I smiled. “These changes are amazing! I wish it had been like this when I was competing. I especially like that you got rid of the rule saying that a girl couldn’t compete if she had a boyfriend or had ever been pregnant or whatever.”
Valerie pursed her lips. “What good would that do? Punishing girls for things that men are rarely held accountable for? Take away the only chance many of them have to improve their lives and get an education? Who does that help?”
Mayor Gunderson said, “I don’t like it. We had those rules for a reason. It seems like you’re telling these girls it’s OK to make bad decisions. There need to be consequences.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And that involves denying them a chance at a good education?”
The mayor spluttered and looked as if he were preparing a rebuttal, but Mr. Acevedo stepped in. “We’ve got a lot to do if we want to start the kickoff event on time. Maybe we should start preparing the room?”
Valerie looked at her watch and clapped her hands. “He’s right. OK, everyone, let’s get to work!”
* * *
? ? ?
A few hours later, after the room looked like every streamer in Knotting Hill, our local craft store, had given its life to make the party room look festive, Rob stood up and stretched. “I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m famished. I had to skip lunch to make it here on time. Would either of you care to join me?”
He looked between me and Sana, clearly not including his sister in the invitation. Valerie rolled her eyes, probably used to her younger brother leaving her out when other women were around.
“Why don’t we all grab lunch at my aunt’s restaurant?” I suggested. “I convinced my aunt to get gluten-free soy sauce a while ago, and I can warn you away from any recipes that might contain gluten. We have a very rice-based cuisine, so it’ll be easy.”
Valerie smiled at me. “That would be lovely. I’ve never had Filipino food before, but I’ve heard good things about your restaurant.”
Rob looked a little put out at having his sister tag along but tried to make the most out of the situation and rope in Sana as well. The look he gave her was just as appraising as the one he’d given me earlier, and she shuddered a bit as she stepped closer to me. “I have to teach a yoga class later, so I probably shouldn’t eat anything.”
“You don’t have to eat, then. Just come keep us company. I’d love to get to know my fellow judges better, especially when they’re as lovely as the two of you,” Rob said, putting an arm around me.
Sana and I exchanged a look, me begging her with my eyes to join us. She sighed. “Sure, why not? I’d like to chat more with Lila anyway. I’m always interested in meeting more women of color entrepreneurs.”
“Great! Full disclosure though, one of the contestants is a server at my family’s restaurant. That’s not going to be a problem, is it?” I bit my lip, worried I might be messing up Joy’s chances by telling them this.
Valerie waved my concern away. “Everybody in this town is connected to everybody else through blood, marriage, or business. We’d have to disqualify everyone whose family has been here for more than a year.”
“I guess that’s one of the good things about having me as a judge, right? I’ve only been here a few years, so you don’t have to worry about me being biased,” Sana said.
Valerie nodded. “That’s part of it, I won’t lie. But I also wanted you on the team because you’re a young female entrepreneur running successful businesses that focus on wellness. You’re a great role model for the girls who enter the pageant.”
Sana blushed and waved away the compliment. “Let’s head out, shall we? I’m starting to feel a bit peckish and could use a nibble before my class.”
We each took our separate cars to Tita Rosie’s Kitchen and joined the busy lunchtime rush. It was after two, but most of the tables were still full. I managed to snag a booth for four near the kitchen and excused myself to greet my aunt and grandmother.
They were hard at work, churning out lunch platters and smaller plates for meryenda, or snack time.
“Oh, anak, are you done with your pageant duties?” Tita Rosie brushed her old-fashioned bangs out of the way to look at me.
“Sort of. I brought some of the pageant people over for lunch. Thought it’d be good to get to know them and see if I can get any information for Detective Park.”
She smiled. “Good idea. Are they ready to order yet? Any special requests?”
“One of the members can’t eat gluten, so make sure to use the gluten-free soy sauce and keep all wheat products away when you prepare her food.”
I said this to Tita Rosie, but it was really directed at Lola Flor, who was in charge of the baking and sweets, and not so careful when it came to people’s dietary restrictions. She ignored me, but my aunt gave me a knowing smile.
“I’ll handle it. Now go back to your guests. Joy’s probably waiting to take your order.”
She was right. Joy was giving the pageant table recommendations on what to order and guiding Valerie to safe menu options when I joined them.
“As long as you order a dish that says it’s served with rice or rice noodles, you should be fine. And the majority of our desserts are made with glutinous rice and rice flour, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Great job, Joy,” I said, taking my seat next to Sana. “I’d planned on being their guide but needed to talk to Tita Rosie really quick.”
She smiled, her dimples making her look extra sweet. “No problem, Ate. Are you all ready to order?”
Rob ordered my aunt’s signature mixed adobo lunch platter, while Sana echoed my order for shrimp sinigang, a delicious, tangy soup that managed to be both comforting and refreshing. Valerie went with one of our breakfast platters, available all day due to their popularity. She couldn’t decide which meat to choose—I kept pushing her toward longganisa, the most delicious sausage ever—so Joy told her she could get a sampler platter with small portions of the sweet, garlicky longganisa, sweet, cured tocino, and salty, lightly dried tapa.
Joy left to give our orders to the kitchen, and Rob’s eyes followed her every step. Valerie dug her elbow into his side and he turned his attention back to us, wincing slightly.
“She’s the pageant contestant I mentioned earlier. Practically a member of the family. I will, of course, be completely objective when it comes to judging, but I’m glad that I took this position. I remember from my own pageant days that older creeps loved hanging around the girls,” I said, looking him in the eye to make sure he got my meaning. His scowl told me that he did.
Satisfied, I turned toward Valerie. “I’ve been meaning to ask. You said it didn’t matter that I have a personal connection to one of the contestants. So then why was Bernadette rejected?”
“Bernadette?” she repeated, brow creased.