Page 106 of Now and Forever

Delighted by the wonderful moment I’m experiencing with the kid, I hold him by the shoulders and go on. “In a few months, Laura and that gang of thugs from your school are going to flip when they see how you handle a skateboard.”

The boy nods.

“C’mon ... try it. First, put one foot on the skateboard and feel how it moves.”

I hold his hands, and, when he puts his foot on the skateboard, it slips forward. He looks at me, fear in his eyes, and I try to calm him down.

“Number one: never use it if I’m not around. Number two: you need to wear kneepads, elbow pads, and a helmet so you don’t get hurt. And number three, the most important: Do you trust me?”

He nods affirmatively, and I get excited.

Suddenly, we hear the noise of the car. I look out the window and see it’s Eric pulling into the garage. Not needing to say a word, the kid leaves the skateboard where it is and sits back down beside me on the floor. We act like nothing’s happened. Two minutes later, the door to the room opens, and Eric, seeing us both on the floor, asks in surprise, “What’s going on?”

Flyn stands up and gives his uncle a hug.

“Jude has been helping me learn something for school.”

Eric looks at me. I nod. The little boy walks away. I get up and go to my favorite German, and, grabbing him around the waist, whisper, “As you can see, any day now, I’ll be getting that little kiss from your nephew.”

Eric, clearly shocked but pleased, smiles.

30

The next morning, my face is greener than it is red. I look at myself in the mirror, and it flusters me.

OK ... I’m not saying I’m some beauty, but seeing myself like this is depressing. Poor Eric. He’s got quite a girlfriend. I’m just like the corpse bride. I laugh at myself for being silly. When I get back to the room, “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones is playing on the radio, and I sing along. That song always reminds me of my friends in Jerez. I start dancing while singing at the top of my lungs. Eric comes up to give me a kiss before going to work, and I stop to kiss him.

“I love seeing you so happy.”

“This song reminds me of my friends.”

“Anyone in particular?”

With a Machiavellian smile, I nod. The look on Eric’s face changes, and he gives me the most sensual slap on the behind. “Who?” he demands.

“Fernando ...” His face tenses up, but I go on. “Rocío, Lora, Alberto, Pepi, Loli, Juanito, Almudena, Leire ...”

He gives me another slap and then another. It stings, but I laugh. The look on his face changes to something more pleasant this time as he massages my newly red butt.

“Don’t play with fire, baby, or you’ll get burned.”

“Mmm! I like to get burned.” Swinging my hips, I whisper, “Do you want to burn me?”

Eric moves away from my side and sighs. “You get better, and then I promise I’ll make you burn.”

“Have a good day, darling.”

That said, he leaves. He’s not even out the door, and I already miss him. But I’ve arranged to have lunch with Frida, and I know I’m going to have a good time. Peeking out the window, I see his car pulling away, and, suddenly, the phone rings. My sister.

“Hey, babe!”

“Hey, dummy! How are you?” I ask, laughing while I flop down on the bed to talk to her.

“Good. Dumber every day, but good. How about you—how’s it going?”

Her voice sounds a little sad, but I’m riding high from what happened seconds before with Eric. “Well, listen, Raquel, don’t get scared. I’m fine, but I look just like the Incredible Hulk. The day before yesterday, I fell in the snow. My face looks like a Picasso painting, and I’ve got stitches on my chin. But that’s all.”

“Babe, don’t scare me!”

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