ASTRID
“I still can’t believe this is really happening.” Ava declares as we drive through the streets to her house in Elf’s avenue.
When she called me last night about having her family over for dinner today, I almost fell on my butt as I skipped around my kitchen, waving a knife in the air and screaming so loudly that my voice cracked.
I was elated.
Her father is out of jail. Lisa is beginning to accept the fact that her sister acted out of hurt. Being betrayed by their mother affected Ava deeply, especially as she was the first child and left with the responsibility of caring for her younger sister and father who was barely sober enough to hold a conversation, not to talk of noticing the pains his teenaged daughters were going through.
“Lisa cancelled her show tonight just to spend time with us. A part of me keeps thinking that it’s because of Dad, you know, they are close and all of that, but then, I can’t help but also feel that she’s doing it for me too.”
“What did she say when you called her last night?”
“I didn’t call her. She did.” She says with so much delight gleaming from her eyes.
My heart soars with warmth for her. I squeeze her free hand. “She misses you.”
Ava gives a reluctant nod. “That’s one thing I can’t say for sure. I’m a writer, Astrid. I can decipher emotion at a glance, I can read minds too, when I try to, but with my family, especially my sister, I suck at it.”
As we pull into her driveway, I nudge her gently and nod at a pickup truck parked under the oak tree. “Who is that?”
She glances up, and her face brightens considerably. It takes her a moment to gather her wit and answer my question.
“It’s my father. He came an hour early, and I’m sure he wanted to surprise me.”
“it worked. I see that.”
Before I can pull off my seatbelt and turn to ask her if she has everything ready, Ava is out of the car and running towards the old man whose arms are spread but not enough to match the grin on his slightly wrinkled face. Jail did a number on him.
“Papa!”
giddy. She wraps her arms around her father and tucks her face in the I scoot forward on the car seat to watch the scene better. I’ve never seen Ava so crook of his neck. He chuckles at something she says and pulls her back to stare at her face, and then he kisses her forehead. It’s so tender, even I can gauge how soft it is and warm.
A tear slid down my cheek, but Ava doesn’t give me a chance to bask in the heartwarming scene before she calls out to me to get out of the car.
“Come say hello to my father!”
Duh, isn’t that the reason I’m here? I roll my eyes as she tugs the car door open and proceeds to grab my right hand. “He’s so thin, Astrid I could feel his bones. I thought they fed them in jail. What happened?”
“I’ve not been in jail before, Ava.”
She laughs loudly. “Oh, sorry.”
I twist my lip into a syrupy smile and extend a hand to the old man. “Hello, Sir. It’s good to finally meet you.”
He stares at my hand briefly, and then his eyes wander to my face, and the same grin he flashes at his daughter sweeps across his features. “I got out of
1/5
Chapter 26
Jail last night, and my ears are already ringing from hearing so much about you. Do you think a handshake would suited r
My face reddens. I cast Ava a glance filled with questions. She winks and turns away. With a sheepish smile, I raise my arms and wrap them arou man’s waist. He smells of soap and cologne. Cinnamon. My thought drifts to my father. I’m meeting tonight for dinner with his best friend, Jordan
I’ve been rehearsing those two words in my head all day. I want them to stick. I want my body to be fiercely aware of the fact that Jordan is off and Ma my dad’s best friend, and being involved in an affair with him is a no–no.
“Ava tells me you’re a financial consultant and an editor.” He says as he pulls away but keeps his right hand on my shoulder. “That’s huge, How do you cope with the workload?”
“I don’t think about the workload. I focus on the distractions they bring, plus I love being a consultant and an editor. I get to meet people, interact with them, and see life from different angles. It’s a blessing if you ask me.”
“Did you say distraction?”
By now, we’re heading into the house with Ava a few feet ahead. I didn’t even have the chance to admire the exterior of her beautiful condo.
“So, what do you have on your plate, enough to make you think taking on two jobs is a distraction?”
“It’s our first date, Mr. Rocks. Don’t push it. Let’s focus on neutral topics.”
“Nope. That’s boring. I need something exciting and I bet my last cent you can give that to me. come on, humour my old heart.”
I laugh. “You’re not old. Ava mentioned you’re turning fifty in a few weeks. That’s young in my book.”
“Says the woman who is taking her first step into adulthood.”
widen.
Eyes widen in feigned shock and amusement, I laugh even harder. “I’m twenty–two, Mr. Rock.”
“Old enough to call me by my first name, I presume?”
We follow Ava into the kitchen. Her father straightens the ornament on her breakfast table and pulls out a chair for me. “Call me Miguel.”
“Mexican?” I ask, brows knotted in confusion. “Ava has never mentioned that part of her.”
“Don’t change the topic, Astrid. We were talking about you seconds ago, and now, you’re jumping right into me being Mexican? It’s not cool.”
“I’m curious.”
“Well, that makes both of us. Que tal if we trade?”
“Papa, Astrid doesn’t speak-” Ava says from her spot at the stove.
“I do. I took a lesson when I was in high school. Dad made me learn about five languages.”
“Five? Why did he put you through such torture?” Miguel says with a concerned frown.
“Dad always goes above and beyond in everything he does. He wanted to make sure I don’t have to struggle when I found myself in certain places.” “I took lessons from ten. I’m a writer, and most of my fans don’t understand English. I’ve translated a few of my books and am working on doing the rest.” Miguel’s expression grows solemn, betraying his emotion. Ava is oblivious to it so she keeps on about how she had to stay up late for the past two year to learn the languages and how she wished she had realized earlier how important it was to know how to speak more than one language. She pauses and turns to me, “Juice, wine?”
“Wine. I’ll serve myself,” I say, standing up and heading towards her fridge. I hear a chair scrape the wooden floor and tilt my head to see Miguel right behind me. I bet he wants to keep his hands busy. I flash him a smile.
Chapter 26
“Before my wife left, she used to laugh a lot. We were happy and even making jokes about getting pregnant again, trying for a male child, you know. And then, one day, she just… left. That broke me, it changed everything, and I crawled into a dark hole. Ava took over. She burnt our meals the first two days and on the third, she made pizza from scratch and it was the best I’ve ever tasted but I never got around to telling her that because my senses were
buried in booze.”
I pour the amber liquid into his glass and then mine and then click my tip against his before taking a long sip. “My turn?”
“Yes. We’re going to take it slow. We have all evening.”
Do we? I think about my date with dad and Jo–his best friend later. My nerve fluttered, but I quickly dismissed it. This isn’t the time to get my emotions in knots about Jordan.
“I just got out of a relationship with this guy I’ve dated for three years.”
He takes my now empty glass from my grip and pours more wine into it.
“What happened after the breakup? Was it his idea?” He asks, handing me the glass. His tone and expression swell with concern.
I don’t answer right away. We move back to the table. Ava is still at the stove. I asked her if she needed help with anything.
“Set the table. Everything is in the cupboard beside it.”
Miguel and I move to the dining area adjacent to the kitchen. “It was my idea. I was barely hanging on, just waiting for the right moment to leave.”
“Relationships shouldn’t be like that. Two people agree to stick together, and then, all of a sudden, one gets fed up and wants out. In my opinion, it best if they sit down and talk about it. Just like they did when they first started.”
“Does your opinion stem from what happened to you?”
His body goes rigid. I shouldn’t have probed that deep. I part my lips to apologize, but his features relax, and he proceeds to lay out the napkins in three places.
“When Mia left, I was angry. It gradually morphed into hatred, resentment. I mean, I hated myself too because my parents warned me about moving to New York for a girl. They said she was no good for me, but I ignored all the signs. I was more focused on making her mine and proving to her that I was worthy of her.”
“If she had told you of her plans to uh, leave, what would have done?”
He releases a long breath as if he’s been holding it since Mia left. “Ywould never have let her go.”
“She did anyways.”
“And left me in the dark.”
glance back at Ava. She’s still moving about the kitchen, oblivious to our deep conversation. I wonder what her reaction would be if she gets to hear what her father just said.
“We’ve never talked about Mia, Since she left.”
Miguel doesn’t have to elaborate, I know who she’s referring to. “How about the Lisa?”
“A little. We bumped into each other one night in the kitchen. She cornered me into telling her how I felt, and I opened up to her.”
“What did she say.”
That their mother would come back.”
“And she did.”
Chapter 26
It was different. I never looked at her the same way after what she did.”
The picture hanging by the mantle catches my attention. It’s of younger versions of the girls, just the two of them. I want trask Miguel if they e family photo, but decide against it. That’s enough for one day, and Lisa will be here soon.
Just on cue, the door opens after a brief but loud knock, and Lisa walks in. No jeans tonight. A red knee–length gown graces her petite frame. She ha hair in a loose ponytail. Her steps fasten, and then she sprints towards her father and wraps her arms around him. Her hug is different, almost like she clinging to life.
“Papa.” She breathes against his neck.
He kisses her hair and blinks rapidly. “I missed you so much?
“Yes. I couldn’t get out of that one. I’m sorry.”
“I came by your apartment last night, but I was told you went out
of
town
for
a
gig.
He kisses her again. This time, this lip lingers for a minute. “It’s okay. I love that you’re doing so well for yourself. Mind playing some of your songs for me
later.”
She laughs and pulls away. That’s when I noticed the guitar strapped to her back. I guess Miguel, too, because he picks her up and twirls her around the room. “That’s my baby!”
Ava’s gaze meets mine, and she smiles and mouths, “He had one before Mom left.”
Oh.
ty
I leave them to catch up, and by the time Ava and I have finished setting the table, Lisa is playing something and humming a familiar tune.
“Coney Island?” I ask with a smile
She nods. “It’s one of my favourites. You know it?”
“A few lines.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Yes, let’s hear it, Astrid.” Ava says
Miguel winks at me. I didn’t get to tell him about Jordan, the reason I’m taking on so much to distract my mind. Perhaps another time. The man is sure sticking around this time. That one is obvious.
“But you’re right here. If I can’t relate to you anymore, then who am I related to?”
“Girl, your voice is lulling. We should do a song together when next you come to my show.”
That takes me by surprise. “You know about that?”
As she makes to answer, my phone vibrates with a call. It’s dad. I glance at Ava. She drops the serving spoon and walks over to where I’m leaning my front on a chair. “Should I pack some for you?”
“No, I’m fine. Maybe another time. I’m really sorry about leaving so early.”
“It’s fine. At least you’ve met my family. You are a wonderful friend, Astrid, and I’m really glad I met you.”
Me too. You’re a breath of fresh air.”
She tickles my sides as I make to walk past her to the front door after patting Miguel’s shoulder. I’m still giggling when I feel someone step up beside me, It’s Lisa.
Chapter 26
I fiddled with my phone, stifled by the lull in conversation. She makes no attempt to speak but walks quietly beside me until we get past the doubl. French doors. In split seconds, she twirls around to face me, and her eyes snake up to mine. I take a step back.
“Um, is everything okay, Lisa?”
She tils her head indifferently. “You tell me, Astrid.”
I swallow a lump and glance at her and Ava’s car. Ava said I could use it tonight instead of going
back to mine to pick up my Camry.
“Do you want to talk about something……anything?”
That seems to rub her off the wrong way because her gaze hardens, and she glares at me like I’m a thorn on her flesh.
I’m going to be late for dinner. What does she even want from me?
