Page 19 of Under His Sheets
Cecilia met Felip on the flight over to Spain back in June, with students from my old high school. She got roped into chaperoning when her good friend and my second favorite teacher, Ms. Reyes, was injured in a car accident right before the school tour was about to take place.
“Señor Segura is one of my favorite people, Randall, you will love him. He has the best energy.”
“I’m sure I will. Who else will be there? And this is a surprise for your mother, right Mr. Segura?”
“Por favor, call me Felip. I can’t get used to Cecilia’s students calling me Mr. Segura. That’s only my father, and I’m not that old.”
Cecilia laughed. “Well, you’re sorta old.”
That made me burst out laughing. Cecilia wasn’t old, nor would she probably ever act old. I had no idea how old Felip was, but he had such joie de vivre that I was sure even when hewasold, he’d probably still be fun.
“You wound me, woman. Just because I have turned forty.”
She ruffled his hair and then stopped to closely, comically, examine him for gray hair, of which he had a healthy amount.
She whispered something in his ear, he growled, she kissed him, and I was beginning to have second thoughts. Did I really have the fortitude to be around lovebirds all night?
“Two of my brothers I know for sure will be there. I have not heard from my other brother, as he sometimes disappears for weeks without letting us know what he’s doing. Also, our COO, June Fontaine, will be there. She was my second and now she is running my youngest brother ragged.” He chuckled. “I’m not so secretly glad it’s not me.”
Cecilia rolled her eyes. “June has a tough job wrangling you Seguras. You should give her a break. And a raise.”
Something had just become very clear to me. “Um, so, I hadn’t put it together until right now but holy shit, you’reSeguraSegura? I’ve had your wine!”
Felip did a little wiggle dance and clapped his hands together. “And? What did you think? Which kind did you have? Dime más, por favor.”
Cecilia grabbed my hand. “Darling, he will tell you all about it in the car, but if we don’t leave now, we’re going to be late for the surprise.”
Felip put his arm around me. “Sure, sure. You are ready? You need anything? Oh, bé, you tell me what you think about my wine, and then I will tell you all about how I came to be infatuated with your music.”
I gave a nervous chuckle as they swept me out the door of my apartment and into Felip’s waiting Audi. He grilled me during the drive on what wine I’d had, and like the uncultured wine person I was, all I could tell him was that I’d had a cabernet sauvignon at, um, a friend’s house, and that I bought a bottle at the store by my apartment. That was not enough information for him, and he asked me what I thought, what wine I typically drank, and I decided I should come clean.
“Felip, I’m sorry, but I’ve exhausted my wine knowledge. I only know that I’ve had it, I liked it enough to buy a bottle, which I’ve managed to nearly finish, and that I will most likely order it again at the bar.”
Cecilia turned around and high-fived me. “Thank you. You have no idea how frustrated he gets with me and my non-wine-drinking self. At least you liked it, though.”
“Cariño, you know I love to watch the faces you make when you try the new wines, and bless you for being a good sport. Someday we’ll find one you hate less.”
We all laughed at that and I took a moment to look around at the changing scenery. We’d left the city of Castelldefels and were in a wooded area at the base of the hills surrounding Barcelona proper when I noticed the Audi beginning to climb.
“Ah, I missed this car,” Felip said, and Cecilia pouted at him.
“I’m sorry. I know I’ve kept you from your beloved car, and country, and family for that matter?—”
“No, no no no, cariño.” He laced his fingers with hers and kissed her hand. “I am perfectly happy with you in California. And we have been back here three times now since I left a year and a half ago. I’m having the time of my life, I promise.”
Cecilia looked at him with so much love in her gaze, I felt guilty intruding on their moment. Until she turned on me.
“So you’ve told me you’re okay, and I want to hear more about what it’s like working at Frederick Douglass, but you haven’t mentioned whether you’ve met anyone interesting.” She turned in her seat and waggled her eyebrows at me.
I sighed. I wasn’t sure I wanted to unload my tale of woe—orwhoain this case—in front of Felip.
“I did, before I left Barcelona. It was fun, but now I’m focused on the job and I’ve made some really great friends.” I told them about my French gal pals, about my cool boss, and Ivan and our shared love of music. I hoped that would take the attention off of my bachelor status.
Cecilia gazed at me between the seats. “I’m so happy to hear it. I swear I’m trying so hard not to say I told you so?—”
“You’re allowed to say it,” I said, and Felip laughed.
“She’s always right,” he said, and then hissed as she pinched his side. “Senyora, we are on a very dangerous mountain road and I must concentrate.”
