When Does the Pretending End?

Cristiano’s Pov

“Not going to Angelo’s today?” Nuno smirks at me when I head into the living room. “Can’t afford another car” I say back to him. “See you soon Nuno” Zé says as came down the stairs. “Had fun this weekend mate” Nuno says giving him a quick hug. Zé and I head to Carrington for training. He’s going to watch training before I drop him at the airport.

The game at the weekend went bad. Ok so we didn’t lose but drawing with Reading feels like losing to me. Monday morning in training felt so long. Zé had arrived shortly after Lucy left the house on Friday. It was could to chat and hang out with him since I really didn’t want to be around Jorge and Nuno. Although he did seem to only want to drink and play video games. Thankfully Nuno hadn’t opened his mouth about Lucy. But now I had just dropped him off at the airport so I was on my own again with Jorge and Nuno. Jorge has been talking and planning how he thinks Lucy and I should act when we pretend to be a couple in front of Máe and the rest of the family. Stupid Nuno. What was he thinking when he came up with the idea. I had already dropped the charges against Tina before Lucy came barging into my room on Friday night. I should have told her there and then. But it could be fun to have her around.

As I drive up to the house I see Nuno standing by Lucy’s car. “Hope you’re not annoyed me” I hear Nuno ask her as they walk through the front door. “Why would I be annoyed with you?” she said. “Because he has stupid ideas” I said as I reached them. “Then what does that make us if we are agreeing to his stupid ideas” she says to me. I shrug and head to the kitchen. I watch her as she takes a seat at the table. I can see her knee shaking. She’s nervous. She’s dressed all business like again in a navy suit. She looks totally different to the last time she sat at that table. When she wore that body hugging red dress with her long hair flowing down her back. A week is a hell of a long time.

“Hi Lucy” Jorge says which stops me from looking at Lucy. I hear “Good you could make it. Right let’s get down to business. Cris’s family come over most weeks. So all you would have to do is spend time around them and act like Cris is the most amazing guy in the world” Jorge says.
“Most amazing guy in the world. Jezz, Jorge you do remember that his family do know Cris, right.” Nuno jokes and I hear Lucy laugh. Hey I can be amazing. I do it every day on a football pitch. And in bed which Lucy would know if I had let her stay in my bed. I hear Lucy ask what she should expect. My family wasn’t like others.

“Katia and Elma are my sisters and Hugo is my brother. They all live in Portugal and like to know everything about my life” I say interrupting Jorge. “But you still love them” she says. I nod. Yeah I guess I do. “Ok how did we meet?” she asks looking straight at me. “The truth” I say. “The whole truth about what happened and after words” she smirks back at me. I laugh. She knows well that I don’t want them to know the rest. “Just say ye met at a restaurant” Nuno chimes in. “Not a club. You mother never likes the girls you pick up in clubs” Jorge says. Neither does he I think looking at him. “Seriously you let your mother meet those girls” Lucy says. “What’s wrong with those girls?” I ask. “Do you even remember their name when you introduce them to your mother” she says. What the hell was she implying? I have good taste in women. Well most of the time.

“Just say that ye bumped into each other in a restaurant and got talking. Swapped numbers, went on a date and now can’t bear to be without each other” Nuno says changing the subject. I look over to Lucy and we burst out laughing. “Can’t bear to be without each other” we both say at the same time. “You’ve been watching too many chick films Nuno” I say.

“Well Katia is coming at the weekend so ye can make yer relationship public then” Jorge says. I see her shift in her seat. “Don’t worry she’s the easy one” I say. It’s Máe and Elma I’m worried about. Katia will understand why I haven’t mentioned that I was dating someone. But Elma will be the one to ask the questions. Lucy’s phone rings and she excuses herself from the table.

“See this will work” Nuno says to me. “As long as he doesn’t piss Lucy off it should” Jorge says. “Hey” I say. “Let’s face it Cris, Lucy doesn’t exactly like you” Nuno smirks at me. “Well she liked me enough last week to come to the house” I grumble. “You forgot why she came” Nuno replies. I hear the sound of heels on the floor and decide not to continue talking with Nuno.
“I have to go” she says. “See you soon Lucy” Nuno says sweetly to her and she smiles. “Bye” she says back to him. I follow out of the kitchen. Strawberry smell again.

“Do you think this will really work?” she asks and I stop to think for a second. “Will we make them believe we are dating” I say. “No, I mean will they stop hassling you” she replies. Her blue eyes look into mine. “No” we say at the same time.

“Hey you should come by before next week so we can talk more” I say. It would be nice to get to know her since she is my “girlfriend” now. “Sure. It would be could to know who I’m really dealing with. For all I know your sister could be annoyed that you’re not dating your last girlfriend” she says.
“Trust me, she would prefer a monkey to my last girlfriend” I say. But Lucy shouldn’t worry. I have a feeling my whole family will love her. Maybe even too much.

***********Wednesday Night**********************

I hear laughing as I reach the kitchen. “He didn’t” I hear a voice say. “Trust me he did. Why do you think I do all the cooking” Nuno says. “I did not give Papí food poison” I say knowing full well what story Nuno was telling. “Hi Lucy sorry I’m late I was at a friend’s house and lost track of time talking. “Playing video games more like” Nuno chimes in. “It’s ok. The master chef here was showing me how could of a cook he is” she says rolling her eyes at Nuno.

Marcosa sits at Lucy’s feet loving the fact that she was rubbing him behind the ears. Marcosa lets out a bark when Nuno’s phone rings. “I’m going to take this. Don’t let him near the pan” pointing to Lucy. She lets out a laugh and nods her head. I watch her get off the stool and head to the stove. She was wearing a cute blue summer dress and sandals. “I’m not that bad of a cook” I say to her. “I know. I have tasted your cooking remember” she says smiling. Oh I remember. I remember even more what she looks like under that dress. “Nuno just likes to wind me up” I say rubbing Marcosa. “No Jorge tonight” she asks. “No, he’s gone back to Lisbon” I say. Thankfully. “He likes running the show doesn’t he” Lucy asks and I laugh. You have no idea I think.

“So maybe you should tell me about your family. Like what they look like for one and what I should say to them” Lucy says. I spend the next 10 minutes chatting about Katia and my nephew Roderigo when Nuno arrives back into the kitchen. As Nuno takes over the cooking I suggest Lucy follow me over to the fireplace. I point out who is who in all the photos and she actually seems really interested.

Soon we are eating and Nuno seems to be doing all the talking. “Always say you like his mother’s cooking even if you don’t trust me it’s easier that way” Nuno says to Lucy. “Remember when Merche said Dolores needed to stop using spices in one of her dishes that was the start of her downfall” he says looking at me. “When did ye break up?” Lucy quietly asks me. “Less than two months ago” I say. “Not going to ask why” I ask her. “None of my business. So we tell your family we have been seen each other for what a month” she replies. “Oh yeah better say a month. Don’t want your Máe thinking you were seeing Lucy behind Merche’s back. We are trying to make you look better. Trying being the word” Nuno says looking at me. I was just about to say something when my phone rings. I get up without saying anything. They’ll hardly notice I’m messing.

“Olá Máe, how are you?” I say into the phone as I walk towards the game room. “I’m very well my son. What have you been doing? Hope you’re not leading Nuno astray” she says laughing. “No Máe we are just eating” I say back to her.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh” I hear a scream. What the hell is going on? I run back towards the living room to find Lucy with a cushion in her hands standing on the couch. “Get that thing away from me Nuno” she yells. I drop the phone as she jumps of the couch and runs to my side. “Your cousin is an idiot” she says to me shaking. “What did he do” I ask putting my arms around her shoulders. “I was just showing her Marco’s pet” he says gesturing his hands towards us. “A rat. Who has a rat as a pet?” Lucy yells at him. “Seriously Nuno take that thing away” I say to him. “Yeah before I find something to kill with or even you” she says. “On second thoughts maybe stay there” I mumble. “Stop it” she says to me. “Stop what” I ask as she shrugs my arms of her shoulders. “Picking on Nuno” she says. What the hell. Me picking on Nuno.

“I’m sorry Lucy. I didn’t mean to frighten you. But that was funny. You screamed like a girl” Nuno says as he comes back into the room. “She is a girl you muppet” I say to Nuno as I sit on the couch. “Where did you go anyway?” Lucy asks. “I was on the phone to my mother” I reply. Shit where’s the phone. I stand up and throw the cushions onto the floor. “Máe, sorry about that” I say into the phone. “Who was the girl screaming Cristiano?” she asks. Crap guess the cat’s out of the bag. “That’s a long story” I say. “I have time to hear it son” she says and I let out a sigh.