I hated my new room, even though I enjoyed the other perks of the upgrade. I enjoyed my time with the kids, the freedom of my hours, and the latest enjoyment was the new phone I was handed two days ago. Sometimes, though, it felt like a stretch.
The only thing I didn't like about my new job was the room I was moved to. The silence bored me to death. That was aside from the fact that every single time since the night I'd walked into the room, I had always felt someone's eye on me, like I was being watched in a rabbit's cage.
So, my little solution was to spend some days or nights in the room I'd shared with Ashley. I would always freshen up there every morning and evening. We would gist and play like old times.
I had tried to help Ashley out by reporting her case of being bullied by Nina to Lucy. I didn't know what Lucy had done or said, but it had been taken care of.
I looked around the room I had come to hate. It was about three times bigger compared to the one I'd shared with Ashley. There was a beautiful red Arabian rug spread across the floor. On it were a nice reading table and its chair, a big dressing mirror, a ceiling-to-floor wardrobe, a nice soft bed, and a small drawer by the side of the bed.
I hadn't decorated the room yet, so it was a bit impersonal. I was wearing a black buttoned jacket over a black pair of trousers.
I stood up from the bed I had been sitting on and walked to the dressing mirror. I looked exactly the part of someone mourning a dear friend, but it was quite the opposite. I didn't know this Meteo guy when he was alive—neither what he looked like nor his age, height, likes, or dislikes. Nothing. I had heard some things about him, though.
I adjusted the net veil that hung from the black hat, which partially covered the side of my face. My hands moved to my neck to admire the necklace that was given to me by Lucy the previous day while we had strolled with the kids.
She had also given me beautiful matching bracelets and a ring set. I didn't need to have a second brain to know that they were expensive. I had tried to decline the gift, but Lucy wouldn't hear of it. I frowned at my reflection. Something was missing.
I turned around and walked to the wardrobe to search for the clothes I had put there. When I didn't see what I was looking for, I searched the drawer. Nothing. This was the hundredth search I'd made concerning my green handkerchief.
I must have misplaced it, but I just couldn't remember where. I blew air from my mouth in utter frustration. A knock came on my door. It must be the kids.
"Come in."
The door opened to allow Lucy in.
"Oh no. Oh my stars. Turn around, baby girl, and do a three sixty for me," she said with a blended look of surprise and admiration. I did turn around for her, and she let out a shriek of excitement.
"Girl, you look stunning and amazing," Lucy praised. "Too bad you'll be wearing this to a funeral."
"Do you think it's too much? Do you think I should change into something else?" I asked.
"Hell no, baby girl, definitely not. You're just too hot to look otherwise," she encouraged.
"Thanks a lot, darling. You look awesome yourself," I returned the compliment.
She was wearing a short, black, shiny gown. It flowed a little above her knee. While her hair was tied in a bun and stuffed under a black face cap, I'd left mine down. There were so few styles I could do with it anyway.
"Oh girl, stop patronizing me," she said and blushed. Her necklace was equally beautiful, and it made her neck and brown eyes stand out.
"I'm not kidding, babe. You look ravishing, like an evening dinner. A tall glass of drink."
"Sorry, I'm not into girls," she said, and we giggled together.
A brief silence fell in the room before Lucy spoke up.
"You ready?" she asked.
"Not yet. I'm looking for one of my handkerchiefs, a green one. It was my mother's, and my Tía Elena had kept it for a long time. She just handed it to me some days before I started work here," I explained. I noticed a look pass over her face.
"Lucy, what's up? Do you have it?" I asked.
"Nope," was her simple reply. I should have questioned her some more, but there was no point in doing that.
"Did you know this Meteo guy?" I asked her.
The things I had heard about Meteo were from Carlitos and Serena. The way they projected his presence was that of an uncle. Or a close friend of their father.
"He was Big Gun's right hand," she replied.
"Right hand, yeah. But I'm asking about your perspective on him," I clarified.
"He was a dedicated man. He rarely laughed. He was more of a machine than a human being. He was a strategic and efficient man by the side of Big Gun," she explained vaguely.
"What killed him? How'd he die?" I asked further. She just looked at me in a funny way.
"Alice, are we going to this funeral, or would you like to know the history of Sir Meteo?" she asked with a small, sad smile.
"Okay, fine. Let me apply my perfume, and we'll be off."
A car was waiting for us outside. It drove off to a part of the estate I had never been to. When the car came to a halt and we both stepped out, I looked around. It was to be an outdoor service. The wind whipped through the gardens as if trying to tear the grief right from our lungs.
The grass was too green against the sea of black suits and dresses. The overpowering, thick scent of the long rows of black baccara roses and white lilies was too strong to ignore. The iron chairs were set so perfectly. Military row style.
I followed Lucy onto the manicured lawn, where rows of black chairs stood like tombstones waiting for their occupants. The sun was bruised purple, heavy with the threat of rain. I silently thought how a bad occurrence, something as beautiful as an outdoor event, could be spoiled by the rain, even though it was a funeral.
I was so engrossed in taking in the sight of my surroundings that I didn't realize Lucy had stopped walking, so I walked right into her from the back.
"Oh, sorry," I mumbled and looked up to find out why she had stopped. Before us were Doña Esperanza and Mr. Montoya's older brother, both clad in black.
"Alice, it was so kind of you to join us," Doña Esperanza said, and I bowed slightly as a greeting.
"Ah, so this is Alice. I've heard about you from my brother. My name is Sebastian; nice to meet you again," he said and held out his hand for a handshake.
My heart fluttered a little in my chest as I shook his hand. So Mr. Montoya talked about me with his brother? I wondered what exactly his words were.
"Lucy, darling, a word?" Mr. Sebastian said to Lucy.
Lucy looked at Doña Esperanza and then at me before she left with Mr. Sebastian. Doña Esperanza spared me a brief look before she walked away. What a cold and weird family. I looked around and spotted the kids at a distance. I walked over to them for company. I watched them play for a while before the service commenced.
These weren't mourners. They were soldiers, about a hundred of them. My eyes scanned the treelines even as the priest began the liturgy in low, rhythmic Spanish.
Lucy and Mr. Sebastian were nowhere in sight at the beginning of the service. The service came to an end as somberly as it had begun.
Every person immediately formed groups. I literally didn't know anyone here. I didn't know if I should call one of the cabs to take me back. While I was contemplating what to do, I sensed a presence behind me.
"Hello, Alice," I turned to meet the cold eyes of Mr. Montoya.
"Good afternoon, sir," I bowed my head slightly.
"I went over your notes, and they were brilliant. They showed me how dedicated you could be to an assigned task, whatever it might be," he said.
"Well, thank you, sir. I was just doing my job," I replied.
"How about you come into my study by Monday afternoon to make adjustments to some of your solutions?"
"That would be no problem, sir. Just give me the time and I'll be there," I accepted.
Mr. Montoya's eyes left mine and settled on my lips. Unconsciously, I licked them and heard a faint growl.
"I'll see you on Monday afternoon by one," he said and took his leave. Doña Esperanza approached me and instructed me to find Lucy so we could all leave.
I didn't know what path Lucy had taken after I had seen her briefly in the service. There were a lot of trees around, so I moved between them.
Thirty minutes into my search, I heard noises. Not of danger, but of pleasure. I traced the sound and stumbled a few moments later upon the noise producers. Lucy was up against the bark of the tree, with one of her legs on Mr Sebastian's shoulder and Mr. Sebastian's head between her legs.