gently removed the pencils one by one, then turned to the friends and family at the table.
“It is the Grail. I know what I’m supposed to do with it,” he said.
He kissed his tia’s wizened forehead. “Gracias, Tia Isabel.”
She smiled. “De nada, hijo. Come more often, si?”
“Claro que si.”
They spent the rest of the day at Tia Isabel’s working on the house and gardens. Smiley washed the dishes, then sat in the kitchen with Isabel, writing down the recipe for her mancha manteles mole, while the guys worked on the yard.
“Tia,” she said. “Are you up to stuff you shouldn’t be doing?”
Isabel smacked her hand. “Yes, but that’s none of your business, don’t be nosy.”
“Um, okay then but Ruben worries so, por favor, be careful.”
Isabel nodded. “I’m always trucha. But hija, I forget things.”
“Do you want to go to the doctor?”
“Pfft. No. For what? I already know. I’m losing my mind, no? The Alzheimers. Back in my day we called it senile.”
Smiley nodded, “But there are tests, Tia and maybe it’s something else. Could be just you need to sleep better.”
“Hmmph.”
“Just think about it, okay?”
“Okay, but you take me.”
“Okay then.”
Dopey, Smiley, and Ruben had finished up at Tía Isabel’s a little after noon and had gone home. Smiley and Dopey kept barraging Ruben with questions but he’d remained silent, the small, intricately carved wooden bowl held in his lap. The cousins had shared a look and left Ruben to his silence when they realized he wasn’t talking. After they arrived at Ruben and Smiley’s, Dopey had started to leave but Ruben’s hand shot out to grab his wrist.