The Book of Love

1983

"Alfónsin has won the elections," Fina announced as she sat down at the table with a coffee. For a moment she stared out at Toledo from the terrace. "Incredible view. I knew there was a terrace here, but I can't remember ever having set foot on it. Or maybe it has been too long."

Marta smiled as she sipped her own coffee.
"Do you need a jacket?" Fina asked.
"No, gracias, querida, it's warm enough today, at least in the sun." It was an unusually warm and beautiful day for the end of October. Marta stretched her face into the sun and closed her eyes. She should take more time for such moments, she thought. For just sitting in the sun with Fina. Or for taking walks in Madrid, just eating an ice cream together. To talk about everything and nothing, but not about work all the time. It was amazing that they had been able to work together so well all these years, but Marta knew only too well that sometimes they didn't have enough time together without work. And that she was getting older. Which inevitably meant that the time ahead of her was probably shorter than the time behind her. And that also applied to the time with Fina. That was life.

"Have you heard from Luz?"
"The last time was a few days ago. She was fine. I was supposed to give you her regards, but I forgot. She said she was inspired by your commitment to the elections here."
"Does that mean she also slept with as many Argentinians as possible to convince them of the benefits of democracy?"
Marta laughed, but then said with a straight face: "I thought I had convinced you to use other methods."
"Of course, Doña Marta, of course."

"Sorry to disturb you." Andrés entered the balcony. "Are you in a meeting?"
"No, no, we're just having a coffee together," Marta replied.
"I left the export papers on your desk. Will you look at them later?"
"Of course, Andrés. Good luck in Madrid. Are you going out to celebrate afterwards?" Marta smiled encouragingly.
"Maybe not a party, after all, my plane leaves Madrid quite early tomorrow. But a drink won't hurt."
"Bueno. I'd better not send any greetings to María."
Andrés didn't answer, just raised his arm in farewell and left the terrace via the stairs. It was not surprising that he was not in the best of moods.

"What's happening in Madrid today?" Fina asked, knowing that Andrés was leaving for the States tomorrow, but not knowing why he was leaving so early.
"His divorce comes into force today."
"Does it take that long? Didn't he file it as soon as the ink was dry under the law? How long has it been?"
"Two years. The more you fight and the more there is to fight over, the longer it takes. At least that's what I've heard. Becoming a widow goes faster and is cheaper."
"Oy Marta..."
"Sorry. But I think Jaime would get the joke."
"You still haven't spoken to him, have you?"
"To Jaime? That'll be difficult."
"To Andrés!" Fina rolled her eyes.
Marta remained silent and sipped her coffee.

"Ay, Marta, por favor. You promised. He must be wondering why I'm in the house all the time anyway. Why we're sitting here."
"We're sitting here drinking coffee. What's he supposed to wonder?"
"Marta!" Fina's voice took on a hint of impatience.
"He doesn't ask me, I don't ask him – we've been doing it like that for years. Don't ask, don't tell. It works out pretty well."
That was true, but sometimes Marta secretly wished that it were different. That their relationship had changed for the better after the death of their brother and father. That there was at least one family member who really deserved that name.

"What don't you ask him?"
"Who the woman is who's been sneaking out of the house for the last three years."
"What? I haven't noticed anything."
"You're not suffering from early-onset senile bed-wetting like me, and you're not sneaking around the house for a first coffee in the early morning."
"Well, good for him."
"Actually, he's still married. At least for a few more hours."
"Does that bother you?"
Marta gave Fina an almost hurt look. "Of course not. Free country, free love."

"Aha!" Fina stuck out a finger in the air. "So when are you finally going to talk to him?"
Marta sighed. "When he gets back from his trip, I promise."
"I don't quite understand why it's so difficult for you with Andrés. Didn't you always get on better with him than with Jésus?"
"That's true. After our brief separation, he even comforted me. Although, of course, he didn't know what it was really about. He even got me to start writing my diary again. I thought at the time that we would get closer again."
"And what happened then?"
Marta shrugged. „Nothing? I don't know. He was too busy with his own problems, I was too busy with my own problems. Maybe all the things that Jésus did just cost us our general trust. In the end, I was never sure whether I could really rely on him. Whether he would really be at my side. He has definitely inherited the selfish gene of all the de la Reina men. But maybe I'm doing him wrong. We'll see."