Page 130 of Wishing for La Luna
And I’m back begging
Praying
Wishing for you
Culpable
Te sentencio
You’re a killer
A murderer
With a ruthless heart
And a steady hand
Mataste un amor lindo
Es Rio, Mami
* * *
Luna
“Should I come home?”Mamiasks.
I can barely lift my head from the back of the couch, but answer, “No. Of course not. I’m not a kid and you’re on your honeymoon.”
I’m so sick she’s probably the only one who can handle me and make me feel better when I’m like this.
“Mariposita, why don’t you talk things out with Rio?”
“I don’t need another reason to be aggravated.” My tone is so harsh, I regret it. “I’m sorry. You know how bad I get when I’m sick. The Rio era is over. He’s in Portugal with his new girlfriend.”
I get hot all over thinking of them last night. There are still so many ways I can cuss him out.
“Luna, you know what that is. You also haven’t mentioned Gio since the wedding.”
I take a sip of water, but it makes me gag, so I put the glass down. “I’m not seeing him anymore.”
“I know,” she says. “That’s my point. You can’t be with someone else and you’re not happy without him, so it’s worth a shot to try and work it out.”
I remind myself she doesn’t know about the night of her wedding or our text tirades, so of course she wants us back together. I can’t keep talking about this. I feel shitty enough. The doorbell rings and I see my out. “I miss you,Mamibut I have to go. Someone’s at the door.”
It’s a delivery from Faye & Fleur and I let them into the building. Then, drag my feet to the door slowly. I’m so weak, but Sel hinted she was sending me soup, and the excitement of that alone helps me go the distance. When I open the door, I’m facing what can only be described as a white wall. It takes two people to bring it into my living room. They hand me an envelope but won’t take a tip from me.
“That’s been taken care of,” the man tells me.
I see them out. As they leave, a food delivery guy hands me a bag with handles. It’s from my favorite Dominican Restaurant.Sel came through!I smile and thank him. He won’t take my money either.
Then, I close my door and head to the dining room but the packaged white wall package takes up a big part of my living room. I wonder if it’s from Gio. He messaged about going to dinner and I get this. My stomach growls but I want to see what it is. I place the envelope on the couch and cross the distance to stand in front of it. It’s almost my height.
I tear through a corner of the film and the flowery fragrance invades my senses. There are different colored roses. I need to see the whole thing so I tear the remaining film.
It reveals a framed arrangement of various colored roses, dahlias, and greenery, mixed with succulents, peonies, and berries. It takes my breath away, and without reading the card, I know this is not from Gio. I can only stare at it with my heart pounding in my throat.
I grab the card from the couch and sit. I open the small envelope and pull out the card.
