Chapter 19

I saw your grandmother, your mother, and your Tía Amanda leaving at dawn today.” Malena studied Javier as he tightened a bracelet clasp with a pair of pliers. She’d seized the opportunity to talk to him as soon as his father stepped out of the store. “All in black.”

Javier didn’t lift his eyes from his work. “I know.” He returned the piece to the display case, then tossed the pliers into a drawer behind the counter. “Today is the anniversary of Tío Fausto’s death. They visit his grave every year and then attend mass.”

“Why didn’t Alejandra go with them?” Malena knew Alejandra was in the workshop. She’d heard the drone of her drill from the hallway. “I thought she was close to her cousin.”

“She was.”

Javier led the way to the street and held the door open for her. “She’s not a religious woman. And she says she doesn’t like to visit the dead.”

The two of them sat on a street bench.

“What happened to Fausto?” Malena asked.

He took a cigarette from his shirt pocket. “Someone tried to rob the store and shot him.”

Javier’s tone was so detached.

“Did they find the murderer?”

“No. Never.”

“That’s sad.”

“Yes.” He placed his arm around her shoulder. “It’s very sad, being Alejandra’s birthday and all.”

Malena recoiled, not only from his proximity but also from the news he was delivering. “Today is her birthday?”

“Yes.”

“Her cousin was murdered on her birthday?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Nobody mentioned anything about her birthday,” she said. “Don’t they celebrate it?”

“Oh, no.”

Malena tugged her skirt over her legs, aware of Javier’s eyes on them. “That’s not good.”

“What?”

“Dwelling on the past like that.”

“She doesn’t like anyone to acknowledge her birthday, much less celebrate it. We don’t celebrate birthdays in this family. Only Claudia’s and mine, really. And that was when we were kids.”

“Maybe we should bake a cake for her.”

He glanced at the cigarette in his hand. “A cake? I don’t know. She might not like it.”

“Oh, come on. It will be fun.”

Javier was about to answer when a female voice from behind the bench spoke.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Claudia said.

Malena hadn’t seen her arrive.

“Why not?” Javier said. It was enough that Claudia opposed the idea for Javier to consider it. “Lili is right, Tía Alejandra should stop dwelling on the past.”

It was somewhat amusing to see how easily these two got into quarrels. Malena had never had that kind of relationship with anybody. Would things have been the same if she had grown up with Claudia and Javier?

Claudia fanned the smoke with her hand. “Well, that is her decision to make. I can tell you right now celebrating her birthday would be a big mistake. She’ll be furious.”

“That’s okay,” Malena said. “We’ll take the chance.”

Malena dug her fork into the pile of rice but was too anxious to eat. Nobody had mentioned anything about Alejandra’s birthday yet.

Alejandra hadn’t touched her food either. Her short brown hair curled up behind her ears and her eyes were fixed on her full plate. She seemed distracted, absorbed in her own thoughts, perhaps more than usual.

“I have an announcement to make.” Amanda broke the silence in the dining room. Since the day she’d proclaimed she was going to manage a nightclub, nobody in the family had spoken to her at the dinner table.

“The nightclub’s opening is this Friday.” She looked around the room. “You’re all invited.”

Ana’s fingers tensed on the table’s surface. She didn’t dare look at her husband, who’d stopped chewing.

“Are you dancing?” Javier asked.

“No. I hired a couple of dancers.”

“Javier, finish your meal,” Ana said.

“Well? Nobody has anything to say?” Amanda said.

“I’ll go,” Alejandra said.

Amanda served herself some mineral water. “How about you, Mamá?”

The old woman rubbed Amanda’s hand. “Depends on how I feel that day, hija.”

“And you, Claudia?” Amanda said. “You can invite Sebastian.”

“I don’t think Sebastian would approve of me going to a nightclub. Besides, I doubt he’ll want to go.”

“Well, ask him anyway,” Javier said.

“Javier!” Ana snapped.

Amanda turned to Ana and Rafael. “I guess your silence speaks for the two of you. That’s what I expected.”

Javier nodded at Malena from across the table.

“We have a surprise.” Javier dragged the legs of his chair back with an irritating screech that forced everyone to cover up their ears—a reaction he seemed to enjoy infinitely.

They brought Malena’s pineapple cake from the kitchen and placed it in front of Alejandra. Javier turned off the lights and sang “Cumpleaños Feliz” with a surprisingly good voice. When he finished, Malena applauded—she was the only one.

The room fell silent. Alejandra’s face was partially illuminated with the burning candles. A tear slipped down her cheek. After a harrowing silence, she finally spoke.

“Turn on the lights, please.”

Trinidad obeyed.

“Thank you, but you shouldn’t have bothered.” Alejandra stood, without another word, and left the room.

Claudia stared at Malena with a smirk.