Page 10 of We Shouldn’t Do This Again

Alex straightens up with a mischievous smile that lights up her whole face.

“Partly, yes. But also because Marta called me this morning and caught me up on things.”

“Ah.” I look at her with resignation, though deep down I’m grateful that someone cares so much about my emotional state.

“It was obvious she would. She can’t keep her mouth shut.”

“She told me about your father’s wedding,” she adds, watching me closely. “That’s pretty significant, Lidia. It’s not just anything.”

“I know,” I admit, resting a hand on the back of the sofa. “It’s all happened so fast. He called me a few days ago and… well, here I am, packing my suitcase to travel to the Maldives.”

“Weren’t you there a few years ago?”

“Yes, well, that was a long time ago,” I simply reply, without going into too much detail. “But anyway, I’ll be there until the second week of June, and hopefully everything will go well.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so jealous. Sun, beach, cocktails… A vacation like that would be just what I need.”

“I know, I could use one too…”

“Although, come to think of it,” she continues with a half-smile, “someone has to stay here to make sure Jota is still alive while you’re having a blast on that paradise island. You wouldn’t want to end up wanting to stay there and forget what you have here.”

“Don’t worry,” I reply with a smile on my lips. “My life is still here, in Valencia. I don’t plan on moving. Everything I want is right here.”

“Are you sure?”

The question hangs in the air between us. I know exactly what she means. Alex isn’t just a good friend to me. Ever since Barbara and I broke up, she hasn’t left my side for a second, and she’s made my days more bearable and less burdensome. I love her, though I also know she loves me in a different way.

I breathe in slowly and then let all the air out in a soft sigh.

“This trip is special…” I finally say, with more confidence than I actually feel. “After my mother’s death, the fact that my father has found happiness again is something unique. So I want to see him happy, be there for him, and give myself some time to close some chapters and start new ones.”

She smiles as if she’s just heard exactly what she was hoping to hear.

“Good. Because if you’re going to cross half the planet, you’d better come back with more than just sand in your shoes and magnets to stick on the fridge. You deserve to come back with a smile and a desire to move forward.”

Things are never that easy. Just like opening the door to love again isn’t either. I know setting foot in the Maldives will stir up a lot of things inside me, but maybe, between tears and love, I can look myself in the eyes and forgive myself for not having been able to be truly happy.

“If you treat me to dinner, I’ll help you with this whole mess,” Alex says with a smile, lifting Jota into her arms. “What do you say? Do we help her, or let her be consumed by indecision?”

Jota barks, and with him, we burst out laughing.

CHAPTER 5

THE FLIGHT AND DORMANT MEMORIES

Barbara

The constant hum of the plane has become the soundtrack that’s been with me for several hours now, a deep, persistent rumble that vibrates in my ears, lulling my senses to sleep. I glance at the clock glowing on the screen right in front of my seat and see that we still have three more hours before landing. “Just three hours,” I repeat to myself, even though my muscles are so stiff it feels like I’ve been sitting in this same spot since the last century.

I shift my position for the umpteenth time, searching for a posture that won’t make my back protest. It feels like I’m sitting on a slab of stone, and at this rate, my butt is going to go numb.

“This should be illegal,” I protest to myself in a complaining tone that barely escapes my lips, parched by the air conditioning.

The woman in the seat next to me looks up from the magazine she’s holding and gives me a kind, understanding smile.

“What exactly?” she asks curiously, leaning toward me slightly as if she’s genuinely interested in my answer.

I look at her with resignation and answer slowly, letting the words flow more calmly than I actually feel.