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I wanted to roll my eyes at Gladys for sending people to my home. And at myself for opening the door. Because I could have easily pretended that I wasn’t home, and both my cat and I would be inside, dry as a bone in the comfort of my parents’ family room.
“How can I help you, Carmen?” I asked as the woman started removing the yellow monstrosity covering her lithe body. “Did you walk here on your own?”
“Oh no, dear, my grandson is waiting in the car. See?” She pointed in the direction of a waiting car at the end of the driveway, where a young man was scrolling on his phone, the white light of the device reflecting on his face. “Can I come in?”
She shook her raincoat and then took a step towards me, crowding me against the door frame.
“I guess so?” I phrased it as a question even though I was reluctant to walk inside the house. She lived down the block. Her house sat on the corner of the street, a few doors down from Santiago’s house. “How can I help you?”
She walked in the door, her bonnet dripping water in the foyer. She blinked a few times, then put her hand inside the coat’s pocket and took out a small white paper that looked like a page from a prescription pad. I cocked my head,waiting to see what she would say, but instead, she dropped her coat and opened the note, shoving it in front of my face like the pharmacist had done weeks earlier. She lifted her eyebrows and then returned her eyes to the note, explaining without words that I needed to look at whatever was written on there. She started tapping her foot on the marble, impatient for a response.
“How can I help you?” I repeated calmly. My brain wanted to scream at her, but I just couldn’t do it. She looked so tiny in the large entry, all of her outerwear drenched in water.
“What does this say?” No explanation of why she needed me to read some other doctor’s handwriting. “We can’t figure it out.”
“Did Gladys send you over?” I asked, the smile back on my face despite my anger. It was on me, this… thing that I’d created for myself. Allowing people to take advantage of me. My brother was right. Francisco was right. Dr. Martín was right. “I won’t be able to read it in the darkness. Why don’t you call your doctor’s office in the morning and ask them?”
“Lucía,” she said in a stern voice.
“Carmen, I won’t be able to help you. I apologize for making you come all the way here, but I can’t help you.” I walked to the door and opened it wider, then took a step back and gestured with my hand to invite her to leave.
“Chiquita,”she said, her tone contemptuous. “I made my grandson drive me all the way here, and I even left the house with my rollers on.”
“I understand, but I can’t really see what it says and it’s not my prescription, so even in daylight, I wouldn’t be able to figure that out for you. Again, I apologize.”
“Well, maybe you can write a new one for me?” she asked, her gaze almost pleading with me. “Do you have your pad here with you?”
I did have my pad with me; I always did. But that was beyond the point. “Carmen,” I said, a little bit stern, but honestly, fed up. “You need to go see your doctor in the morning.” I sighed. “Or, you know what? Gladys can call his office and ask for clarification.”
“Lucía,” she warned. “Where are your manners?”
I flinched.What?
She took a few steps to the front door, then abruptly grabbed her coat from the floor and hummed.
“Have a good night.”
I didn’t even wait for her to be off the porch before closing the door on her. I would hear about it the next day. Granny would probably call me to tell me thatsomeonesaid I was rude to Carmen. But to be honest, I couldn’t care less. I was on vacation, damn it. And everyone in town knew it. Just because I was home didn’t mean I was available.
I dropped my forehead on the back of the door, my heart beating fast because I just disrespected an elderly woman. But, despite the guilt, it felt a little freeing. Like I was finally living for myself and setting my boundaries. Even if that meant hurting a fragile lady in the process.
I took a deep breath, then opened the door to go out insearch of the cat. I needed to find her before the storm. Judging by the previous days, she should have quickly realized it would rain too hard for her little body and instead would have stayed huddled under one of the bushes by the side of the house, her expedition being cut short by the storm that had kept the lights out since the previous day. The rain had stopped slightly since Carmen had left, so I walked around the house in the direction I’d seen the cat. Trees were still dripping, which made it impossible for me to hear anything but that and my steps on the wet grass.
I squinted, trying to see if I could figure out where that cat was hiding. It was hard to see. The dark of the night, combined with the power outage, made it almost impossible to make out the details of the small animal I was looking for. Maybe I could see the pair of bright eyes hiding under the bushes, the leaves covering her from the water.
“Lucía? What are you doing?” I heard from behind me. I stopped, squatting next to one of the planters, and then turned, looking up at Francisco. He was, once again, dripping wet and looking so much like a lost puppy that I had to contain a smile, even in the sour mood that neighbor lady had put me in. “What’s wrong?” he added, cocking his head and taking a step forward. He squinted, adjusting to the darkness of the night.
I shook my head and closed my eyes. Everything felt so raw, so close to hitting me. The raindrops hot on my skin, the walls of the big house above threatening to cave in around me. Like my senses were heightened by the small actof rebellion I had committed. I was a helper; I helped. Until I reached this boiling point. No turning back now. I breathed in and out, looking at the scene surrounding me. My heart lodged in my ribs in panic.
“Lucía!” he roared above the sounds of thunder, his voice a little bit hoarse and washed out, tinged in something that I couldn’t quite figure out.
“¿Qué?”I exploded, my arms lifting to the sides, hands almost pulling at my drenched hair. “What does everyone want? Just leave me alone!”
His head reared back in surprise, his eyes widening at my outburst. But then he softened and took a step towards me, one hand reaching for my body.
“What do you want? What?” I was suffocating. My lungs couldn’t seem to catch a single drop of air, and his gaze was so intent on me, studying me like I was an animal at a zoo exhibit. Except we were outside in the pitch dark, soaking wet, and the storm was ringing loudly around us.
He opened his mouth to say something, then immediately shut it.
