“Javier, you naughty boy! You tell your mother no to lunch that you are working through it and here I find you with a beautiful young woman. Introduce me to your girlfriend, this instant.” The woman was absolutely beautiful and looked Rafael’s age, not nearly old enough to be his mother.
She saw Rafael’s lips and where he got his hazel eyes. The woman carried herself proudly but her smile was welcoming and warm.
“Mother, this isn’t my girlfriend. How did you find out where I was?”
“Please, Javier, you are a creature of habit. It was either here or the sushi place a block over. If she isn’t your girlfriend, then who is she?”
“She’s Rafael’s woman, mother. Please don’t start. I didn’t tell Rafael we were having lunch, he’s very protective of what’s his.”
“Well, I can tell why, she’s very beautiful but of his own brother, how silly. For the love of all that his holy, introduce me this instant.”
“Mother, this is Carrie Whitney, Carrie this is my mother Elizabeth Castillo.”
The woman held out her hand which had also somehow managed to be free of wrinkles and Carrie took it without thinking. “Hello, dear, my goodness, Rafael always did have exquisite taste. Tell me dear, are you from Dallas?”
“No, Mrs. Castillo, I’m originally from a small town Iowa. My mother moved us to Houston when I was five and I went to Austin to go to school.”
“Oh, that’s interesting. What is your degree in?”
“Actually, I didn’t get a chance to finish it. I had to quit school to take care of my little brothers. Then I got into property management, I manage the building Rafael lives in.”
“No degree at all? Still, it sounds like you committed yourself to a much more important undertaking. How very admirable of you dear.”
“It was me or the foster care system and I couldn’t let it happen. I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself.”
“Hmm, tell me dear, how long have you and Rafael been an item? I can’t help wondering how he’s been able to hide you from me for so long. He was very poorly behaved at my dinner party two weeks ago but he didn’t mention you at all.”
“If Rafael didn’t mention me then maybe I shouldn’t be discussing us. I’ll let him tell you what he thinks is important.” The alarm went off on her phone and she bit back a sigh of relief. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work. Thank you for lunch, Javier. Mrs. Castillo, it was very nice to meet you.”
“Darling, please call me Bitsy. All my friends do.” The woman stood and opened her arms for a hug. Carrie was too scared to insult her by refusing. It was an oddly warm hug, from everything she had heard of the woman from Rafael it wasn’t what she was expecting at all.
With a wave Carrie left on numb legs. She was going to hear about this from Rafael, she just knew it.
Oddly, that night there was no mention of it. No mention of her having lunch with Javier or meeting his mother, not by a look or a single word was it discussed at all. Carrie wasn’t sure if she was happy or sad at Rafael not wanting to talk about it.
A month later Carrie wasn’t feeling well and after she had another sneezing fit at the front desk she agreed with Oliver, she should be in bed. Once she was back in her apartment, she changed into a long lost pair of pajamas and climbed into bed. For a moment the thought of taking something to help her sleep crossed her mind. Lately, her time alone was filled with worry about the testing now getting closer and closer. Even the holidays which were usually a busy and stressful time had been pushed further back in her mind. Thanksgiving was coming up in just a week and she hadn’t planned a thing. Every time she even thought about it she would wonder if it would be their last pleasant Thanksgiving. Would next year she be doing chemo or going through surgery or something else filling the twins with fear. Then she would have to pretend like everything was fine when she was going to be just as scared as them?
Their Thanksgivings weren’t normally something they made a big deal about anyway. Carrie had tried but she wasn’t the best cook, she could do mashed potatoes and a not bad Turkey but stuffing was out of the box as was gravy. A few years ago she’d gone to doing a pot roast with vegetables and pumpkin pie. The twins had loved it, she did pot roast very well. Then they would go out and see a movie and she usually had to work the next day so she was in bed at her normal time and the twins would stay up late playing video games.
The law firm that Javier had directed her to had called again to ask about when she would be ready to have papers drawn up. They had been so easy to work with and they had cost far more than she had thought they would. At first they had seemed hesitant but then when she’d given Javier’s name they had nearly fallen over themselves to assist. A payment plan had been set up and the discussions had began. They had helped her pick out the right insurance and guided her through forming a trust and the rules of the trust. The lawyer and paralegal had taken their time with her and thoroughly explained everything and why they suggested what they did. The only thing they believed needing done now was to draw up guardianship of the twins upon her death. She knew she needed to talk to Bethany about custody of the twins, it wasn’t that she doubted Bethany for a moment. There was just a part of her wimping out from having the discussion.
Shaking her head, she tried to wipe the words away but couldn’t, these were things she needed to settle. The lawyer had been matter of fact, it was more likely she could die in a car accident than cancer. Especially if the cancer was caught early, there had been no pats on the shoulders, this was the business of life and death, preparing for when she wasn’t around anymore.
Hearing the front door open, fear licked at her stomach until she heard Rafael calling her name.
“In bed, I’ve got a cold I think. Don’t come any closer, I don’t want you to get sick too.”
He laughed as he picked her up, covers and all. “I don’t get sick. I checked your refrigerator and cupboards, no soup, no orange juice. I’m taking you upstairs, I can take care of you easier up there.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Even as she whispered the words her neck was too weak to hold her up and she rested her head on his shoulder.
“Shh, mi dulce, your throat sounds like it hurts.”
Carrying her into his bedroom, he made sure she was settled and comfortable then told her he was going to make her some hot tea. Looking around the room it hadn’t changed at all since the one and only time she’d been here after he’d been gone for three weeks. She told herself it didn’t matter, he spent all his nights with her. Besides, she was here now, Rafael had come home in the middle of the day to take care of her.
“Here we go, drink the tea down. It’ll soothe your throat and help you rest. Come on, a little more, almost done.” His hand ran across her forehead. “Hmm, you are warm, when did you start feeling bad?”
“This morning, I just felt really tired and lethargic. Then I started sneezing and coughing.” His cool hand felt good against her skin.