Swirl Romance Stories

by Louis Alexandre Forestier

  “So there is 50% of the population descended from an European male ancestor and a female Indian or African ancestor.” Said Federico.

  “That’s right.” Answered Lucas.

  “How come you know all that?” Asked Anabelle, who had followed Lucas´ explanation with a rapt expression.

  “My mother is an anthropologist and has been studying various topics of original populations.”

  “Original?”

  “That is indigenous.”

  “I would love to meet your mother.”

  Hearing Anabelle´s spontaneous expression Federico looked at Cristelle who made him a quick wink. Then she asked.

  “Weren´t Indian and black women obliged to join the newcomers, whether by force or to move up the social ladder?”

  “Hardly. Half caste people were considered inferior than whites. Besides immigrants were very poor and weathered, and were at the bottom of the social pyramid.” Replied Federico. “Most likely many of the native women preferred marrying a white man rather than a man of their own race.”

  “I like white men.” Confessed unexpectedly Anabelle.

  Cristelle followed the dynamics of the chat including not only the spoken words but also the body language. She readily perceive the enthralled expression of Anabelle as she followed the conversation of the visitor and knew what hid behind that expression. It was also clear that Lucas had taken the girl as his preferential interlocutor and it seemed that his explanations were directed primarily at her. There was no doubt that both youths were comfortable with their mutual dialogue. At one point Cristelle glanced Chantal and noticed she was looking at Federico. This perception resulted inexplicably in an uneasiness which increased when the African girl saw him staring back at the woman and the two held their eyes on the other for a moment that to Cristelle seemed very long. She suddenly felt a knot in her stomach. At that time she heard that from what appeared to her a remote place Lucas was saying.

  “Well, tomorrow I have to get up early so that I have to leave now. I parked the car half a block away.”

  “Yes, I must also prepare Lourdy´s clothes to go to school.” Added Chantal.

  “I will accompany Lucas.” Said quickly Anabelle.

  All said goodbye to the boy, Federico walked his colleague to the house door and then discreetly left him in Anabelle´s company.

  “It has not worked out exactly as you expected, has it? “Federico asked Cristelle when they were alone.

  “On the contrary, the evening with your friend has been a success, I’m glad I proposed inviting him. He is a very nice person.”

  Federico however noticed that there were shadows on the women´s face.

  “I mean, that chemistry came with Anabelle and not …

  The phrase was left unfinished. Federico found that the fact that Lucas had been successful with Anabelle rather than with Chantal gave him relief. At that time Anabelle returned and told everyone although addressing primarily her sister.

  “Lucas asked me out on Tuesday and in the weekend we will go to Arrecifes to visit his mother.”

  Chantal hugged her sister in a show of affection that the others had not seen in her before.

  “I’m happy for you Anabelle.”

  Cristelle also hugged the girl and whispered.

  “You can tell Lucas that there is a vacancy available in the tribe.”

  Chapter 8

  Unexpected News

  Annabelle was out with Luke, and at home were them waiting for dinner. The preparations to incorporate the boy to the “tribe”, according to the name given by Cristelle, seemed to move forward due to his willingness to be part of it.

  “He’s an easy prey.” Argued Federico. “Lucas is all alone in the city so a home where he finds also a girlfriend is a strong temptation.”

  “Do you speak from experience?” Asked Cristelle.

  “Of course.”

  The woman gave Federico a gentle push in response to his sarcasm.

  “Whiny.”

  “I am not complaining. I do not regret at all being here.

  Chantal appeared in the courtyard, which even with the arriving fall remained the meeting place of the group who lived in the house.

  “I’m worried about the lateness of Anabelle. She should have returned at six, and it’s almost eight.”

  “Give them some space to be together.” Said Federico. “If in half an hour she hasn´t returned you call her cell phone.”

  At that time key noise was heard and the couple appeared at the house door.

  “I’m sorry … it´s a bit late.” Said Anabelle somewhat troubled.

  “Something wrong?” Asked her sister.

  “Nothing, nothing… everything is fine.” Answered as she went to her room.

  “Do not worry, she looks very good.” Said Federico.

  “I think I know what´s going on.” Whispered Cristelle in the boy´s ear. “I´ll be right back.” She went out in search of the girl.

  After a while the woman returned and took Federico by the arm to one end of the yard.

  “They´ve been in a hotel by the hour.” Whispered Cristelle.” The girl is excited and a little embarrassed. She asked me not to discuss it with Chantal.”

  “I do not see why so much fuss. She had sex with the boy, as simple as that.”

  “Anabelle was a virgin, today is an important day for her.”

  “Well, at least we know that her first time was with a good boy. I hope they have taken precautions.”

  “I asked her. They did take precautions.”

  “I see you’re able to get any confidence. Well, Anabelle and boy are being added to the mix of Lucas´ statistics. They are now already 50% of the population plus two.”

  “You take everything in jest. I would like to scratch your face.” Answered Cristelle in pretended anger.

  “As long you do not have a bamileke machete in your hands there´s no problem.”

  “You’re the extreme opposite to the girls end. They take all of the tremendous, and you do not take anything seriously.”

  “Cristelle. I do not think it´s a drama if nowadays a girl about twenty years old with Anabelle´s sexual fire has lost her virginity to a good boy. Rather a release of taboos.”

  During dinner, after Chantal and Anabelle served food the table talk was widespread. At one point Lucas addressed all in a serious tone.

  We wanted to inform you that Anabelle and I are fiancés.”

  “How formal! Here we have already taken it for granted.” After saying this Federico received a kick under the table from Cristelle. She took the initiative and said.

  “I think it’s wonderful. Thank you very much for sharing the news with us. We wish you well.”

  Lourdy in a fit of enthusiasm exclaimed.

  “All the best for Anabelle and Lucas.”

  Cristelle and Chantal got up and kissed Anabelle on the cheek and Federico had no choice but to shake hands with his friend and kiss the girl.

  Anabelle rose and overcoming her shyness said.

  “We wanted also to ask you if next week Lucas can move in to live in this house. He would stay in my room.”

  “The thing moves fast.” Federico whispered in Cristelle´s ear, while all eyes were directed to Chantal who unexpectedly became the center of attention.

  “I suppose it is all right.” Said she resignedly in a small voice.

  After Lucas left, Cristelle approached Anabelle’s room, passed a hand over her hair and asked her confidentially.

  “How was your meeting with boyfriend´s mother in Arrecifes? How did she take the news that her child dates a black girl?”

  “Very well. She is an open-minded person. As Lucas told us his mother is an anthropologist. We rode in her car throughout the area, and introduced me to all the family friends. I also met his father, who is divorced and lives in the country, and he wished us well.”

  “I’m glad for you. You do not deserve any less.”

  Chantal had missed lunc
h that Saturday, and had locked herself in her room. Federico was walking around the yard and circumstantially passed through her bedroom door and thought he heard moans.

  “She is crying. Will she start with depression again?”

  As the idea obsessed him he decided to talk to Cristelle who promised to take care of the issue.

  A couple of hours later the African woman called Federico and asked him to accompany her to Chantal´s bedroom.

  “She has something to tell us.”

  On entering the room they saw the girl sitting on the bed with a desolate expression on her face. Her red eyes clearly testified she had been crying. Cristelle addressed her and said dryly.

  “Well, here we are together. Tell us what happens to you.”

  The girl stared at Cristelle, then turned her eyes to Federico. She tried to speak but her voice failed her on the first try. Chantal cleared her throat, then said.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  The man felt that his legs slackened and sat on the bed. Cristelle remained imperturbable standing on foot. All eyes turned to her.

  “Have you confirmed it?”

  “Yes. I’ve done the test twice. And the absence of menstruation had already alarmed me.”

  Cristelle stayed silent for a moment as everyone waited for her reaction. Federico recalled that she was always the one who made all the decisions and this was an important one.

  She finally said.

  “I must say at the outset that in recent days I was suspecting something. I will not insult you by asking who the father is as we all know. Nor will I allow you to cut your pregnancy. Whatever the consequences are you must go on. I do not blame you because in fact I envisaged that this could happen sooner or later but wished it did not happen. I’m devastated but I’m happy for you because I know you loved Federico from the first time I brought him to our apartment.”

  Then she turned to the man.

  “You will probably think you cannot sleep with a black woman without finding out the next day you’re going to be a father. I love you with all my heart but it would not be decent for any of us if you were still by my side. I do not even ask you to make a decision between Chantal and me, as there is a child on the way and he should have absolute priority. You must leave my bedroom and ask Chantal if she agrees to receive you in hers. In that case Lourdy should go to the fourth bedroom we use as a workplace. Otherwise you can occupy it.”

  Chantal and Federico bowed their heads. Finally the Haitian looked at Cristelle with tearful eyes and said.

  “We do not deserve you. You’re too good for us.”

  “Silly stuff. Now let me go to my room, I need to mourn alone.”

  Chapter 9

  Emanuel

  Cristelle approached Lourdy, stroked her head and said.

  “Come. We need to talk.”

  Once seated in the courtyard, away from the others, she asked.

  “I want to know if you understand what is happening.”

  “Yes, Mama is going to have a baby and the father is Federico.”

  “Are you happy with the coming of a little brother or sister, or you’ll get jealous?”

  “No, because my mom still loves me and I will have a child to play with.”

  “You like that Federico is your brother´s father?”

  “I like Federico very much. He is very nice to me and to all of us. I’m also happy because I always knew that Mom loves him. I prefer the father to be him.”

  Cristelle was surprised that the girl had been aware of her mother´s feelings perhaps better than Chantal herself. She caressed her small head once again and rose, feeling that she was about to cry and did not want to disturb the girl. Cristelle was retiring when she heard Lourdy´s voice.

  “Tell me, you’re sad because Federico goes to Mom, are you not?”

  “Yes, I will not lie to you. But I will continue to see all of you every day.”

  “Another question.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Will my brother or sister have black skin as mom or white as Federico?”

  “Surely the same color you have.”

  “And will he have green eyes?”

  “That cannot be known. What would you like?”

  “That he had green eyes.”

  Anabelle cut the call she had received on her cell phone. Her pulse was trembling and the girl could not speak. Lucas, who was at her side, took the girl’s face in his hands, and asked somewhat distressed.

  “What’s wrong? Who were you talking to that has left you shocked?”

  “Emanuel.” The girl answered in French and the conversation had been in the Creole dialect. Realizing she was now talking to her boyfriend she now turned to Castilian.

  “It was Emanuel.”

  “Who is Emanuel?”

  “Our brother. Chantal´s and mine.

  “You never said anything about a brother.”

  “He stayed in Haiti. Bad person, surrounded by bad people.”

  “Where is this Emanuel now? Still in Haiti?”

  The girl began to regain the self-control that the call had taken away. At that time Chantal appeared in the yard.

  “What is it?” She asked.

  “Emanuel. Il est ici, à Buenos Aires.”

  Then Anabelle realized she had not yet responded to Lucas.

  “He’s here, in Buenos Aires and has found us, or at least me.”

  Chantal took over the situation in her capacity as older sister.

  “I think we should explain this call that can change our lives to all.”

  Chantal had gathered the group, leaving aside Lourdy not to worry her.

  “Emanuel’s our half brother. He is the son of our mother with a man she met before our father. He never joined our family in Haiti, but was related to his own father. They all went to live in New York many years ago and we knew by references that they were part of the Haitian mafia in that city. They are involved in human trafficking and drug dealing and who knows what else. Emanuel appeared only in the life of my mother in Cap Haitien to demand things that we were not able to give him. For years we have not heard of this man and we thought he had disappeared from our lives. The fact that he is in Buenos Aires and knows our whereabouts is very disturbing.”

  “ Let’s be more precise. Did he say if he knew your address, or who you live with?” Inquired Federico addressing Anabelle.

  “He does not know where we live, he expressly asked me my address. He also asked me if I had contacts with Chantal.”

  “What did you say you?”

  “That I have no contacts with her. I guess he knows nothing about the existence of Lourdy. I didn´t give him our address either.”

  “The relevant question is how he got your cell phone number.” Reasoned Federico.”Given what he knows and what he does not know I guess he must have obtained some information in the hotel where you work.”

  “I do not think the hotel provides any information about its employees.” Replied Anabelle.

  “Not the hotel itself. Perhaps some of its employees. Tell me, have you updated your address in the human resources area of the hotel when we moved from the apartment in Congreso or are you still registered with the old address?”

  “Now that you mention, I forgot to update it.”

  “So much the better. Do not do it for now. Now write me in a paper the names of all your fellow employees who have your phone number.”

  Cristelle whispered to Chantal.

  “Look at the smart guy that you’ve got. We were all terrified and confused and in a couple of minutes he put us on the path of a solution.

  “We still don´t know if this is the solution. I’m very scared.”

  “Be confident in your man.”

  Anabelle, who was examining the list of contacts in her cell phone directory suddenly said.

  “Maybe we can track who has my given phone number to Emanuel.”

  In front of the expectative of all the girl continued.

 
“I do not think Emanuel speaks any language other than his bad French, though he may have learned some English in New York.”

  “Well, where does that leave us?” Asked Lucas with obvious tension.

  “Most of my colleagues speak either English or Portuguese as a second language, because those are the most required. Of all those working in the hotel and who are in touch with me there is only one that speaks French, a man named Jules.”

  “Who is he?” Inquired Federico.

  “Jules Kandji. He is Senegalese. He came to the country selling trinkets on the beaches. A bad bug. I do not understand how he was hired in the hotel because I always thought he is an illegal. I also think he may be related to muddy issues. I only have some contact with him when French speaking passengers arrive.”

  “ My mother has some acquaintances in the Police.” Said Lucas. “I´ll see if she can get details about such Jules and convince him not to mess with us. It is likely I will have to disclose your brother´s name.”

  “It’s not problem for us.” Anticipated Chantal. He has always been a sticking point in our lives.”

  “Is his last name also Lafleur like yours?” Asked again Lucas.

  “ No. It´s Dagrin, he has his father´s last name. His whole name is Emanuel Dagrin.”

  A couple of days later Lucas returned with some news.

  “The Senegalese was already booked by the police. He is suspected of belonging to a smuggling network with possible links to drug trafficking. As he began to feel the breath of the police in his neck he took a long distance bus to Rio de Janeiro, which is where he came from a couple of years ago. Nobody knows how he crosses borders, but the important thing is that he is out of the picture now.”

  “And regarding Emanuel, our brother?” Asked Chantal.

  “There is no trace of the presence of that person in the country.”

  “ The problem is that Argentine borders are a strainer.” Said Federico. “Anybody can get in and out without being traced except if he does it through ports or airports. I recommend everyone in this house, but particularly Chantal and Anabelle, to take precautions from now on. Try not to go out alone, not to travel in low-traffic hours or walk down the street in desolate places; You should develop a sixth sense to make sure that no one is stalking you or controlling your movements. You and your brother are easily distinguishable by skin color, but think he may have local accomplices.”