Page 123 of Strange Seduction
“Sí, sí.A little. Not much appetite.”
“You gotta eat, though. Even if it’s soup. Or smoothies. You still drinking the Ensure I sent?”
“Sí. Carmen…no te preocupes. Estoyokay,” he explained.
Her lips pressed together. “That’s easy for you to say.”
He coughed lightly. “Siempre te preocupas demasiado.I am the parent.¿Te acuerdas?”
“You always say that.”
“Because it’s true.
A moment passed, and Carmen leaned forward, elbows on her knees.
“Did Marcus tell you about the facility?”
I straightened at the mention of it. We talked about it briefly this morning, and she mentioned him being transferred to New York for better healthcare. While I was happy for her and her father to be closer to one another, it seemed like yet another reason for her to stay in New York, away from me.
“Yes, he did.”
“And?” she pressed, urging his opinion on it.
“I don’t know if I will make—”
“Stop it!” She interrupted. “Don’t even finish that sentence.No te atrevas.”
He was quiet for a while before he finally spoke. “I’m sorry, Carmen.”
“You sound so tired,” she sighed, a lot sadder than the first time.
“I am. But talking to you—it’s good.”
“You been resting?”
“Trying.”
“Good,” Carmen whispered, her smile soft. “You don’t need to be outside in that sun. You need to stay cool.”
“Sí, madre,” he teased.
She laughed for real then, wiping a tear that surprised even her. “Ugh! I hate being so far away. But I wish you could see Italy,Papi. You’d love it.”
“I’ve seen enough things, Carmen.” He said, a bit morbidly. “Are you happy?”
She paused, glancing back at me. “I think so. Yeah.”
“Good. That’s all I ever wanted.”
I sat up a little, brushing my hand along her back.
“Señor?” I asked softly, trying to pronounce it right. “¿Puedo hablar con usted… un momento? ¿Solo?”
Her dad was quiet for a moment. “I see.Cosas de hombres adultos,huh?”
Carmen raised an eyebrow. “Grown men things?”
“Sí,” I said, teasing. “Grown men things.”
