by Kristy Tate
“Right now?”
She nodded.
“I’m not sure if it would be wrong, but I don’t know if it would help. Not really.”
“Then what would you suggest?”
“Not thinking about him. Let’s pretend he no longer exists.” He held up his finger. “I have an idea. I’ll be right back.” He went back into the cabin, pulled a napkin from the dispenser near the snack bar, and returned to the deck just as the boat pulled away from the dock. The horn sounded again. Nick took a deep breath. For the moment, the boat held steady, but he knew that soon it would leave the harbor’s protection and the rolling tide would be more pronounced. Could he travel without getting ill? He would try, for Adrienne.
“Here,” he said as he handed Adrienne the napkin and a pen from his pocket.
“What’s this?”
“Write down Mr. Bean’s real name—and any other names you want to call him.”
She looked at the napkin in her hand and hesitated.
Nick turned his back to her. “Use me as your hard surface.”
“What if the ink leaks through onto your shirt?”
“Then I’ll take off my shirt and toss it into the sea as well,” he said without looking at her.
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
She held the napkin against his back and scribbled for a few minutes. When she stopped, he turned and asked, “Are you done?”
She gazed at him with tear-filled eyes. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be really done.”
He placed a finger under her chin. “You will. I promise. Now, throw him away.”
She tossed the napkin into the air. The wind picked it up and carried it toward the Argentine coast. It fluttered and swooped before hitting the water, then disappeared in the boat’s churning, foamy wake. Nick swallowed the bile rising in his throat.
#
Nick sighed and rolled his shoulders as the Uruguayan coast loomed ahead. The palm trees swayed in the warm, humid breeze. The stretch of beach welcomed him like long-lost love. He could already smell his aunt’s budín de pan even though he was still miles away from Tio Jose’s café. He gripped the railing as homesickness rocked through him.
Adrienne wrapped her hand around his arm and leaned against him. For a moment, he let his imagination carry him to a forbidden future, one that included Adrienne and their children, the beach, a warm tide, laughter. He longed to recreate for his own family the idyllic childhood that had been ripped from him with his parents’ deaths. And he wanted Adrienne to be a part of that…but she was the wife of his cousin and best friend. He edged away from her, frightened by his own hunger.
If Abuelo could read Nick’s thoughts, Nick would be hauled by his ear to see the priest.
If Abuelo could know of Seb’s infidelity, Abuelo would cut him off from the family and leave him for dead.
No matter. Nick couldn’t let Seb’s sins justify his own. He loved Adrienne as she loved him, as a friend. And nothing more. Someday, he would find a wife of his own and together they would bring their children to the beach to build sandcastles and bonfires.
“It’s such a relief to be here,” he told Adrienne.
“To see your uncle?”
“Yes,” he replied, “but mostly because no one here has seen those ridiculous videos.”
After a few toots of the horn, the ferry pulled alongside the dock. Nick guided Adrienne down the crowded gangplank and onto the sidewalk of Colonia del Sacramento. He spotted a taxi, hailed it, and placed his hand on the small of Adrienne’s back, urging her toward the yellow car.
Jose lived in a small fishing village about twenty minutes north of Colonia del Sacramento. Their driver, Manuel, a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, knew it well.
“Your wife is very beautiful,” Manuel told Nick in Spanish.
“Yes, she is. Although she is not my wife, but my cousin’s,” Nick replied.
“Too bad,” Manuel said.
Nick cut Adrienne a sideways glance. “And she speaks Spanish fluently.”
Manuel glanced at Adrienne in the rearview mirror and gave her a flirtatious smile.
“Gracias,” Adrienne said.
“’Tis but a truth,” Manuel said.
“Manuel, if you had millions of dollars, what would you do with it?” Adrienne asked Manuel.
“We’re back to that?” Nick asked.
“Yes,” Adrienne said. “I think that if God gives you the resources to do a tremendous amount of good, you have a responsibility to use it to make the world a better place.”
Manuel laughed. “I suppose I would send my children to the university and pray that they would do the world some good, but what if they didn’t? What if I paid for them to gain an education, but they did nothing more than become taxi drivers?”
“But would that be so bad?” Adrienne asked. “What if they really enjoy being a taxi driver? Shouldn’t they be free to choose a profession that makes them happy?”
Manuel snorted. “You’re right. I do not need a million dollars. I don’t want the responsibility.”
“That’s an interesting way to look at it,” Nick said as he watched the familiar landscape flash by his window. His thoughts drifted to Tio Jose and the life they’d shared before Tia Martha’s death, before Nick had been sent to the States. For the millionth time, he wondered if that move had been to his benefit. His aunt and uncle in Seattle had loved him and given him a good home, a wonderful education, and a stable upbringing, but maybe, like Manuel’s children, he would have been just as happy working with Tio Jose in Uruguay.
Manuel pulled the taxi alongside the curb in front of Jose’s café. After paying, Nick climbed out, and reached for Adrienne’s hand.
But once on the sidewalk, he froze. Immediately, he knew something was terribly wrong.
CHAPTER 3
The sound of Nick’s singing floated out to the street through the café’s open windows. Adrienne didn’t even try to hide her grin.
“Oh no,” Nick muttered. He stood rooted to the sidewalk with a look of horror and shock written on his face.
“Is everything all right?” Manuel stuck his head out the taxi window.
“Everything is just fine,” Adrienne told Manuel as she elbowed Nick.
Nick shook back to life. “Just peachy,” he growled, and ferreted his wallet out of so he could pay Manuel.
“Then what is the matter?” Manuel asked. “You look as if you have seen a ghost.”
“The ghost of the future,” Adrienne said.
“Not if I can help it.” Nick pocketed his wallet, slung his bag over his shoulder, captured Adrienne’s, and marched into his uncle’s café like a soldier ready for battle.
Grinning, Adrienne tripped after him. The café patrons burst into applause and cheers as soon as Nick passed through the doors. A handsome middle-aged man standing behind the counter threw down his washcloth and approached Nick with outstretched arms. A TV the size of a pool table stood in the corner playing the YouTube video of Nick and the dog Lester at Pedro’s wedding.
“What’s all this?” Nick asked before hugging his uncle.
The two men slapped each other on the back. Tio Jose kissed both of Nick’s cheeks.
Nick pulled away first and pointed at the enormous TV with a shaking hand. “When did you get that?”
“Don’t think that this is all about you!” Jose placed his palms on both sides of Nick’s face. “We have to keep your head from swelling! All this internet fame is bad for the soul, but good for the bank, hey?”
“Tio Jose,” Nick muttered.
“Who is the rubio you have brought with you?” Jose turned his attention to Adrienne.
“This is Adrienne, Seb’s wife.”
“Seb’s wife?” Confusion flashed in Jose’s eyes.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Adrienne said in perfect Spanish and offered her hand. “I happened to be in Buenos Aires visiting my sister. When Nick told me he was visiting y
ou, I jumped at the chance to come with him. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind?” Jose nearly shouted. “Why would I mind that a beautiful creature comes to my humble café? Come.” He took Nick’s arm. “I have to introduce my famous nephew to my friends.”
Adrienne settled into a chair at the bar and watched while Jose steered a clearly embarrassed Nick around the café and introduced him to nearly everyone. It astounded her that Jose seemed to know them all by name. Despite his obvious discomfort, in time, Nick visibly relaxed and by the time he joined her at the bar, his smile appeared genuine and warm.
“Now,” Jose stepped around the bar, “how long can you stay?”
“Indefinitely,” Nick said. When he caught the surprise on Jose’s face, he added, “I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course,” Jose stumbled. “But are not …don’t you need to go back? Your café—it can’t run itself, can it?”
“Actually, yes. It is fine without me.”
“And you?” Jose turned his gaze to Adrienne. “Surely you must wish to return to my other, less talented nephew?”
Adrienne didn’t know how to answer, but finally came up with, “I’m here to visit my sister in Buenos Aires. She’s on sabbatical from the University of Washington.” She gazed around the room at the variety of potted plants that decorated nearly every corner. “In fact, she would be fascinated by some of your ferns.” Adrienne sucked in a deep breath and decided she needed to make Jose her accomplice. Propping her elbows on the bar, she placed her chin in her hands. “I need your help.”
Jose’s eyebrows shot up. “My help?” He flashed a curious glance at Nick.
“Yes. You need to help me convince Nick that he needs to share his talent with the world.”
Nick pointed at the TV screen. “I am!”
“Willingly,” Adrienne added gently.
“Ah,” Jose said, “yes, I see that you do need my help.” He brushed his hands together. “Chiquita, you have come to the right place. I am your man for this very difficult task. It will be hard. Nick has always been a shy boy, but perhaps together, you and I, we will coax him from his shell, no?”
“Yes!” Adrienne said. She wanted to clap her hands.
“No!” Nick shook his head. “Look, I don’t want to be a rock star. There are a million dogs chasing after that bone. Speaking of dogs, where is Viejos?”
Sadness washed over Jose’s face. “Gone to be with my beloved Martha.”
“Oh no, I’m sorry,” Nick said.
Jose braced his shoulders. “This is why I play your videos all day long. It’s to keep me company. Well, that and it’s also good for business. You really could be a rock star.”
Adrienne felt Nick tense, and she placed her hand on his arm. “Sweetie, you don’t have to be a rock star. Not that you aren’t terribly talented, but you aren’t cut out for a life on stage.”
“I’m glad you see that,” Nick said, sliding a reproachful glance at his uncle.
“But you don’t have to perform in front of a crowd,” Adrienne said. “In fact, I have a much better idea.”
“Whatever it is, I don’t like it,” Nick said.
“How can you know that?”
“Because I don’t like the look on your face.”
“She has a beautiful face!” Jose said.
“Thank you,” Adrienne said.
“Of course she does, but that doesn’t mean her ideas are as lovely!” Nick said.
“You haven’t even heard me out.”
Nick cocked one eyebrow, which Adrienne interpreted to mean, go ahead, I’m listening, but I will dislike everything you say.
“I did a little research last night.” Adrienne leaned in and raised her voice because she knew many of Jose’s friends sitting in the café were interested in what she had to say. “One music-business source estimates that acts can make fifteen hundred dollars per one million streams on YouTube via advertising. Top stars can make even more by signing up sponsors.”
“That’s a whole lot of streams for not a lot of money,” Nick said.
“But it’s passive income,” Adrienne argued. “You put it up and it works while you’re sleeping or surfing. Plus, look how many views your videos have garnered without you doing a thing!”
“She’s beautiful and brilliant!” Jose exclaimed. “How did Seb get so lucky?”
“Plus—” Adrienne began.
“Another one ?” Nick mumbled.
She nodded. “I really like this idea, and I think you will too.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because this will be fun.”
“I like fun,” Nick said grudgingly.
“Then this is what we’ll do. We’ll travel to cool places in South America and you’ll sing—”
“Wait. No.” Nick stood, but Adrienne grabbed the back of his shirt as he turned away.
“Just listen,” she pled, “you don’t have to perform in front of a crowd.”
“Okay, so you’re saying we’ll just go to Machu Picchu when no one else is there? Like when does that happen?”
Adrienne grinned. “Midnight.” She shivered with anticipation. “It’ll be so cool.”
“Why am I doing this?” Nick asked, slowly returning to his seat.
“Listen, I didn’t say anything at the time, but you should know, I really disagreed with Manuel’s answer in the taxi.”
“Who is this Manuel?” Jose asked.
“Our taxi driver,” Nick told him.
“Just because you don’t want or need money doesn’t mean that there aren’t a lot of others you can help who do,” Adrienne said.
“This is true,” a man at a nearby table said. “My sister’s family lost their home in a fire last week. Her six children are now sleeping on my kitchen floor.”
“We could hold a benefit concert!” a woman at his table chirped.
Nick’s grip on the table tightened.
“But,” Adrienne said, reading Nick’s nervousness, “this is exactly what he can’t do.”
“But maybe we could do something like I saw on an old Flintstones episode,” Jose put in.
Nick sucked in a deep breath, and Adrienne feared he was gathering steam before exploding.
“Barney Rubble couldn’t sing in front of a crowd—he could only perform in the shower,” Jose said. “Maybe you could try singing in the next room. We could set up a microphone so everyone could hear you.”
Adrienne watched indecision flicker through Nick’s eyes.
“It would be pretty cool to go to Machu Picchu at midnight,” he said.
Jose slapped his hand on the table. “Let’s try it!”
“Machu Picchu?” Nick asked.
“No!” Jose stretched across the table so he could slap Nick on the side of the head. “You sing in the next room.” He nodded in that direction. “Everyone will listen out here.”
“I don’t know…” Nick drew out the words.
“One song,” Jose wheedled. “A short one,” he added when Nick didn’t respond right away. “Two to three minutes tops. Anyone can do anything for two minutes.”
“So not true,” Nick said. “You can’t hold your breath for two minutes. You can’t stand in a fire for two minutes or swim in icy waters for two minutes. Did you know that if it’s twenty below and you spit, your spit will freeze before hitting the ground?”
“No one is asking you to brave fire or ice,” Jose said.
“The café will be less crowded than the weddings where you have performed,” Adrienne said. “I’m wondering what’s the problem.”
Nick swallowed and shook his head. “You’re right, it shouldn’t be a big deal.”
“Hooray!” Jose exclaimed. “I’ll set up the microphone.”
“And I’m going to the beach.” Nick pushed to his feet.
“Fine, but be back here at eight,” Jose said before standing and announcing to the crowd, “All of tonight’s proceeds will go to the Hernandez family!”
#
They spent the day playing at the beach. Several times, Adrienne felt like pinching herself to make herself wake from an amazing dream where there was nothing but warm water, hot sand, and a clear blue sky. It was as if Seattle and Seb belonged to a different world—a soggy and rain-drenched universe where she had to wear black suits and make arguments for other people’s problems while her own concerns festered beneath the surface.
She watched Nick swimming in the tide, moving away from her with strong, sure strokes. The first time they’d met, she’d been twenty and he sixteen—almost seventeen, but still just a kid. He’d looked like Seb, but less confident, less substantial. He’d been wiry then, with a shock of dark hair that fell over his forehead. He’d jerk his head back to keep the hair out of his eyes. He’d been quiet, watchful, reserved, but a surprisingly fierce competitor when it came to a game of any kind—cards, soccer, or basketball. Not that she had ever played the latter two with him, but she’d seen him go toe to toe with Seb many times on the basketball court. Seb, being bigger and stronger, had usually won, but Nick had put up a challenge. Idly, she wondered who would win if they should play today.
A shudder passed through her as her thoughts turned to Seb. She had promised herself and Nick that she wouldn’t think about him, but at some point, she would need to reach a decision. She couldn’t hide out at her sister’s indefinitely. Briefly, a cloud shrouded the sun and the air cooled. Could this phase of her marriage be like the passing cloud? Cold and dark momentarily? Sunny and warm in the future? Or would there always be another Therese on the horizon?
Adrienne dove into the tide and tried to let all thoughts of Seb go. Closing her eyes, she swam hard, enjoying the rush of water against her skin. She stopped when she bumped into someone.
“Hey,” Nick said. “I caught you.” He stood before her, the water glistening off his tanned skin, his hair slicked back, his dark eyes shining.
Adrienne’s feet sought solid ground, but she couldn’t find it. Nick reached out, snagged her wrist and pulled her closer to the shore.
“I’ve been thinking about your idea,” he told her. “Come on, let’s go back to the café and make it happen.”
#
Nick set up his laptop while Adrienne took a shower. Because Tio Jose lived in an apartment behind the café, Nick could hear the shower running while he waited for his computer to boot up. He steered his thoughts away from Adrienne. That way lies madness, he told himself as memories of the slippery smoothness of her skin as they played in the tide tormented him.
