An Uncommon Family (12 page)

What about my feelings for him? 
Over the past years, Anna had pushed away any upcoming thoughts or feelings about getting involved with a man. She was content, fulfilled with her work and with Karla. And she wanted to keep it that way, or did she?

Lately, she had caught herself thinking about Jonas more than she wanted to admit. She focused more on her appearance. She chose more colorful outfits, she experimented with makeup. Her hairdresser convinced her to add highlights to give her brown hair more vibrancy.

The changes weren’t lost on the people around her. “And who is the lucky guy?” a friend asked her.

“I like that aquamarine blouse, Anna,” Karla said. She had just learned the name of the color. Anna noticed Jonas’s admiring looks. And every once in a while, she questioned her motive behind all this “beautification” and asked herself what she was trying to do.

And then one night she woke up, feeling sexually aroused, and she knew she had dreamt of Jonas. She got up, brushed her hair from her damp forehead. “Stupid cow,” she muttered. She sat next to the window. The first sun rays of the day bathed the top of the pine and birch trees of the woods nearby in a halo of suffused light. Anna felt her eyes fill with tears, blurring the landscape in front of her.
What’s happening to me?
She shook her head, brushed her hand across her face.

In the evening, Anna stood in front of her closet and perused her wardrobe. She took out a black dress she usually wore when going to a concert. It was elegant . . . and boring. She put it back and sighed. After some deliberation, she chose a two-piece turquoise silk outfit. She put on some eye makeup and lipstick, stepped back, and looked at herself in the mirror. She shook her head. Her comfortable shoes didn’t match the outfit. She chose a pair of high-heeled pumps she hadn’t worn in years. They felt tight on her feet but they looked the part.
My feet are going to kill me, why am I doing this to myself?

She turned around and looked at herself from all sides. A smile spread across her face and made her look ten years younger.
Oh well, why not? So my feet hurt. We’ll be sitting in the theater most of the time.
She shrugged her shoulders and picked out a matching purse. She looked at her watch. It was six o’clock. Jonas would pick her up in half an hour. They were going to have a bite to eat before the concert.

Anna sat down in the living room, kicked off her shoes, and looked at her feet, which were already starting to hurt. All of a sudden, she burst out laughing. She felt ridiculous but strangely happy. She got up and walked barefoot into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She stood next to the window, taking small sips of the cool liquid. Outside, the sky had cleared; the last bit of fog dissolved.

Soon afterward, Jonas drove up in his Volvo. Anna watched him through the window. He was dressed in a dark suit, light-green shirt, and a green-and-turquoise patterned tie. Anna had to admit, he was good-looking. He was of medium height and somewhat square. His body was still firm with the exception of the beginning of a little pooch, which wasn’t visible under the suit. He had cut his wild white hair somewhat and trimmed his beard.

He smiled at her as she waited for him at the door; his clear, blue eyes, surrounded by a wreath of wrinkles, sparkled. “You look beautiful, as always,” he greeted her.

“Thanks,” Anna said. “We match,” she added with a chuckle and pointed at his tie and her dress.

“Hey, you’re right.” He gave her a quick hug. Anna smelled the discreet scent of his eau de cologne and thought of the sensuous dream of the other night. She turned around and pretended to fiddle with the lock in the door in order to hide her flushed face.

The drive to the city took about thirty minutes. As they approached the opera house, which was at the Bellevue plaza right at the beginning of the lake, Jonas wondered if they should park the car in a parking garage nearby and walk to the theater, since the few spots next to the theater were usually taken.

Oh, no, my feet,
Anna thought. “Hmm . . . as long as it’s not too far. I’m . . . not wearing the most comfortable shoes.”

Jonas grinned. “How stupid of me. I forgot. Women and their shoes. Why don’t I let you off at the restaurant and then go and park the car? Or I could carry you.” His ice-blue eyes had a mischievous glint.

Luckily, they did find a spot right next to the restaurant. Jonas parked the car and helped Anna out. “They are nice, though,” he said, pointing at Anna’s shoes. “Very sexy.”

Anna, all flustered, stumbled and held on to Jonas’s arm. He put his arm around her. “Careful, careful.”

Anna, feeling utterly ridiculous, started to laugh. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to all this.”

“Not used to what?” he asked.

“You know, going out, picking out the right clothes, dressing up, and all that.”

“I don’t know why you worry. You look beautiful,” Jonas said with a serious face. 

“Thanks,” Anna whispered.

“I’m not used to going out much either,” Jonas said. “We have to do this more often. You know, practice makes perfect.”

Jonas had picked a restaurant next to the opera house with the meaningful name Belcanto. It was a modern but elegant place with huge windows facing the lake, reddish-brown tapestry, and a row of murals with scenes from operas. A young waiter grabbed a handful of large menus and led them to a table next to the window.

They ordered one of the specials, baked European perch with fresh herbs, vegetables, potatoes, and white wine. While Jonas perused the wine list, Anna glanced at the other guests. People were talking in hushed voices and there was a quiet elegance about the place. Now, Anna was glad she had dressed up. “This is a nice place,” she said to Jonas. “Do you come here often?”

Jonas shook his head. “No, very rarely. My normal hangouts are a little more rustic. But I figured since I was going to the opera with a beautiful woman, I might as well do it in style.”

Anna returned his smile, then lowered her eyes. Her face felt warm. She glanced at the lake. The sun had just set and the sky above the hill was ablaze with blotches of purple and red.

At the theater, they sat in one of the loges with a good view of the stage. Anna enjoyed the festive atmosphere and decided to go to the theater more often. She hadn’t been out much, except to bookstores and museums. She was sure that Karla would enjoy it as well. They could go to a matinee once in a while.

All of a sudden, the room darkened, there was a hush of voices, an occasional cough, and then it was silent. When the music began to play, Anna felt transported into the past. Nico was sitting next to her. His jet-black hair and blue eyes shone in the dim light. They had seen each other a few times and he had invited her to the opera in New York City. She had been nervous that evening, realizing she was falling in love. She smelled his aftershave, felt his touch, and a wave of sadness flooded her.

But no, this was twenty-eight years later. It was Jonas’s eau de cologne she smelled, not her husband’s aftershave. Anna blinked a few times to clear her eyes and brushed a tear away. She felt someone touch her hand.

“Are you all right?” Jonas whispered.

Anna nodded and gave a quick smile. She took a deep breath and pushed the thoughts of the past to the back of her mind. In time, she was able to enjoy the music.

After the concert, Jonas drove Anna home. She invited him in for coffee before his drive back to the city. They discussed the opera. Anna poured the coffee, handed a cup to Jonas, and took sip.

“You mentioned before that the opera reminded you of something in your past,” Jonas said.

“Yes.” Anna hesitated, then continued to speak in a low voice. “It reminded me of my husband.” Anna glanced at Jonas, then looked down at her hands. “Are you ready for the long story?”

Jonas gave her an encouraging nod.

Anna took a deep breath. “The first seven years of our marriage were wonderful,” she said.

Chapter 24

Anna and Nicolas lived in New York City. Nico worked for an engineering firm which had a subsidiary in Guadalajara, Mexico. Aside from her normal librarian work at the public library on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, Anna was now in charge of organizing special events such as readings by novelists and poets.

Nico traveled to Mexico on a regular basis, working at the firm in Guadalajara. Once in a while, Anna accompanied him for a couple of days. She spent the days sightseeing, hanging out at museums, or enjoying the many sights and parks of the city.

One summer, when Nico spent several weeks in Mexico working on a joint US and Mexican project, Anna joined him after a few weeks for a two-week stay in Guadalajara. Her library planned to put on a reading and presentation of a few Mexican writers and poets in the fall. Anna was to meet with them and organize the details.

Anna flew to Guadalajara, where Nico picked her up at the airport. He dropped her off at the pension where he lived during his stays in the city. It was a small two-room suite with a bathroom and a kitchenette. It was located in the old historic center of the city within walking distance of Nico’s office and next to one of the many beautiful parks. They had lunch at a small restaurant nearby. Afterward, Nico went back to work and Anna called one of the poets and set up a meeting for the following day.

The next couple of days, Anna met Nico once at work and once for lunch. In the evening, after it had cooled down, they went out to dinner or for a walk. Nico seemed preoccupied. He wasn’t his usual bubbly self. When Anna asked him, he waved his hand in front of his face as if warding off a fly.

“It’s work,” he said. He cleared his throat and sighed. “Business is bad. We don’t know if we have the finances to finish this project. They miscalculated the resources, and with the economy in the dumps, this is going to be a real problem. They might have to let a bunch of people go.”

Anna peered at him. “Is your job in danger?”

Nico shook his head. “No, it’s really the Mexican side of the business that’s in trouble. I’m worried about some of my Mexican colleagues. They have families, and if they lose their jobs, it’ll almost be impossible to find a new one considering the bad economy.” He took a sip of beer.

“Is it certain? That they will lose their jobs?”

Nico shrugged his shoulders. “No, we don’t know yet. There are talks and meetings going on every day. The next few weeks are really crucial.” He glanced at Anna. “I might have to stay longer, until it’s all sorted out. You may have to fly back on your own.”

“That’s all right.” Anna reached across and put her hand on his. Nico glanced at his watch. “I need to get going.” He gave Anna a quick kiss. “See you tonight.”

Anna sighed. At least now she knew why Nico had been in such a strange mood lately. He had been absentminded, often staring into space. She got up and decided to go grocery shopping. She would fix one of Nico’s favorite dishes, chicken cacciatore, for dinner.

The following day around lunchtime, Anna decided on the spur of the moment to visit Nico at work. Perhaps they could have lunch together again. When she entered the office on the second floor of one of the few modern buildings in that area of town, the receptionist, a friendly, somewhat overweight young woman, waved at her.

“You’re too late; he already left.”

“Hi Gloria. Do you know where he went for lunch?” Anna shook hands with her.

“Let me see.” Gloria wrinkled her forehead. “When he goes with his colleagues, they normally go to Lupe’s. But today, I saw him leave on his own. He sometimes goes to the park nearby for a walk. You know the one across the street?”

“Yeah, I know which one. I’ll give it a try. Maybe I’ll find him there.”

The Parque Morelos, which ran along Calle Independencia, was a large green area with tall trees, fountains, paths with benches, and picnic areas. It was a favorite spot for families with children and business people taking a break from work. On windy afternoons, kids flew kites.

Anna took a leisurely stroll along one of the paths, looking for Nico. He couldn’t have gone too far since he had to be back at the office in less than an hour. She watched as women with small children unpacked their lunches and realized she was hungry. Just as she was about to head to the cafeteria, thinking Nico might be there, she saw him. He was sitting on the lawn underneath a tree near some people, a woman and a little boy. The boy, who was about three or four years old, was playing with a ball. He tossed it in the direction of Nico, who caught it and threw it back. Anna waved, trying to catch his attention. He briefly looked in her direction but didn’t see her. He seemed to say something to the little boy or the woman. Anna was too far away to be able to tell whom he was addressing. All of a sudden, he got up, turned around, and started to walk away. Anna called his name. The little boy looked at Anna for a moment, then continued to play. Nico walked in a brisk pace toward the exit of the park. He must not have heard her. She considered trying to catch up with him, but he had already reached the street. He was obviously in a hurry to get back to the office.

It was getting late, and Anna was starved. She walked to the cafeteria, ate a sandwich, and drank a bottle of lemonade. At home, she called another writer and set up a meeting, then took her laptop and went to sit outside on the patio with a cup of tea. She worked on an article for a few hours. In the late afternoon, it was getting hot and Anna went to take a nap.

Nico came home late that evening. After dinner, Anna suggested they take a short walk. It had cooled off and the temperature was balmy. The sun was about to set and colored the sky crimson.

“By the way, I saw you at the park during lunch. I came by the office and Gloria told me you might be there.”

“Yeah, she mentioned it. We must have just missed each other.” Nico gave her a quick glance.

“I saw you, though. You were sitting next to a beautiful young lady,” Anna teased him. “I called you, but you either didn’t hear or didn’t want to hear.”