Page 88 of My Heart's Doctor

“What’s going on with Cavaller?”

“We slept together again,” I said, and my friend looked at me with eyes wide as saucers.

“When did this happen? Wasn’t he in New York?”

“He arrived last night and came straight to my apartment to pick up his daughter, but the little one was already asleep and so... you know.”

“No, I don’t know anything. I still don’t have a crystal ball to know what’s happening in my friend’s life. Tell me everything and don’t skip anything,” he demanded, looking at me intently.

“He told me he had thought about me a lot and asked if I had thought about him.”

—What did you tell him?

—I told him the truth, that I had thought about him. Then we kissed and ended up having sex —I summarized.

—And where do you go from here?

—I think he wants us to continue what we had left off —I said.

—Actually, you were the one who ended it because he cheated on you.

—Well, that’s another matter. He didn’t cheat on me; the day we saw him, he was having dinner with his former sister-in-law, his deceased wife’s sister. It seems they meet once a month, or something like that, to talk about Aurora. Besides, he assured me he hasn’t been seeing anyone —I told him.

Orson fell silent, looking thoughtful as he stared at me with narrowed eyes.

—Isn’t that a bit strange? I mean, it seems odd that they would meet just the two of them instead of the aunt coming to see the little girl.

—I thought so too, but I didn’t want to question anything about his family relationships because he’s very strict about his privacy.

—And why didn’t he tell you this when you accused him of cheating? —he continued questioning.

—I suppose because I told him I considered him untrustworthy —I stated, though the reality was that I didn’t know why he hadn’t defended himself either.

—A lot of assumptions —he said, shaking his head.

—Do you think he’s lying to me?

Again he remained silent for several seconds.

—I can’t make any claims about him because I don’t know him; it would be unfair —he sighed, and added—: What I don’t want is for you to get hurt. Cavaller is a grown man with much more experience and worldliness than you. All I ask is that, if you’re now determined to embark on a relationship with him, be careful, protect your heart. That man is a widower with a daughter; I imagine he’s not looking for anything formal or permanent, but you’re a sweet girl and you could fall into his web and fall madly in love. Proceed with caution, darling.

—Thank you, Orson. To be honest, I still don’t know what’s going to happen. He invited me to have dinner with them today, but…

—Them?

—Him and Aurora.

—Wait, wasn’t the agreement that you wouldn’t be seen together in front of his daughter?

—Apparently that’s changed too.

—Whoa! —he whistled, as if that really surprised him—. Then we’re talking about a different kind of relationship; the secret affair is no longer the case —he stated.

—I don’t know, I really don’t know.

—Let me tell you that I feel something contradictory. On one hand, I’m happy because you deserve much more than what he was offering you, you deserve everything; but on the other hand, I’m worried that this relationship with him and his daughter willend up destroying you. I know you, darling, I know what you think about yourself and your future.

—You’re right. I can’t offer him any…