Chapter 98
The next day dawned with clear skies, strands of sunlight streaming through Emily's curtain, which for her was like a blow to her psyche, due to the hangover she was experiencing from the night of partying.
-I'll never drink that much again. -She thought as she got up to go to the bathroom, but not before checking her mobile phone.
Twenty missed calls! And from Angelo, it can't be possible! -Emily jumped up and down, although her joy was dulled as she wondered, "Could it be that he likes me? Or is it to find out about my sister?
She contemplated the phone, considering not calling him back so as not to show her importance or to follow Mia's advice, to stay away from her sister's husband or ex-husband, although that word made her remember him so well that it was as if she saw him in her
room.
-I'm going to ring him just once, and if he doesn't answer, I'll turn the phone off. -I'm going to ring you just once and if you don't answer, I'll turn the phone off.
The phone rang once and twice and three and four times, but Emily was unable to hang up until the call went to voicemail.
-It's better this way, I shouldn't get into trouble. She held the phone and almost threw it away when it lit up, ringing, the caller ID showed "brother-in-law".
She let it ring twice so as not to seem desperate, the third time the phone wouldn't connect, she should take that as a sign. Emily persisted until she heard: -Hello, hello?
In a split second she considered a thousand things to say to him and the only thing that came out was "hello".
-Emily, I've been worried about you, last night I acted like an idiot and left you alone, what happened was that I got confused with Señora Mia. -Angelo spoke in a hoarse voice, as if his throat had been rubbed with sandpaper.
-It's all right, it's just that she's a bit of a pain in the a*s and she ruined the time we were having a good time. -Emily groveled, proving that she really liked it and that she could put up with being trampled on.
-The truth is that I was a jerk and I'm very ashamed of you, I want you to forgive me and to convince you I'll invite you to lunch at the best restaurant in town. -Angelo, I wanted to make sure to meet her, I even considered picking her up right away.
-Relax, you behaved well, it was all Mia's fault. As for lunch, I really don't like that restaurant they call the best in town, I've been there a couple of times and I'm always left hungry and broke. People seem to go there to take photos to upload on social media to be vaunted. I prefer somewhere else. -Emily spoke, clenching her legs, she felt like she was going to explode.
-In that case I know a very special place, the food is delicious, although it's not luxurious. -Angelo remembered the street food stall where he took Ximena.
What time are you picking me up? -Emily continued to offer.
-To be honest, I'm already in front of your flat, please come down," Angelo lowered the car window to look in the direction of the window through which she leaned out and I could see that she covered her face with both hands to hide her surprised reaction. It can't be, I'm not dressed, please wait for me for five minutes. -Emily closed the curtains and went to take a bath.
-I hope those five minutes don't stretch into two hours, like they always do when women get dressed up. -Angelo tried to joke, and he was partly right, as it took her half an hour to get down to her car. Emily put on a short, black dress that highlighted her figure and slipped on a pair of shoes with a lace-up heel that made her look taller and her legs longer.
-Hi, sorry I'm late, I just got up. -Emily commented as she got into the car, she remembered that she ran into the bathroom, picked out her sexiest dress so he couldn't miss her, Angelo opened the door of the late model sports car that roared like a lion when he started it up.
In the car, they barely talked about expletives, avoiding any topic to come up about Ximena, they arrived at the fast food stand, a small booth set up on the side of a car park, with a sign that bordered on plagiarizing the logo of a restaurant chain. -Don Angelo, how nice to see you," the cook, waiter and manager greeted him, "it's beautiful that you brought this beautiful lady back.
The silence in the air felt like broken glass cutting their teeth. Angelo decided to intervene by stating the obvious: -no, Don Ronald, she is not the same lady, she looks a little like her, nothing more, she should go to the oculist to have her eyesight checked. -What a shame, you're right, I should make an appointment with the optometrist, it seems to me that the oculist is for another eye. -The salesman blushed, flashing his grin from ear to ear, showing two gold teeth.
-You should also take a lesson in prudence and glamour. Better give me two of your best burgers. -Angelo sensed he was going to choke on the food.
-The good thing is that my sister has good tastes, so the food here must be delicious. -Emily formulated this to try to turn the awkward moment around.
-Yes, though, and apparently you'll have the same problem biting into these huge burgers as she does because of their pretty little mouths with beautiful lips. -The cook interrupted, baring his golden teeth.
-That's right, she had to squeeze the burger and open her mouth wide and hold it kind of sideways, but she did it with a beautiful little face of satisfaction. -Angelo sighed at the memory.
-I heard a man say it was an advantage, a woman with small hands and a small mouth because what she grabbed would seem big to him. -Emily tried to go on with the talk, even though she was left with the bitter taste of Angelo's change at the memory of his sister. -I should also be visually impaired, ha ha ha ha. -Angelo cut off his mock laughter with a sigh and continued talking to her, "And what happened with your policeman boyfriend?
-It's a delicate subject. It turns out that I haven't seen him for a few weeks, he's been sent on a mission abroad, hopefully not to seduce a sexy terrorist. -Emily tried to sigh, but instead she yawned.
-I made you the best burgers in the world, I made them extra special. -The cook handed them the huge mountains of bread stuffed with smoked meat, salad, cheese, bacon, with fried ripe banana on top and bathed in various sauces, accompanied by fries and soda. -It's huge! -Emily exclaimed as she grabbed the burger, which almost fell out of her hands.
-That's what my neighbour told me last night. -Angelo contemplated the huge platter at half the cost of a chain restaurant and with four times the contents. He tasted the potatoes and took a sip of soda.
-Ha ha ha, you're very funny, you're definitely the perfect man. -Emily took a small bite of the burger and as she savoured it, she felt an explosion of flavours that transported her to a world of happiness. You had already mentioned that to me, that my only fault was being married, but legally I'm separated and I don't even know the whereabouts of my ex-wife. -Angelo looked at the floor to control his emotions.
-I suspected that the only purpose of this date is that you want to know Ximena's whereabouts. -Emily considered leaving the burger, but the delicious taste prevented her from doing so.
-I'm sorry Emily, I know you may have misunderstood things," Angelo pushed his tray away and took her hands, "it's just that you know we can't have anything more than a friendship, things are already too complex to complicate them any further. I know you're very beautiful, if I'd met you before I'd be with you for sure, but the truth is that I can't get your sister out of my head.
-To be frank, I guessed as much, after all you lived with her many magical moments like eating in this place and of course sharing her children. You can't get over someone so special overnight and I guess it doesn't help that I look like her. -Emily let go of his hands to squeeze the burger so it would fit in her mouth.
-Maybe that's it, sometimes I feel like when we're together I'm with her, it's super weird, I've been holding back the urge to kiss you. -Angelo got up from his chair and approached him, touching his shoulders.
-Suddenly we could pretend to play a game. -Emily almost choked, so she could speak. -Maybe we could pretend that you never knew her, that it was always me, besides she doesn't want to see you, that's why she went to that distant place.
-Bingo! I knew you knew her whereabouts. -Angelo reached up and grabbed her neck and squeezed it. He continued muttering, "You have to tell me or I'll kill you. Please forgive me, although your idea is a good one, I can't forget her, let alone my children. Besides, Ximena is in danger. -And he squeezed her tighter.