Page 15 of Until You Came Along

He turned his face and at that moment encountered her as she stopped in front of us, looking me up and down without any attempt to hide it.

“Samantha, is something wrong?” he asked, making no move to stand up and looking at her seriously.

This Samantha continued to look at me, or rather, was thoroughly scanning my body, while I observed her with curiosity. The moment Hermes asked her the question, her face completely changed, forming a sensual smile before turning to focus on him.

“I was just looking for you, Hermi. I don’t like being left alone,” she said, putting on a pouty face.

Hermi? How ridiculous! That diminutive doesn’t suit this man at all,I thought.

“Alone? There are more than 70 people in this house,” he stated bluntly.

“But you know I only have eyes for one person in particular,” she said in a syrupy voice with a silly smile.

My God! Do I really have to witness this?I wondered.

Good manners would have dictated that either she introduce herself or he introduce us, but neither seemed interested, or perhaps they were completely ignoring me. I didn’t find this woman likeable, but I would show that I, at least, was a polite and attentive person.

“My name is Delfina, pleased to meet you, Samantha,” I greeted her as I got up from the bench and extended my hand for the customary greeting. She looked at me again, this time with a forced smile.

“I’m Samantha,” she responded, returning my handshake.

Hermes also stood up from the bench and stared at me intently. At that moment, I felt completely out of place, and seeing that they continued to look at me without saying anything, I decided to make my exit and get away from those two.

“Excuse me, I’m going to look for Baco,” I said.

“Are you Baco’s girlfriend?” Samantha asked.

I could tell that Hermes was watching me attentively and even seemed to be suppressing a smile. It was obvious he was enjoying the moment because his girlfriend, or whatever she was, was forcing me to answer the question I had refused to answer for him. Just as I had resigned myself to giving them the information, my savior’s voice rang out loud and clear.

“I’m back, sorry for the delay,” Baco apologized, standing beside me as we all looked at him.

“Don’t worry, I was just coming to look for you.”

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, Baco,” Samantha commented, pressing herself even closer to Hermes, though he moved to create some distance.

Baco smiled and looked at me.

“Why should you know?” was his only comment, and then he added, “Let’s go dance.”

He took my hand and dragged me back to the dance floor. At that moment, I couldn’t suppress a smile; those two gossips would be left wondering.

The rest of the night was fun and relaxed. When it was time for the cake, a table with a large birthday cake was set up in the center of the dance floor. We all sang the birthday song, and Catalina blew out the candles, thanking everyone for theircompany, but especially her sons for everything they did for her. After the toast, Baco suggested we leave because it was getting late and most of the guests were departing.

“Sweetheart, it was a pleasure to meet you, and I hope to see you again. You must come visit me at my house so we can chat more comfortably,” Catalina said as she said goodbye to me.

“The pleasure was mine. Thank you so much for all your kindness.”

“I’m the grateful one,” she affirmed, taking both my hands in hers. “Baco, I want you to visit me more often and bring Delfina with you.”

“Of course, as long as she’s willing to put up with this family.”

“Why would she have to be willing to put up with us?” his serious voice said.

“Hermes, don’t be indiscreet,” his mother scolded him.

“If, as it appears, the young lady is going to be a regular in this family, I don’t think my question will bother her.”

Baco and I turned to face him, while Catalina was already facing him and looking at him sternly.