Chapter 2
“He kissed me without asking permission and to me it felt like glory. I returned the kiss with long-delayed hunger”
—Mario Benedetti
On the way home, Baco seemed quieter than usual.
At first I tried to bring up topics of conversation, but when I noticed he really wasn’t in the mood to talk, I preferred to remain silent.
Upon arriving at the building and getting out of the car, I truly felt the exhaustion.
Baco was still quiet and thoughtful, and it was starting to make me impatient because since I’d known him, he had never behaved this way.
“Thanks for the invitation, I enjoyed it very much, but now tell me what’s wrong. You’ve barely spoken,” I asked, as the elevator rose swiftly.
“Why should something be wrong?”
“That’s what I’d like to know. If nothing’s really wrong, tell me why you’re so quiet, because we can agree that being silent isn’t characteristic of you.”
“I was just thinking about something that occurred to me, but maybe I’m wrong,” he said, thoughtfully.
“And is it something you can share with me?”
“I think not for now, but don’t worry because it’s not important,” he clarified, downplaying whatever had him so reflective.
“Very well. But I want you to know that you can count on me for anything.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you, Delfi.”
At my apartment door, he said goodbye with a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you for accompanying me. I enjoyed the evening today, and I assure you that at my family’s parties, I rarely do.”
“You’re welcome, I had a great time too.”
“In the end, my brother didn’t throw you out,” he pointed out.
“That’s true, he didn’t.”
“And he was quite attentive to everything that had to do with you,” he commented.
“I don’t agree with that. Why do you say so?” I asked, surprised by his comment.
“I know him, and I assure you it was like that. What I’m not clear about are his motives.”
“If it was as you say, it was probably due to the discomfort he felt seeing you with me. I don’t think he likes us being friends.”
“I agree with that, but I think for different reasons than you imagine. Anyway… we’ll see. See you tomorrow, beautiful.”
“See you tomorrow, Baco.”
I closed the door and the first thing I did was take off my sandals and dress.
In the bathroom, I removed my makeup, brushed my teeth, and put on a light nightgown.
When I got to the bedroom, I collapsed on the bed, truly exhausted.
Sleep overcame me immediately, but hypnotic green eyes accompanied me from my dreams throughout the night.
I was awakened by the sound of my phone. I was so deeply asleep that, at first, I couldn’t tell if it was the phone, the doorbell, or someone making noise. When it stopped ringing, I was grateful and decided to sleep a bit longer, but at that moment the torture of the ringtone began again.
“Hello,” I answered, and was conscious of my voice from beyond the grave.
“Delfi, you have to tell me how it went last night!” Serafina shouted.
“Seri, I swear right now I can’t even remember my own name. Let me sleep a little more and I’ll call you in the afternoon or we can meet up,” I suggested, still with my eyes closed.
“Alright, bad friend! You leave me in suspense and you know how anxious I am.”
“Goodbye, Seri,” I said goodbye and ended the call.
I put the phone back on the nightstand and rested my head on the pillow, convinced I was going to try to sleep a couple more hours. The phone’s ringtone began drilling into my ears again, and I was sure it would continue until I answered because I was certain it was Serafina.
I’m going to murder my friend, slowly and painfully!, I told myself.
“We agreed I’d call you in the afternoon! For the love of God, let me sleep a little longer!” I exclaimed as soon as I answered.
My friend was silent for a few seconds, and I thought my reaction had truly offended her. Just as I was about to apologize, a serious and authoritative voice that was already familiar to me completely woke me up.
“I don’t recall us agreeing to that.”
“Who is this?” I asked, to make sure my ears weren’t deceiving me, and I sat up in bed as if propelled by a spring.
“Hermes Darwich,” was his curt response.
It took me a few minutes to calm down enough to be able to speak again.
“Mr. Darwich, what can I do for you?”
“I need you to answer something for me.”
“And I need you to tell me how you got my number.”
“I stated my need before you did, so you should answer first.”
“I'm listening,” I said, shaking my head, this man drove me crazy.
“Why don't you enjoy my company?” he asked, without abandoning his authoritative tone.
“What?” I asked, surprised by the question.
“Is that the only thing you know how to answer when someone asks you a question?”
“Mr. Darwich, I don't understand your question and…”
“Yesterday you said you enjoyed the company of almost all members of my family, and since there are only three of us and it's obvious you get along very well with two of them, I must conclude that it's my presence that bothers or bores you.”
“You are insufferable!” I exclaimed, unable to contain myself.
“I see... I'll let you get back to sleep,” he said, and hung up.
I stared at the phone in disbelief at that conversation.
What just happened?, I wondered.
I didn't understand anything. That man had set out to drive me crazy and the worst part was that his call, beyond the frustration from his treatment and hanging up on me, had produced an irrational happiness in me.
I don't even understand myself!, I thought.
And I couldn't go back to sleep. I got up, took a shower and called Serafina to invite her to lunch at my place. I needed to talk to someone about what the irritating Hermes Darwich was making me feel, and no one was better than my friend.
◆◆◆
Serafina arrived at my place around two in the afternoon.
I had prepared a delicious Waldorf salad and for dessert I had chocolate ice cream.
Even though the day was beautiful, I preferred not to have lunch on the balcony because I wanted to talk to her about Hermes and I couldn't risk Baco overhearing me.
We were having lunch in the living room when my friend began her interrogation.
“You're being very mysterious. Tell me once and for all how it went yesterday with Baco. Did you sleep together?” she inquired anxiously.
“It's not Baco I want to talk to you about. I've told you several times that we're just friends. It's his brother I need to talk to you about.”
“Baco has a brother?”
“Yes, and that man is going to drive me crazy,” I said, resting my forehead in my hands.
Serafina looked at me with such surprise that her eyes seemed about to pop out of their sockets.
“I don't know who your neighbor's brother is, but judging by your face, I think you're in trouble.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, looking at her, afraid of what I might hear.
“Delfi, I've never seen you this worried and confused about any guy.”
“Hermes is not a guy, I assure you.”
“How old is he? Well, it doesn't matter, let's not waste any more time and tell me everything from the beginning.”
I told her about all our encounters, from my accident with his shirt, to his presence in my apartment due to confusion, and our dance at the party and subsequent phone conversation.
When I finished, Serafina's mouth was so wide open that I thought her jaw was going to dislocate.
I stared at her for a few seconds, but my friend didn't seem to react.
“Can you tell me what you think?” I asked, to snap her out of her concentration.
“How old did you say he is?”
“I didn't tell you, he's 38.”
“Oh my goodness! He's quite a bit older than you. He's a full-grown man.”
“I already know that. Tell me what you think about everything I told you,” I begged, needing an opinion that would shed some light on what was happening to me with this complicated man.
My friend took a few more seconds to respond while I looked at her desperately.
“Now I'm convinced you're in trouble,” she finally said.
“Can you be more specific?”
“Do you want me to be honest?” she asked, looking at me in a strange way, as if she felt sorry for me.
“That's why I'm telling you all this.”
“If you're not in love, you're one step away from being so,” she stated, and looked at me, waiting for my reaction.
“You've gone completely crazy!”
“You wanted me to tell you what I thought, well, that's what I think.”
“But you're wrong about that. How could I be in love with a man I've only argued with? We haven't even kissed, it's impossible for me to be in love!” I exclaimed.
“That has nothing to do with it and you know it. In fact, I think you think the same as I do, but you're trying to fool yourself, that's why you're telling me all this. This is the first time someone has confused you this way.”
“On that we agree, I am confused, but nothing more.”
“Delfi, I feel obligated to tell you something,” she clarified, taking my hands across the table.
“He's a man who must have a lot of experience and, from what his brother told you, his experience with love wasn't good and he wants nothing to do with that feeling, so I think if you try something with him, you'll probably end up hurt.”
“I don’t think he wants anything with me. You should have seen the woman he was with yesterday, she was stunning and very sensual.”
“Have you looked at yourself in the mirror?” she asked, irritated. “You’re beautiful, you have an incredible body, and you know perfectly well that your list of admirers is quite long, not to say endless.”
“Don’t exaggerate.”
“Wait, he was with a woman at the party in his house? Does he have a girlfriend?” she asked, more surprised than before.
“I don’t know what kind of relationship they have, but they definitely have one. Baco gave me the impression that he only had ‘female friends,’ but I don’t know,” I commented, completely bewildered.
“This is more complicated than I thought,” she reflected.