AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nana had a way of charming even the hardest of hearts, and she was doing her thing with Pilar. Aisha’s mama slipped into easy conversation with Nana over tapas on the table, and Gabi overheard them talking about Aisha’s abuela and how the elders were all very interested to meet Nana. She breathed a sigh of relief.
A young girl strode into the room from the back of the cave. She smiled and introduced herself as Conchita. Gabi understood why Aisha thought she was too young to be married. An older man appeared from the back of the house and didn’t smile as he approached. He nodded as he welcomed them.
“Papa, this is Estrella and her granddaughter, Gabi.”
Gabi felt his stern gaze as a direct criticism of her short haircut, which he couldn’t seem to draw his eyes from. She found him intimidating, though if she’d passed him in the street, she wouldn’t give him a second glance. He picked up a large joint of raw meat dressed in herbs and, excusing himself, headed out the front door. Gabi didn’t like him, just as she thought she wouldn’t.
“Estrella, we have sherry, if you’d like?” Aisha said.
Nana smiled. “Thank you, that would be lovely.”
“Would you like wine or beer, Gabi?”
Gabi opted for the red because Aisha was drinking it, and she inhaled deeply when they took their drinks outside. A trickle of sweat slid down her back, and she scratched where it tickled. She never liked the discomfort of strained formality, and that wasn’t aided one jot by the secret she had to keep. The atmosphere had become even more tense with the glare Conchita had levied at Aisha while she’d poured their drinks. Maybe it was just her imagination, but Conchita had stared at Gabi too while only briefly glancing at Nana.
“I feel privileged to be here,” Nana said to Pilar. “Thank you so much for inviting us to your home. I remember when…”
Gabi stopped listening and watched Conchita disappear further up the street to the other side of the fire where her father attended to the meat and closer to the source of the music. Gabi recognised the man from the band approaching, all white teeth and shining black hair. She’d come to dislike him intensely since he’d dominated Aisha in the bar and she’d discovered he had married Aisha’s first love. That edgy feeling returned. She watched the smile slide from Aisha’s face and hated him even more. Nana came to her side, and Gabi calmed a little.
“Good evening, ladies,” he said. He held out his hand to Nana. “Nicolás Reyes. I hope you have your dancing shoes on this evening.”
Nana tapped her block heels with her cane. “I always travel prepared,” she said.
Nicolás laughed. “Then perhaps you will do me the honour.” He held out his arm.
Fuck off.
Nana shooed him off with her cane. “I need someone a little more in tune with my pace and rhythm.”
Well done, Nana.
He laughed again and turned to Aisha. “Shall we dance?”
Aisha put down her glass and followed him. The hairs rose on Gabi’s neck. She headed towards the music, and Aisha and Nicolás were greeted with a loud cheer. Pilar joined Nana, and they took a seat at a table close by. Nana had a pair of castanets in one hand and her sherry in the other. The now familiar strumming of the guitar and fast and furious clapping set the mood for the dance, and Aisha started tapping her heels.
Gabi became transfixed, and her heart swelled with love and pride. Yes, Aisha’s feet moved quickly, but when she held her skirt up and revealed her thigh, Gabi was left with the memory of her tongue on Aisha’s tender flesh, and Aisha’s strong legs moving rhythmically against Gabi, driving her to near ecstasy. She sipped her drink to wet her mouth. Aisha glanced at her, and her heart thundered. Gabi looked towards Nana and Pilar, who was watching her. She took a deep breath, turned back to the dance, and immediately caught Aisha smiling at her. It was a smile that conveyed their shared desire. Gabi turned and walked away.
She headed towards Nana and stood at her side with her back to Pilar. She glanced around the crowd to avoid fixing her attention on Aisha, whose father chatted to another man as they cooked. Conchita talked to another man whose height was no match for hers, though she herself wasn’t tall. He had an impish appearance, and she assumed he was her intended husband. She spotted Matías and waved. He raised his hand and started towards her, and her tension eased.
“Nana, this is Matías, the man from the market who I’m working for.”
“Working with,” Matías said. “Your granddaughter is very talented,” he said.
The smile dropped from Nana’s face, and she opened her mouth as she stared beyond him. She lifted her chin, squinted, and shook her head. “Juan?”
Matías turned his head. “You know my father?” he asked.
“Juan Altamira?” Nana said.
“Papa.” Matías waved his father over.
Nana stood and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Estrella?” Juan approached. His smile grew, and he opened his arms. “Estrella Flores.” He held her shoulders and looked at her. “Is it really you?”
Gabi closed her mouth. Holy fucking shit. This was the man Nana had fallen in love with almost sixty years ago. Her heart raced watching Nana’s hand tremble as she greeted Juan, and Gabi had to swallow hard to stop from crying.
A cheer signalling the end of the dance filtered into Gabi’s awareness. She watched Nana wipe the tears from her cheeks and embrace Juan, and Gabi’s heart ached for them both. Nana kept touching his arm, and he took her hand and kissed it. He treated her as a perfect gentleman would, and Gabi felt Aisha’s absence. She saw her heading towards them and smiled, then turned to see Pilar staring at her.
