Page 82 of Stronger Than Fate

“If it works for you, let’s go to the evening showing.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Would you mind coming with me to my office after we finish breakfast? I need to finish reviewing a report and send it to my brothers. I couldn’t do it yesterday because I left early to help Niky, and I’d like them to have it first thing Monday.”

“Of course,” he replied.

We were in my office and while I was reading the report, Henry was walking around observing everything. He was wearing the gray suit pants and white shirt, and seeing him with that elegance and poise walking around my office wasn’t good for my concentration. Every so often he would interrupt me with questions about the hotel or my brothers.

An hour later I was finishing up and decided to give him a tour of the hotel. Henry was familiar with it because he had participated in several conferences, but I showed him the rest of the facilities, from the gym to the spa, the restaurant, and everything he hadn’t seen before. We couldn’t tour the outdoor pool and gardens because the weather didn’t permit it.

At noon we went to the restaurant and had lunch there. As always happened when my brothers and I used the restaurant, all the employees attended to us with great deference.

“I remember the night I met you. You were sitting at the bar. When I saw you, I couldn’t stop looking at you. You were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life and you affected me like no one ever had. I didn’t hesitate for a moment and walked straight toward you.”

“Don’t remind me, you weren’t very nice,” I remarked.

“It’s true, I’ve messed up with you on several occasions.”

“You said it, not me.”

Suddenly he started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, puzzled.

“I was thinking about all our encounters. It’s obvious that fate has played with us and had fun giving us a little push here and there. The day I found you sleeping in my bed...”

“More than a little push, that day fate decided you should throw yourself on top of me,” I interrupted, smiling, and he burst out laughing.

“I swear nothing had ever surprised me so much. How could I have imagined you would be in my mother’s house, in my bed? It was all so crazy,” he said, bringing the wine glass to his lips.

“My surprise was even greater! I was peacefully sleeping when you crushed me.”

We couldn’t stop laughing remembering that day. Lunch was so much fun that as we rode up in the elevator, we kept looking at each other and laughing. When we reached the suite, we were both tired. The few hours of sleep, the bedroom activity, and the wine we had with lunch were taking their toll, and our eyes were closing. We went to bed and fell deeply asleep in each other’s arms.

At seven in the evening, we were at Henry’s house so he could change clothes. I waited in the living room for him. The day was still rainy with no sign of improvement. While waiting, I went to the stereo and turned it on. It was tuned to an FM station, and the host introduced the song as a good melody to listen to on a rainy day. Immediately“Set Fire to the Rain”by Adele began playing. I left that song on and approached the large window to observe the landscape. My gaze was lost in that rain-lashedscenery; that, along with the music and the patter of water hitting the glass, permeated my senses. How the landscape changes with rain—it darkens it, but also awakens it. I don’t know why, but at that moment I also thought about how my life had changed since Henry had been in it; in some sense, he had awakened me too. I looked at my reflection in the glass and it was as if I was contemplating myself from the outside. I saw a girl in love, a girl who at that moment seemed happy, but my own image asked me the question I so wanted to silence:How long will this happiness last? Will he ever come to love me?As if evoked by my thoughts, Henry positioned himself behind me, wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, and pulled me against his chest.

“You’re very thoughtful,” he said, looking at my reflection in the glass.

“Sometimes music makes you think and feel, it can even change your mood. The same song can make one person melancholic, another happy, and even put someone to sleep if they find it boring. Even my mother would always put on a good song when she was angry because she said that‘music soothes the savage beast’,” I said, smiling.

“And what did it provoke in you? What were you thinking about?” he whispered in my ear.

“I was just reflecting. But allow me to keep my reflections to myself.”

Henry turned me around in his arms and without letting go, looked at me with concern.

“I hope you’re not questioning what we have.”

“No,” I lied, as there was no point in telling him otherwise.

Henry looked at me skeptically and hugged me tight.

“Dance with me,” he proposed.

I raised my arms to his neck and we began to turn to the rhythm of the music andAdele’s voice.

It was a romantic moment. I looked at him and smiled, Henry returned the smile and placed a soft kiss on my lips. I felt my worries dissipating and I let myself be carried away by the dance, by his embrace, by his closeness, by him.