A Coffee to the Past Read online

  Her life and passion was writing but since she became a mother, all that was moved to the background and it was filling his wife with frustration.

  So one night, while they were looking at an old family album of Carlota and Isabel’s ancestors, it occurred to Edward that, perhaps, it would be a great idea to go live at the old abandoned estate that the women inherited for a while.

  It was a very tempting idea for everyone.

  For him it would be a new challenge. He had never run a farm and wanted to learn everything. Sowing, harvesting; not only overseeing the accounts of the estate. He would have to learn to sell what he grew. He was excited by the unknown life that awaited him.

  Contact with nature would allow Carlota to clarify her ideas and he was convinced that here, she would find something that would allow her to create a solid argument for a new story. Their daughter would breathe the pure air of the countryside.

  He smiled again when Carlota sighed at the sight of the house.

  It would also be a challenge for his sister-in-law, who accepted to go and remodel the entire estate.

  They had already made some changes from a distance.

  They had the money. So everything had worked out, Edward thought as he gave his wife a warm kiss.

  “Ed,” she said nonchalantly, “we cannot live here with Alicia. We need water, light and a safe roof. The house seems like it will come down at any moment.”

  He laughed.

  “Don’t exaggerate,” he said, looking around. “Remember we have all new pipes, and one of the bathrooms is operational. Isabel remodeled it from NY so it would be ready when we got here.”

  Carlota was not convinced. Edward knew that it would take her a few days to adjust to the change because she was a city woman, not a country woman.

  When they started organizing the trip two months ago, Ed contacted the law firm that drafted the property document. They were happy to help find qualified people who would accommodate the house and that could be there while all the arrangements were being made.

  The house seemed to be in very good condition and they wanted to preserve much of its original structure. However, after studying the plans with Isabel, they agreed to tear down some walls to make larger spaces, change the network of clean water pipes and drainage pipes, renovate the electrical wiring, tear out the old kitchen and leave the space ready to make a new one.

  They also cleared the undergrowth that covered the grounds. There were still so many things to do but the main things were already handled. It made it so that no one had to swallow more dust than necessary.

  “I hired someone with a lot of experience in the field to help Mr. Smith.” Pilar told Edward as they walked towards the house.

  Edward spoke Spanish as well as Carlota and Isabel.

  His maternal grandparents arrived from Mexico escaping the Spanish civil war. His mother was born there. She married a Texas man who loved to vacation in the Latin American country.

  After finishing university, Edward decided to go to Columbia to specialize in finance. He fell in love with the Big Apple just as soon as he arrived and he knew he would stay there for the rest of his life.

  After finishing his degree in finance, he became the CEO of a major bank in the city. Then after saving his money and gaining some important contacts, he founded his own bank.

  His office was in NY but he could work from anywhere in the world. He had a team of highly responsible professionals able to make his bank continue to function in the same way.

  So Edward knew a lot about finances, but not estates and needed to have trusted people who could teach him everything he needed to know.

  “Oh good!” Edward said excitedly, “I would love to study his resume before meeting him.”

  The lawyer who was with them smiled kindly.

  “I'm sorry, Mr. Smith. Alfonso’s experience is with practice, not studies.”

  Edward looked at the woman in confusion.

  “He was born in a family of ranchers, men who must take care of the ranch because like it or not, that is their family business and someday, they will be the heirs of that business. Alfonso Martínez has always been on this ranch. He started from a very young age. He wanted to buy it and had big plans for it.” The woman shrugged. “As that was not possible, he was very interested and I would say enthusiastic, to help you with everything you need here.”

  “Oh! I understand, when can I meet him? We will have to discuss the issue of fees and everything else.”

  The woman shook her head as she smiled at him.

  “No, no, you will love Alfonso, and there is no need to pay him. This ranch was very important in its day. The Alcalá family were very dear people in the village. So everyone will be happy to help.”

  “We'll talk about payment later,” Carlota said to the woman. “Now we are going to see the house because I am not very convinced I want to stay here.”

  Edward shook his head, smiling as he walked behind his wife carrying Alice in his arms.

  ***

  The outside appearance of the house was quite disturbing to Carlota. She didn’t want to imagine how it looked inside. Although she had seen some photos and knew that they made some changes to the inside, she was not very convinced. It was about comfort for her and the safety of her daughter so if she found the slightest thing, her husband would have to forget the crazy idea that they stayed there for a while for her to regain her inspiration.

  Damn traitorous inspiration, Carlota thought bitterly.

  She was never a believer in muses, much less inspiration. That was for artists and she was not an artist. She was a writer and professional at that, so she could not afford certain luxuries like "inspiration".

  As soon as she crossed the huge double wooden door at the entrance, a terrified bird flew outside.

  It was then that she noticed there were no windows in the whole house.

  “They'll start putting them in tomorrow, Mrs. Smith.” Pilar told her.

  “Call me Carlota, please.” She smiled distressed by her attitude.

  She knew that she was acting as if she was a descendant of royalty and the disaster before her eyes was unworthy of her.

  She sighed for the umpteenth time.

  Alicia moved restlessly in her arms but Carlota did not dare put the child on the floor. She was afraid she would fall and hurt herself. That it was dirty was another thing.

  Yes, she knew she was being very paranoid but she could not control it.

  If she agreed to live in that house at that moment, she couldn’t control anything. There everything was uncontrolled and that bothered Carlota a little because she always had everything organized and... well... controlled.

  In spite of all her anguish, deep down, Carlota liked what she saw.

  Spacious rooms, large windows, a large and very bright room that only had a wooden counter top with a microwave oven and next to a modern refrigerator.

  That space would be the kitchen very soon.

  The kitchen...

  “No cooking, Ed,” she said to her preoccupied husband, “It is very awkward with Alice, and besides, where are we going to cook?”

  Edward smirked. He liked to see how his wife was annoyed by anything she could not control.

  “We have a team ready for the kitchen,” said Pilar, who was now carrying Alicia. “The services are already installed, so installing the new kitchen completely will not take more than a week. Carlota, if it makes you feel better, Alfonso told me that you are welcome to stay at his home for as long as it takes to get everything settled here.”

  Ed smiled again, as Carlota glared at him.

  For Carlota being in the way at someone else’s house was much worse than not having a situation under control.

  “Thank you, but by no means would we accept, if need be, we would go to a hotel.”

  “That won’t happen,” her husband said, embracing her. “We don’t have a car yet, and the town is a few miles from here, so there are no hotels n
earby.”

  Damn inspiration, Carlota thought again.

  Ed gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

  “Let's go see our room,” He said as he forced her up the stairs where the bedrooms appeared to be in his new house.

  Carlota saw it clearly, there was no escape.

  ***

  Alfonso Martínez was a tall strong man in his sixties.

  He entered the estate with the satisfaction of someone who was entering the place he hoped to own for the first time.

  A young woman, with porcelain skin and beautiful wavy brown hair, came down the stairs of the estate, with a man who seemed to stand over six feet and in very good shape.

  She did not know who the man was. She thought the woman reminded her of that beautiful lady who was portrayed in an old painting hanging on one of the walls in the estate.

  She smiled at the man who looked at her suspiciously.

  “You must be Carlota,” he extended his arm to introduce himself formally. “I am Alfonso Martínez.”

  “Oh!” she exclaimed, greeting him properly. “Nice to meet you Alfonso. Pilar has told us a lot about you.”

  Alfonso and Edward introduced themselves.

  Alfonso placed his hands on his hips and looked around.

  He smiled with great satisfaction.

  “It doesn’t feel real that I’m here but I can help you with anything you need.”

  Carlota heard the heart felt sincerity in the man's voice.

  “Why so much interest in this estate?” She asked curiously.

  Alfonso winked at her.

  “We'll talk about it tonight at dinner. You’ll come by at 8 p.m. if that’s okay?”

  Carlota saw Edward and Alfonso smile at her with mischief.

  “We'll be happy to join you, Alfonso, and thank you so much for the invitation.”

  Carlota sighed with resignation.

  Alfonso widened his smile and his chest swelled with pride.

  “I'll leave you then to continue exploring the estate, see you later.”

  The man turned and walked away whistling a cheerful melody.

  ***

  Isabel noticed she had a missed call on her cell phone when she arrived at her office. She left home in a hurry this morning after falling asleep at some ungodly hour. She was exhausted from thinking and crying over Luke.

  She wore her sunglasses to hide her swollen eyes even though a universal flood seemed to be falling. Thank God, NY people never gave you a second glance and very few cared what you wore.

  On the contrary, her assistant and best friend Johanna, did notice Isabel's sunglasses and knew that something was very wrong. She followed her in and closed the office door. She poured coffee in two cups and looked in the small refrigerator for the gel pack Isabel kept there for when she had migraines.

  “Sit down.”

  Isabel snorted at her friend's order, but did as she was told, and it was then she realized the lost call was an international call.

  “Damn it. I missed Carlota's call.”

  Johanna walked over to her and pulled her glasses off.

  Isabel's eyes were very red and her upper eyelids were so swollen she could barely open them.

  “My God, Isa!,” Johanna had a strong desire —almost uncontrollable— to go punch that imbecile, Luke, for making her friend suffer this way.

  Isabel lifted her hand and took the gel pack. She immediately placed it on her eyes.

  She felt relief as the cold came into contact with the irritated skin on her eyelids.

  “I'm going to need the eye drops I keep in the first-aid kit as well.”

  “What you need is this,” Johanna said in a tone that a few friends gave her as she dropped a white folder on the desk.

  Isabel removed the gel pack from her eyes with the noise of the file crashing against the polished dark wood of her modern desk.

  She looked at Johanna doubtfully.

  “I just talked to Carlota. They arrived well and as we all are very concerned about you, we decided that it is time that we ordered you to do what is best for you. And the best thing is that.” She pointed to the folder that she put in front of her.

  Isabel took it cautiously and opened it.

  Surprise!

  Everyone around her insisted that what was best for her was to leave immediately for Spain.

  “I'm sorry, I have things to finish here and I want to wait and see if...” she felt a lump build in her throat.

  Johanna crossed her arms in front of her.

  “To see what, Isabel? If Luke decides it's a good idea to take you back? Don’t you think you're being a little pathetic?”

  Isabel couldn’t stand it any longer and she exploded.

  “Pathetic? Are you calling me pathetic when you haven’t gotten over Thomas yet?”

  Johanna pursed her lips, and her eyes darkened at once.

  That's when Isabel realized that she had made a very serious mistake.

  “Honey, I'm sorry,” her voice sounded desperate and full of shame. “There is no comparison. I'm sorry. I said...” Johanna, stood like a statue while her friend hugged her. She shook her off and said very seriously.

  “Of course there is no comparison, Isabel. Thomas was a man like few others. He loved me more than anything in the world. Unfortunately the cancer took him and maybe I have not yet gotten over it, that’s true, but I try to carry on with my life even though...” she had to pause because her voice trembled more than she wanted. “What I'm trying to make you see is that you deserve someone better, not a man who doesn’t value you for who you are.”

  Johanna turned and left the office.

  Isabel felt like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. She had never felt so disoriented in her life.

  She saw her cell phone and was tempted to send Luke a message. What could a good morning message hurt?

  “I hope you have a good day”

  The answer was immediate.

  “You too, Isa, but please don’t message me anymore.”

  Isabel felt like she could not breathe. The only thing that kept repeating in her head was Don’t message me anymore. Don’t message me anymore. Don’t message me anymore.

  It was a definite break up and she didn’t know if she could handle it.

  In the solitude of her office, she burst into tears with her stomach queasy and her chest tight.

  III

  It had been several days since Isabel had received Luke’s last message. It was still ringing in her head. How difficult it was to endure every day without him, and worse, every night.

  Isabel ran on autopilot these days. Get up, clean, eat something before leaving home, go to the office, work, work, work and go home. Try to sleep and start all over again the next day.

  On the third day when she could not fall asleep because the sobbing almost drowned her, she understood-reluctantly-that Carlota and Johanna were right. The best thing for her was to get away as soon as possible and stay distracted. It was not that she did not have work to keep her mind occupied, but knowing that she was in the same city as Luke made her think about him all the time.

  A chance encounter, running into him on the street, something. Something that made her see the man she loved and for whom she was about to lose her health and sanity.

  She looked in the mirror and noticed that her clothes were too big.

  No baggy, no, large. Her stomach rumbled, then she remembered that every morning she waited in the kitchen for Luke with a cup of coffee and a light breakfast for them both.

  Sigh.

  She felt a knot in her stomach that almost strangled her. It caused the hunger to suddenly disappear. She knew she had to eat although she did not feel like it.

  Nothing in life appealed to her.

  She finished dressing and left the house.

  She would go to her office and leave everything arranged so that she could leave peacefully for Spain. She had to at least make this trip work to get over her heartache.
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br />   Crossing the street corner where her office was, she collided with someone who seemed to be in a hurry and as if fate was in the mood to play a bad joke on Isabel, when she looked up from the huge coffee stain on her sweater. She found a pair of bright blue eyes that drove her crazy.

  “Hi, Isa. I'm sorry,” Luke said embarrassed after seeing the stain. He looked uneasy about the meeting.

  He handed his handkerchief to Isabel, who began to quickly dry off. She felt very nervous.

  He looked at her with curiosity.

  “You are sick?”

  She stopped his movements and looked into his eyes.

  She felt her eyes get wet.

  “Don’t.”

  It was then that he scanned her appearance carefully making it very obvious to her.

  “How do you go out on the street?”

  Isabel cocked her head and snorted.

  “Because the asshole I was living with left me. Overnight, he decided that he wanted nothing more to do with me,” she began to raise her voice and to move the hand she was rubbing at the stain with quicker. “That's why I'm out on the street, because I'm not in the mood to make amends, because I'm broken inside,” she tossed his handkerchief at his chest and walked away.

  Luke could not help but feel like scum so he followed her. When they arrived at her office, Isabel was grateful that Johanna was not at work because surely there would be a battle between her and Luke.

  As soon as he entered her office, Luke quickened his pace and pulled her by one arm to turn her around.

  He held her as she clung to him as if there were no tomorrow. She burst into tears as he wrapped a hand in her hair and kissed her on the top of her head.

  “I'm sorry you have to see me like this.” Isabel's words came tumbling out. “But I am extremely sad.”

  “Shhh.” He tried to calm her. “I understand, honey.”

  Sweetheart, how much Isabel liked to hear him call her that.

  She felt so comfortable there, in the arms of the man she loved, but she knew that it all was going to end soon because he didn’t want her back.

  For his part, Luke did not know what he felt for her. That's why he decided to end this relationship, but now that he had her in his arms again, he had missed her.