Page 59 of Three Times You

“I can’t even call her because I would have no way of knowing about it.”

“True.”

“Absurd. What did you say to each other?”

“I asked if she was all right. She said that she was delighted to see me, that she found me more irresistible than usual, and that she absolutely wanted to reward me. But I told her that I couldn’t because I had plans, to eat dinner with and make love to her daughter.”

“What a dope. Be serious.”

“I treated her like a woman who’d been attacked. I was courteous, I asked her if she wanted me to see her home, I gave her a bottle of water, and when I could tell that she was better, I walked her to her car. She said, ‘You rescued me. I thought you were in cahoots with those two hooligans.’”

“I can’t believe it! My mother is the worst. She just never gives up.”

So I finish my beer. Then I stand up, and as she cooks, I hug her from behind. I take the spoon out of her hand, and I turn off the flame. She turns around and falls into my arms.

“What are you doing?” She looks at me with a curious smile.

“I rescued the mother. My reward, at least, is the daughter!” And I take her by the hand, leading her away with me.

***

Eleonora looks curiously at Gin.

“What’s wrong? You seem perfect. You have a nice round belly, a stupendous face, more beautiful than plenty of times in the past, and I can finally tell you that!”

Gin starts laughing.

Ele shakes her head. “Listen, I’m not kidding. There were days when you were really a wreck.”

“Oh, don’t tell me that because, if you do, I’ll have Aurora right now, here at home, and you’ll have to take care of it all.”

“No, no, forgive me. I was just kidding. I’m sorry. Stop laughing, be serious.”

Gin regains her composure, sits down properly on the sofa, puts both hands on the pillows, and tries to pull herself back so her butt is comfortable and she can sit up straight.

“Do you want some help?”

“No, no, I’m fine now.” Then, after sitting in silence for a moment, she says, “I think that Step has a lover…”

“Oh God, I thought it was something really bad…”

Gin stares at her in astonishment.

“No, I mean, I was worried about your health, or the baby girl, you know…”Then she must realize how much pain Gin is feeling for what she just said. “I’m sorry. Tell me everything. I can really be a fool sometimes. What makes you think it? Have you found something?”

“No, it’s just a feeling. He’s never there for lunch. He always used to come home. Sometimes he stays out late at night, he’s always busy, he never calls me, he never texts me, and we haven’t had sex in the longest time.”

“Gin, that’s just normal. You’re pregnant, maybe he’s worried about Aurora. He’s just being thoughtful, and you ought to appreciate the fact that he’s not like other men who don’t care, and even if you have a big belly and it’s uncomfortable…I mean, they’ll jump on you if you can just fog a mirror!”

Gin shakes her head. “No, there’s nothing that you can do about it. Even when things are at their worst, you can still joke about it. You’re just a disaster.”

“What are you saying? I’m keeping up your morale! How am I a disaster?”

“Well, you are a disaster though. The situation is complicated, and you always turn it into a comedy.”

“All right, then, let me share the right side of things, the positive side. Well, for starters, Step is working hard, thanks be to God. He’s earning nicely, he’s no longer getting in fistfights, and he’s got his head screwed on straight. He cuts a fine figure, he’s well dressed, he’s an enviable companion, hot and attractive, I can safely say it. And now Aurora is on her way.

“So everything that’s happening or isn’t happening, like the sex, is all absolutely normal. You’re the one who’s getting paranoid without a single reason. Do you have proof? No, because if you have no proof, then the court cannot take into consideration your motion!”

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