Chapter Thirty-four
Ten days after the accident, we’re finally allowed to visit Carlos and Sofia. I almost feel like a child on Christmas morning, at the prospect of seeing them soon. Dexter and Mariangeles are the first to go visit after Javier and Nicolás. I’ve been keeping busy with running the kitchen, doing my best to recreate Sofia’s recipes under Victor’s tutelage, to a certain extent, although we alternate who takes the lion’s share of the cooking, given we need to focus on the other sanctuary tasks. Victor, as I suspected, is in his element. He’s been coaching me, too, and I’ve already learned so much in ten days. Only three more weeks and I’ll be heading home, with an impressive culinary education, a heavy heart and leaving behind some of the best friends I’ve ever had.
We all spend the evenings around the firepit, in the two rec rooms or occasionally going further afield to the promenade at Espadilla beach, having a cocktail or mocktail, as the mood takes us.
When I’m not cooking during the day, I spend my days in the adult sloth play area, or in the nursery, and I name two more sloth rescues. Swift, the one I rescued with Dexter the day he apologised, and Lightning. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to name a couple more, but saddened at the realisation they’ll probably be my last.
Finally, it’s my turn to visit Carlos and Sofia in hospital. Roisin and I have come up together, so we can visit them alternately, given Sofia’s in a women’s ward and Carlos is in a men’s, so it’s not exactly as if their beds are next to each other and they can share visitors.
Sofia’s face radiates with pleasure when I knock on her room door and go in. ‘Kat, it’s so wonderful to see you.’ As I reach the bed, she cups my face in her paper-thin crepey hands.
‘And you. These are for you.’ I hold out the bouquet of plumerias I brought from the garden at the sanctuary. She takes them and presses the delicate blooms to her nose, inhaling their sweet scent.
‘Oh, thank you, Kat. This is like a little piece of home.’ She casts her eyes around the room. ‘And whilst it’s nice here, it’s a bit clinical.’
I sweep my eyes over the bed, the bedside cabinet, the monitors, the straight-backed chair and tray table and have to admit she has a point.
Plumerias are the flowers I spotted when Dexter first showed me the female accommodation, although I didn’t know what they were called then, but they fast became my favourite flower– their fragrance sings ‘tropical paradise’ and I’m so pleased they’ve added a sparkle to Sofia’s day.
‘How are you feeling?’ I ask as I take the flowers from her and place them on the table.
She gestures to her body. ‘Physically, I’ve been better.’ Then she taps her head. ‘Mentally, I’m good, because I know you and the others are looking after the sanctuary so well. Everything from caring for our precious sloths to looking after our extended family. I hear you’re helping feed them up.’
I smile. ‘As best I can. Victor’s been guiding me.’
‘And no better a guide could you have. He knows his stuff.’ She leans forward slightly then winces. Clearly, she hasn’t fully recovered yet. ‘If he keeps going like this, he’ll steal my culinary crown.’ I grin and she pats me on the arm. ‘But joking aside, he’s a fabulous chef, as I’m sure you’ve discovered.’
‘I have indeed.’ I tell Sofia, at her request, all of the dishes he has cooked and what he has taught me, and how I am going to recreate them when I go back home if I can find the ingredients.
By the time it’s my turn to visit Carlos, I’m loath to leave Sofia. She is such a positive person that perhaps it’s unsurprising she became my replacement mother figure so quickly after I arrived at the sanctuary.
I text Roisin that we should swap now, then I hug Sofia goodbye and tell her I’ll see her again soon. She says, ‘Hopefully, I’ll be home next time.’ I agree that would be preferable, but that also reminds me that my time here is drawing to an end and I gulp past the lump in my throat.
‘How is he?’ I ask Roisin, when I meet her in the corridor a few minutes later.
‘In good spirits. Maybe a little tired now. I wouldn’t advise staying too long.’
‘OK. Sofia’s doing well. Talking of coming home, although as far as I know none of the doctors have suggested that yet.’
‘Sounds like Sofia.’ Roisin grins. ‘She’ll be going crazy sitting still for so long.’
I laugh. ‘Something like that. Right, I’ll see you in–’ I check my watch ‘–half an hour, back here.’ I indicate the row of metal chairs where Javier, Dexter, Nicolás and I sat on the day Sofia and Carlos were admitted.
She heads off to Sofia’s room. As I walk away, I can’t help but think how much Roisin has changed in the two months I’ve been here. She’s like a completely different person– concerned and compassionate. Perhaps a brush with death will do that to you.
When I enter Carlos’ room, initially I think he has fallen asleep and that Roisin’s warning about him needing to rest is right; however, his eyes flutter open the moment I sit on the burgundy padded visitor chair next to him.
‘Kat. So nice to see you.’ His eyes shine with warmth and it sends a warm glow all the way through me to the tips of my toes.
‘You too. I take in the yellowish bruising on his face and arm, and wonder at how much worse it was in the days following the accident. Dexter had spoken of angry purple bruising and a black eye from where the airbag hit Carlos in the face.
‘How are things?’ he asks.
‘Good.’ I guess he’s just making small talk, so I oblige, although I’m sure Roisin has filled him in already.
‘And Dexter?’ He raises an eyebrow.
‘Dexter… Dexter’s taking care of everything, as you’d expect.’
‘Hmm.’ He studies me for a long moment. Finally, he says, ‘And what about you and Dexter?’
Wrong-footed, I say, ‘Me and Dexter?’
Carlos nods but waits for me to continue.
‘Dexter and I…’ I scan the room, looking for some inspiration, but nothing occurs to me. ‘We’re getting along better now.’
‘Hmm,’ Carlos says again. ‘You know, Kat, I want to thank you first of all for deciding to stay to help us out. It means a lot to Sofia and me.’
I bat my hand through the air. ‘Don’t give it a second thought. I was needed, and I was happy to help. Anyone would have done the same.’
Carlos frowns. ‘Would they have though?’ He thinks for a second. ‘I’m not so sure.’
I go to play it down again, but Carlos raises his hand to stop me. ‘Kat, don’t waste this opportunity. Tell Dexter how you feel.’
When I’m about to protest, Carlos gives a slight shake of the head. ‘Men can be very stupid about showing their feelings, or what they’re thinking, but do you know what?’
I wait, ready to see what pearls of wisdom he’s about to impart.
‘So can women. Dexter cares about you, deeply. Make sure when you leave, you’ve left no stone unturned regarding your feelings for each other and pursuing the chance you may have of happiness together.’
I fidget, not sure what to say. I’d hoped after the recent rescue that something more would have come of the time we spent together, particularly after his apology and the bumping into each other in the accommodation block in our towels, but he seemed to retreat again after that. If he still has feelings for me, he’s doing a pretty good job of hiding them.
‘Sorry, I’ve probably overstepped the mark, but when you’re older, you realise it’s easy to waste time, and not appreciate it, until you no longer have it, and by that point it’s too late.’
His words bring Dad’s early passing to mind. Time ran out too soon for him, and he had so many things he still wanted to do.
I nod. ‘Thanks. Maybe I will talk to Dexter.’
Carlos changes the subject, perhaps sensing his work on the topic of Dexter is done, and I tell him about Lightning and Swift. Any mention of the sloths makes his face light up, but never more so than when he talks of Ferdinand.
Carlos talks of Ferdinand with such fondness and pride it almost makes me cry, and I turn my head and rearrange my hair, as I cough-sniff to hide my emotion.
When it’s time for me to meet Roisin and leave Carlos to rest, I can tell he needs it. He’s yawning a little and his eyes drift closed. As I go to kiss him on both cheeks before leaving, he does, however, have the energy to say, ‘Remember, talk to Dexter.’
I smile. He’s indefatigable in his efforts to matchmake. ‘I will.’
I kiss his forehead and head back to the foyer where Roisin is waiting.