I'm pretty sure we haven't introduced ourselves properly. I'm Santiago," the man said cheerfully to Cecilio.
"And I'm Dario," the other man added.
"I'm Sofía," said the lady standing next to them.
"Umm... nice to meet you. I'm Cecilio
....Toribio's friend," Cecilio replied calmly.
"Oh, a friend! And here I thought you were his adopted son," Santiago teased.
"Don't tease him like that," Sofía scolded lightly, hitting him on the arm.
"We really appreciate your help around here," she continued, her tone shifting to one of polite sarcasm. "Even when you're not related to the deceased in any way, people were beginning to think you were his biological son. I just wanted to thank you for that."
"Name your price. How much do you want? I'll compensate you," Dario said boastfully.
Cecilio bit his tongue. I don't want their money, he thought. But is this really how they're going to talk to someone who's done everything for them?
Did they truly not care about Toribio at all? No matter how much they had hated him, he was still their blood. Even in death, they couldn't show him dignity. Cecilio said nothing
he just stared at them silently.
When he tried to walk away, Dario grabbed his arm roughly.
"Have you got no manners? How dare you walk away! Who do you think you are? You're nothing but a smelly beggar and yet I'm offering you bread. But because of your stupid ego, you won't accept it. Tell me, where will that ego take you, huh?" Dario said, shaking him.
Cecilio stood there, unbothered, resigned to his fate,, until suddenly Dario was yanked backward.
He turned, startled, only to see his "important guest" staring at him,, Rosa.
"Mr. Dario," Rosa said coolly, "I don't think that's a nice way to thank someone who helped you so much, do you?"
A smirk curved her lips.
"M-Miss Rosa!" Santiago stammered. "Please, I apologize on behalf of Dario. We didn't mean to use violence. The boy was just... being difficult."
"Yes, Miss Rosa," Dario added quickly, slightly bowing. "We promise to settle this moderately."
"But my friend here doesn't look comfortable talking to you," Rosa said, walking toward Cecilio.
"Your friend!?" Sofía exclaimed.
"Yes," Rosa replied without hesitation. "An old friend. Isn't that right, Cecilio?"
Cecilio said nothing. He just stared at her.
"We apologize, Miss Rosa. We'll leave him to you," Santiago said hastily. The three of them hurried off.
Rosa turned to Cecilio, fixing the collar of his suit that had been smudged during the scuffle.
"How have you been, Lio? Have you been well?" she asked softly.
Cecilio kept staring at her. She had cut her hair short,, it looked great on her. She hadn't aged at all.
Do I look too old? he wondered. Are the dark circles under my eyes visible? Do I look like a smelly beggar?
He then noticed the man standing beside Rosa,,, Parez. He looked older than before, but still familiar. Where's Jacinto? Did something happen between them? Is he okay?
Cecilio's mind spiraled. Why did Rosa suddenly call him friend? She used to call him brother. Did they drift so far apart? Or was this "friend" meant to sound more intimate,, maybe even romantic?
"What are you thinking of, Cecilio? Didn't you miss me at all?" Rosa asked, stepping closer.
"I did. A lot," he replied, his voice barely a whisper.
"That's good to know," she said with a bright smile,, and left him standing there, speechless.
That night, Cecilio lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He had finally seen Rosa again, but hadn't been able to say anything. He had wanted to tell her about his time in prison, how thoughts of her kept him strong, how much he missed her,, but the words had vanished the moment he saw her.
Parez seemed closer to her than ever. Cecilio hated that. She looked different now,, rich, refined, distant. They'd arrived in a black SUV; she wore designer clothes from head to toe. He couldn't stop thinking about her.
He wanted to know everything
what she had done during those eight years, how she lived, and why she felt so far away. His thoughts consumed him until dawn. Once again, he didn't sleep a wink.
*****
"You've been away for two days, and now you come in late?!" Cecilio's boss yelled.
"I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again," Cecilio apologized.
"It better not," the man grumbled, walking off.
Cecilio went back to work quietly.
Around closing time, as he was cleaning tables, he glanced out the window and froze. Rosa and Parez were standing across the street, talking to someone. His hands stilled. Should he go to her?
"Hey, hurry up! Let's close and leave," his coworker snapped, shaking him out of his thoughts. Cecilio looked back Rosa and Parez had gone into a nearby building with the man.
He hesitated only a second before deciding. "I'm sorry. Please finish up for me, I have something important to do," he said, dashing out the door.
"Wait! You forgot your coat!" his coworker yelled, but Cecilio was already gone.
*****
Inside the building, a man turned to him sharply. "What do you want, young man?"
"It's okay he's with me," Rosa said quickly.
She turned back to the man. "I'll call you once I've thought about it."
"Yes, of course. please consider working with me madam"
"Talk soon," Rosa replied, shaking his hand as did Parez.
As they walked out, Cecilio followed behind silently, like a shadow.
When they reached the car, he stood there awkwardly.
"Well, get in," Rosa said simply.
Parez drove, Rosa sat in the front, and Cecilio in the back.
"Aren't you cold? It's chilly tonight," Rosa said, glancing at him through the mirror.
"I'm fine," Cecilio replied quietly.
Parez kept looking at him through the rearview mirror but said nothing. The silence was heavy. Cecilio wondered Are they together now? Does Parez know how I used to feel about Rosa? Is he angry that I showed up?
Maybe Parez was right to be wary. If they're together, I really do want to ruin it, Cecilio admitted to himself bitterly. If anyone deserves Rosa, it should be me.
The car stopped at an expensive restaurant. Rosa gestured for him to follow. Inside, Cecilio instantly felt out of place. Everyone was dressed in luxury; Rosa in designer heels and jewelry, Parez polished and composed. Meanwhile, Cecilio wore his diner uniform
a worn shirt and washed-out jeans. His hair was messy, his shoes scuffed.
He followed Rosa to a table of four other guests. With her and Parez, they became seven.
"Welcome back, Rosa!" a woman at the table said warmly. "Why didn't you tell us you were back from America? We would have made this more special."
The man beside her turned to Cecilio. "Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Laro. And you are?"
"Cecilio," he replied simply.
"Cecilio..." Laro repeated, stroking his chin. "That sounds familiar. How do you know Rosa?"
Cecilio opened his mouth to answer, but Parez interrupted smoothly, "He's an old friend from Mexico. We just ran into him by chance today."
Cecilio looked at Rosa, hoping she'd say something
but she was busy downing a large glass of whiskey. Parez took the glass from her hand and replaced it with a cup of juice. She hesitated but, after making eye contact with him, accepted it.
That small gesture told Cecilio everything he didn't want to know.
They're together, he thought bitterly. But I don't want to believe it.
The waitress handed Rosa a menu, and Rosa passed it to Cecilio. "Order whatever you want. It's on me," she said flatly, without looking at him.
Cecilio opened the menu
everything on it cost three times his monthly pay. He didn't belong here. He couldn't even speak to Rosa properly with all these strangers watching.
Maybe Reggie was right. Eight years was a long time
long enough for someone to move on. Maybe Rosa already had.
And here he was,, still clinging to the past, hoping for a miracle that would never come.
"I'm leaving," Cecilio said suddenly.
The chatter at the table stopped. Rosa didn't look up. Cecilio turned and walked out.
The night was cold and windy. He wrapped his arms around himself, breathing into his palms to stay warm. "I should've taken my coat," he muttered.
"Cecilio!" Rosa called out from behind him.
He stopped.
"I'll drop you off. Come with me," she said.
"No, it's okay. I can find my way back," he replied.
"Then at least take this," she said, handing him a coat. "It's freezing."
Cecilio slowly took it.
"Well then... get home safely," she said, turning to leave.
"Do you really have nothing to say to me?" Cecilio asked suddenly.
Rosa hesitated before answering, "No, I don't. Do you have anything to say to me?"
Usually, Cecilio would've said no to avoid conflict,, but not this time.
"Yes. I have a lot to say to you," he said firmly.
"Okay," Rosa said after a pause. "Meet me at Almond Café at nine tomorrow. You should be done with work by then. We'll talk."
She turned and walked away.
Cecilio stood there, watching her fade into the dark.
Why does she keep avoiding my eyes? he wondered aloud.