Chapter 3 #4
Baco and I looked at each other, and I noticed he was making an effort not to smile. It was clear that his brother's behavior and his mother's reprimand amused him, but it made me feel uncomfortable because I felt like “a fish out of water.”
“Family? Is there something I should know about?” he asked, shifting his gaze from Baco to me.
“No, not yet,” Baco said, and added: “but perhaps very soon you'll have some news.”
The look Hermes gave me could have made any mortal shiver with fear; it was a furious look, but so cold it froze my blood.
It was clear that his question was aimed at my relationship with Baco, but I assumed my friend had responded thinking about the upcoming conversation they would have about his paintings and, therefore, about working at the company, or Baco had gone crazy and was implying we were more than friends.
“If you have something to inform me, do it now,” he said, deadly serious.
“Hermes, drop the seriousness, please. We'll talk calmly tomorrow. It's something we were discussing when you arrived, but now I'd like to enjoy your company and leave the conversation for another time.”
“And I'd like to find out as soon as possible,” he stated.
“What's wrong with you, darling?” his mother asked him, looking at him with concern.
“Mom, don't worry. It's getting very late and we need to go,” Baco asserted.
“Where to?” asked “Mr. Congeniality,” leaving us all looking at him in disbelief.
“Excuse me?” Baco inquired.
I watched them and all I wanted was to get out of there as soon as possible. I noticed that Catalina was observing her older son with surprise, but she also seemed pleased.
What's going on here?, I wondered.
“I asked where are you going? Because if you’re leaving because I arrived, you can stay and I’ll be the one to leave. I’m probably the one who’s unwelcome at this table.”
“Hermes!” his mother shouted.
“Look, brother, I don’t know what’s been going on with you lately, but we have nothing to do with it. No one is unwelcome here and we’re not leaving because you arrived. We’re leaving because Delfina and I have to get up early tomorrow,” Baco explained.
Whaaaat? Has he lost his mind? Why did he say that?
“Have to? Do you sleep together?” he asked cynically, looking at me as if he wanted to murder me.
“Hermes! That’s enough!” his mother exclaimed.
By this point we were all standing around the table, so Baco, without answering his brother’s question, approached his mother and said goodbye with a kiss on her cheek. Then he came to my side and took my hand.
“Shall we go?” he asked, and began to pull me along.
“Wait, I need to say goodbye to your mother.”
“I’ll wait outside,” he said, and before leaving added, “Goodbye, Hermes.”
I approached Catalina and said goodbye with a kiss, while feeling Hermes’ gaze following my every move.
“Thank you for everything, the dinner was exquisite.”
“I apologize for this moment, I don’t know what’s wrong with my eldest son,” she whispered in my ear.
“Don’t worry, it’s not a problem,” I whispered back.
“I hope to see you soon,” Catalina said warmly, and I nodded.
“Good night,” I said, looking at him seriously before walking toward the exit.
“I’ll accompany you,” he stated, surprising both Catalina and me.
In one stride he was by my side, but I had no intention of giving him even a single glance. As soon as we crossed the doorway of the room and were out of his mother’s sight, he grabbed my arm and made me turn to look him in the eyes.
“What game are you playing? You told me you and Baco were just friends. You’re a vile liar! I should have known, you’re all the same. You were probably investigating our bank accounts and analyzing which brother would be more beneficial…”
The slap echoed throughout the house and I assumed his mother must have heard it too, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to let that man disrespect me. I had never hit anyone before and it didn’t make me feel good, but I couldn’t contain myself.
“Don’t disrespect me! I don’t know what kind of women you usually associate with, but I don’t lie or play games with people. You are a complete imbecile!”
Hermes stared at me wide-eyed, rubbing the cheek where my hand had made impact.
Without saying anything else, I turned and continued walking toward the exit.
I had to get out of there because the air had become unbreathable.
Once in the garden, I realized my legs were shaking so badly they might give out at any moment.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
I grabbed the stair railing and began to descend the steps very slowly.
Baco was already in the car watching me.
I opened the door and collapsed into the seat.
My hand was burning, but I was glad to know his perfect face must be feeling worse.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“I won’t deny the situation was a bit uncomfortable, but it’s over now,” I confessed.
“I apologize for that. My brother has less tact than an orangutan, but today he broke his own record. I don’t know what’s wrong with him,” he commented while starting the car.
“It’s fine. With everything you’ve told me about him, I can’t say I’m surprised.”
“I told you to get used to it, though today he was beside himself.”
“Why did you say we have to get up early tomorrow? I don’t think it’s right for you to make your family believe there’s something more than friendship between us.”
“I said it to test the waters a bit, I know what I’m doing. Besides, I wanted to invite you to the beach. What do you think?”
“And for that we need to get up early?”
“Because the idea is to go to Punta del Este. We have an apartment there and we can spend the weekend,” he proposed.
“We have?”
“It belongs to my family.”
“And I imagine it has two bedrooms.”
“You imagine wrong, it has four. You can relax,” he informed me, laughing.
“Very well, in that case, I accept the invitation,” I responded.
When we arrived, Baco thanked me for the company and we said goodbye with the plan to leave as early as possible the next morning, but as I was getting into bed my phone rang. It was Baco.
“Don’t tell me you’re calling to say goodnight?” I joked.
“I wish it was for that. Unfortunately, it’s to cancel our plans. Tomorrow I have a meeting at eight with my mother and brother. I’m sorry, Delfi.”
“Don’t worry. It’s better that you talk about it as soon as possible.”
“I tried everything to postpone it, but my brother didn’t give me a chance. I told him I had plans with you for the entire weekend and that made it worse. I think he’s jealous.”
“Jealous? Why would he be?”
“I don’t know, but that’s the feeling I get. Maybe because it’s the first time I’ve brought a girl home. I have no idea, but I assure you I’m going to find out.”
“I don’t think that’s it. Does your brother understand that we’re just friends?”
“He’s asked me several times, but I always leave him guessing just to make him suffer.”
“Then it must be because he doesn’t know, and from what you’ve told me, he always wants to have everything under control.”
“Could be, but... I don’t know. Anyway... forgive me for changing the plans. We can leave after the meeting, though I can’t guarantee what time it will end or if I’ll make it out alive,” he said, and I could tell he was laughing.
“You’ll do great, you have your mother’s support,” I encouraged him.
“We’ll see what happens.”
“Well, good luck.”
“Thanks, I’ll let you know tomorrow.”
“Sleep well.”
“Sleep well, beautiful.”
It was impossible not to think about what Baco had told me.
Could Hermes be jealous? I didn’t want to get ideas about something that couldn’t be.
The best thing would be to do everything I could to get him out of my thoughts.
It had been a long time since I’d dated anyone, and maybe if I went out with some guy, I could get Hermes Darwich out of my mind.
I fell asleep convinced that the best thing was to start accepting invitations to go out and have fun.