Page 145 of The Moon Sister
‘Eduardo and Carlos are dead?’
‘We must hope not, but Mamá says they have not been seen for the past few weeks. Listen, Papá, there is something else you must know before I take you to see her.’
‘Lucía!’ José put his hand up to stop her words. ‘Don’t you understand that she hates me? I deserted her to go to Barcelona with you. She is likely to attack me with her bare fists if she sees me. Perhaps it is best I stay here.’ José pulled the sheet protectively up to his chin.
‘No, Papá, she will not “attack” you. She doesn’t hate you; she still loves you, even though I cannot even begin to understand why, but,’ Lucía hurried on, ‘that is not what I wanted to speak to you about.’
‘There is something worse than your mother arriving here in Lisbon?’
Lucía restrained herself from slapping her father’s face. Despite what he had done for her, his refusal to accept his familial responsibilities upset and irritated her beyond measure.
‘Papá, Pepe is here too.’
‘And who is Pepe?’
‘Your youngest son. When you left with me to go to Barcelona, Mamá was already pregnant with him.’
José looked at her in total disbelief. ‘I think I am still asleep and this is all a bad dream! When your mother came to see me in Barcelona, she did not mention she was pregnant.’
‘She didn’t know—’
‘Or perhaps the child isn’t mine.’
The sound of a palm whisking harshly across skin echoed around the room as Lucía lost the last remnants of her control.
‘Howdareyou, Papá? To abandon and then to disrespect your wife and the mother of your children like that! You are a disgrace!’ Lucía was shaking with anger – even though nogitanodaughter disrespected her father, enough was enough. ‘You. . .’ she said, her finger close to his nose, ‘better listen to what I am telling you. Mamá has brought your son up to love and respect his father, even though he has never met you. He knows nothing of the “aunties” that have shared his father’s bed, or his love for the brandy bottle, only that his papá is a famous guitarist who must be away from his family to provide for them.’
‘Mierda!Is she here for money, is that it?’
‘Do you not hear a word that I say, or are you just plain stupid?’ Lucía was screaming at him now. ‘Just because your mind and heart are full of snakes, it does not mean that Mamá’s are too. That boy down there believes he will meet a father who will be as excited to see him as he is to see you.’
‘You are forgetting one thing, Lucía. No one ever told me I had a son. Is that my fault?’
‘Why are you never in the wrong?! Everything in life is always someoneelse’sfault, isn’t it?’ Lucía spat at him. ‘You know very well that you deserted your family – you edited my mother from my life, you did not even give me the birthday gifts she sent! I didn’t see her for over ten years! And when I did, she made me swear not to tell you about Pepe. Anyway’ – she shook her head in despair – ‘there is nothing more I can say. You do as you wish, but Mamá and Pepe are here to stay.’
Lucía left the room, feeling the blood sizzling through her veins. She went to the window along the corridor, wrenched it open and took some deep breaths. When she’d calmed down sufficiently to return to her suite, she opened the door to the sound of guitars from within. Meñique was playing with Pepe, both of them lost in a world of their own. The sight calmed her and made her smile. Even if her father could not behave as he should towards his son, then perhaps Meñique could fill the void.
‘Dios mío,’ Meñique breathed as the two of them finished playing. ‘Lucía, Pepe has inherited his father’s talent! We have a new recruit to ourcuadro!’
‘He is only thirteen, Meñique,’ Lucía reminded him.
‘And you were even younger when you started dancing, Lucía.’
‘Gracias, señor.’ Pepe looked up shyly at Meñique. ‘But I have only played in front of family and neighbours at weddings and fiestas.’
‘As all of us once did,’ Meñique reassured the boy. ‘I will help you, and I’m sure your father will too.’
‘Is he awake yet, Lucía?’ Pepe asked hopefully.
‘Yes, he is getting dressed and will be here to see you very soon. He is excited to meet you too. Perhaps while we wait, you would like to take a bath?’ Lucía suggested. The stale smell of Pepe’s unwashed body was permeating the room.
‘A bath? There is a barrel in here?’ Pepe looked around the luxurious suite in confusion.
‘There is a room which has a water closet and a bathtub, which you fill from taps.’
‘Never!’ Pepe’s eyes widened in disbelief. ‘May I see it?’
‘Of course you may.’ Lucía offered her hand to him. ‘Come with me.’
