Café Rouge

Chapter 22: Blackmail and Bunker

Chapter 22

Joseph leaves early, sooner than Carlos arrives, leaving Lola with a gnawing sensation at her stomach. She's itchy and as much as she tries she just can't seem to sit still on the couch and pay attention to one of her normally favourite dramas. As it cuts to commercials, Lola leaps to her feet riffling through the kitchen to find something to perhaps help her relax. Her hands land on a rich red wine and with little regard to the label and brand, she pops it open and pours herself a generous glass.

It's certainly an improvement. Her mind may be a bit fuzzy but at least that means that her thoughts are finally subdued and not rattling around in there. She takes another sip, the drowsiness slowly starting to kick in as her head rolls to the side. A quick glance at the clock with its blurred numbers tell her that actually, it's not that late, but Lola just wants to call it a night anyway and slip off into the sweet embrace of sleep.
That is until she hears the front door swinging open. She perks up, head snapping to the entrance where Carlos locks up and strides towards her.

"Hey," he greets slipping off his coat and lowering himself onto the couch beside her.
"Hi," she exhales gulping lightly as she feels those emotions bubbling to the top of her. The normal filter dissolved by the wine.
"So, how was it?" she manages to choke out.
A gentle, tight smile tugs at Carlos's lips as he states, "good. She's...she's on the same page as me. She doesn't want this anymore than I do and we've-we think- we may have a possible way out of this."
She chews on her lips. Confused on her feelings of that piece of information. At least it's a good thing that this girl doesn't want this wedding either but how good is it really to have them working together? Will she get to be in the loop? What if their plan fails?
"What is it?" asks Lola lips pursing sceptically.

Carlos holds her gaze for a moment, noting the glaze to her eyes and the half empty wine glass.
"Later. I'll tell you everything tomorrow. Right now, I think we both need to go to bed," he urges, gently shifting her into his arms.
She slumps against his chest without much resistance, her fingers clutching the material of his shirt as she nestles herself against him.
"Carlos," she mumbles against his beating heart.
"Yes piccola," he whispers back, arms winding around her, encasing them in their own bubble.
"I don't how to do this...I can't-I can't just sit on the side-lines watching you make wedding plans with someone else. It...It hurts too much Carlos," she admits.

He doesn't know what to say to that. What can he say to that? He refuses to make promises he can't keep but her words make his heart clench in a way it's never done before. That sorrow, he wants to take it away, but he can't. Not without hurting her worse than the emotional damage he's doing. Too deep. They're in this too deep and now they're drowning.
"I know. I know sweetheart and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he breathes against the top of her head, unable to offer any other solstice except that.
A moment of silence passes between them as Lola grapples with her emotions. She turns her head further against his chest and mutters, "let's just go to bed, Carlos."

*****************

There's a dull throb against her skull the next morning and a dry mouth to accompany it. Lola groans lowly as she straddles to the bathroom and does her business.
Making her way into the kitchen she sees Carlos already there, frying some delicious bacon. It's a food that he avoids at all costs, and unless they're having guests there's only one person who he's cooking that for and she is very grateful. First though, is the strong coffee, which certainly perks her up in minutes.
"Thank you," she sighs as he plates up the high-cholesterol meal and delivers it to her.

"Did Joseph keep you company," he asks joining her for coffee as he's already had his breakfast.
"Oh yeah, but he had to leave early. Something about a morning flight," she replies between large bites of heavenly food.
"Okay, so what did you two do?"
Lola rises an eyebrow at him, "had dinner. But never-mind my night, let's talk about yours. I wasn't so out of it I don't remember you mentioning some sort of vague plan."