Chapter 21
Love’s Surprises
victoria
I spent the whole night caught up in a never-ending nightmare; Joana showed up at the wedding and made Elena feel like the worst person in the universe just for dancing with me.
The dream consisted of several scenes, but the last one has stayed etched in my mind, with me there, having to choose which path to take.
I don’t know why my mind has insisted on staging a fictional spectacle like this, but I imagine it’s its way of making me see that I’m caught in a struggle between my past and my present.
I’ve been trying for hours to shake off the unease I feel from the memories stirred up inside me when I saw Elena and the uncertainty caused by not hearing from Joana.
I’ve lost count of the messages I’ve sent her and the calls she hasn’t answered, and I no longer know what to think about our relationship.
It’s almost eleven, and even though I’m not very hungry, I’ve accepted Carol and Jorge’s invitation to have breakfast together.
Before joining them, I’ve used the remaining minutes to walk through Gardenias and visit those spots that used to be special to Elena and me.
I haven’t run into her, not even in her office.
I guess she hasn’t arrived yet or is busy with wedding preparations.
I’ll admit I’d have liked to run into her and have a moment alone to talk, but we’ll have our chance.
The hotel is exactly as I remembered it.
The white interior walls feature those imperfections in the stucco trim that her father wanted to mimic from Greek houses, and the touches of cream and peach blend perfectly with the deep green of the indoor plants.
The place resembles those Mediterranean mansions where you spend Sundays with the family, and I can’t wait to step out into the garden to see if the mimosas have changed.
The sun is beating down hard, and I can feel my cheeks burning when I’m outside.
Just as I expected, the prettiest part of the hotel—and where Carolina told me the wedding will be held—is still the same as it was back then, full of trees swaying in the gentle sea breeze and fresh grass where you can lie down and watch the clouds drift by.
With a sigh escaping my lips and my hands in my pants pockets, I walk over to the terrace of the hotel restaurant.
It takes me no more than a few minutes to find Carolina and Jorge, sitting at one of the tables.
They’re all lovey-dovey, doting on each other, and they remind me that despite my current relationship, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt those butterflies that make you smile like an idiot.
“Sorry I’m late, guys, I was just taking a walk,” I say, interrupting them and forcing them to get up from their chairs to greet me.
She goes first, giving me a couple of kisses and a hug, and then her boyfriend pulls me into his arms, just like he’s always done since we’ve known each other.
“I’ve been dying to see you. How’s everything been going?
I’ve already heard that things at the gym are going great. ”
“Can’t complain. As you can see, that crazy friend of yours convinced me to put a ring on my finger,” he says, showing it off, and immediately gets a slap from Carolina that makes him burst out laughing.
“Joking aside, I’m doing great. But I’m not the only one, am I?
The years have treated you wonderfully.”
“It’s not that big of a deal…” We all sit down again, and I gaze out at the ocean view. “Just look at the dark circles under my eyes, hidden behind these sunglasses,” I emphasize, showing him my eyes. “I’m still the same zombie I was years ago.”
“After all, time shouldn’t take away what makes us who we are, right?” Jorge says jokingly. “Although we’ve changed quite a bit—that’s what time does. We’re not kids anymore.”
“You’re saying that about us, because Pablo is still the same as ever,” Carolina reminds him, raising an eyebrow.
“Pablo’s a special case.”
“The one who’s changed a lot is your sister,” I admit, turning to Jorge. “I didn’t expect to see her yesterday, and she left me speechless. I was expecting her to welcome me, just like the rest of you.”
“What?” he asks, confused. “Are you serious?” I nod a couple of times, settling back into my chair. “Wow, even I was surprised to find out.”
“I don’t know what she had for breakfast that day, but I swear it wasn’t your sister,” Carolina assures me. “She was… gorgeous and…”
“Attractive? Confident? Charming?” I ask, catching both their attention. “Don’t look at me like that! I’ve known her my whole life, I was married to her, and I’d never seen her so…” I try to explain. “Anyway, she surprised me.”
“Enough to make me shut my mouth and stop me from telling her the truth about your girlfriend.”
“What are you talking about?” Jorge looks at us, completely confused.
“I hadn’t told Joana anything about my divorce from your sister, and I asked her not to come to Ibiza. I didn’t have time to explain that I wanted to spare Elena an awkward situation.” I let out a sigh. “It’s been a week and she’s not picking up my calls, so you could say I’m practically single.”
“But come on, your sister wasn’t herself that day,” Carol repeats, bursting out laughing.
“Maybe it was because it was you,” her boyfriend says.
“A few days ago she was a mess, to be honest…” He runs a hand through his hair and pouts.
“It’s been really hard for her to move on; she’s been to therapy, and to be honest, I don’t think it’s helped much.
” I haven’t had an easy time of it either, but hearing this makes my spirits sink and the colors around me darken until they turn into a dull gray that leaves me feeling numb.
“I don’t know what went through her head, but I know for sure that this is complicated for her.
She still loves you, and I’ve been worried ever since this young lady”—he points to his future wife—“told me she’d asked you to be her maid of honor. ”
“You should’ve kept your mouth shut,” Carolina whispers right in his face, punching her fiancé in the chest. “But anyway, it’s done now, and don’t worry—Elena’s going to be fine.”
“Are you sure she still has feelings for me?”
“She’s actually in love. Take it from the guy who’s had to put up with her tears,” he replies with crushing honesty.
“Look. You know I don’t meddle in anyone’s life, but she’s my sister, she’s everything to me, and…
” He shakes his head. “I know you have your own lives and your own problems, that you got divorced, but…”
“The truth is, I asked for the divorce because I knew I wasn’t making her happy,” I confess after all this time, looking him in the eyes.
“I was an intern; I barely had a moment to breathe. They bossed me around, took advantage of me, and I couldn’t say no because achieving my dreams depended on it,” I explain, trying to help him understand how things went.
“I abandoned your sister. I overlooked a lot of things I now regret, and I thought the best thing for her was for me to leave and let her rebuild her life.”
“Rebuild her life?” Her brother bursts out laughing. “Haven’t you heard from Carolina that she hasn’t even dared to go on a date with anyone?” he asks curiously. “And believe me, I’ve tried, but it’s been no use.”
“Elena is in love with you, Vicky, even if she makes you believe she isn’t and that she doesn’t give a damn about you,” Carolina says nonchalantly before stealing a sip of juice from Jorge.
“But I have a girlfriend now and…” I look up at the ceiling and let out a little laugh. “I knew I shouldn’t have come.”
“It’s too late now. I’m just asking you one thing…
” Jorge shifts and leans on the table. “You know what my sister’s like; I don’t want her to have a hard time, so if you don’t feel anything for her and you think what you had is in the past, don’t give her any reason to think otherwise.
If you break her again, she won’t get over it, and the last thing I want is for her heart to be broken all over again. ”
“Jorge, haven’t you been listening? She has a girlfriend.
Do you really think she’d be stupid enough to date her if she had feelings for Elena?
” Carolina muses, then bursts out laughing.
“Don’t make such a big deal out of it—it’s not that serious.
” She laughs again. “Don’t pay any attention to him; he’s become really overprotective over the years. ”
“He’s right; I can’t hurt her again,” I say without revealing how I really feel. “I promise I won’t do anything to hurt her.”
“Thanks…”
“Well!” Carolina exclaims, breaking the tension that has built up in an instant. “How about we let Jorge meet up with Inaki and Pablo, and we go to the beach together?”
“I thought the three of us were going to have breakfast.”
“I can’t let Inaki show up at my wedding dressed like a surfer and Pablo show up in a Spider-Man T-shirt,” her boyfriend says, getting up from his chair to kiss me on the cheek and kiss Carolina on the lips. “Have fun, girls. See you tonight.”
“We will…”
Once he’s gone, I realize that this casual get-together was the perfect excuse I needed to make sure Elena would be okay.
And even though I haven’t been able to confess to her that I still have feelings for her sister, knowing that she does this for me has become a small ray of hope.
Maybe my fears were absurd, and we just need something to make everything burn again in our hearts, even if it’s selfish and mean-spirited not to think about Joana and what we’re supposed to have.