Meet Me Under The Ombu Tree (66 page)

‘It is like riding a bicycle!’ Sofia shouted in excitement, finding that she hadn’t forgotten how to play after all.

‘You’re a bit rusty,
gordaV
he taunted, flying past her.

‘I’ll show you -
viejoV

'Viejo?
Old man? I’ll get you for that, Chofi!’ And he came charging back towards her. She turned her pony and cantered off the field towards the ombu. He knew where she was leading him and he played the game willingly. The fields passed her at great speed as she galloped over the long evening shadows and dewy grass. The vast sky glowed a misty orange as the sun hung low like a large, radiant peach. Santi caught up with her and they rode side by side exchanging smiles but speechless with happiness.

Finally they slowed down to a gentle canter and drew up under those familiar branches. The ponies trembled with excitement and stood breathing noisily in

the shade as they dismounted. The crickets rattled away from their secret hiding places, and Sofia inhaled those unique Argentine features that she loved so much.

‘Do you remember your story about the Precious Present?’ she said and stretched with pleasure.

‘Sure.’

‘Well, I’m truly living in the present, right now, right here.’

‘So am I,’ he said softly, coming up behind her and putting his arms around her. They both stood watching the horizon as it slowly changed colour before them.

‘I notice everything now. The crickets, this big sky, the flat plain, the smells. I realize now how much I’ve missed it.’

He kissed her neck, nuzzling his face against hers. ‘I remember when I returned from America,’ he recalled. ‘Argentina seemed different. Or rather, it was the same, but I noticed everything. Saw it in a different way.’

‘I now know what you meant.’

‘Well, I’m glad I taught you something,’ he joked, but they didn’t laugh. Instead they stood for a while in silence. Although Sofia didn’t want to face it at that moment, she knew in her heart that at some point she would have to leave it all again.

Finally, he turned her around. Gazing into his tender green eyes she felt she could see right into his soul and he into hers. She knew what he was thinking and understood the depth of his love. He looked sad, as love often makes one, and they both self-indulgently gave into the melancholia of their emotions. When he kissed her it was so totally absorbing that if they hadn’t leant against the tree her legs would have failed her. He tasted of sweat and smelt of exertion and because they couldn’t get his boots off they made love with them on. This is the way lovers do it, or adulterers, thought Sofia to herself. There was something raw about it. Perhaps because they had more to lose this time around, their moments together would be hasty and stolen. The innocence of youth had been replaced by a worldliness that Sofia found incredibly arousing - and tragic somehow.

'Dios,
I could really do with a swim,’ he said, doing up his trousers.

‘What a fabulous idea. Do you think anyone will be up there?’

‘I hope not.’ He pressed the palm of his hand against her damp cheek and kissed her again. ‘I feel whole again, Chofi,’ he said and smiled down at her.

By the time they had taken the ponies back and skulked their way to the pool the sun had set. The humidity turned the air to sugar and carried in its damp particles the smells of eucalyptus and jasmine. To their relief no one was there. The pool lay before them in silence, the water undisturbed. Quietly they threw off their clothes, muffling their laughter as they struggled to relieve Santi of his boots. Gently, so as to make no noise, they slipped through the surface, coming together underneath in the murky darkness.

‘Where will you say you’ve been?’ she asked him after a while. Neither of them had any idea what time it was.

‘Mama will know exactly where I’ve been. I’ll tell the truth but leave out the illegal parts,’ he smirked.

‘What will Claudia say?’ she laughed mischievously. But he shook his head anxiously.

‘You know, I hate to deceive her like this. She’s only ever been good to me.’

Sofia wished she hadn’t mentioned her name. ‘I know, I don’t like to deceive David either. Let’s not think about it. Remember the Precious Present?’ she said brightly, but the moment had been spoiled. They swam for a while in silence, struggling with their consciences before sitting down on the paving

stones to dry.

‘G for guilt, right?’ she whispered sympathetically.

‘Right,’ he replied, putting his arm around her and pulling her close. ‘But no R for regret.’

‘None?’

‘None. Come early tomorrow, won’t you?’

‘Of course, but I want to spend as much time with Maria as possible. She’s looking so much better than she did in the hospital.’

‘She is. But Chofi. .

‘Yes?’

‘She’s going to die.’ His voice quivered.

‘Miracles ...’

‘Happen, right,’ he choked and Sofia pulled him close as he disintegrated into deep, heartfelt sobs. She didn’t know the words to comfort him. There were no words And anyway, the words he wanted to hear she simply could not give him. So she held him to her chest and gave him time to cry out some of the pain.

‘Santi, sweetheart, let it all out. You’ll feel so much better afterwards.’ She

found herself quietly crying too, but with a restraint that made her throat ache. She knew if she let herself go she would be inconsolable - and what’s more, her tears wouldn’t be for Maria alone.

When Sofia returned to the house it was late and her parents were waiting for her on the terrace with Rafael and Jasmina. She explained that she had better bathe and change and asked if she could call home. She didn’t really want to, but she knew David would worry about her if she didn’t.

‘How is your cousin?’ he asked.

‘She won’t make it,’ Sofia replied sadly, ‘but at least I’m able to spend some time with her.’

‘Listen, darling, you can stay out there as long as you like. The girls are fine, everything’s fine.’

‘And the horses?’

‘Nothing new. The girls are missing you, though.’

‘I miss them too,’ she said, ashamed that the turmoil in her heart had overshadowed her pining for them.

‘Honor’s the lead in the school play this year. She’s absolutely delighted because the cast includes girls of seventeen and she’s only fourteen. I’m afraid she’s crowing rather too much.’

‘I can imagine.' she replied.

‘Here, she wants to talk to you.' he said. When Honor’s voice chirped into the telephone, Sofia felt her throat ache with a combination of guilt and homesickness.

‘Hi, Mum. I’m the lead in
The White Witch,
¹
she exclaimed with glee.

‘I know, Daddy told me. Well done you.’

‘I have to learn my lines. I’ve got so many. I’ve got more than anyone else in the whole play and I’m having a special costume made for me by Miss Hindlip and elocution lessons in order to learn how to project my voice.’

‘You’ll be busy then, won’t you?’

‘Very. I won’t have any time to study.’

‘Nothing new about that,’ chuckled Sofia. ‘How’s India?’

‘Dad says it’s better that she doesn’t talk to you because it makes her sad,’ Honor announced in her elder-and-more-responsible-daughter tone of voice.

‘I see. Will you give her a special kiss for me then? I miss you both very much.’

‘You’re coming home soon, though, aren’t you?’

‘Of course, sweetheart. Very soon,’ Sofia told her, trying to hide her emotion.

‘Will you pass me back to Daddy? A big kiss to you both.’ Honor made a kissing noise down the telephone before passing it to her father.

‘Is India all right?’ she asked anxiously.

‘She’s fine. She misses you, that’s all. But don’t worry, she’s absolutely fine. You sound very down, darling. I’m so sorry, I wish I could be there for you.’ His voice was sympathetic but irritating. She felt edgy.

‘Look, I’d better go. It’s expensive. Give the girls all my love,’ she said.

‘Of course. And look after yourself, darling.’

For a moment Sofia felt uncomfortable. The call left a bitter residue. She felt duplicitous and hated herself for her ability to lie so convincingly. Thinking of the innocent, trusting faces of her daughters made her deceit all the more despicable. David had never been anything but kind. His kind voice and kind words made her feel lower and meaner than she had ever felt. But when she appeared on the terrace a few minutes later, changed and ready for dinner, England retreated once more into the background and she was dwelling in the Precious Present of the warm, humid night, breathing the same air as Santi.

Dinner was very pleasant. A couple of candle lamps lit the table and the melodies of Mozart’s
Requiem
resounded through the open drawing-room

windows. She liked Jasmina very much and they chatted warmly like old friends.

‘We’re living in a terrible limbo,’ said Jasmina. ‘For the children life goes on. They are back to school on Monday. I don’t think they even know what’s happening. But for us, waiting like this, our lives are suspended until the moment when Maria will be taken from us. And we don’t know how long that will be.’ ‘What will you do?’ asked Sofia. ‘Will you return to Buenos Aires as usual?’ ‘No. The children will go back with Juan Pablo, the chauffeur, tomorrow night, but we will stay - and wait, I suppose.’

‘I shall be sad when Clara leaves; we’ve become quite attached.’

‘She’ll be sad to leave you - I think she’s got a bit of a crush.’ And she laughed in her charming, feminine way. ‘She’ll be back next weekend. By then you might be fed up with her.’

‘I don’t think so. She’s adorable.’

‘Rafa says she’s like you were at her age.’

‘I hope she doesn’t end up like me,’ she joked sadly.

‘I shall be proud of her if she does,’ Jasmina stated emphatically. ‘You know, Maria is so happy that you have come. She missed you. She spoke often about

you.’

‘We were very close. It’s sad when life doesn’t turn out as one hoped,’ she said wistfully.

‘It is always unexpected, but that is what makes it an adventure. Don’t think of what you have missed, Sofia, think of what you have.’

At that moment Soledad entered with Sofia’s favourite dessert, banana and
dulce de leche
crepes.

‘For you, Señorita Sofia,’ she beamed proudly and placed it on the table.

‘You are divine, Soledad. I don’t know how I survived without this for twenty-three years,’ replied Sofia, humouring her.

‘You won’t be without it again, Señorita Sofia.’

‘How long are you planning on staying?’ asked Rafael, not waiting but helping himself to a large portion of crepes.

‘I don’t know,’ she replied truthfully.

‘She’s only just arrived,
mi amor
, don’t ask her when she’s leaving,’ chided Jasmina.

‘You must stay as long as you like,’ said Paco. ‘This is your home, Sofia, you belong here.’

‘I agree, Papa. I told her she should bring her husband and children out here.’

‘Rafa, you know that’s impossible. What would David do?’ She laughed.

That’s not the point. You can’t disappear for years, return and then leave us again!’

Sofia glanced across the table at her mother. Just as she did so, Anna looked up and caught her eye. Sofia tried to work out what she was thinking, but unlike her father Anna’s expression gave nothing away.

‘I’m flattered. Truly,’ she replied and helped herself to dessert.

Agustin left us for America - I don’t know, young people these days,’ said her father, shaking his silver head. ‘In my day family stuck together.’

‘In your day, Papa, the situation in this country was such that you
had
to stick together. You never knew when one of the family would be snatched from under your very nose,’ Rafael said sombrely, remembering Fernando.

‘Times were hard.’

‘I remember as a child,’ he continued, ‘noticing that you were always neurotic about where we all were.’

‘Kidnapping was rife. You worried us constantly,’ said Anna. ‘Especially

Sofia, disappearing all the time with Santi and dear Maria.’

‘So what else is new?’ quipped Rafael and Sofia didn’t know whether he was referring to the present or to her disappearing act all those years ago.

‘I never knew why you used to worry so much, Mama. I just thought you were paranoid,’ she said.

‘No, you didn’t. You just thought I was a killjoy. You gave me a very hard time, Sofia.’ She spoke, without the slightest hint of humour, although she hadn’t meant to sound quite so bitter.

‘I’m sorry, Mama.’ Sofia surprised herself because she meant it. She had never looked at herself through her mother’s eyes before. But now she was a mother herself, she worried constantly about her daughters. A small flicker of understanding lit up in her mind. She looked across at her mother and felt sad.