“The nightclub’s opening is this Friday.” She looked around the room. “You’re all invited.”
Ana’s fingers tensed on the table’s surface. She didn’t dare look at her husband, who’d stopped chewing.
“Are you dancing?” Javier asked.
“No. I hired a couple of dancers.”
“Javier, finish your meal,” Ana said.
“Well? Nobody has anything to say?” Amanda said.
“I’ll go,” Alejandra said.
Amanda served herself some mineral water. “How about you, Mamá?”
The old woman rubbed Amanda’s hand. “Depends on how I feel that day, hija.”
“And you, Claudia?” Amanda said. “You can invite Sebastian.”
“I don’t think Sebastian would approve of me going to a nightclub. Besides, I doubt he’ll want to go.”
“Well, ask him anyway,” Javier said.
“Javier!” Ana snapped.
Amanda turned to Ana and Rafael. “I guess your silence speaks for the two of you. That’s what I expected.”
Javier nodded at Malena from across the table.
“We have a surprise.” Javier dragged the legs of his chair back with an irritating screech that forced everyone to cover up their ears—a reaction he seemed to enjoy infinitely.
They brought Malena’s pineapple cake from the kitchen and placed it in front of Alejandra. Javier turned off the lights and sang “Cumpleaños Feliz” with a surprisingly good voice. When he finished, Malena applauded—she was the only one.
The room fell silent. Alejandra’s face was partially illuminated with the burning candles. A tear slipped down her cheek. After a harrowing silence, she finally spoke.
“Turn on the lights, please.”
Trinidad obeyed.
“Thank you, but you shouldn’t have bothered.” Alejandra stood, without another word, and left the room.
Claudia stared at Malena with a smirk.
Chapter 20
When Malena entered Amanda’s office, she was on the phone, frantic over some centerpieces that had yet to arrive. She signaled Malena to sit down across from her. According to Amanda, this chaotic office had once belonged to her brother-in-law, Enzo. Amanda had added her personal touch to the room: a painting of a couple dancing under a subdued light, her portrait of Carlitos Gardel on the wall, and a flower arrangement on her desk. A disarray of papers and folders surrounded the green vase.
“I’m going to have a heart attack before the day is over!” Amanda slammed the phone down. “Those flowers should have been here hours ago!”
Malena didn’t even flinch. In the last few days, she’d become used to Amanda’s outbursts and she’d learned that when it came to her business, Amanda was not only demanding, but a perfectionist. To expect anything different the day of the Madreselva’s opening would be preposterous, especially with only two hours until the reception.
The lines on her forehead softening, Amanda turned to Malena. “I need you to do me a favor. The liquor has been delivered, but as you know, Enzo did wonders for our credit. The delivery man won’t leave the bottles here until I pay him.” She grunted. “And I’m such an idiot I forgot the checkbook at home. Would you be a sweetheart and go get it?”
“Of course,” Malena said, already standing.
“You’re such an angel.” Amanda removed her purse from one of the drawers in her desk. “And while you’re at it, bring my red dress, the one you tried on for Claudia’s engagement party, so you can wear something nice tonight.”
Malena would have been happy to forget the dress fiasco, but apparently she had to live with the humiliation forever. “All right.”
“I’m sorry, Lili, I meant to take you to the seamstress, but you know how hectic it’s been around here.” She unzipped her purse. “The checkbook is in my armoire. Bottom drawer.” She handed her a key. “And hurry up, please.”
Malena entered Amanda’s bedroom and went directly to the oak armoire. The checkbook was exactly where Amanda had said it would be. Before she closed the drawer, a half-burned book with a brown leather cover drew her attention. She pulled it out and opened it.
It was a diary. She read the cover.
Diario de Vida de Abigail Platas.
Malena glanced at her watch. Amanda had asked her to hurry, but an opportunity like this might never come again. This journal might hold all the answers she needed. Amanda would just have to wait.
She locked the bedroom door and sat on the bed. She was about to violate another ethical code—one more transgression in her long list—but she hoped her reasons were enough to earn her forgiveness.
She opened the journal with care, assessing Abigail’s pretty penmanship, and read.
June 23, 1940
I’ve never written a diary before. A life as ordinary as mine doesn’t deserve to be recorded, but Ana thinks it’s a good idea or else she wouldn’t have given me this notebook for my 19th birthday. She says it will help with my “melancholy,” as she calls it. Well, I’m going to give it my best effort.
In most pages Abigail talked about her frustrations with her family, her dissatisfaction with her job at the jewelry store, and the most recent books she’d read. Malena skipped a few pages until she spotted her father’s name.
July 27, 1940
Something strange just happened. Yesterday, Fausto and Alejandra convinced me to go to the circus with them. Any distraction is worth considering in a town like this. The two of them went a few years ago and enjoyed it. I must admit I was impressed with some of the performances.
At the end of the show, we stumbled upon the assistant manager, whom Fausto and Alejandra had met earlier. His name is Enrique Hidalgo.
Enrique looked at me in a way that made me uncomfortable, to say the least. Nobody has made me blush like that since … I’m not even going to write that.
After Fausto introduced us, Enrique kissed my hand. He wanted to know everything about San Isidro and Fausto described the town for him. Then Fausto invited him to a game of Cuarenta later on in the evening. Fausto came home very late. I heard him singing in the street at dawn.
This afternoon, Enrique showed up with circus tickets for the entire family but I doubt my father would want to go.
My father can be so obtuse sometimes. He stormed into the store and yelled at Fausto over yesterday’s balance being off, right in front of Enrique! Good thing Rafael wasn’t there or he would have incensed my father even more. He never misses the opportunity to complain about my cousin. Fausto snapped. Lately, his temper has gotten atrocious. I tried to appease the two of them to no avail. This was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.
Enrique offered to help clear up the confusion. He said he was in charge of payrolls and accounting at the circus. Papá Pancho was hesitant at first, but something about Enrique’s demeanor and kindness made it impossible for him to refuse. He handed him the ledger and the receipts and Enrique figured out the problem right away. My father was so impressed he invited him for dinner, which is extremely strange, since my father hates company.
During dinner Enrique told us funny stories about the circus. He said he’s looking for a job somewhere else, that he’s tired of traveling so much and smelling like an elephant. This is where the story gets even stranger. My father offered him a job at the store as a bookkeeper and Enrique accepted! So I guess I’ll be seeing a lot of him from now on.
Enrique caused quite a stir between my older sisters. Both Amanda and Ana commented on his “good looks.”
I guess people might consider Enrique handsome. I find him more fascinating than good looking. Before leaving, he kissed my hand again (briefly). On his way out, he whispered—
The voices in the hallway interrupted Malena’s reading. She lifted her head and froze. It was a man and a woman, and their footsteps were getting closer.
Malena leapt toward the armoire while whoever was at the other side of the door fumbled with the doorknob.
“It
’s locked.”
She recognized Trinidad’s voice, followed by a knock.
“Lili?” Javier said. “Are you there?”
Malena returned the diary to the drawer and closed the armoire.
“Yes, just a minute, please.”
She rushed to the door and opened it. Javier and Trinidad stared back at her, their expressions a mixture of puzzlement and suspicion.
“Amanda just called,” Javier said. “She’s wondering what’s taking you so long to get back.”
Malena flashed the checkbook in her hand. “Just found the checkbook.”
“You should have asked me if you couldn’t find it,” Trinidad said.
Malena ran her index finger along the edge of the checkbook.
“Well, you’d better go,” Javier said. “Amanda is livid.”
From the taxi cab, Malena saw Bernardo and Amanda talking to a man outside the Madreselva. They stood by a truck with its bed filled with liquor boxes. The man entered the truck’s cabin and shut the door. He was getting ready to leave!
Malena paid the taxi driver and then removed the checkbook from her purse.
“Wait, here she is!” Bernardo pointed at Malena as she stepped out of the cab.
“Where the hell have you been?” Amanda grabbed the checkbook from Malena’s hands.
“I’m sorry, Amanda.”
“You’ve wasted everyone’s time!” Amanda signed the check on Bernardo’s back and handed it to the man inside the truck’s cabin. Then she demanded her key back.
Damn. Malena had been hoping Amanda would forget about it. She dropped the key on Amanda’s palm, then followed her into the Madreselva at a prudent distance.
Inside the grand salon, waiters arranged the tables around the circular dance floor while the musicians fine-tuned their instruments on the raised stage.
Malena curled onto a chair in the corner of the room, unsure of what to do. Her mind drifted to the information she’d just learned from Abigail’s diary. She was certain now that her father had been Enrique Hidalgo. Nobody knew numbers like he did, and all that circus talk had reminded her of something La Abuela once said about Malena’s father. As a young man, he’d dropped out of school and left El Milagro, their hometown, to live with his godfather. Eva’s compadre, a man called Simón, ran a circus and took Malena’s father under his wing. The idea of her father working for a circus had been so incongruent with the man she knew that Malena had always thought her grandmother had invented that fantastic story for her entertainment—except for the times when Papá took her to the circus and his eyes shone with excitement. He was a different man there. So alive. Sometimes she thought he enjoyed the show more than she did. Thus, she never had the heart to tell him she had outgrown the circus a long time ago. The theater, now that was a different story. She could have gone every day. Those outings were some of her fondest memories with her father.
And Abigail had liked him. All the sisters had. If only she could get hold of that diary again. But how? Amanda carried the armoire key in her purse.
Malena sat up straight as Amanda reentered the parlor, followed by Leonardo Montes. She was yelling, gesticulating with her arms, shaking her head. If she was truly going to have a heart attack, it would be now.
“You call her right now!” Amanda said.
Leonardo seemed to be shrinking behind her. “But Doña, she’s gone. I don’t know where to find her.”
They stopped a few meters from Malena.
“This is incredible, Leonardo. Do you know we open in twenty minutes? What am I supposed to do? Dance in her place?”
“I’m sorry, Doña. This has never happened before.”
“Couldn’t you at least wait until after opening night?”
Leonardo blushed. “I’m a man, Doña. These things … just happen.”
“Just happen? You accidentally find your way into another woman’s bed? Look, Leonardo. I don’t care what you do with your private life. But when your wife is the dancer in my show and is missing because she can’t stand the sight of you, then it is my problem. So what are you going to do about it?”
Leonardo scratched his head, looking about the room.
When his eyes rested on Malena, she shrank into her chair. She suspected what he was thinking, she could see the idea—that terrible idea—forming in his head. And she knew what he was about to say before he opened his mouth.
He pointed his finger at her.
“What about her?”
Malena shook her head, in a panic. Yes, she’d danced a few times with Leonardo while they rehearsed—at Amanda’s insistence—but that didn’t mean she was prepared to perform in front of an audience.
Amanda studied her for a moment. “You think she can do it?”
“Yes. She’s coordinated enough. I’ll lead her. I’ll simplify the routine.”
They stared at her as if she were a piece of merchandise in a store.
Malena found her voice. “Amanda, I think it would be better if you danced. You are an experienced dancer, and this is your nightclub.”
“You seem to have forgotten that I’m a cripple.”
“But I’m not a professional, I can barely—”
“That’s irrelevant. You’re the only one I have.”
“But what if Ana or Rafael find out?”
“I couldn’t care less about Ana and Rafael now. I have much more important things to worry about. Are you going to help me or not?”
Chapter 21
Hiding behind a golden curtain backstage, Malena peeked at the Madreselva’s grand salon as it filled up with guests. The rundown place from a few days ago no longer existed. The chandeliers, now clean and polished, shone like gold. Velvet curtains framed the long windows at the end of the room. The dance floor had been varnished and waxed. The rose centerpieces had finally arrived, adding an elegant touch to the tables. And Amanda’s pride, a quartet of violinists, a pianist, and a bandoneón player, were performing the most popular tangos.
Amanda looked stunning in a sleeveless long black dress, her back exposed and a slit in her skirt. The tight dress enhanced every curve of her body and a red rose accentuated her fancy chignon. The last touch was a diamond necklace and matching earrings.
She crossed the room to greet Javier and Alejandra as they entered. She hugged each one and led them to the best table.
When Alejandra handed her coat to a waiter, Malena couldn’t believe her eyes. The woman wore a long evening gown. A white lace bodice with sequins wrapped around Alejandra’s surprisingly generous bosom and her small waist was enhanced by a pink satin sheath ending in a bell-shaped skirt. It was surreal to see her in something other than trousers.
Malena searched for the rest of the family throughout the parlor, but apparently—and fortunately—only the two of them had showed up.
After they sat, Bernardo, in an immaculate black tuxedo, served them champagne, then whispered something into Amanda’s ear. She walked to the center of the stage.
Malena let go of the curtain, frightened. She could still escape. The back door was close enough. She could easily squeeze by the busy waiters and disappear without anybody taking notice, spare herself the agony of standing half-naked in front of strangers. She pulled up the straps of Rebecca’s red dress, glancing at her deep cleavage. Por Dios, this was even worse than Claudia’s dress! This dress was so short she could feel the cold air slapping her legs.
She took a step toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
It was Leonardo. She turned and stared at the red rose on his lapel.
“Nowhere.”
Amanda’s voice through the microphone welcomed the audience to the club; it was a painful reminder that she was counting on Malena. If she left, Amanda would never forgive her. And she didn’t think she could live with Amanda’s resentment.
Leonardo picked up her hand. “Ready?”
“No, please. Can’t someone else do it?”
“Listen, nena, stage fright
is the last thing I need.” He softened his voice and squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to worry about a thing. Just follow my lead.”
A violin solo played the first notes of “El Tango de Malena.” It was their cue—a distressing irony. Of all the popular tangos, they had picked the one that bore her name. Hearing it aloud made her feel more naked, if such thing were possible.
Leonardo pulled her to the center of the stage. Malena’s legs stiffened as she reached the dance floor. All eyes were focused on her, on her body. Worse yet, Claudia’s fiancé, Sebastian, walked into the club in a black tuxedo. Malena searched for Claudia behind him, in front of him, somewhere among the watchful eyes in the audience. She couldn’t find her.
Sebastian sat alone at a table near the stage. His eyes widened as he recognized her. She only hoped he wouldn’t tell Claudia.
Leonardo embraced her, resting a hand on her back. She was rigid and didn’t follow properly. The dancer stared into her eyes and lifted one eyebrow. She knew exactly what that meant—she’d better respond before the whole opening went to hell. Malena focused on the music and the steps she’d learned. Leonardo made up for her awkwardness with his poise, confidence, and grace.
As the song progressed, Malena grew more confident. She concentrated on the singer’s voice, a tenor similar to Juan Carlos Miranda, one of the original singers of this tango. The intensity of his voice transported her for an instant to her living room, to her father singing this song to her. Even though he hadn’t been much of a singer, he’d performed with true emotion. He had to be in the mood, though, usually after a couple of puros.
For a moment, she forgot that a hundred people were watching her and that she hadn’t tangoed in years. But her father’s memory faded when she turned in Sebastian’s direction. Dim lights or not, he could still see her. And her skimpy dress left very little to the imagination.
He shifted forward.
She could feel Sebastian’s gaze upon her. Knowing he was there was enough for her body to tense up, for her dress to stick to her damp back, for her knees to falter. It would be so unbecoming if her makeup melted, too.
The Sisters of Alameda Street Page 15