A little whirlwind of energy shoots out from inside the apartment, and the boy throws himself straight at her.
Martina lets out a genuine laugh as she catches him in her arms.
“Hi, Leo.”
The five-year-old hugs her enthusiastically, wrapping his arms around her neck.
“You didn’t come last week!”
“I’ve been working a lot; I’m sure your mom told you,” Martina replies as she ruffles his hair.
Cora watches the scene from the doorway with an amused expression.
“Come on in before this little whirlwind knocks you over.”
Martina enters the apartment while Leo runs back into the living room, where he was watching a cartoon. The atmosphere in the house is cozy, filled with scattered toys and that little bit of chaos that always comes with homes with children.
Cora heads to the kitchen.
“I’m going to crack open some beers.”
“Thanks.”
When she comes back, she sets two bottles down on the dining room table. Leo is lying on the couch, watching TV with complete concentration, so Cora sits down across from Martina and watches her closely.
“Okay,” she says after taking a first sip from her bottle. “Tell me what happened.”
Martina raises an eyebrow.
“Is it that obvious that something’s happened to me?”
“Do I need to remind you how surprising it is to see you here on a Saturday afternoon without warning?” Cora shrugs. “Besides, the last time we spoke before I left on my trip, you were going out to dinner with Rebeca.”
Martina sighs. She rests her elbows on the table and twirls the bottle between her fingers before taking a sip. The cold liquid is comforting and clears her head a little, but the truth is, she’s having a hard time getting her thoughts in order.
“I know this is going to sound rash, but…”
Cora raises an eyebrow.
“Go ahead.”
“But I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten her,” Martina confesses. The silence that follows lasts a few seconds, but Cora doesn’t seem surprised at all.
“It doesn’t sound rash to me, or crazy, certainly not,” she replies, flashing a smile as she shrugs. “I’ve known you for manyyears, Martina. And I’ve never seen you talk about anyone the way you did about Rebeca. Not even in your best moments with Julia.”
Martina looks down at the table and hates herself for betraying her wife.
“It’s been six years.”
“I know.”
“And I have a life,” Martina adds.
Cora nods.
“I know that, too.” Silence settles in again for a few seconds. “But having a life…” Cora adds, “doesn’t always mean you’ve closed all the chapters. Because sometimes they’re just on pause. And you, my friend, seem to have left that one in particular waiting for a conclusion.”
Martina lets out a laugh, without a trace of humor.
