Hot Pot Magazine

By Ellie Lopez

For Avelina Jade Sauceda

My Goddaughter knows that if she sits next to me, I will share my food. Even after my Comadre
says, “Let Auntie eat in peace”, she knows there is an unspoken bond between us and
everything on my plate is hers for the taking. My Goddaughter takes tiny spoonfuls of cheese
and rice into her mouth, knowing that I will always give her seconds and thirds off my plate and
all the bigger pieces. And even after she leaves fishes in my drink and a collection of tiny teeth
marks on my bread—she laughs a big belly laugh that's between a bird song and a wind chime
that calls attention to her tiny voice. To pass time before dessert she tells me stories of fairy
tales and shooting stars and sings like she’s in her own personal musical that no one knows the
lyrics to. I almost want to cry because she glows in a world that is all her own and doesn’t care
who watches her. And she sings and sings—and when dessert comes my Comadre hands me a
slice of chocolate cake. Even though my Goddaughter hasn’t finished her food, she knows that
the chocolate cake is hers too.

Ellie Lopez (she/her) is a latina storyteller/photographer from the 209. Her work has been featured in Maria’s at Sampaguitas, Mixed Mag, and recently in Curio Cabinet Magazine. When she’s not ear hustling for the best chismes you can find her info at linktr.ee/ellielopez