“Why
didn't you tell me anything?” Santiago asked.
“Because
I didn't know,” Carolina told him. “The way I was feeling I
didn't want it to happen this way. I had a little fainting spell,
and I didn't want to tell you until I was sure. That's all.”
“Caro,
why didn't –” He stopped himself for a second. “Let me just
see the doctor out.”
As
he left the room Carolina adjusted to sit up straighter and took a
deep breath. She had not planned on telling him at all or at least
in the immediate future.
Raquel
was trying to get Federico to talk about Mia. He revealed nothing,
but his mother knew something was very wrong. He looked guilty for
having lied to her. After she went downstairs he went into Mia's
room.
“She's
worried about you,” he told her.
“You
didn't say anything, right?” she asked, without looking at him.
“No.
I lied. But she suspects you're cutting yourself.”
“No.
She saw a little blood on my mattress. I told her I hurt myself
while removing hair.”
Federico
sat on the floor next to her.
“Well,
she didn't believe you. I covered for you but I don't believe you
either.” He looked at her. She did not look back at him. “Mia,
stop cutting yourself. It's not good.”
“You
are a devil. I only told everything to you.” She looked at him.
“Get out of my room.”
Lola
and Nicolás were down in the kitchen when Santiago came back.
“How
is Mother?”
“What
did the doctor say?”
“Your
mother is fine. She's pregnant.”
“Seriously?”
asked Lola.
“Yes.”
He saw that his children were more than surprised.
“We're
going to have a little brother?”
“Looks
like it. The doctor said that the pregnancy is high-risk, so we're
all going to have to do our part. We'll have to take good care of
her.”
“Yes,
yes; count on us, Dad,” said Nicolás.
Santiago
looked at his children carefully.
“Is
everything alright, Lola?” he asked.
“Yes,”
she said, but Nicolás could see that all was not well with his
sister.
“Well,
I'm going to talk with your mother,” Santiago said, then went back
upstairs. Lola waited until he could not hear.
“Can
you believe this? She takes me to get contraception and she ends up
pregnant.” She left the kitchen.
Santiago
was sitting near the foot of the bed.
“Caro,
I know we didn't expect this but I don't understand you. Really.”
“I
couldn't react,” she said. “To have a baby now when you have
only one job and I have the catering business... I'm sorry. I
should have said something before. Forgive me.”
Santiago
moved over to be next to her.
“My
love, don't say that. It's my fault that we've not talked much, that
we've become distant from each other. I want this to be my last
apology.”
“No,
no, don't say that. It's my fault,” she said as he embraced her.
“Forgive me, please. I was very irritable... it's the hormones.”
He
replied that this was a blessing and she was not to worry. It was
perhaps a good thing that he could not see the guilty look on her
face.
Lola
had Carolina's cell phone and she looked at it in her room. The
latest text read
Carolina,
tell me. I want to know how you are.
She
shut it off and went immediately to her parents' room, stopping
suddenly at seeing her father there.
“Lola,
what's up?” he asked.
“Nothing.
Mother left her cell phone downstairs,” she said, handing it over
to Carolina.
“Thanks,”
Carolina said, as she took it.
“Lola,
stay with your mother a little while. I'll go down and start
dinner.”
“Sure.”
After
Santiago was out of earshot, Lola looked back at her mother.
“Damián
sent you a message,” she said. “He wants to know how you are.”
“I'll
call him later,” Carolina said, putting the phone down.
“How
odd that he's so worried about you, isn't it?”
“Daughter
– ”
“No.
I'm going down to help Dad.”
She
left the room and closed the door. Carolina checked her voicemail.
There was a creepy message from Andres referencing the secret and
what went on in the hotel.
Both
families dined together at the Alvarados' home when Santiago
announced that Carolina was pregnant. Raquel was as excited as
though Carolina were her own sister, getting up from the table to hug
both of them. She did not notice the smug smile on Carolina's face
that was just long enough to be noticed by Damián and Mia, who said
nothing. Raquel went back to her seat, asking whether they had
thought about names. She did not notice the near-glower on Damián's
face as Carolina answered her questions. Finally Damián, realizing
that his attitude could be visible, proposed a congratulatory toast.
“What
would you like, a boy or a girl?” Raquel asked.
“A
girl,” said Santiago, looking at Carolina. She agreed.
Right
after dinner the teen children were upstairs in Lola's room. Lola
began teasing Federico as though she was coming on to him, which
provoked Mia to tease her. She then asked Nicolás if they could go
to his room. Federico tried to stop them, but Lola distracted him
and their siblings left the room.
The
adults finished their coffee and Raquel did not allow Carolina to
clear the table. She helped Santiago clear it, leaving Carolina
alone with Damián. After a very brief and even more awkward silence
she looked at him.
“Forgive
me. I didn't plan this. What happened is that Santiago found out
and –”
“We
have to go away together this weekend.”
“I
can't, Damián.”
“Please.”
“I
can't go away from here. What will I say?”
“We
have to think about what we have to do. I'm sure this baby is mine.”
Raquel
and Santiago talked about this unanticipated surprise. She was sure
this would bring him and Carolina closer. However, he saw that she
had something else on her mind.
“It's
Mia. Things aren't going well with Damián but this time it's Mia.”
“What
about Mia?”
“I
don't know what going on with her but I can't find the way to get her
to talk about it. I wonder whether she talks to Lola or Nicolás. I
asked Fede but he's being very strange and won't talk to me.”
“I
could talk to them for you.”
“If
it doesn't bother you I'd like to do it. Can I?”
“Go
ahead and talk to them.”
“What's
up with you and Caro? You now that pregnancy and hormones can have
their effect – ”
“You're
right. That's why Carolina's been a little strange lately.”
“Of
course.”
“Speaking
of strange things, I don't like going to your friend Gabriela's.”
“Why?”
she laughed. “What did she do?”
“She
was coming on to me the whole time.” Raquel laughed. “Don't
laugh; it's serious. I'm not going back; I'll send Nacho or
Augustin.”
“It's
funny, but I'll tell you, it's most important that you don't do
anything to make your wife jealous, especially now. I tell you,
Gabriela has an eye –”
“I'll
be careful, don't worry. What did she say to you?”
“It
wasn't good. She actually proposed the idea to me to 'switch
partners.'”
“And
what do I have to do with that?”
“She
thought there was something between us and –”
“Well,
I told her “no”.
“She
thought I would like this and [???]”
They
laughed, not realizing that they were missing a clue.
“I
said I didn't want to be with anyone else but you,” Mia told
Nicolás.
“And
with Joaquin?”
“With
him least of all.”
“And
with me? Do you want nothing to happen?”
“Yes.
With you, yes.” She touched his face and looked into his eyes.
“Because you're very special.”
“I
really like you.”
“Me,
too. I really like you,” she said, almost seductively before
pulling away. ”But I don't want anything to happen.”
“Well,
would you at least let me kiss you?”
“A
kiss? What would you like most?”
“To
kiss you.”
“Give
me a kiss.”
He
began to kiss her and she responded. He moved his right hand down to
her waist then to her thigh just below where it was covered by her
skirt. She immediately pushed him back and got up. “What are you
doing? I can't trust you.”
“I'm
sorry. I don't know how not to show how I feel.”
“Do
what I do.”
“What
do you do?”
“I
cut myself.” She moved in and bit his lower lip. He started to
bleed. He looked confused and even frightened. She looked him in
the eye. “You want more? Then I have it.”
She
held his left hand, the one that had squeezed her thigh, on the
nightstand and cut across his palm with a ballpoint pen. Several
times.
“You
want me to be with you? You have to want everything about me.
Everything.”
He
managed not to cry out. When she stood up he pulled his hand back
and looked at her. If he did not realize she was as mad as a March
hare his IQ had to be subnormal.
The
following morning Carolina packed a small suitcase, telling Santiago
that she was going to visit her sister-in-law Elisa for the weekend.
There was something she wanted to buy and she wanted to give her news
about the baby. Santiago asked if she expected to see Vicente and
she told him yes, in a tone that said she was not happy about that.
“Well,
then, let me help you.”
She
stopped what she was doing.
“I
want to take care of you and the baby.”
“No,
don't worry. The truth is it would be better for you not to go.”
He tried to answer. “It's that her house is very small and I don't
want to inconvenience her. You'd be helping me more by staying here
with the kids so they won't be alone and I won't worry about them,
especially with what's going on with Lola.”
“Let
me take you there.”
“I'm
fine.”
“I'm
just so emotional about the baby, like we're starting over. What do
you say?”
“I'm
well. Seriously. Help me the way I asked. I'm off.”
They
kissed, then embraced. Before he could pick it up she took her
suitcase and left. “If anything comes up we'll talk.”
He
looked a little disconcerted as she walked out.
She
met Damián at a petrol station a safe distance away. She got off
the bus at the side of the road and they shared a long kiss before he
put her suitcase in the trunk of his car and they drove off. He
opened the door to the cabana and told her he had bought it for them.
A few kisses later she pulled back.
“What's
wrong?”
“What
are we going to do? What can we do with our lives, with Santiago –”
“Hush.
Today there is nothing but you and me and our baby.” They kissed
many times.
Later
after making love on black sheets on a waterbed near the roaring fire
they talked about loving each other and not being able to live
without each other.
“I
was just thinking that in a short time things are going to change
because I will have my baby and it will be difficult to come here on
the bus on the highway –”
“Listen
to me, what I have to say. I'm disposed to continue with all this.
This baby is mine and I will take care of it.”
“Damián,
what are you talking about?”
“This
is the fruit of our love. I love you, and we're going to have a
baby.”
“What
are you saying? This will destroy both our families.”
“Don't
say that to me. Things can go on like this. We're going to have a
baby and we won't renounce this.”
“This
baby is part of my family and my family is my children. Santiago,
too. I can't do this.”
“I
bought this cabana for us to pass happy moments here. Enjoy it.
Therefore can we not talk about anything other than ourselves.”
“I
agree,” she said. “Nothing else, therefore, this is our
farewell.”
“Santiago
and I share many things, Lola,” Raquel began. “We share a lot of
sadness, we share betrayal, we share a lot of feelings. And through
all this your father has become the most... the person who best
understands me. That sustains me. He's my anchor. I don't want to
offend you and I don't want to upset you but I want to tell you that
I love you, and I love your brothers as much as I love Santiago.”
“I
don't want to make you feel bad but I'm confused by all this.”
“I
understand. I'm confused, too. The thing is I'm not yet ready to
face these things with Santiago because it's difficult. It's
difficult for you but I'm asking you to understand because it's also
difficult for us. The problem is that now thanks to Andres I can't
be seen with your father. I can't [???]”
“I'm
afraid. Now my father is all my brothers and I have. I don't want
to lose him like I lost my mother.”
“You
won't lose him. We aren't going to lose him.” She wiped a tear
from Lola's face, almost ignoring her own.
Santiago
and Alina were in Antonio's office. A court stenographer typed
through the entire interrogation while Alina kept a watchful eye on
her client.
“And
you always were together?” Antonio asked Santiago. “You and
Damián's wife when both couples took a trip?”
“Yes,
but that was normal. Our familes were always together; we were
friends.”
“And
both of you were ignorant of the relationship between Damián Becker
and your wife?”
“Yes,
of course. It never occurred to me that Carolina would deceive me in
that way.”
“Neither
did you know that Damián Becker bought a cabana for the two of
them?”
“Of
course. We found out after Carolina died.”
“And
how did you find out?”
“Lisa,
Caro's sister-in-law. We were investigating the information that
Carolina was going away with Damián. Every road led to uncovering
lies about this.”
“And
what are your feelings now about your wife?”
“Deception.
Much pain.”
Mia
was taking care of Benjamin when Miriam arrived. Although she did
not say so explicitly she was not pleased at seeing Mia in charge of
a child and was even less pleased that the child was Santiago's son.
She knew where Santiago was.
“And
your mother? Is she with him?”
“Yes.”
Jovita silently entered the room from behind Miriam.
“Mia,
what I don't understand is how you can be so involved with this
family while your father is in a hospital bed fighting for his life.”
“We
are worried about Dad,” she said.
“Girl,
not as much as you worry about this family.” She gestured toward
Benjamin. Mia must have stared at her blankly because she gave up.
“Very well, I'm leaving.” She picked up her handbag. “Tell
your mother that I will have your father brought to my house.” She
then walked out. Jovita stared after her for a moment and put her
hand on Mia's shoulder.
“Don't
pay her any mind; you know how she is.”
Their
attention immediately went to Benjamin, who had taken something out
of Mia's backpack.
Antonio
and Fernando entered the office where Antonio said to close the door.
They were talking about Santiago. Antonio was still convinced that
Santiago had nothing to do with the crime.
“The
judge is bothering me for a DNA test on Benjamin. The fact is I
don't want to demoralize Santiago more. He could lose something.”
“Yes,
that's true, boss.”
“Stop
telling everything to your wife. I've had to talk to the judge about
what she's saying on the news. This is causing problems!”
“Boss,
I assure you I told her nothing.”
“Then
where does she get what she's saying? It has to come from
somewhere.”
“What
happened is she looked through my cell phone. She's looked through
my papers and my computer. I can't operate like this. If you want
to remove me from this case –”
“No,
no! I can't lose my best man over this. But, Godoy, I can't
understand your marriage. Until when will you put up with this
woman?”
“I
don't know. Truly, boss, I don't know.”
“Relax,
you were perfect,” Alina told Santiago. “You gave a perfect
declaration.”
“How
can you tell me to be calm? I didn't kill my wife; this is crazy.”
“I
know. I understand. Believe me, there is nothing to implicate you
and you made a statement because you had to.”
“Now
what?”
“Now
that your statement is in testimony they will call your children.”
“My
children?”
“Yes.
Also, Damián's wife, their children; the whole Becker family.”
“What
happens with Andres' statement?”
“That
has been dismissed. They looked at all the security camera videos
and you attacked nobody. Besides in the second round they found
nothing.”
“So
I can go home?”
“Yes.”
“How
much do I owe you?”
“We'll
talk about that another time. I will talk to Nicolás at our next
meeting.”
“Thanks.”
He reached to shake her hand. She took his hand and kissed him on
the cheek just as Lola and Raquel arrived. Santiago embraced and
kissed his daughter, then introduced Raquel to Alina. They shook
hands as Santiago told them that she was Nico's boss. Alina took her
leave, saying she had a lot of things to do at the office. Lola
seemed favorably impressed with her while Raquel looked weary and a
little suspicious.
Alina
returned to her office and told Nicolás that things had gone well
and she would make another appointment with Santiago. They went into
her office.
“Do
you need anything else?” he asked.
“Only
to verify if anyone else in in the office,” she said as she started
closing the venetian blinds on the windows to the corridor.
“Alright,”
he said and stepped outside. He saw her close the last of the
blinds.
Upon
arrival at the Becker house the girls went off with Benjamin, leaving
Raquel and Santiago in the living room. They talked about avoiding
being seen together.
“Of
course your lawyer slso advised that,” Raquel said.
“My
lawyer?”
“Yes;
it's obvious.”
“What
does my lawyer have to do with this?”
“You
sat around, closely, talking; I don't know.”
“I
just met her.” He smiled, probably thinking that Raquel was
jealous. “She's Nico's boss. He asked for her to help, she agreed
to. She was very generous.”
“Generous?
Oh, forget about it.”
“About
you? I can't. I can't, Raquel. I can't do it.”
He
took her hand and she released his as she stepped closer to whisper.
“I'd
die if anything happened to you. But if anyone asks about us and the
kids –”
He
started to close the distance between them but Lola's voice stopped
him.
“Dad,
it's Antonio. He needs to talk to you and you didn't answer your
cell.” She handed him her cell phone. When he ended the call he
told Lola that this was about a DNA test. “They want to know if
Benjamin is my son.” He took the baby from her.
“Nobody
is here,” Nicolás said.
“Perfect,”
said Alina as she leaned against the desk. “Come in and close the
door.” He obeyed. “Lock it.” He obeyed again. “We have to
talk about your father's bill.”
“Yes.
What do we owe?”
Alina
walked over to him and slowly removed the jacket she had bought for
him that week.
“I
want to see your body,” she said.
He
began unbuttoning his shirt. He did not even ask why she was making
such a request. He did, however, look confused. He removed his
shirt, revealing a well-toned hairless chest. Alina then moved in on
him and kissed him. She then turned her back to him for just long
enough for him to kiss the nape of her neck, then returned to the
front of her desk. She removed her black lace thong and slid it past
her stiletto heels without taking her eyes off him. She opened his
belt and shoved the thong into his trousers, kissed him, then backed
away.
“I
have to go,” she said as she picked something up from here desk.
“Here are the keys to the office. And tomorrow we will continue to
talk about your father.”
She
left the office. Nicolás stood still for a moment, speechless. He
picked up the thong and stared at it for a moment. In that moment he
realized that Mia had been right. He had fallen into a trap door and
the hole was too deep to jump out of.
Rueda
was in Andres' office talking about the case. Andres was not pleased
that his charges had been dismissed and that they were not in a
position to do anything about it. Rueda then asked him where he was
at the time of the accident.
Nicolás
went to see Mia.
“Are
you here because your father went to jail? If that's not the reason
[???].” He sat on the couch.
“What? I don't matter to you?”
“No,but
you have to understand. I couldn't answer you before because I was
busy at my job. I couldn't.”
“Your
job or your boss? Why did she pick you up in her car? What
happened?”
“Nothing.
What could happen? She's my boss.”
“And
you and I? What are we, Nicolás?”
“I
don't know but I had hoped we'd be a couple.”
“I
got down with you, and you know how much I wanted to, Nico.”
She
took his uninjured hand and placed it on her bare left thigh. They
began kissing intensely. His jacket and her sweater hit the carpeted
floor and she stepped on his jacket with shod feet before lying on
the bed.
Lola
protested that Benjamin was her brother. Santiago emphasized that
the boy was his son, but Lola commented that he had doubts. Raquel
said that the DNA test would end that. Santiago had had enough. He
asked Lola to leave him and Raquel so they could talk alone.
“Relax,
Santiago,” Raquel told him.
“How
can I? I think the best thing right now for me would be to leave the
house. I need to be alone. I need to think. [???]”
She
stood close to him, separated only by the baby boy.
The
next day Jovita came up to Mia's room to clean as she was getting
ready to leave. She told her that Nico was inviting her out to eat
later and she wouldn't be home.
“Well,
can't you invite him here?” Jovita asked.
Then
she found the black lace thong.
“Why
didn't you put this in with the dirty laundry?”
Mia
stared. She knew where it had to have come from.
Fernando
was at the Alvarados' house with the doctor and lab technician. He
told Santiago they would inform him of the test results shortly.
“Do
you really think Benjamin is your son?” Lola asked.
“I
don't know. The dates of the pregnancy –”
“Dad,
let me take him,” Nico said. He took the baby and went outside.
“Dad,
are you alright?” Lola asked.
“I
don't know,” he said, with a worried look. “You?”
“I
don't know either.”
They
embraced. Santiago tried to assure Lola – and himself – that
everything will be alright.
Raquel
knocked on Mia's bathroom door. She was in the shower, sitting on
its floor under the running water. There was blood on the floor.
“What's
up?” she called out.
“I
want to see you before I leave. You didn't come down to eat. Are
you alright?”
“I'll
get something out on the street. I'm in the shower now.”
“Did
you see your aunt?”
“No,
I didn't sleep here. She didn't sleep here.”
“Now
where could she be?” Raquel asked herself. “Little one, it's
okay. Call me if anything comes up.”
Mia
looked both afraid and relieved at the same time.
That
night Santiago took the mattress out of the house and threw it on the
walk. He doused it in kerosene. He cried out in frustration, then
Raquel arrived.
“What
are you doing?” she asked.
“I
can't, I can't,” he said, tears streaming down. “I can't go on
like this.” He threw a lit match onto the mattress and it burst
into flames. “I could not stop thinking about you.”
They
kissed as the flames burned higher.
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Permalink posted by Urban Anthropologist
@ 10:56 PM
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