“Here. Carry this in.” She passes me a dish, and I help her carry in the platters of food.
During most of dinner, I barely pay attention to the idle chatter of my family. Instead, my mind is filled with memories of today.
“What are you smiling about, Luisa?” my father asks, drawing me from my daydreams.
I straighten. “Nothing, Papa. Just something funny Carmen said today,” I lie.
“Care to share it?” he replies.
“No, sir.”
When he goes back to eating, I set my fork down. “May I be excused?”
His gaze drops to my plate. “You barely ate, Luisa.”
“I’m not feeling well.”
“Is something wrong?” my mother asks, leaning over and touching my forehead with her palm. “You don’t feel hot.”
“It’s my stomach. I think I drank too much coffee today.”
“I warned you about that, Luisa,” my father says, then lifts his chin. “Yes, you’re excused. Go lay down.”
“Thank you, Papa.” I wipe my mouth, lay my napkin aside and hurry upstairs.
Reclining on my bed, I stare at the ceiling. I still can’t believe Blue rented a house just so he and I would have a place to meet. Turning on my side, I tuck my hands under my cheek. I wish I could tell Carmen. I’m desperate to tell someone, but I know I have to keep it secret. The fewer people who know, the better chance there is it never gets to my father.
I’ve thought about what would happen if he knew. I think it would destroy his friendship with Blue’s president. I’d probably be shipped off to a convent. Either that or my parents would rush me down the aisle, marrying me off as soon as they could arrange it. Neither appeals to me.
It’s late that night when my phone dings with a text from Blue.
BLUE: I enjoyed today.
ME: Me too.
BLUE: I want to see you again. Will you be at the church tomorrow?
ME: Not tomorrow.
BLUE: Meet me anyway. Think you could get away and spend the night with me?
ME: I’ll have to come up with an excuse to leave.
BLUE: I’ll be waiting at the house in case you change your mind. Sweet dreams, princess.
I grin and put my phone down. The wheels in my head turn, trying to figure out a way for us to be together.
The only thing I can think of is to make an excuse that I’m spending the night at Carmen’s house. But for that to work, she’d have to cover for me, so I’d need to tell her everything.
There’s no way around it. I’d have to spill the beans.
It’s not that I can’t trust her with my secret, but I’m not sure how she’ll feel about this. If she’s against it, I know it will drive a wedge between us.
The house is quiet, and everyone is asleep when I text Carmen.
ME: Are you awake?
CARMEN: I am now.
