Page 10 of After the Fire
The seconds extended, and after what felt like minutes of him looking everywhere but at me, he sighed, almost like he was giving up. Was he making this up on the go? Pedro had always been quick to provide solutions to problems, but it seemed that this time he was stuck and couldn’t form words.
“So? What is it?”
“Do you really want to know the truth, Susana? Are you sure you’re prepared to face whatever comes after you hear this? I know you, and you will not like any of this.”
“Out with it! It can’t be that bad, can it? I mean, what if he left with that woman? We can pretend nothing happened; I can forgive him.”As long as no one knew the truth, I could.“Por favor, please, just tell me what the hell is going on.”
He knew,oh,he absolutely knew, and I was certain he was in on it.
“He’s being investigated because he made some questionable deals. So he left because they were close to charging him with embezzlement and corruption, and hesparedyou the humiliation. You are right. Heisloyal.”
“When is he coming back?” I asked a little too quickly. “Where did he go?”
“I don’t know, Susana. He has to lie low for a while, get these people off his back and wait for it to die down. Maybe a few weeks.”
“A few weeks? What am I supposed to do forweeks?Stay in my house and pretend like nothing happened? I have functions to attend, people to see, things to do!”
“It could be months, to be honest. And, well, you have to know that you can’t touch your accounts or make any cash flow movements. You also have to lie low.”
“I don’t understand.” I blinked a few times. I was desperate at this point. My hands were shaking, and I had to fist them to my sides to avoid throwing things around and destroying my perfect kitchen. “So let me see if I have this right: he made a few murky movements, he disappears tospareme, and now I can’t continue to live my life because ofhismistakes? What kind of man does this? I can’t believe this is happening to me.”
Pedro stood up from his chair and walked over to me. The water was boiling, and the kettle was making that obnoxious sound that irritated my husband so much. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him, which immediately made my head rest on his chest.
“What am I supposed to do, Pedro? This is terrible.”
“We will figure something out together. I can assure you I won’t let anything happen to you, and I will cover your expenses for the time being. We don’t have to tell anyone where he is, maybe just that he’s on an extended work trip.”
“No one will believe that. He always travels with you and never more than a few days at a time. His business is here in the city. There’s no reason for him to disappear for that long.”
“Whatever you choose to do, Susi, I will follow your lead. You know that. You’ve known that for years.”
He looked hopeful, like maybe this could bring us together again. And he used my childhood nickname, one that was reserved for only a select few, never to be used in public.
At this point, I’d had more than enough time to plan possible scenarios in my head. We had been constantly hearing of these people disappearing off the streets, being held hostage for ransom. There had been a case recently involving the eldest son of a very wealthy businessman in the area. He was kidnapped and later released after a large amount of money was paid to the perpetrators. Was there any way we could concoct this story without anyone catching on? Lies had a tendency to spiral out of control, but if we kept it close to home, I was sure we could get away with it. After all, I had my reputation and my family to protect.
I sighed, feeling some relief for the first time in three days. Three days in which my grown children had asked nonstop about their father, three days in which I had to cancel more than one social outing, claiming illness, three days in which this new narrative made more and more sense in my head. I needed to protect myself.
“Remember how you were telling me about that man who was kidnapped a few months ago?” I asked Pedro, with a face that I could only think had the intention to plead with him.
“What are you getting at?” he replied. That longing again, followed immediately by a sigh. “I don’t think anyone is going to buy it. There’s no reason for him to be taken hostage, Susana. No way. He has no enemies.”
“I think we can sell it. He’s a wealthy man, notorious. His name has been on the news recently, for sure attracting unwanted attention, we could argue. That recent case was notorious, Pedro. Or perhaps we only say that he hasn’t shown back up to the house after work and let people make their own assumptions?” I sighed. “Pedro, I amnotwilling to subject myself to the humiliation of either being called a cheater’s wife or even worse, a thief’s wife!Dios mío,how will people react to this?”
It was settled then; this was our course of action. Pedro would undoubtedly back me up, just like he had done every single time for the decades since we’d met. He was on my side, and he would remain on my side.
“Susana, this sounds a little too drastic. We can lie low for a while, figure something else out. I can support you financially. You and your daughter can move in with m—”
“And what? Even worse. I will be called an adulterer! Pedro, use your brain for once. This is the only way out. Either you are in or you are out of my life.”
Pedro let me go, and at the same time, I felt my body relax. This was what I had to do to protect myself, my reputation, and my family. From this day on. Now I needed to make my next calculated move.
“Alright, if that’s what you want,” he said, a sad look on his face.
I grabbed the kettle and made two cups of hot tea, then placed each one on the table. Pedro remained standing in place, frozen in thought. I sat down in silence and began to drink my beverage, looking at him and waiting for his reaction. A few minutes went by and finally, he sat next to me. He extended his hand, searching for mine, then placed it on top of mine and squeezed.
“I guess that’s the plan then,” he said and smiled.
Yes, that was the plan.
