Now and Forever

by Maxwell, Megan

I smile, and together we go to the kitchen where I introduce them to Simona and Norbert, and to Susto and Calamar. Then we go to the garage, where they whistle when they see our swanky cars.

  When we leave the garage, I show them the bathrooms and the offices, and my sister, unsurprisingly, can’t stop letting out little shrieks of satisfaction while she takes it all in. When I open a door and reveal the huge indoor pool, she loses her mind.

  “Oh, babe, this is unbelievable!”

  “How cool!” yells Luz. “Geez, Auntie, you have a pool and everything!”

  The little girl goes to the edge and touches the water. Her grandpa, amused, warns her.

  “Luz, my sweetheart . . . get away from the edge. You’ll fall in.”

  My father quickly grabs her by the hand, but the girl pulls away, and, standing beside my sister and me, she gets a naughty look on her face.

  “Should I throw you both in the pool?”

  “Luz!” my sister shouts, looking at my dress.

  “As soon as this girl sees a puddle of water, she goes crazy,” my father jokes.

  I laugh. If my amazing dress gets wet, it’ll cause some drama, so I look at my niece knowingly.

  “If you throw me in with the dress Eric gave me, I’ll get mad. If you don’t throw me in, I promise we’ll spend a long time in the pool tomorrow. Which do you prefer?”

  My niece quickly puts her finger in front of mine. It’s our way of agreeing. I put my finger against hers, and we both wink an eye and smile at each other.

  “OK, Auntie, but tomorrow we’ll swim, right?”

  “I promise, darling.” I smile, delighted.

  “Remember, Luz, we’re going home tomorrow afternoon,” my sister insists.

  Once we leave the pool area, I take my family up to the second floor. I have to hold back my urge to laugh at the look of admiration on my sister’s face as she takes everything in. She’s flipping over everything, up to and including the wallpaper.

  After helping them settle into their rooms, I hurry them along to get dressed. We have to leave in an hour for dinner at Eric’s mother’s house. When I get back to the living room, Eric and Flyn are busy with PlayStation, at max volume as always. Neither of them notices me when I come in.

  I hear the boy say, “I don’t like that loudmouthed girl.”

  “Flyn . . . that’s enough.”

  Not making a sound, I stand still to listen to them as they go on.

  “But I don’t want her to—”

  “Flyn . . .”

  The boy sighs while working his PlayStation controller.

  “Girls are a drag, Uncle.”

  “No, they’re not,” my Iceman responds.

  “They’re clumsy, and they’re crybabies. They just want you to say nice things to them and give them kisses. Don’t you see that?”

  Unable to hold back my laughter, I cautiously come up to Flyn’s ear and murmur, “Someday you’ll be happy to kiss a girl and say nice things to her, you’ll see!”

  Eric bursts out laughing while Flyn drops the PlayStation control and walks out of the living room. Once we’re alone, I turn off the sound on the game, come up to my boyfriend, and sit carefully on his lap so as not to wrinkle my pretty dress.

  “I’m going to kiss you.”

  “Perfect,” my Iceman agrees.

  I run my fingers through his hair.

  I put my lips against his mouth and tempt him.

  “You made me very happy today, bringing my family to your house.”

  “Our house, baby,” he corrects me.

  I don’t say another word. I put my hands behind his neck and kiss him. I push my tongue into his mouth possessively. He does the same. And after an incredible, wonderful, tasty, and exciting kiss, I let him go. He looks at me.

  “I love your explosive kisses.”

  “You’ve never heard that when a Spanish woman kisses you, she kisses you for real?”

  Eric laughs.

  I love seeing him so happy, and, just when we’re about to kiss again, Flyn appears before us, arms crossed. He looks angry. Behind him, my niece peeks out, wearing a blue velvet dress.

  “Why won’t the Chinese boy talk to me?”

  Flyn furrows his brow and huffs. Oh, poor thing! I quickly get up from Eric’s lap and scold my niece.

  “Luz, his name is Flyn. And he’s German.”

  The girl looks at him. Then she looks at Eric, who has gotten up and is standing next to his nephew; then she looks at me, and, finally, with her typical gift of gab, she insists, “But his eyes look Chinese. Don’t you see that, Auntie?”

  Oh my God! What an embarrassing situation. In the end, Eric crouches down and looks my niece in the eye.

  “Darling, Flyn was born in Germany, and he’s German. His dad was Korean, and his mom is German like me, and—”

  “But if he’s German, why isn’t he blond like you?” the little treasure continues.

  “He just told you, Luz,” I interrupt. “His dad was Korean.”

  “Are Koreans Chinese?”

  “No, Luz,” I answer while I look at her, trying to get her to shut up.

  But no. She’s nosy as ever. “Then why are his eyes like that?”

  I’m frozen. Then my father and sister walk into the room in their finest clothes.

  My father sees the look on my face screaming “Help!” and quickly figures out that something is going on with my niece. He picks her up and encourages her to look out the window as a distraction, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

  Flyn hisses in German, “I don’t like that girl.”

  Eric and I swap glances, quietly agreeing to try not to make a big deal out of it. Ten minutes later, we’re all in Eric’s Mitsubishi, driving to Sonia’s house.

  When we get there, the house is all lit up, and several cars are parked by the side of the road. My father is surprised by the grandeur of the estate.

  “These folks sure know how to throw a party!” he says to me.

  That makes me smile, but the smile is cut off when I see the look on Flyn’s face. He’s still very uncomfortable.

  Once we’re in the house, Sonia and Marta lovingly greet my family, and they both tell me how great I look in my dress. Flyn walks away, and I see my niece walking off behind him. Ten minutes later, I’m feeling like the happiest woman on the planet, surrounded by the people who love me and matter most to me in the world.

  I know the man Sonia is going out with. How about that Trevor! He’s not handsome. Not even attractive. But after five minutes with him, I can feel his magnetism. Even my sister is smiling at him like a fool. Eric, on the other hand, just watches him and draws his own conclusions. He’s obviously not crazy about his mother having a new boyfriend, but he respects the situation.

  Frida talks to my sister. They remember each other from when they met at the motocross race. They’re both mothers, and they talk about their kids. I listen to them for a while, and then my sister walks away.

  “Soon there’ll be a private party at the Nacht,” Frida whispers in my ear.

  “Oh, how interesting!”

  “Very . . . very interesting,” Frida jokes, amused.

  I smile while the blood rises to my cheeks.

  During the party, I can’t stop laughing with my sister. She’s a tireless critic, and her evaluations of certain things are worth hearing. Sonia, delighted to organize this party for me, takes me aside.

  “Judith, I’m so glad to be able to celebrate this birthday party in my house with your family.”

  “Thank you, Sonia. You’ve been so kind to have us all.”

  She smiles and points at Flyn. “Did you like your gift?”

  I touch my neck and show her.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “I want you to know that the other day, when my grandson called to ask me to take him to a mall and help him buy you a birthday present, I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited he called and asked me for help. It’s the first time he’s done that. And, on the
way, he talked to me like he never has before. He even asked me about his mother and if I wanted him to call me ‘Grandma.’”

  She’s emotional, and after shaking her head as if to say “I don’t wanna cry!” she goes on. “He also told me how happy he is you’re living with him.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, darling. The only reason I didn’t fall on my ass was because I was already sitting down.”

  We both laugh.

  “I told you as soon as I met you that you’re the best thing that could’ve happened to Eric.”

  “And your son is the best thing that could’ve happened to me,” I insist.

  Sonia nods her head. She agrees.

  “That son of mine, as pigheaded and bossy as he is, was so lucky to find you. And I can’t even tell you about Flyn. You’re perfect for them. By the way, Jurgen tells me you’re a wonderful motocross rider. I’d like to come see you someday. When will you sign up for a race?”

  I shrug my shoulders. I still don’t want Eric to find out.

  “When I do, I’ll let you know. And thank you for the bike. It’s great!”

  “At the risk of the earful I’ll be hearing when Eric finds out and how angry he’ll be with me, I’m happy to know you’re having a great time. I’m sure Hannah is smiling down on seeing her beloved bike given new life and being well looked after in your house.”

  My house. Those words sound so good. After the last argument, Eric hasn’t referred to the house as “his house” again, and now Sonia’s doing the same thing. Moved, I give her a kiss.

  “You already know, if your son throws me out when he finds out, I’ll be needing a room.”

  “You can have the whole house, darling.”

  “Thank you. That’s good to know.”

  We both laugh, and Eric comes up to us.

  “What are the two most important women in my life planning?”

  Sonia gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Knowing you, darling, nothing you’d like,” she jokes as she walks away.

  Eric looks at her, taken aback; then he lays his striking eyes on me. Shrugging my shoulders, I respond in an angelic voice, “I don’t know what she’s talking about.” To change the subject, I whisper, “Frida told me they’re putting together another private party at the Nacht.”

  My love smiles and brings his mouth close to mine. “Yes, baby.”

  We walk to the table, and Eric gallantly pulls out a chair for me. He kisses my bare shoulder. He takes a seat across from me, right beside my father and Flyn.

  Suddenly, my sister, who is sitting next to me, whispers, “Babe, can I ask you a question?”

  “You can ask fifty,” I answer.

  Raquel looks surreptitiously to her left and comes close to me. “I’m lost with all these knives and forks and nuisances. The silverware, how do you use it? Outside in or inside out?”

  I understand her perfectly. I learned the protocol at business dinners. In our house, like in the vast majority of homes in the world, we just use one knife and one fork for every meal. “Outside in.”

  I quickly observe how my sister shows my father, and he nods, relieved. They’re so cute!

  “And which is my bread?”

  I look at the rolls in front of us.

  “The one on the left.”

  Raquel smiles again. Eric sees it all happen and gives me a knowing look, and I go cross-eyed. His laughter touches my soul just as the look on my face seems to touch his heart.

  Later that night, after a wonderful evening during which they sing “Happy Birthday” and give me lovely gifts, we return home, all of us delighted and exhausted. Sonia is an amazing party organizer, and she made that clear tonight.

  Everyone lies down, and Eric and I walk to our room and shut the door. Without turning on the lights, we look at each other. The glow of the streetlamp that comes in through the window is the only light that lets us see each other’s faces. Unable to go another second without touching him, I lovingly wrap my arms around his neck.

  “Tell me what you want, now and forever,” I whisper.

  Eric kisses me, nods, and repeats, close to my mouth, “Now and forever.”

  34

  After a wonderful morning in the pool, like I promised my niece, my family has to return to Spain. It hurts to see them go, but I’m happy to have spent even a few hours with them.

  “Come on, baby, smile,” says Eric, pinching my cheek when we stop at a traffic light.

  “I miss them so much,” I murmur.

  The light turns green, and Eric peels off. I look out the window, and, suddenly, the music is playing at top volume. Shocked, I look at my guy, and he’s singing “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC at the top of his lungs.

  I can only blink.

  It’s the first time I’ve seen him sing like that. I laugh, and he exaggerates his rock-star moves. Eric moves his head to the beat of the music, and, with his hand, he encourages me to sing and do the same. Amused, I start singing with him, my voice almost a scream. We look at each other and laugh. Suddenly, he parks the car. We keep singing, and when the song ends, we both laugh again.

  “I’ve always liked that song,” Eric says.

  “You like AC/DC?”

  He turns down the volume.

  “Of course. I haven’t always been so serious,” he says.

  For a few minutes, he explains his rock-and-roll life as a youngster, and I listen, surprised. Look at the Iceman! But when he finishes his tale, my smile has disappeared. Eric looks at me. He knows I’m thinking about my family again. He sees the pain in my eyes over their departure.

  “Get out of the car.”

  “What?”

  “Get out of the car,” he insists.

  I know what he’s about to do. “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder is playing on the radio. Eric turns the volume up as loud as it goes, gets out of the car, and walks toward me.

  God, is he going to do it?

  Is he going to dance with me in the middle of the street?

  “Dance with me,” he says, standing before me with determination.

  I throw myself into his arms. This makes me so happy.

  “As the song says, you’re the sunshine of my life, and if I see you sad, I can’t be happy,” he whispers in my ear. “I promise, baby, we’ll go to Spain whenever you want, and your family will come to our house whenever they want, but, please, smile; if I don’t see you smile, I can’t be happy.”

  His words touch my whole heart. I hug him and nod. I dance with him and enjoy this magical moment. People walk by and look at us, but I don’t care what they think, and I know Eric doesn’t either. When the song ends, I’m happy and full of joy.

  “I love you with all my heart, Eric.”

  “I’m still waiting for you to decide to marry me.”

  “Darling . . . that was an impulse. You didn’t take it seriously, did you?”

  “Yes,” he says.

  “But, Eric, I’m not about getting married and stuff like that. You know that.”

  My crazy love kisses me.

  Is he really talking about marriage?

  To distract him, I smile and ask cheekily, “Pink Moët and Chandon?”

  “Uh-huh!” he says with a grin.

  He nibbles at my lips, and, when we’re both satisfied, we get in the car. It’s cold. Suddenly, Eric’s phone dings. He’s received a message.

  “Dear, I have to go by the office for a moment. Do you mind?”

  Head over heels in love with this man, I shake my head no and smile. Twenty minutes later, we’re at the building. It’s ten o’clock at night, and few people are still in the streets. When we walk into the lobby, the security guards greet us.

  When we get to the presidential floor, I see no one there. The office is completely empty. I have to go to the ladies’ room.

  “Eric, where are the restrooms here?”

  He points to my right, and I hurry toward them.

  “I’ll wait for you in my of
fice.”

  Once I do what I need to do, I look in the mirror and fix my hair. Dressed in jeans and the red sweater my father gave me, I look younger than I am.

  I think about what Eric told me minutes before. A wedding? Should we really get married?

  With a radiant smile on my face, I leave the ladies’ room and head toward Eric’s office. When I open the door, my jaw drops, and my smile disappears at the sight of Amanda standing in front of Eric, all dressed up in a sexy, suggestive red dress. That whore!

  They don’t see me right away, so I watch how she bends down toward Eric while she shows him some papers. Her breasts are too close to him, and I can tell she wants something more than work. Eric smiles. She touches his shoulder, and he doesn’t say a word. I could kill them both!

  I keep watching them for a few minutes. They talk. They look at papers. Amanda then sits on the desk and crosses her legs flirtatiously in front of my Iceman. My jealousy is intense. Too intense. Dangerous. When I can’t take it anymore, I slam the office door, and they both look at me.

  My face is no longer that of the sweet young woman in the restroom. This woman and her schemes bring out the worst in me. The look of surprise on Amanda’s face says it all. She wasn’t expecting me here. With determination and a certain cheekiness, I walk up to them both. Eric looks at me with an arched brow.

  “Amanda, long time no see!”

  She gets down off the desk, straightens her dress, and takes a few steps away from Eric. She touches her immaculately styled blonde hair, fixes her impersonal eyes on me, and responds with a prefabricated smile. “Judith, sweetie, how good to see you.”

  Liar.

  She walks up to greet me, but I stop her.

  “Don’t even think about touching me, understand?”

  Eric stands up, but before he can open his mouth, I say, “Shut up, you. I’m talking to Amanda.”

  She smiles. She’s enjoying the look of displeasure on Eric’s face. We stare at each other with hate. It’s clear we’ll never be friends.

  “You work for Eric. For my boyfriend. Stick to that, and don’t look for anything more.”

  “Jude . . . ,” Eric growls.

  But, paying him no heed, I continue. “If I see you trying anything else with him, I swear you’ll regret it. It won’t be like the last time we saw each other. Understand?”