“Oh, really?”
“And he’s thrilled.”
Ariadna hands her the cup of coffee.
“That’s a good sign,” Rebeca replies, feeling the warmth of the cup spread through her arms.
“Not just that,” Ariadna continues. “The editorial team is also very happy. The style is fluid, very natural, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
Rebeca looks down at her coffee, trying to hide the satisfaction she feels at hearing those words.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Especially in the dialogue,” adds Ariadna. “You’ve managed to preserve the original’s intent without making it sound artificial.”
For the next half hour, they go over specific passages of the manuscript together. They discuss the pacing of certain scenes, how to convey particular emotional nuances from English to Spanish without losing intensity.
The conversation flows easily. And when they finally take a break, Ariadna leans back in her chair with a thoughtful expression.
“By the way,” she says. “This Thursday I’m going out with some friends. We’re going to grab a drink, see what we can find around town. You should come along.”
An amused smile spreads across Ariadna’s face as Rebeca blinks.
“Me?”
“Sure.” Ariadna rests her elbows on the table. “That way you can get to know the city a little better. And meet new people. You must be the only lesbian who moves to a new city and doesn’t go out to check out the scene from day one.”
Rebeca laughs and hides her lips in her coffee cup.
“Maybe,” she replies, shrugging slightly. “My mom would say I’m a control freak.”
Ariadna raises an eyebrow.
“And is she right?”
“Pretty much.”
Rebeca takes a sip of coffee.
“Until I had the apartment completely tidy, I didn’t allow myself a single moment of rest after work.”
Ariadna shakes her head.
“That has to change.”
“I suppose so,” Rebeca replies, shrugging. She keeps smiling, but inside, a thought strikes her with brutal clarity.
Because she knows she has to do it.
She has to get out.
She has to take her mind off things.
And above all, she has to fill her head with other faces, other conversations, other names besides Martina’s.
“I don’t even know what I’m going to say to her when I see her again.”
She shakes her head inwardly and looks back at Ariadna.
