XIX
WHEN WE WERE facing each other in the café, just as we sat down, I was still the introverted, embittered child whose dream has been shattered. Then I became filled with the desire to hear what Ena's mother was about to tell me now. I forgot about myself and finally found peace.
'What's wrong, Andrea?'
Formal address – usted – on her lips became tender and familiar. It made me want to cry and I bit my lip. She had looked away. When I could see her eyes, shadowed by the brim of her hat, they had a feverish glaze ... By now I was calm and she was the one who smiled at me a little fearfully.
'Nothing's wrong.'
'It's possible, Andrea ... for days I've been discovering strange shadows in everyone's eyes. Hasn't it ever happened to you? You attribute your state of mind to everyone around you?'
It seemed that by smiling she was trying to make me smile too. She said everything in a lighthearted tone.
'And why haven't you come to the house recently? Are you angry with Ena?'
'No,' I lowered my eyes, 'but I think she's bored with me. It's natural ...'
'Why? Ena is very fond of you ... Yes, yes, don't put on that distracted expression. You're the only female friend my daughter has. That's why I came to talk to you ...'
I saw that she was toying with her gloves, smoothing them. She had extremely delicate hands. The tips of her fingers withdrew gently at the slightest contact. She swallowed.
'It's very difficult for me to talk about Ena. I never have with anyone; I love her too much for that ... You might say I adore Ena, Andrea.'
'I'm very fond of her too.'
'Yes, I know ... but, how could you understand this? Ena, for me, is different from my other children, she's above everyone else in my life. The affection I feel for her is something extraordinary.'
I understood. More because of her tone than her words. More because of the ardour in her voice than what she said. She frightened me a little ... I'd always thought the woman was on fire. Always. When I heard her sing on the first day when I saw her in her house, and then when she looked at me in such a way that I picked up only a shudder of anguish.
'I know Ena is suffering now. Do you understand what that means for me? Until now her life had been perfect. It seemed that any step she took was a success. Her laughter gave me the sensation of life itself ... She's always been so healthy, so uncomplicated, so happy. When she fell in love with that boy, Jaime ...'
(To my surprise, her smile was sad and mischievous at the same time.)
'When she fell in love with Jaime it was all like a good dream. Her finding a man who could understand her just as she was leaving adolescence and needed him, was to my eyes like the fulfilment of a marvellous natural law ...'
I didn't want to look at her. I was nervous. I thought: 'What does this woman want to learn from me?' In any event, I was determined not to betray any of Ena's secrets regardless of how much her mother seemed to know. I decided to let her speak and not say a word.
'You see, Andrea, I'm not asking you to tell me anything my daughter wanted to keep to herself. You don't need to. Besides, I beg you never to tell Ena everything I know about her. I know her very well and I know how hard she can become sometimes. She'd never forgive me. On the other hand, some day she'll tell me these stories herself. Whenever something happens to Ena, I live for the day when she tells me about it ... She never disappoints me. The day always comes. So I'm asking for your discretion and also for you to listen to me ... I know that Ena often goes to your house and not precisely to visit you ... I know she's been going out with a relative of yours named Román. I know that since she has, her relationship with Jaime has cooled or has ended altogether. Ena herself seems to have changed completely ... Tell me, what's your opinion of your uncle?'
