We Took the Fall

Pushing the blonde hair out of her eyes, Catalina swanned towards her latest table, placing the plates of food ahead of the diners. It had been a long shift, Catalina had opted to work a double in order to assure her the weekend off, but still she was tired. She had been working since 6 that evening and was looking forwards to clocking out at just after 11. Offering the customers a small smile, she padded back towards the front of the restaurant, moving to seat the next waiting group. “Hola, I am Catalina, and I will be your server this evening. How many?” she posed.

“Lina”

Catalina blinked a little and looked up, her blue eyes widening at the sight of her older sister. It had been a couple of months, after the confrontation at their parents’ home, Catalina hadn’t heard a word from her sister or their parents, and she was more than a little surprised to have Alicia stood ahead of her. She had thought they had wordlessly agreed to keep away from one another.

“Alicia” Catalina squeaked “Wh…what are you doing here?” she posed, quietly pulling the brunette out of the queue, allowing another waitress to sit the next group of people.

“I need to speak to you” Alicia noted.

“If this is about Fernando and I again, then you can just…”

“Papa left mama” Alicia interjected.

“What?” Catalina posed.

“He said he’d had enough of her” Alicia mumbled. She didn’t want to be there, she still hated Catalina for getting between her and Fernando, but she knew that the younger girl had a right to know. Santiago had made it clear that he couldn’t pretend to be happy anymore and Alicia had no doubts that it stemmed back to his two daughters and the Spanish striker who had come between them. It had clearly been the beginning of the end for more than one relationship in the small family.

Catalina blinked a couple of times before she peeked back at her sister. “He left?” she posed.

“He’s been in a hotel for a couple of days. He thought about going to you but then he found out that you’re living with Fernando” Alicia spat.

“Alicia” Catalina warned.

Alicia sighed. “I just thought you’d want to know” she murmured.

“I do” Catalina replied softly “Can I get the address?” she posed softly.

Alicia nodded and pulled a business card out of her pocket, handing it to her little sister. “Try and make him see sense, Lina” she noted.

“Alicia, if he doesn’t want to be with her, I can’t make him do it” Catalina refuted gently “Besides, it’s not like we’re on great terms right now. Turns out, both of our parents made it clear which of us they preferred” she added.

Alicia rolled her eyes. “I don’t want the guilt trip, Catalina” she muttered “Just…talk to him” she added before she padded away, allowing Catalina to return, albeit distractedly, to her work.

~#~
“Hola, querida” Fernando smiled as he pushed himself away from his car, greeting Catalina with a soft kiss. He didn’t like it, Catalina working late, and made a point of coming to get her when she did, something which never failed to make her laugh. She was 30, more than capable of looking after herself, but still Fernando insisted on picking her up. In a way, it was kind of sweet.

“Hola” she smiled gently.

“How was work?” he posed, opening the passenger door for her.

“It was OK” Catalina noted “Alicia came by” she added.

“What?” Fernando muttered.

“It’s fine” Catalina noted, squeezing his hand gently “She only wanted to talk” she added.

“Please, Lina, for my sake, tell me that you didn’t forgive her” the striker muttered. He didn’t like the idea of his girlfriend making amends with the older girl who had gone out of her way to make Catalina’s life miserable.

“Of course I didn’t” Catalina replied, settling into the passenger seat “She wanted to tell me that my parents have separated” she added.

“They have?” Fernando posed, sitting down in the driver’s seat.

“Apparently” Catalina mused.

“And how does that make you feel?” he countered, starting the engine. He knew she was angry with her parents, after the way that Marisol in particular had behaved after they’d gotten together, he didn’t blame her, but he wanted to make sure that she was alright. Her parents separating was still a big deal, even if they weren’t on good terms.

Catalina shrugged. “I don’t know” she admitted gently.

“You want to talk about it?” Fernando offered gently.

“Maybe” Catalina replied “But I think I should probably speak to my papa first. Do you think you could drive me here?” she posed, placing the business card that Alicia had given her in his hand.

Fernando nodded. “Of course” he mused gently before he turned out of the carpark, steering towards their destination with one hand whilst the other slipped over the centre console, gripping hers reassuringly.

~#~
“Catalina” Santiago quipped, his head tilted slightly.

“Hola, papa” Catalina replied “Can we come inside?” she added.

Santiago nodded his head and pulled back the door, allowing his daughter and her boyfriend to step inside of the small hotel room. It had been a few days, he had left Marisol a little over a week previous, but he was surprised to see Catalina. As far as he had known, she had no idea that he and Marisol were having problems. “How did you know I was here?” he posed, offering them a seat on the small couch.

“Alicia came to see me at work” Catalina replied “I had Fernando drive me here as soon as I heard. What happened, papa?” she posed

Santiago shook his head. “It’s been coming for a while” he mused “Your mother is not exactly the woman I fell in love with anymore and the little show she put on when Fernando confronted Cia made that ever more clear. She’s not a nice woman, Lina, and I can’t handle it anymore” he explained.

Catalina sighed. “You’ve been married for 35 years, papi” she noted softly “Is there no working through it?” she posed

“He shouldn’t have to stay if he isn’t happy” Fernando noted “And I can vouch for the fact that your mother is a witch” he added.

“But shouldn’t he at least talk to her before he runs off?” Catalina retorted, turning to her boyfriend.

Fernando sighed. “He has a right to be happy, Lina” he noted.

“And 35 years mean nothing?” she sighed “I know my mother is witch, I have experienced it first hand, but surely you should talk to her instead of just leaving. I know that’s what I would want if someone was going to leave me” she noted, her eyes peeking at her father.

Fernando shook his head. “It only makes leaving harder” he muttered.

“Fernando, I appreciate…”

“You regret telling me you were going?” Catalina muttered, cutting her father off.

Fernando sighed. “It meant saying goodbye” he mused, chewing the side of his lip nervously “And saying goodbye to you was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Sometimes I think if I had just gone, then things would have been easier” he noted.

Catalina looked at him for a second before she turned back to her father. “You have to talk to her, papa. You have to explain. I know that it makes things harder, but you both need closure and if this is it, you need to know it too. Call her” she mused before she turned back to Fernando “Saying goodbye gives you closure” she added.

Fernando studied her expression and nodded. He knew she was right.

Santiago smiled. “I know I haven’t been the greatest dad to you recently, Lina, but I am pleased to see you looking so cheerful” he enthused.

Catalina blushed. “Somehow, this guy makes me cheerful” she enthused.

Fernando rolled his eyes. “Are you not going to use my name now either?” he complained.

“Fernando” Catalina smirked, teasing him with a light peck on the lips..

“Thank you” Fernando replied, attempting to deepen the kiss.

Santiago watched the flirty interaction and smiled softly. He doubted it would be too long before Fernando was thinking of proposing.