Chapter 23
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
JORGE
The days have gone by so fast that I still can’t believe Carolina and I are just a month away from getting married.
That our relationship has lasted long enough to secure a future together is almost like a dream, and tonight I haven’t been able to stop smiling.
I remember meeting her as if it were yesterday—how she burst out laughing when I asked her out, and how stupid I felt for hoping to be the boyfriend of my sister’s prettiest friend.
Not giving up was the key—and so was going to the gym and getting in shape, as superficial as that may sound.
Although she admits that that afternoon at the beach, when I was ten, is what made her fall in love with me.
The hotel’s most beautiful terrace has been completely transformed to host a truly special dinner.
I don’t know how Elena did it, but I have to thank her for making every moment unique and unforgettable.
I knew that hiring her as our wedding planner was the best idea, but now I have no doubt she could make a career out of this if she wanted to.
The table where we’re seated is positioned so that, behind me, the Mediterranean Sea sinks into the deep darkness.
You can see a few lights from the yachts bobbing in the waters closest to the beach, enjoying the starry night and the cool breeze that picked up in the late afternoon.
Some plates of canapés have already been devoured, while others, filled with seafood and vegetables, are still full.
The group is talking nonstop, laughing constantly, and as for me, I couldn’t be happier.
Despite how overwhelmed I feel, I’ve noticed how much time has changed all of us who are here today.
Pablo still has the same haircut he had as a kid, but now he sports a thick beard that I never thought he’d have in the future.
Inaki is much stronger physically; he’s become a fitness guy and has a tattoo on his shoulder; however, he still stares at Ana like a fool, and I wonder when he’ll finally pluck up the courage to tell her how he feels.
His Juliet, Ana, is trying by every means to catch his eye.
Carol laughs, enjoys herself, and her eyes shine like the stars that have taken it upon themselves to dress the sky in sequins, while Victoria and my sister, despite being seated next to each other on purpose, remain separated by a wall they haven’t dared to break down.
One of the things I hoped for when I confessed to her how my sister feels about her was that she would realize how things stand.
They may have been apart for five years, but the love forged in summer grows over time and becomes something strong, no matter how many storms and rough seas batter it.
I haven’t stopped watching them, and I’ve realized they’re playing a game that can only have one ending, since Victoria is wearing tight leather pants and that neckline she’s sporting says a lot more than the caramel-colored dress Elena has put on tonight.
The two have been surprised, they’ve taken a liking to each other, and they’ve exchanged a knowing glance upon seeing one another; and now, even if they don’t realize it, the tension between them is thick enough to cut with a knife.
My thoughts are pushed aside when I decide to set down my wine glass and pull out my chair to stand up. Everyone knows what I’m about to do and shushes one another.
“Let’s see what you have to say, future husband.” Pablo, who wouldn’t miss a beat even if his life depended on it, makes me laugh and roll my eyes.
“What’s wrong with the seafood? Isn’t it good?” I joke, coaxing a smile from my sister, who, without meaning to, catches Victoria’s eye and then turns her attention back to me. “I hope you eat everything on the table, because if you don’t, I swear I won’t invite you to the banquet.”
“Come on, stop it!” Carolina exclaims, tapping me on the thigh with her napkin.
“Joking aside, today is a very special day for us. In a month, we’ll have made it official that we’re husband and wife, and we couldn’t make this dream come true without having you all here.”
“Come on! You’d do it anyway,” Pablo exclaims, making us all laugh.
“I want to thank you all for being here, for sticking with us these past few weeks and helping us calm our nerves a little,” I say, winking at my sister. “And I also want to tell you that some intense days are coming up—I want you all ready because I don’t plan on letting you rest.”
“Don’t go overboard—some of us have to work,” my sister replies, with Victoria’s intense gaze fixed on her. “Besides, you can’t complain—the wedding isn’t going to plan itself.”
“You’re off the hook just because of that,” I agree.
“If you want, I can give you a hand…” I hear Victoria say.
“Well, go on, or we’ll never get to the toast,” Ana insists, cutting off my sister’s potential reply.
“As I said, without all of you, this wedding wouldn’t be the same, and I’m so happy to be back in the past and those days when we never lacked laughter,” I recall and raise my glass. “To friendship, time, and what remains present in our hearts.”
Everyone clinks their glasses together; Victoria clinks hers with my sister’s, Ana does the same, Carol and Inaki clink theirs, and Pablo, as is typical of him, stands up and walks around the table until he reaches me.
We hug before taking a sip, and once I taste the wine, I realize there’s still so much left to write and so much left to experience.