In a strange way, Sebastian reminded Malena of her father. For a brief period, right after La Abuela had died, Papá had cooked and cleaned for them. Except that he was always forgetting the stove on or burning anything that went into the oven. And so Malena, at the age of ten, had taken over all housekeeping chores. She’d gone as far as sleeping in her uniform so she would have time to tidy up the house in the morning and not be late for school. She didn’t mind, though; her father was a genius and should be treated as such—at least that was the way she saw it then.
Malena followed Sebastian into a minimalist kitchen with appliances that looked more like ornaments than functional objects. Sebastian removed a package wrapped in white paper from the refrigerator and handed it to her.
It didn’t stink.
“I think it’s still good,” she said.
After setting the fish on a pan, she searched the cupboard for spices and herbs. Sebastian leaned on the counter while she picked tomatoes and cucumber from the refrigerator. He followed her every move. Under his scrutiny, she nearly dropped a lemon on the floor, but he caught it just in time.
“Thanks,” she said.
She was being ridiculous. She had tangoed with the man. He had held her closer than any other member of the opposite sex and here she was, acting like a high schooler on her first date; so nervous she couldn’t think of anything mildly entertaining to say, much less how to bring up the subject of Cesar Villamizar in a casual way.
She found a knife for the vegetables in one of the drawers. “Claudia said you are in charge of El Heraldo now.”
“I am.”
“Do you like it?”
He took a long breath. “I’m starting to. I had to make a lot of changes, but it’s paying off. Our readership has gone up.”
She fanned her face with a red oven mitt. “I’ve noticed the paper is thicker, too.”
“Yes,” he said excitedly. “We have more advertisers now. We subscribe to an international wire service, and are getting a lot of information every day.”
“I read an interesting article yesterday about President Arosemena. Something about his leftist tendencies and his drinking problem.” Drinking problem? What was she saying? “At any rate, the reporter seemed quite knowledgeable.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I suppose he is.”
“Has he worked with you for long?”
“He was my father’s right-hand man.”
So this Cesar must be older. “I imagine reporters must lead very interesting lives, traveling a lot, meeting lots of people.”
Sebastian crossed his arms.
She flipped the fish in the pan. “His name is so familiar to me. I think he may have been a friend of … my father’s.”
“Possibly. This is a small town. Everyone knows each other.”
“I would love to meet him.” She mixed the vegetables in a bowl, adding a dash of salt and lemon. “So I can tell my father about him.”
Sebastian arched his eyebrows. He must have thought she went crazy.
“Sure,” he said. “Feel free to come by the paper and I’ll introduce you to him.”
She examined the corvina.
“It’s ready.”
Sebastian ate in silence, which she hoped meant he liked her food. With her index finger, she traced a series of vines embroidered on the tablecloth.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” he said from across the table. “I should be feeding you, not the other way around. You’re the guest.”
She couldn’t possibly eat in front of him. “No, I’m fine, thank you.”
“I guess it’s true what they say about the food from Manabí. This is delicious.”
Manabí? Oh, yes. Lili was from there.
“You think your mother is hungry?” she asked. “There’s enough food for her.”
“I doubt it. She hasn’t been eating much lately. My father’s passing has affected her too much. First, she acted as if nothing happened. She bought things, lots of things.” He pointed at the crystal ornaments and the paintings surrounding them. “Then, the drinking started.”
Malena wished she could say a magic word to make him feel better, but there was no such thing. Who knew what she would have done if she hadn’t found her mother’s letter among her father’s things? Who’s to say she wouldn’t have resorted to alcohol herself? “Everyone copes in different ways. Some of us run away.” Had she actually said that aloud?
He wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“Who did you lose?”
Time to change the subject. “Tell me about your father.”
“My father. Where should I start?” He leaned back. “He was very charismatic and hardworking. Everyone in town knew him. Perhaps his only flaw was he trusted too much. He believed all people were innately good.”
“I do, too.”
“That explains a lot of things about you.”
She wasn’t sure if he meant it as a compliment or an insult.
“Enough of that sad talk,” he said. “Tell me, are you going to marry Javier?”
His question was so unexpected she was grateful to be sitting down. So he remembered seeing them in the hotel after all.
“Of course not. We’re just friends.”
He smirked.
She glanced at her watch, without really looking at the time. “I should go. Ana doesn’t like it when I leave the house without telling her.” She stood. “Please give my regards to your mother.”
He pushed his chair back, standing up.
“No, don’t get up,” she said. “I know the way.”
She rushed to the front door, his steps behind her. Feeling the weight of his gaze on her, she stepped out of his house, knowing full well that she couldn’t keep up this farce much longer.
Chapter 32
The piercing peal of the doorbell woke Sebastian after midnight. Something terrible must have happened. He stumbled out of bed, barefoot, and hopped downstairs with his pajama shirt slightly opened. In the darkness, he bumped one of his toes into the metal table where the demon-angel stood.
“Maldición!”
The doorbell chimed again.
“I’m coming,” he mumbled, feeling the light switch by the door. Nothing could have prepared him for the face at the other side of the door.
Claudia stood in front of him, trembling under her brown coat and pillbox hat, her nose pink and her hands clutching a small leather purse.
“What happened?”
“May I come in?” she asked.
He pulled her in and closed the door behind her.
“What’s wrong, Claudia?”
She entered the dusky living room and sat on one of his mother’s hideous chairs.
“I’m sorry to come here so late. I know these aren’t visiting hours, but I needed to talk to you.”
“And it couldn’t wait until morning?”
“No. It’s very important.” She looked around. “Your mother?”
“Upstairs. Sleeping.” He sat on the arm of the couch. “So, what is it?”
“Well, I don’t want us to wait any longer for our wedding. I spoke to the seamstress and she can have my dress ready in a week.”
A week? Why did the mention of his wedding irritate him?
“But the invitations?” he said.
“You can print out new ones at the newspaper.”
He scratched his head. “I suppose. But why?”
“I just don’t want to wait any longer. I want to be your wife and …” She looked at the paintings around them, almost in despair. Standing up, she removed her wool coat and took his hand. “I want to … be with you.” She pressed his hand against one of her breasts.
Sebastian’s mouth fell open. Had he understood correctly? Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined Claudia behaving like this. Up until now, she had always cut off his advances. This only confirmed what little he knew of women. He might as well give up any attempts to figure them out.
“I though
t you wanted to wait until we were married.”
“Yes, I did. But …” She sighed. “What difference does it make?”
Maybe he was dreaming and didn’t know it. It would be the only explanation for this strange turn of events. Either that, or Claudia had lost her sanity. But her cold hand squeezing his own felt too real for a dream. She brought her other hand to his nape and stood on her tiptoes to initiate a kiss, just like she had done in the plaza during New Year’s Eve.
He closed his eyes, from instinct more than anything, because as soon as he felt her lips, another face flashed through his mind. Opening his eyes, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back.
“What is this really about, Claudia? Is it about the tango incident? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“I don’t want to talk about that.” She undid the top button of her blouse. “Don’t you find me attractive? Don’t you want to be with me?”
Her fingers fumbled with her buttons, one by one, until he could see her white cotton brassiere. She searched for his mouth again and he kissed her obediently, dutifully—as if kissing her were a chore expected of a responsible fiancé—but his mind was elsewhere, entangled in some complex tango steps with a woman he hadn’t been able to get off his mind for days.
Chapter 33
Malena opened her eyes. Claudia’s bed was empty. She was probably at the confession room, expelling her guilt over all the rotten things she must have done with Sebastian last night.
Malena kicked the covers off her legs. The thought of Sebastian in bed with another woman—even if it was his fiancée—infuriated her. True, she had no proof that’s what they had done, but Claudia had been gone all night, and had arrived in his car at dawn. He had opened the door for her and dismissed her with a kiss on the forehead. What else could they have being doing so late? How could Sebastian forget about her so quickly? She had been to his house that same day and cooked for him! Didn’t that mean anything to him?
She shed her nightgown and put on the first old shirtwaist dress she found. Who cared what she looked like anymore?
Claudia wasn’t in the living room or the dining room, but the rest of the family was already gathered for breakfast.
After voicing a general “Buenos días,” Malena sat across from Javier while the conversation continued as if she weren’t there. Mamá Blanca had finally agreed to the dentures and Ana was planning the details.
What am I still doing here?
Nothing was working out. Malena’s investigations were taking entirely too long, and on top of everything else, she had gone and fallen in love with Claudia’s fiancé. The thought stopped her in the midst of stirring sugar in her coffee. There was simply no point in denying it anymore. She was in love, like an idiot, at the worst possible moment. As if she needed more complication in her life. She might as well confess the truth before she had to witness Sebastian’s wedding.
She looked at the faces around her as they continued with their conversation. Maybe this was the moment she’d been waiting for. Why wait any longer? They were bound to find out who she was eventually.
While savoring a piece of papaya, she toyed with the idea of confessing the truth. How would she even start? I have an announcement to make. Wasn’t that the way Amanda had broken the news about the nightclub? My name is not Liliana, it’s Malena, and one of the women in this family is my mother.
Her legs quivered. She was going to do it. This façade had been going on for too long. She cleared her throat, but before she could speak, Claudia mumbled a barely audible “Buenos días” from the doorway. She dragged herself into the room like a restless soul, entirely in black, no makeup on, and dark circles under her eyes. She gripped the back of Javier’s chair.
“How was mass, hija?” Ana said.
“I have an announcement to make,” Claudia said.
Rafael looked up from his crossword puzzle for the first time.
“Sebastian and I are getting married in one week.”
Around the table, a rising murmur of voices asked why, some more excited than others. Malena drained her glass of watermelon juice.
“We just didn’t want to wait any longer.” Claudia fixed her eyes on Javier’s messy hair. “Everything is almost ready anyway.”
“I don’t have a problem with that.” Rafael lowered his reading glasses and gazed at his newspaper. “The sooner, the better.”
“But what about the dress?” Ana said.
“The seamstress says she can have it ready by next Friday. I have a fitting this afternoon.”
Somehow Claudia didn’t look as excited as she should have. Malena couldn’t understand why. If it were her, she would’ve been jumping for joy.
“In that case, Lili should go with you. She needs her dress, too.” Ana said.
Great. She’d get to spend all afternoon alone with Claudia.
“Amanda and I have to take Mamá Blanca to the dentist, but we’ll meet you girls there later.”
Malena ground her teeth. What a coward she was. Only a minute ago she’d been determined to say the truth, but now, the idea of being exposed as an impostor frightened her. After she confessed, everything would change, and she was not ready for that yet.
Chapter 34
Claudia had not said a word since they left the Platas home. She’d been staring outside the window the entire ride to the seamstress’s house. The road was bumpy and strident albazos had been pounding on the radio since Malena and Claudia had entered the bus. Malena shifted her weight on the seat and faced forward. The bus was crammed and the smell of half-rotten produce and bodies in desperate need of a shower had taken over. Malena refrained from scratching her legs, which had started to itch just thinking about all the germs floating about. She reminded herself they would arrive shortly. The day they’d gone for their measurements, it had only taken fifteen minutes to get there. Then again, Javier had driven them in the Chevy.
The tires screeched and the bus came to a sudden halt. A booming smash sent Malena’s torso against the seat in front of her, like a rag doll. The passengers’ screams surpassed the music. Then, for the briefest moment, there was silence.
“What happened? What was that?” several voices asked in unison. Rubbing her sore collarbone, Malena turned to Claudia.
“Are you okay?”
The color had drained from Claudia’s face. Nodding, she rubbed her chin, which was quickly turning red.
Malena stood to look ahead. Through the windshield, she spotted the side of a small green car, the driver door squashed inward as though it was made out of paper instead of steel.
“It came out of nowhere,” the bus driver repeated again and again.
He turned off the ignition and climbed out, followed by a row of passengers.
“We should go,” Malena told Claudia, who seemed to be in some sort of trance. She barely nodded and followed Malena out of the bus like an automaton.
In the street, the driver and several passengers attempted to remove a young woman from the driver’s seat, but it was impossible to open the door. Another man broke the passenger’s window and unlocked the door. With the help of another bystander, they dragged the woman out. Her face and her hair were filled with blood and her eyes were shut. There were pieces of glass and metal all over the pavement.
If only Malena had taken her nursing studies more seriously, she could have helped this poor woman, but she stood there paralyzed, unable to remember the steps she was supposed to take in case of an emergency. Check for breathing. Roll person onto one side. She took a step toward them, but Claudia grabbed her arm.
“Let’s go,” she said.
“Wait, no, I want to help—”
“No. Let’s go.” Claudia’s hands were shaking, her eyes were wide in shock. “Now.”
Malena feared that at any moment, Claudia would snap and start screaming like a lunatic. If she didn’t faint first.
“But …”
Claudia walked past the wreckage with brisk, long
steps.
“Wait!” Malena said.
But Claudia didn’t listen; she darted down the street as though escaping a fire. What had taken over her? Malena was now running—as much as her heels allowed her to—to keep up with Claudia.
After three blocks, Claudia finally stopped. She held on to a light post, her chest heaving.
Malena placed a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
She jerked away. “Don’t touch me.”
“I’m just trying to help.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“Look, I understand why you’re upset. That was not a pretty scene over there.”
“You don’t understand anything.” Claudia’s voice quivered. She looked at her with disdain, hatred even. “Why did you have to come here? You’ve ruined everything.”
Was this about Sebastian? Did Claudia know how she felt?
“I know what you’re thinking,” Malena said. “But there’s nothing between Sebastian and me, I swear. It was just a dance. We were only trying to help Amanda with her business.” She felt a couple of raindrops on her nose. “Look, I’m sorry for dancing with your fiancé, okay? Now can we go help that poor woman?”
“No, you’re not sorry. You love to be the center of attention.”
The center of attention? How? She’d spent her entire life on the sidelines.
Malena turned around but Claudia gripped her arm. “You’re going to listen to me now!”
Malena jerked away.
“I’m not easily fooled like the rest of my family,” Claudia said. “I can see right through you. You’re a hypocrite!”
“And you’re a prude!”
“Better to be a prude than a whore who sleeps around with married men.”
Malena crossed her arms to keep herself from punching Claudia in the face.
Claudia pointed a finger at her. “I know all about you, Liliana.”
Malena slapped away Claudia’s finger. “Look who’s talking about being a hypocrite! If you’re so decent, then what were you doing last night with Sebastian? Why did he drop you off at dawn?”
The Sisters of Alameda Street Page 21