We hugged each other for a long goodbye, and for that brief moment, I managed to tell myself everything would be all right. Calm, at ease, I climbed the stairs. When I reached my floor, I found Carmen walking out of the apartment, eyes red, expression distressed.
Worried, I asked, “Carmen, what is it? Is my grandfather OK?”
“He’s fine, Maya,” she replied, trying to pretend everything was all right.
“What is it then?”
“I’m going. Your grandmother doesn’t need my services anymore.”
“She fired you? Why?”
“Just go in.” She took a deep breath. “And good luck. If you need me, you know where to find me. You can call me anytime, OK?”
“Sure.”
“Bye. Take care, now.”
I watched the door to the elevator open. She stepped inside, looking back at me with a maudlin expression before she disappeared.
At home, I could hear voices. I entered softly and shuddered when I saw one of them belonged to my uncle Andrey. What was he doing there? He lived in Alicante, and he didn’t usually come around much.
“I don’t agree with any of this. This isn’t right,” my grandfather said.
“We’ve talked about it already, Dad. You need help with everything, even eating, and Mom can’t take care of it all anymore. Besides, you’re both all alone here. It only makes sense for you to come withYoan and me. You can be closer to us, to your grandkids,” my uncle said.
Wait—were they talking about leaving Madrid? And just like that, from one day to the next?
“This isn’t the right way to do things. We both know perfectly well the real reason you want to leave Madrid,” my grandfather replied.
“We’re getting old, and we’re far away from our children. There’s nothing for us here anymore, Luis,” my grandmother replied.
“You’re punishing her.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t want to argue about this anymore!” My grandmother’s voice was straining. “The movers will come the day after tomorrow, and the Realtors have already found a couple interested in renting the apartment. We’re going.”
“Yeah, Dad. Mom’s right,” Andrey said.
I walked, trembling, into the living room, where they were sitting. “You’re renting out our home?” I asked.
All three of them turned. Even my grandfather, who couldn’t see, squinted in my direction.
“Yes,” my grandmother said.
“Maya, dear…” my grandfather began, but my uncle cut him off, “Dad!” Nervously, Andrey continued, “I’m taking them with me. They need a change of scene, and the sun and sea will be good for them. Uncle Yoan, Aunt Ana, your cousins…all of us want them down there.”
“But what about me? Why didn’t anybody ask me anything? I live here, too. This is my home,” I objected.
“No, it’s my home,” my grandmother countered.
I was confused. My heart was pounding. Unease overtook me. Where did I fit into this plan? I didn’t know, but it couldn’t be anywhere good. The idea of dropping everything and moving to Alicante with them was out of the question. But how the hell could I stay inMadrid with nowhere to live? I needed to find a place, and I barely had a cent to my name.
“What will I do?” I asked.
My uncle didn’t beat around the bush. He was like my grandmother in that way. “Sorry, Maya. I’ve only got one room free. And…”
“And…” my grandmother said, “you’re an adult, you’re twenty-two years old. At your age I was already making a living and no one helped me. It’s about time you looked for a job and went out on your own. Live your own life. Isn’t that what you wanted anyway? To move away to New York?”
She was being sarcastic, reproachful, and I could tell. She thought I was a total failure, and she wasn’t even trying to hide it. Wickedness impregnated her words. She knew perfectly well that my ship had sailed and wouldn’t come back. And she knew how much missing that opportunity had hurt.
