Page 190 of Tell Me What You Want, Or Leave Me

“Well, look, girl, he’s not going to do me like that! I wanted to say something terrible. You know how I get when I turn into a viper, but I thought to myself: restraint!”

I laugh and hug her.

“Then your wild little fling is over?”

“I think so but, girl...I still think about him.”

“Raquel, if you love him and he loves you, why don’t you explain everything to him and suggest that—”

“What? That he come live in Spain?” She snorts. “No...no...And then his company crashes, and he blames me. No way!”

We talk for a long time, but nothing comes of it. Raquel closes off, and it’s impossible to reason with her. Everybody says the stubborn one in the family is me, but they just don’t know my sister!

In a while, Eric comes back with Björn and my little one. Björn brings me a beautiful bouquet of roses. He says hello to my sister, then to me.

“Congratulations, Mom.”

“Thanks, handsome.”

My love puts our child in the crib.

“Everything OK?” I ask.

Eric nods.

“And my father?”

“He stayed with my mother and the children in the cafeteria. They’ll be up in a bit.”

“What do you think of our precious boy?” I ask Björn.

“He’s beautiful, Judith. You two made a beautiful child.”

“Do you want to hold him?”

Björn quickly steps back with a frightened look.

“No, I don’t like little ones. I prefer them when they’re Flyn’s age, and I can communicate with them.”

We all laugh.

“I hope he has Judith’s personality because if he gets yours, my friend, we’re in trouble,” Björn says.

“Well, you’re not exactly in the clear with my sister,” Raquel says.

We’re laughing when a knock on the door draws our attention. It’s Mel, the girl from the elevator.

“May I come in?” she asks.

“Come in, Mel. Come in,” I say, happy to see her.

I see she’s pushing a stroller with a precious sleeping baby. She’s also brought flowers, which she hands to me.

“She just fell asleep. I hope you can wait awhile!”

Eric greets her with two kisses.

“This baby’s so handsome and chubby,” she says looking at little Eric in the crib. “So, is Medusa a boy or a girl?”

---