Chapter 10
"I don't know why I listen to you. Going out in this cold should be illegal," Patricia says, hugging herself as she walks beside Aida among the Christmas market stalls.
"Don't be such a killjoy. You're on vacation, and you're not going to stay locked up in your house all day."
"Just until the twenty-seventh," Patricia smiles, and Aida rolls her eyes. "Are you buying anything?"
"I don't know," Aida shrugs and keeps walking, wrapped in her puffer jacket as if the cold doesn't affect her. "Maybe yes, maybe no."
"Always so mysterious," Patricia shakes her head.
Aida winks at her and nudges her with her shoulder. Patricia laughs and returns the gesture, but when she's about to defend herself from her ex's next attack, a sound coming from nearby makes her freeze.
"What's wrong?" Aida asks, and Patricia raises her hand asking for silence.
Aida furrows her brow, not understanding why she's asking for quiet with all the noise around, but then the sound happens again through the commotion, and Patricia's eyes widen like saucers as she smiles.
"Holy crap," she says in surprise.
"Are you going to tell me what's happening?" Aida starts to lose patience.
"I think it's Coco," Patricia responds.
"Coco? The dog from the road?" Aida asks.
Patricia nods while scanning everything expectantly until two new barks help her confirm that it is, indeed, Coco. Her eyes start scanning everything around her until, three stalls ahead, she spots the animal shelter's booth that they set up every year at the Christmas market to encourage people to adopt instead of buying pets.
"They're over there, come on, let's go," Patricia says.
Aida hasn't had time to see the shelter's booth or understand what's happening, but she has no choice but to start running when her ex-girlfriend grabs her hand and pulls her forcefully toward where Coco is. When they arrive, the dog is indeed there, and when Patricia greets him, the canine goes crazy with joy and raises his front paws to rest them on Patricia's waist. She hugs him and kisses him under Carlota's perplexed gaze, whose heart starts racing inexplicably when she sees Patricia burst into the booth with such joy - something that only makes sense when the goofy smile that had formed while watching Patricia and Coco's scene vanishes as soon as she notices Aida's presence, Patricia's ex.
"Who is she?" Vanesa asks, pointing at Patricia and snapping her out of her trance.
"Patricia, the girl who rescued Coco," she responds with her eyes fixed on her.
"And the other girl?" Vanesa continues asking.
"Her ex," Carlota answers, unable to hide her discomfort.
"Aha," Vanesa smiles.
Carlota turns her neck and looks at her.
"What?"
"Nothing," Vanesa laughs.
Carlota clears her throat, realizing how obvious her attitude is, and tries to relax her expression.
"What a connection," Vanesa says, addressing Patricia. "I'm Vane, Carlota's partner," she introduces herself, extending a hand that Patricia shakes.
The cardiologist looks over Vanesa's shoulder and focuses on Carlota, who responds by raising her hand when Patricia greets her.
"I'll take him," Patricia says suddenly. "I'll adopt him."
"That's true love," Aida quips, greeting the dog.
Vanesa turns to Carlota with a huge smile on her lips, the same one they both get when they find a good home for any of the shelter's animals, but Carlota stands stunned and doesn't react, so she turns back to Patricia.
"Alright, you'll need to fill out all the documents for us to do the evaluation, but I assume there won't be any problems," Vanesa says.
"Yes, I know how it works, though I'd like to take him now so he doesn't spend another night in the shelter," Patricia says, crouching in front of Coco.
Carlota exchanges a glance with Aida and for a moment feels she can't compete with those blue eyes, but immediately reminds herself that tonight is about Coco's well-being and not the emotional mess dancing in her mind.
"Take him," she says, surprising all the women.
"Really?" Patricia perks up and gives Carlota a smile that warms her heart.
"Really. You rescued him, and besides, we know each other. Get him out of here tonight and come by the shelter tomorrow to sort out the paperwork."
"Did you hear that, Coco? You're coming home, thank Carlota," Patricia says, unhooking the carabiner that connects Coco's leash to a chain.
"Well, that's settled then," Vanesa resolves. "We'll give you some kibble until you can buy some, and you can take that bed over there."
"I'll take the kibble, but the bed isn't necessary. I'll prepare something comfortable for him, and tomorrow I'll go out and buy him everything he needs. Right, Coco?"
"Good thing you didn't want any pets," Aida laughs and takes the leash while Patricia accepts the bag of kibble.
"Shut up," Patricia responds playfully, and Carlota feels a strange and very uncomfortable sensation in the pit of her stomach.
She doesn't need to be a scientist or love expert to identify what she's feeling - she's sure they're jealousy pangs, but she can't understand why she feels this way about Patricia when, although she's known her for many years, the truth is she doesn't know anything about her.
"Well, then I'll stop by the shelter tomorrow and formalize the adoption. Thanks for letting me take him tonight," Patricia says.
The two volunteers say goodbye to Coco, and when Patricia and Aida leave, Carlota watches them until they disappear into the crowd.
"She's cute," Vanesa says.
Carlota nods like a robot.
"And friendly."
"That's because you were here. With me, she's very unpleasant," Carlota counters.
"I find that hard to believe," Vanesa says, raising her eyebrows.
"Well, believe it. I ran into her the other afternoon at the Christmas store, and she was really rude when I greeted her," Carlota comments with a weary sigh.
"That sucks," Vanesa laments.
"Why?" Carlota asks intrigued.
"Because, even though you insist on denying it, it's obvious you like Patricia, and it bothers me that she treats you that way."
"I don't like Patricia," Carlota responds so quickly that even she realizes how false it sounds.
"Whatever you say," Vanesa smiles and gives her a kiss on the cheek.