We Took the Fall

“Catalina?” Alicia squeaked, her eyes peeking around Fernando and towards her sister who stood, her jaw a little open, ahead of the tall footballer, her blue eyes sporting an emotion that wasn’t easily placed. She looked shocked, disappointed, but most of all, she looked upset, something which made Alicia tilt her head. She had thought that her sister would have been thrilled to meet the man that had made her so happy.

Catalina blinked a couple of times before she took a step back, her blue eyes dropping to her feet. “I…I need to get some air” she stumbled out, her voice shaking a little. She felt stupid, it had been eight years after all, but just looking at him took her back to the night she had last seen him. He still looked the same, even if his hair had changed and he had grown, and it hit Catalina like a ton of bricks. He was Fernando, the man she had loved Fernando, and she needed a second to get her head around the fact that he was there, let alone the idea that he was going to marry her older sister.

“Lina” Fernando noted “I…”

“I just need a second” Catalina interjected, shaking her head gently “Why don’t you all sit down? I will only be gone for a moment” she added quickly, her blue eyes watching as Fernando opened his mouth to speak.

Alicia nodded. “Alright, we’ll save you a glass of wine” she noted.

Catalina spared a brief smile before she collected her jacket, quickly padding out of the restaurant.

“Wow” Alicia mumbled, drawing Fernando’s attention away from Catalina “I knew she would be a little jealous, I mean, she hasn’t dated anyone in years, but that seemed a little dramatic, even for Lina” she mumbled. Fernando shook his head. He knew that Alicia was oblivious, when he and Catalina had been dating, he had only met her once and even then it had been fleeting, but he couldn’t quite believe that she hadn’t put two and two together. One look at Catalina’s face should have made it abundantly clear.

“I should go and check on her” Santiago mused, trying to shuffle out of his seat beside his wife.

“Papi, no” Alicia interjected “She’s a big girl and she will come back when she is ready. Please, I just want you to meet Fernando and get to know him” she added.

Santiago sighed gently, but nodded his head. “Alright, Cia” he noted “But if she isn’t back in 15 minutes…”

“Then I will go and speak to her” Fernando noted gently “It should probably be me anyways” he added.

Santiago nodded his head. “Probably” he quipped.

“Fernando?” Alicia poked.

“Alicia, Catalina is my ex-girlfriend. We dated when we were younger but broke up when I made the moved to Liverpool. That is why she reacted badly and why it ought to be me which checks on her. It would have been quite the shock for her” he explained softly.

Alicia frowned. “You dated my sister?” she posed.

Fernando sighed. “It was years ago, Alicia, and to be fair, until we walked into this restaurant, I wasn’t aware that you were Lina’s sister. You never mentioned her name, or your parents’ names, and I met you once when we were young” he muttered. He didn’t want to fight, they were there to celebrate their engagement, something which should have been a happy experience, but he doubted that Alicia would let it drop. She had a habit of pressing him when he didn’t want to be pressed.

Alicia pursed her lips slightly before she moved to sit down, asking her mother to pour her a glass of wine.

Fernando rolled his eyes slightly before he looked at Marisol and Santiago, offering them a slightly apologetic smile as he sat down. He hoped that they could get over the awkwardness quickly and get back to the fact that he was engaged to their elder daughter.

~#~
Wiping her eyes, Catalina shook her head, ruing her inability to just suck it up. It shouldn’t have mattered, Fernando was not her boyfriend and was entitled to date whoever he wanted, but just seeing him had produced a lump in her throat, a lump she had been trying to get over since they had broken up. She felt silly, she hadn’t been with Fernando in years, but just looking at him hurt. He was the one who had gotten away and there was no escaping it.

Running her fingers through her hair, she moved to fix it, smoothing out the kinks before she quietly stood up from the spot she had taken besides the building. She knew that she had to go back in, despite her feelings, she had to make out that she was at least somewhat happy for Alicia, and she knew she couldn’t wait much longer. Chances were, Alicia was already kicking up some sort of fuss about her younger sister not being supportive and Catalina didn’t want it to get too bad. Alicia tended to exaggerate and Catalina didn’t want to be made into a total witch.

Smoothing out the hem of her shirt, she moved to take a step forwards, only to stop as Fernando appeared ahead of her, a timid smile on his face.

“Nando” she squeaked “Wh…What are you doing out here? I was just on my way…”

“I know you were” Fernando noted “But I thought, before you get back in there and fix a smile on your face, we could take a second to talk. Do you mind?” he posed gently.

Catalina chewed on her lip, but shook her head gently, offering him the spot on the bench where she had hidden.

Fernando took it graciously and offered her another smile, his dark eyes studying her at their closer proximity.

“So” Catalina mused.

“So” Fernando replied.

“You’re marrying my sister” she murmured.

Fernando nodded his head gently. He had a feeling that the conversation that they were about to have wasn’t going to be the most pleasant.