‘I’m so sorry you lost someone you cared for.’ Lowering her voice, she asked, ‘Do you mind telling me what happened?’ Maybe now that her grandmother had opened up about her family in Spain she might share other details of her life back there. Although the raised eyebrow Charlotte received told her she was off the mark.
Abuela reached for the notepad beside her bed, scrawled some words and folded it in half. ‘Do not look at the name or details until you are in Granada, as it will not do you any good until you are there. Please deliver this as asked and perhaps by the time you return I will be ready to share the story. It was a complicated situation and, in my eyes, still is. Just know this letter is long overdue. Now you have three reasons to return.’
‘Two—deliver the letter and find out more about Syeria, right?’
‘You forgot number three—Mateo.’
‘Oh, no. It’s impossible. We—’
‘Do not throw the chance of love away. It is precious and should be respected,’ said Abuela.
‘Why didn’t you ask me to deliver this the first time I went to Spain? It certainly would have been more practical.’
‘Since you went I have revisited many memories, both good and bad, and it is time I dealt with them. Darling girl, I realise I’m asking a lot for you to go back so soon and I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. You know I deeply appreciate everything you do for me. By the way, I’m not asking you to return to Spain for purely selfish reasons—you need to go back so you don’t miss out on being with someone who makes you happy.’
‘But Mateo and I have different lives. We live on opposite sides of the world—’
‘Nonsense. Do not live in a future of what-ifs, Charlotte. Live in the moment and things will work out the way they should.’ Abuela gripped Charlotte’s hand so hard she felt like her knuckles had been crushed. ‘There are many reasons why I don’t talk about my flamenco days but I will say one thing and I want you to remember it.’
‘Okay,’ said Charlotte, surprised and ecstatic to hear more about Abuela’s life.
‘When you open up to flamenco you open up to love.’
‘You sound like Mateo.’
‘I like this young man already.’
‘Huh.’ Charlotte smiled. ‘He said something similar about you.’
‘Perhaps we are kindred spirits who are both looking out for you.’ Abuela patted Charlotte’s arm. ‘You work too hard. Take life too seriously. It is time for you to lighten up and have some fun. Go and do as I ask but also allow yourself to be in the company of a man who makes you feel good. I do not want you to get to my age, full of regret about what could have been had you made different decisions.’
CHAPTER
22
Charlotte wiped sweat from her brow as she powered across the cobblestoned street towards Bar Alegría. Although it was the middle of the night in Australia but early evening in Granada, Charlotte’s body had adjusted surprisingly well for someone who had recently spent a crazy amount of time in airports and planes. She wasn’t willing to give credence, though, to Abuela’s ridiculous theory about reversing jetlag.
When she’d first arrived in Granada, Charlotte had spent a few minutes madly pressing the ringer to Mateo’s apartment and calling his mobile phone, without success. She now strode through the door of the bar and squeezed her way through the throng of sweaty bodies, and her ears were assailed by Spanish pop music blasting through tinny speakers.
‘Charlotte! It is nice to see you!’ Pedro smiled as he poured beers from the tap and lined them up for a tall man with beefy arms and a perfectly manicured goatee.
She’d barely had time for a dodgy airport coffee before taking the next flight back to Granada. ‘I’m looking for Mateo.’
‘He is not here.’ Pedro ignored the other patrons and poured a glass of water and handed it to Charlotte, raising an eyebrow at her sweaty, dishevelled state.
‘Gracias.’ She took a gulp then asked, ‘Do you know where he could be?’
‘No, but she might.’ Pedro cocked his head to the left and Charlotte turned to find Cristina forcing her way through the crowd. A well-aimed elbow whacked Charlotte in the ribcage.
‘Ow!’
‘¿Cual es tu problema?’ Cristina’s dark hair flew across her face and she pushed back her locks with force. Her eyes narrowed when she realised who she’d just assaulted then she stuck her nose in the air and turned to Pedro, a flurry of Spanish falling from her pouty red lips. Mateo’s name was shouted a few times and Pedro managed to get in the odd word, but the crowd around them soon grew agitated with this woman demanding attention from the only person serving drinks. A guy Charlotte had seen propping up the bar on previous visits turned and gave Cristina what for which led to a furious battle of wills. When it looked like it would get physical, a couple of the musicians from the stage jumped off and grabbed Cristina and the guy with the loud mouth, and shoved them through the crowd and out onto the street. A cheer deafened Charlotte as she hurried outside to check on the woman whose temper was worse than a bull.
The doors to the bar slammed shut while Cristina yelled at the crowd gathered on the other side of the bar window. She let fly with some choice expletives and an impressive array of rude gestures while the guy who had picked a fight with her retreated down the cobblestoned road and around the corner.
‘Cristina!’ Charlotte yelled, but was ignored as the beautiful woman in the red dress carried on like she’d grown up on the docks. ‘Cristina! Stop! You’re making it worse!’
Cristina continued mouthing off so Charlotte grabbed Cristina’s arm and tried to haul her away, but the tiny woman dug her stilettos into the cobblestones and continued her tirade towards the people in the bar. Digging her fingers into Cristina’s bony arms, Charlotte pulled with all her might. ‘Get. Your. Arse. Out. Of. Here. You. Idiot!’
Cristina whipped her arm out of Charlotte’s vicelike grip and stared at her with wide eyes. ‘¿Idiota? ¿Yo soy una idiota?’
‘The one word you understand in English is idiot?’ A small smile crept across Charlotte’s lips. In mangled Spanish, she tried to say, ‘I didn’t really mean you’re an idiot. I just meant it might be a good idea to get out of here.’ Charlotte didn’t wait for a reply and grabbed Cristina again, catching her unawares. She dragged the squawking woman down the hill, across the bridge, and into a small side street. Pulling out the mobile phone again, she dialled Mateo. ‘Come on! Come on!’
‘¿Hola?’
‘Mateo! Hi, it’s—’
‘Charlotte! I have been thinking about you all of today. How is your abuela? How is Melbourne?’
‘I’m not—’
Cristina ripped the phone out of Charlotte’s hand and started yelling into it. She waved her spare hand around, her long fingernails almost taking out Charlotte’s eye. After a few moments she disconnected the call and handed the phone back to Charlotte.
‘Hey, I was—’
‘Espera.’ She held up her hand and arched her perfectly shaped eyebrows.
‘Listen, I don’t care who you are, you can’t—’
‘Shh.’
Charlotte gave up trying to voice her opinion. She didn’t quite have the language skills to get her point across, plus Cristina didn’t appear to be in a mood to listen anyway.
A few minutes later the yellow car sped around the corner and pulled up in a cloud of exhaust fumes. Mateo jumped out then rested his arm on the top of the open door.
‘I do not believe these eyes of mine.’ His lopsided smile made her stomach flip.
‘Well, your eyes are not lying.’
‘I like that they tell the truth.’
The car stood between her and Mateo, neither of them making a move to hug, whether it was from surprise at her quick return or shyness. Cristina started yelling at Mateo to get in the car and drive and Mateo shook his head, as if waking from a stupor.
‘I need to help Cristina but I will return later. Are you at the same hotel?’
&nb
sp; ‘I am, but maybe I can help you.’
‘No, it is …’ He frowned, as if debating with himself. ‘Okay, but you must stay in the car when we get to the community.’
‘Okay.’
Cristina climbed into the front seat and Charlotte slid into the back, feeling bad about pushing her nose into something that didn’t concern her.
‘Or, maybe I should meet you later?’ Charlotte moved to open the back door.
‘We have no time to waste.’ Mateo started the car, revved the engine and took off down the hill, the small car bumping across the cobblestones and, once they’d exited the city, they bumped in and out of the potholes strewn along the back roads.
Cristina’s ranting had slowed to a grumble, as the car sped along the familiar roads that led out to the Giménez community. After a while, Mateo nervously drummed his fingers on the steering wheel then looked at Charlotte via the reflection of the rear-vision mirror.
‘I find it interesting that you and Cristina are in the company of each other.’
‘She bumped into me. Literally.’ Her ribcage still smarted, but she resisted rubbing it. ‘She got thrown out of the bar.’
Mateo laughed. ‘It is not the first time and it will not be the last.’
‘What was she carrying on about? Any idea?’
Mateo pinched his lips. ‘She was just looking for me.’
‘Does she always pick fights when she can’t find the person she’s looking for?’
‘No, no, it is an emergency.’
‘Why didn’t she use the phone like a sane person?’ Charlotte hoped her assumption that Cristina knew little English wasn’t wrong.
‘She tried but I did not hear my phone. I like to play the music loud in my car.’
‘But you heard me ring.’ They swung around the corner and Charlotte gripped the edge of the seat.
‘It must have been the sixth sense, no? I feel the urge to look down and I see your number.’ He grinned then turned his attention back to driving as he turned the car off the main road and they travelled along the dirt track, arriving at the edge of the woods. They parked near a red, shiny BMW. A short distance away a tall, lean man with rolled-up sleeves held the stance of someone ready to lay a hefty punch. Mateo jumped out of the car, quickly followed by Cristina, who hitched up her dress as she ran across the uneven terrain in her stilettos. Charlotte opened the car door and stood beside the vehicle.
‘Jax!’ Mateo shouted and the guy turned around, his eyes full of fury. A second later the yelling started and they jabbed the air accusingly with their index fingers. Words like ‘liar’, ‘cheat’, ‘no respect’ and ‘no heart’ flew around and Charlotte glanced up at the sky, checking to see if the full moon was responsible for the insane behaviour she’d witnessed this evening. A half-crescent shone between banks of snowy clouds.
The man pulled out a wad of paper from his back pocket and waved it in the air. Cristina strode up to him and brandished a fist in front of his face, while Mateo yelled at her to back down. She ignored him as the oaf towered over her, his face contorted in a vicious snarl. Whether Cristina was oblivious or didn’t care, Charlotte couldn’t handle seeing this woman in danger—especially for the second time in as many hours. Rushing forward, Charlotte went to grab Cristina, but before she had a chance strong fingers grasped her arm and yanked her away.
‘Hey!’
‘Stay out of this!’ Mateo’s strong tone convinced Charlotte to back off and she instantly felt foolish for going against his strict instructions.
Mateo spun away then lurched forward, placing his hands on Cristina’s shoulders and bringing his lips close to her ear. Whatever he said convinced her that she should give up the rant and storm away. Cristina put some distance between her and this Jax person, but it didn’t stop her from crossing her arms and offering him her best death stare.
Mateo addressed the man calmly but the other guy waved the papers again, shoving them under Mateo’s nose.
‘You always get what you want! Now it’s my turn!’ yelled the Jax character who shoved Mateo in the chest. Mateo retaliated by doing the same and papers flew sky-high, landing on the ground nearby. Jax grabbed Mateo in a headlock and spun him around. Their yelling continued, their words indecipherable once more.
‘Stop it!’ Charlotte shouted but they didn’t pay attention.
Cristina rolled her eyes and mumbled, screwing up her nose in the direction of the men.
‘We have to stop them!’
The men wrestled and Mateo broke away. Jax ran after him and took a swing, his fist connecting with Mateo’s nose and causing a sickening crunch to resound through the darkness. Mateo doubled over and covered his mouth and nose while Charlotte and Cristina raced over. Together, they grabbed his elbows and eased him onto the ground. Jax gathered up the papers that had been strewn across the grass and strode off, his deep throaty laugh reverberating around them. Jumping into the red BMW, he turned on the lights, revved the engine and drove directly at them. Cristina bolted through the trees and towards the community while Charlotte hauled Mateo onto his feet and pulled him into the trees. The car halted at the edge of the forest, flashed the headlights a few times, then reversed, the wheels spinning and gouging the earth. Speeding off, the car bumped across the paddock, turned onto the asphalt road and zoomed towards Granada.
Taking off her jumper, Charlotte rolled it in a ball and held it against Mateo’s nose.
Mateo said something but the fabric muffled his voice.
‘We need to get you to hospital.’
Taking the jumper away, he let out a small laugh and said, ‘I will be fine. Maybe this break will put my nose back in place, yes?’
‘Are you seriously making jokes?’ Charlotte narrowed her eyes. ‘What is wrong with you lot? First Cristina gets in a fight at the bar then you have a punch-up with that brute.’
Mateo studied the blood on her jumper. ‘I am sorry, I will buy you a new top.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, it’s only clothing.’
‘You are not like the other women.’
‘What? Because I don’t care if a piece of clothing gets ruined?’
‘No, because you do not let people two times your size intimidate you. He could have hurt you, yes?’
‘Well, he hurt you instead, didn’t he?’ She wiped up more blood with the jumper. ‘Hang on … didn’t you say your brother broke your nose a few weeks ago?’ Sucking in the cool night air, she said, ‘Is Jax your brother?’
‘Sí.’
She took a moment to take in this information. ‘So why would … what was all the waving of papers about?’
‘He wants the family property back,’ Leila said as she stepped out of the shadows. She bent down and shone a torch on Mateo’s nose, taking great care with her examination. ‘It is not as bad as the last time.’
‘Does your family make a habit of punching each other up?’
‘My family is the clan of Giménez, not Jax and the people who gave me life.’
The bitterness in his words surprised her, as it was so out of character. Obviously the rift went way deeper than she had originally suspected. ‘What on earth did they do to you?’
‘What does it matter? The past is the past.’
Leila stepped back, no doubt sensing they were in some delicate territory.
Charlotte said in a quiet voice, ‘You told me you were an open book, Mateo.’
‘Please, let us just leave things as they are.’ He used the tree to steady himself as he stood, but he faltered. Charlotte went to help but he waved her away.
Imagining the pain he must be in right now, she decided to leave it be—for the moment. ‘I won’t question you any more on one condition …’
‘Will I like this condition?’ He winked, then winced and held his hand protectively over his nose.
‘Seriously, you need to see a doctor.’
‘I will be okay. Do not worry. What is this condition of yours?’
‘Abuela’s give
n me a letter she wants delivered. She wrote it decades ago but never had the nerve to return to Spain and deliver it in person.’
‘There is a thing called the postal service, yes?’
‘I don’t think the postal service delivers to gravesites.’
Mateo raised his eyebrows. ‘This is a letter for a dead person?’
‘Yes. Someone she cared for very much.’
Mateo’s face crumpled and she realised it had nothing to do with his suspected broken nose.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she rested her hand on his shoulder. ‘I should have realised this might bring back memories.’ Charlotte turned to Leila, whose eyes glistened in the faint moonlight. ‘And as much as I’d like your help, Leila, I won’t ask. It’s not fair on either of you so I’ll figure it out myself.’
‘It is okay,’ Leila said, wiping away a tear with her hand. ‘I would like to help my Aussie sister but first, I must make sure my gitana sister is all right. There is a chance Cristina is organising an army to attack Jax.’
‘She’s quite the firecracker,’ Charlotte said.
‘She is but she does not know how to play the game. That is my department.’ Leila squeezed Charlotte’s hand. ‘It is nice to see you. I am glad you have returned.’
‘I’m glad I have, too.’
Leila gave Mateo and Charlotte a kiss on their cheeks, then headed back to the community, her footfalls muffled by the carpet of leaves.
Charlotte and Mateo slowly walked back to the car. He had a slight limp but made a concerted effort to hide it. She wasn’t fooled.
‘I’ll drive,’ she said.
‘You have done the driving in Spain?’
‘Uh … no, but I’ve driven on the other side of the road before. I’m not from the moon.’
Mateo passed her the keys and hobbled to the passenger side. After he got in with great difficulty, he said, ‘I trust you.’
‘I’m glad you do.’ She sat and reached under the seat to find the handle to adjust it.
Under the Spanish Stars Page 24