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“Francisco!” Rodrigo called from his horse. Francisco was still on the grass hugging his legs.
He was grateful to have stopped crying considering he would be very ashamed if his foreman caught him. Especially since he could not explain the reason for weeping uncontrollable a few minutes before.
“Are you okay?”
Rodrigo jumped off his horse to approach his boss.
“Yes, man, easy. I'm fine. I just wanted to stop a bit and the time escaped me.”
Rodrigo studied him with concern.
“You've been like this for three days, we're worried.”
“There's nothing to worry about. Have I been like this for three days? I need to occupy my mind, Rodrigo. What if we go organize the accounts?”
Rodrigo didn’t move.
“With all due respect, Francisco, I think you need to talk to someone about what ails you.”
He was right, but with whom could he talk about his immortality without being seen as a madman or as a possible threat.
“I'm fine, really. Come on.”
Rodrigo wanted to extend the conversation, but Francisco gave him a knowing look.
“Manuel found me a while ago and asked me to tell you that as soon as you can, stop by his house.”
Francisco nodded.
“I better get going now; we’ll leave the accounts for later.”
He turned his horse around to hurry to Manuel's house.
The road seemed to never end.
When he arrived, Manuel was waiting for him on the terrace as usual when he sent for him.
“Boy, they brought you something.”
Francisco’s entire body tensed.
All his senses went on high alert after hearing something had been left for him there.
“You look like you’ve just seen a ghost. What is happening to you today?”
“Who left it and what did they leave?”
Francisco kept looking around.
“Stop being paranoia. Damn it!”
The immortal turned to Manuel.
“There's nothing to be afraid of, boy.”
Manuel entered the house and came out with a plastic container.
“The blond left you this. I didn’t know you had such good relationship with her as to have her grandmother send you food.”
They both laughed and Francisco thanked his timely joke considering it helped him relax.
It was almost lunch time.
“Care to join me?”
“I have my portion but we can keep each other company, wait a couple of minutes for the bread to finish baking.”
Meanwhile, they set the table in silence.
The bread Manuel was baking in the old oven, in the rickety kitchen, gave the house a smell so familiar it took Francisco back several centuries ago. When all his family lived and his mother was in charge of preparing the food for them. The house always smelled wonderful when they arrived hungry after a day's work.
How he missed those moments!
He missed his family. He longed to have a home.
Sigh.
“Boy, stop thinking bad thoughts.”
“As if it were so easy, Manuel.”
“No, it’s the truth. It is not. But you solve nothing by torturing yourself with memories that fill you with sadness.”
“Isn’t it the same with you?”
Manuel didn’t answer.
“I'm an old man, Francisco. No matter what I have lost throughout my life, you have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t dwell on loneliness for fear of being hurt again. Don’t make my mistake.”
It was the first time old Manuel let him see a little of what distressed him.
“Is that what happened to you? Did they deceive you?”
The old man nodded as he served the food on plates.
He placed a plate in front of him and the bread on a wooden board.
He sat down beside Francisco with his plate of food. He picked up the bread and tore it in half. The bread was still steaming.
Francisco imitated him.
“I fell in love with her like an idiot. I was very humble and she did not see the same future as I did. So as soon as she could, she got herself another that would provide her with a comfortable life.”
Francisco nodded without saying anything.
“It's not good to remember the bitter times, boy. So let's eat. I'm dying to try this. It smells so good. Enjoy your meal.”
Francisco tasted a bite. He thought of heaven when the strong flavor of gravy covering the meat settled inside of his mouth.
“Oh dear! This woman is a saint! She cooks like the gods!” Manuel seemed to come to the same revelation.
Francisco smiled.
As he thought of Natalia, again.
“I know what you're up to with that lady and I know you want to get me out of here.”
“I'm not evicting you, Manuel. You know it.”
“I know, and don’t think I'm going to make it easy. For her less, I will tell you, I’ll need more of these meals in order to consider it”—Francisco erupted into laughter— “I like this mood better young man, and the truth is I like that blonde lady too.”
Francisco could not help the twinge he felt.
Was he jealous?
He'd only seen her a couple of times and knew nothing about her. Why the hell was he jealous?
“I'm 82 years old, Francisco; I like that girl for you. So start behaving like a beau to her.”
Francisco could not help but smile and shake his head. It seemed, after all, the beautiful Miss Natalia Castañeda managed to win the confidence of old Manuel.
***
After taking Manuel homemade food for a little more than a week, Natalia wanted to talk a bit with him. So that day she was determined to leave him a good portion of potato omelet and, chocolate cake for him and Mr. Peña that her grandmother insisted on.
Natalia was following the game realizing it also kept her grandmother occupied and happy. It was not like the woman had anything to do during the day. Usually her grandmother did things around the house and cooked when someone came to visit. However, cooking for Manuel and Mr. Peña had given her a purpose that even had her singing.
The help came in good with Natalia considering she was terrible in the kitchen. She did not yet know how to convince Manuel to leave the property.
On that particular day, she was determined to do something.
She parked her car in front of the dilapidated house and took out the heated bag.
She knocked on the door.
The previous days, she left the food there and picked up the clean, empty containers left by Manuel.
She smiled at the thought of how she was becoming a food delivery broker.
She knocked on the door again.
“Mr. Manuel, I know you're in there, please. Open the door.”
There was a murmur inside.
She listened to steps approaching the door.
Manuel gave in and opened it.
“Can I come in?” Natalia asked cautiously. She was afraid the old man would repent and shut the door in her face.
“Why since I wasn’t going to open the door for you? Come on! Come in before I change my mind!”
Natalia smiled and entered without saying another word.
It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darkness inside the house. She crossed her arms in front of her chest as soon as she entered. Moisture completely surrounded her, making her colder than she actually was.
In a rectangular space, she supposed had been the house’s main hall, there was a bed, a fireplace near the bed and a square wooden table under the only window facing the back of the house.
A tiny door gave a glimpse of a bathroom. Natalia thought it was smaller than the one in her dollhouse she had as a child. In front of it was another door indicating a space a little larger than the bathroom. She saw a small electric oven and assumed it was the kitchen.
“So are you going to stand there or are you going to tell me what you want?”
Natalia smiled at the old man.
“I'd like some coffee. Thank you.”
Manuel frowned at her and slowly went to the kitchen.
He returned to the living room with two cups of steaming coffee.
“Thank you,” Natalia said, then took a sip of her coffee. “You didn’t say what you thought of my grandmother's cooking. That is to say,” Natalia clarified, “it has a few days and I was curious to know.”
The man looked at her suspiciously.
“Don’t play games with me, Ms. Castaneda.”
“Call me Natalia, please.”
“Very well, Natalia. I do not want you to beat around the bush, I know very well you want to persuade me to leave this property and the good Francisco will hire you to do the remodeling.”
A chill swept through her when she heard Francisco's name. Many days had passed without hearing anything from him. The last thing she heard was what Isabel told her about his good impression of her and Isa’s company.
The truth was she was so busy those days she did not have much time to think about the masculine and mysterious human being.
“Listen! Where did you go?”
Natalia smiled, Manuel waved a hand in front of her eyes pulling her out of her thoughts.
“I am sorry. I was thinking.”
“Yes, I see.”
“Mr. Manuel, it’s true I wanted to come up with a plan that would not fail to make you see you are living in very poor conditions. I thought about it without having entered the house, but now, seeing how precarious the living conditions are, it seems like you are punishing yourself for something.” Manuel’s frown grew. Natalia knew she had to change the conversation before she got kicked out. “So, I told my grandmother about your situation and she suggested I bring you food you couldn’t resist.”
The man smiled for the first time relieving her.
“I see her plan worked, but now I do not know how to use to explain to you that you should be living in a better place.”
“Why do you think that, Natalia?”
“I wouldn’t want my grandfather to live this way.”
The man adverted his gaze.
“I do not have anyone to look after me.”
“That is not true because although I have spoken very little with Mr. Peña, he made it clear you are important to him, otherwise you would not be here, don’t you think?”
The man nodded.
“You're good at analyzing people.”
She smiled at him sincerely.
“It fits me well and let's just say I'm a bit stubborn, too.”
“Did you tell your grandmother I shot at you twice in the air the first time you came?”
“And threatened me with a third, too.”
They both laughed.
“How come your grandmother doesn’t want to poison me?”
“You know I would be very angry with her if you were taken away from here too soon and without the slightest effort. She knows I am like my late grandfather and my stubbornness won’t let me yield until I fulfill my objective.”
Natalia realized as soon as she mentioned her grandmother was a widow; Manuel began to pay more attention to what she was saying.
“How long ago did your grandfather die?”
She smiled regretfully.
“Several years.”
“Do you miss him?”
“Very much.”
They were silent for a while.
“What do you think of Francisco?”
She was surprised by the question.
“Come on, don’t tell me, or haven’t you noticed the young man is quite handsome?”
“He’s mysterious.”
“Why do you think so?” Manuel sat down beside her and Natalia got comfortable.
“He seems lonely to me. In addition he would perish on his property considering everyone was afraid of him.”
Manuel nodded.
“I also analyze people and Francisco, comes from a past that tortures him. He doesn’t talk about it and I do not get into other people's affairs, but I assure you he is a good man. I've already told him to be a gentleman with you if he's going to come around here more often.”
A jolt sliced through Natalia. She didn’t know if it was due to the old man having told Peña to behave like a gentleman with her or because he was implying he was going to leave that miserable house he lived in.
“Why do you think I'm going to be here more often?” She played dumb. The man looked at her with mischief.
“You're no fool, Natalia, and you know, eventually, I will leave so Francisco can have more time with you.”
She tilted her head.
“You are the only woman who has approached him in all the years I have known him.” She wondered how many that was. He seemed to read the question in her eyes. “Almost ten years.”
“How come you don’t know him a little better in ten years?” She asked in surprise.
“We share only what we want. It's a tip I’ll give you, don’t push him. What he has to tell you, he’ll do so in due time.”
Natalia smiled shamefully.
“Excuse me, Mr. Manuel, but you’re talking to me as if Francisco and I were really starting to date very soon.”
“I wish, I wouldn’t like anything more for him, and I think you would do a man like him good.”
“How do you know?”
“He told me you like horses, and besides, I can see for myself you are a good woman. You speak well of your grandmother, continue to remember your grandfather with love, and while it is true that your interest in me is that I leave the property, I realize you really are upset about my living conditions. Yes, they are a self-imposed punishment for being a fool and not fighting for the woman I loved.”
Natalia sat rooted to her spot by surprise.
“He told you about me?”
“Of course. He hasn’t stop talking about you and how much he would like to invite you to dinner at her house. I already told him it would be better in a restaurant. I don’t think it would be right for you to go to Francisco's house on your first date.”
“I've been for work stuff.”
“It's different.” He winked.
She smiled at him.
“You would like my grandmother.”
“I think she would like me very well. What if you tell me a little more about her and if she would be willing to teach me how to cook those delicacies while you remodel my house?”
Natalia smiled with satisfaction. She had succeeded.