by Anne Stone
“No,” he sternly replied.
“Why not?” she asked.
“I’m too busy getting acclimated to my new job.”
“Come on now…”
“Not now, Gabby. I don’t want to talk about it.” She knew he meant business—he usually only called her Gabby when he was upset with her. She dropped her questioning for the time being. She had her hopes, but she wasn’t going to share them with Alejandro.
*****
Angelina had barely crawled into bed when her alarm blared in her ear. It was six in the morning and she felt like she’d just gone to sleep. She crawled out of bed and dressed quickly, as she wanted to see her parents off.
Angelina hugged Colleen and wished her good luck as she and her parents hurried out the door. Colleen had to be at school by seven to make the bus for their early afternoon game. “Drive safely,” she told her parents as she kissed them goodbye. “Wyatt, be sure and catch the entire game on video.”
“I will,” he told her as he grabbed a bagel and ran out the door. “Don’t forget to walk Bingo,” he yelled as he closed the car door. Bingo was the family’s shelter dog they’d adopted. They’d had him for the last six years. He was a mix breed that the whole family had fallen in love with when they first laid eyes on him. Within hours of him entering their house, he’d become a member of the family. He was a sweet dog who let strangers know of his presence. They didn’t think he’d bite anyone, but they didn’t want to test him either.
Angelina went back to bed for a few hours, then spent the day as planned. She finished grading the last of the tests that she would use for the quarter. She was pleased with her students’ grades. All of them had done well. That would bode well for her, especially since this was her first quarter at St. Margaret’s. Angelina took pride in her job and loved to see her students doing well.
Angelina decided to take a break and headed to the nearest local bookstore. Her favorite mystery author had just released a new book and she wanted to start it that weekend as a reward for finishing her grades for the quarter. She also wanted to read something new, in addition to the mystery that she held in her hand. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, and was searching the endcaps for new releases when she turned and accidentally bumped into someone, causing herself to drop her book. She looked up and was surprised to see Alejandro. “What’re you doing here?” she asked as she knelt down to pick up the book from the floor.
“I could ask you the same,” he said as he also reached for her book. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to scare you into dropping your book.”
“You didn’t scare me.”
“Well, I’m glad.” he said, laughing. “If you’re not in a hurry to be somewhere, would you be interested in having a coffee?”
Smiling at him, she teased, “I guess if you twisted my arm I could have one.”
Smiling broadly at her, he paused and said, “Okay, I’m twisting,” and he reached for her arm and playfully twisted it. Laughing, they headed towards the café.
The barista took their order and Alejandro graciously paid for their coffees. Angelina ordered a café mocha, while Alejandro chose a plain old cup of coffee.
“You’re not too adventurous.”
“What do you mean?”
“Plain coffee?”
“What can I say?” he chuckled as he led her to a table in the back of the café. They sat and talked. “Angelina, I am so glad that you and Gabriella were able to reconnect. I think she considers you a sister. She has Alec, Joe, and I, but brothers are brothers. You can’t talk ‘girl’ talk with us.”
“I consider her a sister as well. I can share things with her that I can’t share with my own sister, Kelly. I guess it’s because we’re the same age. Gabriella’s a special person. I am lucky to have her in my life.”
“I know she feels that same about you.” Alejandro took a sip of his coffee, “So, what’re your plans for the day?”
“Well, I worked on grades earlier. I got up early since my parents, Colleen, and Wyatt were heading off to Kansas City for Colleen’s field hockey game. I thought I’d take a break, and that’s how I ended up here. I’m not sure how I am going to spend the rest of the weekend. I guess take it easy.” Pointing to her book, she added, “And read.”
“Since you have no real plans outside of reading, what about having dinner with me?”
“Alejandro, that’s kind of you to ask.” She was surprised with his invitation and she paused before responding, smiling broadly. She said, “Sure, I’ll have dinner with you.” She knew his sister would be thrilled just as she was. She had always enjoyed her phone conversations with him, but now she was able to see him a different light. When he talked, she could see the intensity on his face and witness the passion in his eyes when he discussed something close to his heart. She was excited, to say the least, to have dinner with him—she was seeing a much different side to his personality than she’d imagined coming through the phone.
They finished their drinks and he said, “Why don’t I follow you home and then we can decide where to go.”
“Sounds great.”
“Ready?” Angelina nodded and Alejandro stood and helped her with her chair. She paid for two books: the mystery she’d originally sought out and a non-fiction book written by one of her favorite comedians. Alejandro escorted her to her car and asked that she wait while he retrieved his car.
Angelina waited in her car for Alejandro. She sat there replaying their conversation. She hadn’t paid much attention to his looks at Gabriella’s party and when she saw him at Gabriella’s house, it was late, and she was tired after a long day of teaching. But today… today she saw him for the man he was. Wow, she thought. “How did I miss how attractive he is?” she said aloud to herself. He’d certainly matured into quite a man from what she remembered from his pictures. She was sure a passersby thought she was crazy talking to herself sitting alone in her car. But, she had to talk to someone, and that someone was herself.
My gosh! He’s practically beautiful, she screamed in her head. He has the most amazing dark eyes. His Spanish ancestry only added to his looks with his dark skin tone. His hair was also dark and thick, cut short and made for running one’s fingers through. She had to get ahold of herself. She shouldn’t be thinking of Gabriella’s brother in these terms. Anyway, he wouldn’t look twice at me, she thought. But wait a minute… he did at Gabriella’s house. No, I’m sure I imagined that… And that smile. Stop, just stop it—I’m not going there. Just friends. That’s right, we’re just friends.
She couldn’t believe how quickly her plans had changed and, with that, she heard a short toot signifying that he was ready. She waved at him, acknowledging his presence and put her car into reverse. As she took her foot off the brake, her heart rate accelerated as she backed out of her parking space. She stopped to turn and put her car into drive. Stop it, she said to herself. I’m not nervous. This is Alejandro. We’re friends. There’s no need to be nervous, she thought as she drove off towards home, Alejandro following closely behind.
In her fifteen minute drive home, she convinced herself not to be nervous. This was just dinner with a friend, that’s all.
She pulled into her driveway with Alejandro right behind her. Her purse toppled over when she made the sharp turn into her driveway, but she quickly grabbed the contents of her purse and motioned to Alejandro that she needed to run into the house—she didn’t realize that her cell phone was lodged between the seats.
Alejandro made a quick call while he waited for her. She ran inside, quickly let Bingo out, and grabbed a jacket since it was expected to be a cool evening. She locked the house and walked over to Alejandro’s car. He got out of his car and held the door open for her, even assisting her with her seat belt.
“Where would you like to go?” he asked.
“I don’t care. You choose.”
“Why don’t we head towards Old Towne, walk around, and when we’re ready we’ll just pick a spot to eat.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
They drove for a few miles before Angelina asked Alejandro what he liked to do in his spare time. Even though she tried not to be nervous, she was. She didn’t understand what was wrong with her. It’s not like this was a blind date.
“I like the outdoors. I’d be outside all of the time if I could. I used to run around the lakes up in Madison, but I wasn’t able to do that much before I moved home. I love going to Forest Park, but I don’t get there very often due to my schedule at the hospital and the distance from my house. I wish it were right around the corner, but it isn’t. I’m surrounded by farmland now: corns and cows.”
“You should try and make time for yourself… I know that’s hard with your schedule and all. Do you anticipate it improving?”
“I hope so. I’m still trying to get the lay of the hospital. I’m glad that I made the move, but there’s always an adjustment when you change jobs.”
“I know that too well. When St. Mark’s closed, I was pretty lost, especially since we went right into summer. I’m just thankful that I still live at home. I was able to help my mom with my siblings. My dad’s been pretty busy at the bank, so I did the majority of the yard work. I love my family and would do absolutely anything for them.”
“They’re lucky to have you. Have you ever wanted to get out on your own?”
“Yes and no. I’m pretty independent, and my parents don’t stop me from doing anything. I pay them rent, although I know they’re putting it away for me for when I do decide to move out. My parents are great.”
Alejandro parked and came around to help Angelina from the car. He’s a true gentleman, she thought. Opening car doors, holding doors for her… She almost thought that was a lost trait of many men. Most of the men she dated let her open her own doors, never helped her from the car, and often proceeded her going through doors before her. She often wondered if all men had lost their manners. She was pleasantly surprised that Alejandro was so unlike her previous boyfriends. And she liked it—she liked having doors held open for her, liked being made to feel special.
Side by side, they walked the streets of Old Towne, looking into the windows of the closed stores. Alejandro didn’t seem to mind that Angelina liked to go into the antique stores. “I have a fondness for antiques as well,” he told her as they exited the final store on the block. “Hungry, yet?”
“I’m a little hungry. What time is it?”
“Just about seven.”
“I guess Colleen’s game should be about over. Wyatt was going to videotape it for me. Depending on my schedule, I usually try to get to as many games as I can. Today, I just didn’t feel like taking the trip. I wanted to get my grades done, and I guess just vegetate a little this weekend.” They stopped at a restaurant and looked at the menu displayed in the window. Neither liked what was on the menu and walked on.
“From the time I accepted my job at St. Margaret’s, it’s been a whirlwind with trying to get ready for the school year. I had less than a week to prepare my classroom and get ready. I was a little lost at first as I changed grades and had to start all over on my lesson plans. I pretty much like to have the whole year planned out, and I spent all of my weekends since I took the job planning that.”
They walked down the sidewalk. A bunch of kids came running towards her. Alejandro put his arm around her to keep her from being knocked into. She smiled up at him and continued with the conversation.
“Gabriella helped me so much. I couldn’t have done it without her. This is the first weekend that I felt I needed to take time for myself. And then I see you at the bookstore. This has been a great day. Thank you for this evening. I’m really enjoying myself.”
“I’m glad. I’m having a good time getting to know you, too.”
They had dinner at a pub on Main Street. It was nothing fancy, but they sat and took in the ambience. They both enjoyed a beer while they waited for their food to arrive. Angelina had ordered a plate of nachos while Alejandro ordered a BLT. “I haven’t had a BLT in years,” he said. “This last time was—”
He stopped midsentence and didn’t finish his thought. She noticed him tense up and a look of sadness crossed his face. He looked down at his left hand like he was looking for something, paused, and then changed the subject. She felt uncomfortable for a moment, but then when he started talking again, the feeling passed.
When they had finished their dinner and were having a coffee, the weekend band started playing. The band played a mix of country, pop, and seventies/eighties music. Several couples started to dance. Alejandro glanced at Angelina, reached out his hand and said, “Shall we dance?”
Angelina nodded and stood. The band had started the opening melody to a famous ballad as they made their way across the dance floor. Alejandro escorted her to the middle of the floor where he gently pulled her into his arms. He sensed her nervousness, but didn’t question it. No words were spoken. They felt each beat to the music and danced. They glided across the dance floor until the music ended. He brushed a kiss across her knuckles, thanking her for the dance. Alejandro placed his hand on her lower back, guiding her back to their table. The instant she felt his hand on her back, she jumped and her nerves returned once again. She didn’t understand what was wrong with her. That small gesture shouldn’t have affected her in the manner it did.
Alejandro felt her jump when he guided her back to their table. He wasn’t sure what had caused her nervousness, but he decided to call it a night. “It’s getting late. Shall we go?”
He paid the bill. As they exited the restaurant, he placed his arm around her shoulders and guided her from the restaurant. The nervousness he had felt earlier when they left the dance floor had disappeared. They silently walked to Alejandro’s car. He was helping her into her seat when he realized that he’d turned off his cell phone while they were at dinner. As he headed around the back of the car, he turned it on and discovered that he’d missed three phone calls, all from his father.
Since it was nearing midnight, he decided not to return his father’s calls. He’d never left a message, so Alejandro didn’t think it was anything too important. Alejandro drove Angelina home and walked her to the door.
“I had a really nice time this evening,” she said.
“So did I. We’ll have to do this again sometime soon… I know my schedule’s pretty busy starting next week. Maybe we can get together and have dinner again when my schedule clears.” He whipped out his cell phone. “Give me your number and I’ll call you when I have some free time.”
She gave him her number then he walked her to her door. Angelina unlocked the door and turned back to Alejandro. He thanked her again, turned, and left her standing in the doorway.
Angelina waved goodbye as he walked away. Reflecting on her day, she realized what a remarkable man Alejandro was. She knew she’d liked him from the phone conversations they’d had and from what Gabriella had told her over the years, but she hadn’t realized what a kind person he really was. The way he spoke of his family, friends, and colleagues spoke volumes about the person he was.
It was nearing one in the morning when Alejandro pulled into his driveway. As he opened his door, his cell rang. He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was his father. “Hey, Dad. I saw that you’d called earlier but was out and thought it was too late to return your call. What’s up?”
“Where are you?”
“I just got home. I’m sitting in my driveway.”
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure. What ya need?”
“Will you go over to Gabriella’s for me? Pick her up and take her over to Angelina’s.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Gabriella’s been trying to get a hold of her. She wasn’t answering her cell.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Alejandro, Colleen was in a serious accident.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know all of the details. I just know she’s in th
e ICU at Kansas City Memorial. She was injured in her field hockey game. Her parents have tried unsuccessfully to get ahold of Angelina. They called me since I’m her physician, and I told them I’d have Gabriella go over and break the news to her.”
“What can I do?”
“Just get over to Gabriella’s ASAP. When you get to Angelina’s, call me and hopefully I’ll have some more information.” Alejandro hung up the phone, closed the car door, revved up his engine, and headed straight for Gabriella’s. Before he could ring the bell, the door flew open and she was running out the door.
“Hurry, we’ve got to get to Angelina’s!”
The lights were still on at Angelina’s when they pulled up. It had barely been forty-five minutes since he left her on the doorstep. They ran to the door and rang the bell. Angelina looked out the front window prior to opening the door. “Alejandro, Gabriella, why’re you here? Is something wrong?’
Alejandro had dialed his father as they approached the house. The call had just connected when Angelina opened the door. “Gabriella?” she asked again as she looked at her friend.
Alejandro told his father they were at Angelina’s, and he asked to speak with her. Angelina looked scared. “What’s wrong? Did something happen to my parents?”
Alejandro passed the phone to her. “My father would like to speak with you.”
They entered the foyer and Alejandro closed the door behind them.
“Dr. A? What’s wrong?” Angelina asked.
Alejandro led her to the couch and gestured for her to sit. Gabriella and Alejandro flanked her on either side.
“Angelina, are you sitting?”
“Yes, I am. What’s wrong?”
“Angelina, Colleen’s been in an accident. She was seriously injured in her field hockey game and is in the ICU.”
Angelina raised a shaking hand to her mouth in shock.
“What happened?” she asked, trying to hold back her emotions.
“I’m not sure. I just know she took a shot to the abdomen from a very close range and collapsed onto the field. Your parents rushed to her, but by the time they got to her, she was unconscious. They rushed her to the hospital and called me since I am her physician, but also because of your relationship with Gabriella.”
