Olifina: Love And Trouble

8. Night Drive

Dad called. Dad freaking called. It could only mean one thing. He was looking for me. I stared at the phone with full concentration as I saw Mel typing again.

Mel: he only spoke with my dad. He said he has been trying to call you but you know the rest of that story. We told him you're in Tepoztlan and he freaked out. I don't think he wants you to find him, Rufina. Just come home.

No, I couldn't believe it. Dad might have called them but I wouldn't return home without him. The Itasos didn't know the kind of business Dad engaged in. They didn't know what I knew. I was not going back until I found him.

The front door opened and Oliver walked into the house just as I was about to have another mental breakdown. If things had continued like that I might have just slipped into depression. Oliver noticed my sadness.

"Hey, someone did not run away," he said laughing. He walked into the living room and stood beside my chair. "What's wrong?"

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling so my tears wouldn't fall. I didn't want to keep showing him that sadness. It was my burden to carry, not his.

But I couldn't help the tears that rolled down my eyes. Oliverio came to sit beside me and pulled me into an embrace. My sobs became louder. I was supposed to be happy. Dad called. He was alive. He was looking for me. But he wanted me to go home. He doesn't have to carry this weight alone. He did this all the time. If I went home it'd be very selfish of me. He was my number-one support system. And it pained me to think that he was probably suffering in silence. I couldn't even see him or speak to him and comfort him. That is not the first time that has happened. He always hid his pain behind a smile and made everyone believe everything was fine. I'd lived with him all my life and it would be a shame if I allowed his pretence to fool me. He didn't have to suffer alone. My chest squeezed in pain and for a second I couldn't breathe. I closed my eyes tightly and forced in a deep breath. My breathing came out heavily before it was released. Oliverio continued to rub my back as I leaned onto him. He was not meant to see me like that. We stayed in that position for a while until my sobbing reduced.

"We're going out to get pizza, come on."

Oliverio stood up and pulled me up with him.

"I'm in my pyjamas."

"Extra comfort," he said in a corky manner. He couldn't be serious. I was a fashion enthusiast but then I didn't care.

"Let's go. I need to eat my problems away."

Oliverio grabbed a huge black torch and we set out into the woods. It was dark and incredibly cold. Oliverio gave me his torch and went back into the house to get me a blanket. I tried not to get scared standing in the dark eerie silence of his front yard. He came out and held me under the blanket with his hand over my shoulder.

"You would want to hold me if you don't want to fall."

I looked up at him. "Fall? Just say you want my arms around you."

"Suit yourself, maybe you'd comply when you mistakenly step on a snake."

He couldn't be serious. I glared at him and he shrugged. My hands went around his body beneath the blanket and heat rose to my cheeks. I felt odd holding him so close to myself, but I didn't want to trip on a snake and fall. I still don't know how that is possible but I didn't want to find out either.

He took the torch with his right hand and we continued walking side by side as I watched the half-moon ahead of us.

"It's not always like this, some nights it's so bright that you wouldn't need a torch."

"Will you be able to see what's on the ground?"

He nodded. "When there's a full moon it brightens everywhere, it works even more than a torch."