Bend, not break

Part 7 - I have to be with her

Despite all the assurances that they would meet each other again soon, Carmen and Claudia's farewell had been tearful. Isidro had stood pensively and watched as Fina had said goodbye to her friends with a long hug. Carmen and Fina in particular had found it difficult to say goodbye.

'I'm going to miss you. Who, if not my best friend, will look after me now and prevent me from doing anything stupid?' said Fina as she finally released herself from Carmen's embrace.

'I wonder that too.' Carmen tried to smile, but she only half succeeded.

Then she said emphatically: 'We'll see each other again, Fina. And we'll talk on the phone every week, right? When I finally find the person I want to spend my life with, I really want to tell you about it.'

Everyone had agreed that whenever the question would arise, Fina would have travelled to a relative on the Atlantic coast to finally recover from the trauma of the attack in the sea air. There she would fall in love with a young man and so the days of her return would be postponed further and further. At some point, an engagement might be on the cards and it would be clear that Fina would not return. Or the relationship with the unknown young man would break up, sadly, sadly, and Fina would return to her father - if she had to. Whether this story would hold up and convince people like Gaspar remained to be seen.

-

Fina and her father spent most of the journey north in silence. They were both lost in thought. Isidro found it difficult to say goodbye to his beloved daughter without knowing when he would see her again. And even Fina, who was feeling an immense sense of anticipation, found it a little hard to say goodbye. It was nowhere near as easy to leave everything behind as she had thought. Even if Marta had been no reason not to leave this time. Leaving friends and family for a future that was not yet written was one of the most difficult decisions she had ever had to make. And even though it didn't hurt as much as the separation from Marta, she still didn't really feel exuberant joy. Perhaps that would change as soon as she saw Marta again.

-

They had arranged to meet in the woods not far from the Belmontes' estate. Perhaps it would seem a little strange if Fina didn't just drive up and arrive, but they walked all the way to the house. But after they had already been cheated out of a goodbye kiss, Marta at least wanted to make sure that they had a moment to themselves when they met again. And the quiet forest provided the perfect, secluded backdrop before they had to be a little more careful on the estate again.

Marta sighed. She hoped that this kind of hide-and-seek wouldn't go on forever, but her thoughts were interrupted by the approaching hum of an engine. Her heart began to pound wildly and she rubbed her hands nervously. It was silly to feel like a young girl before her first date, but that was the way it was. There was nothing she could do about it.

-

Isidro stopped the car a few metres away. Marta's silhouette emerged at the edge of the forest and Fina could already see her smile. As she went to open the door, Isidro grasped her by the shoulder.

'Just a moment, hija. I need to ask you this. Are you sure?' He looked at her with fatherly love. 'I would understand. And I wouldn't hold it against you if you changed your mind now. And I'm sure Doña Marta wouldn't either.'

No, thought Fina, Marta wouldn't. But it would break her heart. Nevertheless, she understood that her father had to ask her this question. Was it all worth it? For a future that still remained in the dark? No one could guarantee that they would be happy. And even the greatest love could collapse under the right circumstances. Nor could she promise her father with certainty that they would be safe.