God have mercy on me. I was never cut out to be a man of faith, was I?
I’ve just finished chastising Tommy for his shameless flirting when we come to a rough stop. One look out the windshield tells me we’ve arrived at our destination. Past the rusty iron gate at the end of the road is a stretch of weed-infested tarmac. At the closer end of it, a small private jet glimmers in the sunlight.
Fuck, Isidoro really came. We just might live another day.
As quickly as humanly possible, I grab Tommy’s hand and the bag with our few possessions. I toss it over the fence, then help him vault over it as well. Then I turn to Doña Chela.
“You are coming with us,” I say in Spanish.
She seems surprised by my words. I fear she might turn me down, and I prepare myself for an argument, but then she nods and smiles at me. “I always wished for an adventure. But it never came, no matter how much I waited.Who’d have thought I’d finally get my wish granted the day after I’m told I have less than two months to live.”
What? She has two months left to live? No way… Is this kind and lovely woman sick? I would’ve never guessed.
I open my mouth to ask, my mind already racing with scenarios and ways we could combat whatever her sickness might be, but she halts me with her hand. “It’s cancer, dear. There’s not much we can do. But I have my ways to keep the pain at bay.” Smile not dropping, she steps in and cradles my face with both hands. “I say fuck this cancer. You’re here offering to make my dream come true. I’d be a fool to turn such an opportunity down. Besides”—she wiggles her eyebrows at me—“what does this old, dying woman have to lose?”
She’s right. I’ve only known her for an hour, but from the moment we walked into her shop, I could tell she’s got a good soul.
I hug Doña Chela tightly, and she hugs me back. “I promise I’ll figure something out, or if that’s not possible, I swear I’ll make this the biggest and craziest adventure of your life so you can go out with a bang.”
She laughs, patting me on the shoulder. “I knew you two were trouble. I could smell it on you. But I’ve always had a sweet spot for troublemakers.”
With a lightness in my chest because we won’t have to abandon this sweet woman, I help her over the fence. Tommy hugs her once she’s on the other side. When I join them, the three of us power-walk to the plane.
The jet’s door opens and stairs come down when we approach. A man emerges at the top, dressed like he’d walked out of another century. I almost can’t believe myeyes, it’s how little sense his outfit makes in this scorching heat.
“Finally. You nearly had me worried,” Isidoro says in his deep tenor, stroking the cascading ruffles of his burgundy shirt. They decorate the button line and the sleeves, and as much as I hate to admit it, they go perfectly with his sleek suit pants and the fancy cane he’s holding in his other hand.
“Yeah, well, we ran into a bit of trouble,” I reply, climbing the stairs two at a time. The faster we get out of here, the better. I really, and I meanreally, want to avoid a repeat of what happened on that cargo plane.
He laughs, bowing slightly as we brush past him and into the luxurious interior.
It’s quite something. I’m no stranger to luxury, considering my line of work in the past, but Isidoro’s stuff has always been next level. The inside of his jet looks like a royal palace with all the gold and red velvet intertwining together. There are a couple of armchairs, a couch with a table. A giant TV adorns the front separator wall, and fresh flowers in ceramic pots and vases finish the look. I know for a fact that they are cleverly secured so as not to make a mess during turbulence.
“Niko, Niko.” Isidoro clicks his tongue. “I had a hunch we hadn’t seen the last of you, but I have to say, dear friend, the performance you put on the day of your ‘death’ was magnificent.” He claps with his gloved hands, following us as his staff close and secure the stairs and door. “I never expected a call from you first this in the morning. Ah, what a great start to my day.”
I let a smiling woman in a uniform lead Doña Chela and Tommy to the couch and armchairs, then turn to my friend and spread my arms in an invitation. Isidoro grinsfrom ear to ear and gives me a hug, kissing my cheek. He’s always been peculiar like that, but it’s part of his charm as much as his overly posh sense of style.
The plane’s engines come to life, whirling as they gain power. The same person who took care of Tommy and Doña Chela asks us to take our seats and fasten our seatbelts for the take-off.
“Thank you, Liliya, dear,” Isidoro says, smiling encouragingly at her. “Come, Niko, let’s catch up. You’ve so much to tell me.”
Once we are seated on the armchairs by the couch, the plane starts accelerating. Tommy looks anxious, like he could pass out any moment now.
I curl my fingers around his hand, lean in and pull his head toward my chest. “I’m here, Tommy. There’s nothing to worry about. Just focus on the feel of my hand.”
He sighs, some of the tension leaving his body. This can’t be the most comfortable position for him, but he doesn’t move until we level off at our cruising altitude. The color has returned to his face, and when Liliya comes over with a plate of freshly baked pastries, his entire face lights up.
“Oh. My. God.” He moans around a bite of vanilla and raspberry turnover. “This is so freaking good.”
Fuck, he’s so cute. I could watch him all day.
“I have to say… I didn’t expect you to bring a companion with you. Let alone two.” Isidoro steals a look at Tommy, who’s too busy happily eating to notice, then shifts his attention to Doña Chela, who’s settled on the couch with a cup of tea and some biscuits. His wine-red eyes sparkle with childlike curiosity.
I lean back into my armchair, unbuckle the belt, and cross my hands behind my head. “I didn’t either. It wasn’t really… Ha, none of this was planned. I was never supposed to rise from the dead.”
“Oh?” Isidoro flicks a silky strand of his burgundy-red hair behind his ear. “Do tell, dear friend. I’m dying to get up to speed.”
Do I tell him everything? I consider that for a moment, zeroing in on Tommy’s pocket where I know the red gem is. This all happened so fast, it’s crazy. Isidoro was my only friend while I was still ‘alive’, so if there is anyone who’d be willing to trust and help us, it’s him. Still, I think I might omit a few things until I am sure he’s still the same Isidoro I knew a decade back.
