Chapter 46 GUITAR CHORDS AND A LOVE
GUITAR CHORDS AND A LOVE
ELENA
The conversation with Victoria has made the night better.
She hasn’t stopped holding my hands, making sure I’m okay, and kissing me, making it feel more real that she’s in love with me and that she’ll fight for us.
The truth is, I’m afraid that all her efforts won’t pay off, but the only thing I can do right now is be strong, believe in her, and enjoy this very special moment.
Being surrounded by everyone else, having them be part of this new story we’re writing, makes everything feel even more meaningful.
I was the one who asked Victoria not to say anything, but love can’t be hidden, and that morning when we toured the island, it became clear to everyone else that things between us were going really well.
Ana is the only one who remains neutral, waiting for the moment when things blow up and she has to pick me up off the ground, while the rest of them haven’t stopped looking at us with that same complicity they’ve had for years.
“What do you say we go on another hike tomorrow?” Jorge suggests, breaking the silence that has suddenly fallen.
“Do you want me to walk to your wedding or crawl there?” Pablo replies.
“I think the one from the other day was more than enough, don’t you think?
” I interrupt them, and everyone laughs except my brother.
“I know there are beautiful places, but we could ask Xavier for his boat and go visit one of the coves, I don’t know,” I suggest, seeking Victoria’s gaze. “I missed the picnic last time.”
“And Victoria too,” Carolina replies with a smile. “That’s a good idea.”
“Don’t count on me,” she says, getting everyone’s attention. “I already told you I had to go back to Madrid; I have to do it for work. Things are a bit chaotic over there.”
“But you’ll be here for the wedding, right?” Inaki asks worriedly after Ana clicks her tongue.
“You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world. But I have a few things to take care of before I come back and settle in here,” she explains, and Ana’s eyes widen in surprise. “I want everything to go smoothly with Elena, and I’m going to have to sort a few things out.”
“You know what we talked about,” my brother says, winking at Victoria and suddenly getting up. “I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
I can’t help but watch my brother walk away.
I need to fight the urge to get up and go talk to him again, but as soon as Vicky takes my hand, it’s her smile that calms all my nerves and invites me to dream that this summer won’t be full of goodbyes or heartache, but of new beginnings and love—lots of love.
“You can go to the coves without me. We’ll do it together when I get back,” she says, making Carolina smile and nod in agreement. “In the end, I’ll have all the time in the world to enjoy this place.”
“Just as you’ve always wanted…” the bride-to-be recalls, and I smile, knowing it’s true.
I don’t know how many minutes pass, but Inaki fills them with bad jokes that make us laugh out loud and force us to put life’s important matters aside.
It’s been so long since we’ve enjoyed something like this that I’m glad I organized this barbecue to celebrate the bachelorette party for two of my favorite people in the world.
Carol, whose gaze meets mine for a couple of seconds, smiles at me, and I smile back until my brother holds the guitar right in front of my eyes.
“Here, play something.” I look up, surprised. “Don’t give me that look—I know you’ve been practicing for months. And Inaki’s jokes are so bad that at this rate, we’re going to die of a heart attack.”
“Hey! Don’t go too far!” he complains. “They’re funny, aren’t they, honey?”
“If you say so…” she replies, making everyone laugh.
“But it’s been a long time since…”
“Go ahead, I heard you the other night and I know you can,” Victoria encourages me, and I bite my lower lip, searching my mind for the chords to a song.
“Okay, but I can’t promise it’ll sound good…” I warn, gripping the instrument with my hands, resting it on my thighs, and running my fingers over the strings. “A few days ago I heard this song on the radio, and, well, I think it’s perfect for a night full of love.”
Jorge sits next to Carolina and wraps one arm around her back to shield her from the night’s chill.
Meanwhile, Ana leans against Inaki’s chest and wraps her arms around his waist. Pablo is the only single one among us, but I know that sooner or later he’ll find a guy who’ll fill his life with butterflies.
“Here it goes,” I tell myself, and the chords of Marta Santos’s song “Me sabe a sal” begin to play just as I close my eyes and let myself drift away.
The first time I heard it, I imagined singing it to Victoria just like this, with the guitar in my hands, looking into her eyes.
And now that I have the chance to do it, I can barely control my nerves or the pounding of my heart.
“You don’t need to look at me again…” I whisper softly and return to the reality of the night, turning my gaze toward Victoria.
“Because when I look at you, my heart skips a beat. These streets… They look better today than yesterday. Because being here by your side gives me goosebumps.” These words, dedicated entirely to her, prompt her to plant a kiss on my shoulder and everyone to smile at the scene.
“I don’t want to remember what it means to be without you anymore…
I just want to make up… A few excuses to go out…
” I draw out the last word and strum the strings with my hands, setting the rhythm for the song.
“Because time tastes like salt to me when you’re not with me…
” I sing with a smile on my lips. “Because I want to fly and I don’t need a reason…
” Immediately, Ana and Carolina join me, forming a small chorus that blends perfectly with my voice.
“To reinvent the Arabian Nights with you, all over again. And maybe I’ll lose myself in you… ”
The sound of the guitar blends with the murmur of the sea, the song of the crickets, and the beating of my heart.
I’m not afraid to express with my voice that I’m in love, that having Victoria with me is wonderful, that I’m happy when she’s by my side, and that I’d love to have all the time in the world to invent and shape those dreams we once had together.
“If you smile, I’m going to go crazy…” I continue, looking at everyone.
This wasn’t part of my plan; I think I like you more today than I did yesterday.
And when I close my eyes and think, your name appears…
” I sing once my gaze settles on Victoria and she whispers “I love you” to me, which sets my stomach fluttering.
“Tell me what you’ve done that my heart no longer hides… ”
In the end, the seven of us sing in unison, and together we shatter the silence of the night with our shouts, turning that sudden moment into one that, surely, we’ll never be able to forget.