Had I hurt Elly with my words? Or was she destined to get hurt simply because of who I was?
* * *
The drive to my parents’ took longer than expected. The traffic was always atrocious that time of day, but the number of road blocks and accidents that had occurred that evening went beyond bad luck. Or fate. Whatever anyone believed. When we finally got there, it was thirty minutes past the appointed time. Mom had already started sending me emoji texts. That meant she was getting antsy. Not at me. But at the temperature of her chicken.
We didn’t say anything of interest on the ride over. We listened to the Spanish songs on the radio and Elly hummed a couple that she remembered from school. And some even which she had started to recognize during our road trips around Colombia.
In the driveway, I opened her door and helped her out. I was still getting used to the idea that she no longer needed my help to walk. Even though she still needed daily physiotherapy, her movement was much improved. Her balance and strength were on a fast track to a full recovery. I hadn’t paid attention to her appearance until that very moment when I was helping her out of the car.
“You look…” I scrambled for an adjective. Not that I didn’t know the one I would’ve wanted to use—i.e.perfect—but it wasn’t appropriate. I should have included lists in our contract on appropriate terminology. “…nice.”
Elly took a quick glance at her outfit. She was wearing a long green silk dress, a simple gold chain around her neck and, of course, the engagement ring. I’d become so used to her hair tied back that seeing her with her hair down in waves had taken me aback when she’d come down the stairs back at the mansion.
She shaded her eyes and turned to my parents’ home. “Thank you,” she said coolly. But then she quickly offered a smile and a “You look nice, too.”
We stood there trying to keep our eyes off of each other, looking for something to say. But nothing more came.
In the end, Elly turned away, in the direction of the front door. “Shall we get this over with?” She started towards the mansion.
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” I mumbled, following her. I took three long steps to catch up with her and offered her my arm. I could see she hesitated before taking it.
It’s just business, I would have repeated to her for the hundredth time, but we were too close to curious ears. I wasn’t taking any chances, not when our wedding was less than a month away.
Or maybe I was repeating that statement to myself? The stiff upper lip, the callousness, that is the characteristics of a true businessman.
Not someone whose heart is yearning to strip off this whole performance and…well, and kiss Elly back.
The door opened just as we arrived at the doorstep.
“You’ve arrived! Finally. The food is almost cold!” Mom was scolding me for something both she and I knew I had no control over. But that was her nature. She didn’t mean it really.
She continued. “It looks like our Elonzo has a surprise for us too.” She gave me a hug and kissed Elly on the right cheek.
I looked curiously into the hallway of the house. “Surprise?”What did he do now?
“Sebastian!” It was Elonzo poking his head around the corner, waving his hands as if ushering me in. Something about his urgency gave me an odd sense of déjà vu from the day before his wedding. Him rushing me on to get to Lavina’s bidding.
And I wasn’t far off.
“Sebastian, Elly. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” Elonzo was grinning from ear to ear as a figure appeared to stand beside him. A slight woman with long dark curls and large oval eyes. She smiled widely at both me and Elly, as if she already knew us intimately.
“Hola!” Her voice rang out across the room.
“This is Laura. My beloved, Laura.” And then my brother planted a firm kiss on his beloved’s lips.
CHAPTER30
SEBASTIAN
It wasn’t as though I was worried. My plan was still in place and would go off without a hitch. Just because Elonzo, for the hundredth time in his life, has decided he was in love, did not mean he was going to beat me in this race to the altar. Oh no. I was still way ahead.
I caught Elly’s eye, but she immediately looked away. She hadn’t said a word since we had sat down to dinner.
Mother, on the other hand, was at the top of her game.
“So, tell me, Elonzo and Laura, how did you two meet?” she asked, passing the roasted potatoes to her oldest son.
“That’s an interesting story, actually,” Elonzo said, beaming. It made me feel nauseous watching him like that. I again tried to catch Elly’s eye, but she was staring intently at Elonzo and Laura with an odd expression.