Café Rouge

Chapter 24: Forecast of Dark Clouds and Storms

Chapter 24

Who would have thought that such a small scrap of paper could weigh so heavily on a man's conscience?

All day, it's all Carlos can concentrate on; as he stacked Lola's important documents and photos, as he returned to the office and even as he drives back to the apartment.

He can't not tell Lola about her father because the very thought leaves a sour taste in his mouth and even contemplating doing that while she's so happy in her innocence makes him want to stab himself. How can he kiss her, sleep in the same bed as her, gain comfort from her very being when it is all a colossal lie? And the truth always comes out. Maybe not today or even in a week's time but sooner or later it will reveal itself and in that moment, Lola will hate him far greater than she will ever have, but more importantly, she will hate herself for trusting him for far longer.

 
The right option is clearly to tell her the truth. Something which he should have done in that first moment of meeting her rather than being swept up by her innocence and beauty. Had he revealed then that he was there to kill both her and her father, maybe the deed would have been done and she would be saved all...this. Now, to tell her that her father is dead will wreck her. And by his hands? God...He doesn't even want to think about how she'll react to him.
However that-the anger-he can deal with. Whatever she feels or does to him, he can take but if she turned it on herself...That would be the worst thing she could do. He can't go through another Valentina. He can't go through another woman he cares for destroying herself and thus him. Everything that happens, everything she throws at him, he'll deal with but he won't let her leave him alone in this. They've come too far and he's enjoying the release from his father too much to allow his one anchor to break.


 

Carlos pats the breast pocket that stores that vital information before entering his home; once a safe haven, he knows it will pretty soon shift into a war zone.
"Lola," he calls coarsely, taking a seat on the couch and gesturing her over.
God, she looks beautiful. An angel. In that chiffon dress with her hair like those 60s Bardot style.
"What is it? Is everything okay? You seem a little tense," she comments smiling brightly rubbing the ever-present knots in his shoulders.

He shakes her off and he knows that the gesture hurts her but it's nothing compared to what's about to come.
"Lola...There's something you need to know..."
"What? What is it? Did something happen again with your father?"
"No...but it did with yours."
He knows the build up is strong and perhaps he should just rip it off like a plaster but...saying he killed her father is too much at once. He needs to slowly ease her into it.
"Oh my God," she exhales, "what did he do now? I told him not to go to the Don. I told him to just stay out of-"

"He's dead, Lola."

She heard it right. She knows she's heard it right but it just seems so impossible her mind rejects the idea instantly. Her father's not dead. That's not true. He must be mistaken. She spoke to him just a few weeks ago.


"Piccola," whispers Carlos in her ear as he has her gathered in his arms.
Her head burrows against his thick shoulder as the tears she didn't realise were flowing soak through his shirt.
"He can't be Carlos. You-you must have heard it wrong. He's not-he can't be-"


 Lola breaks down into sobs. The loss of her parent, the only family she's known and in many aspects her best friend, almost unbearable. It's just...wrong! For so long her father has protected her and her him. They had each other. He taught her the meaning of independence, of living with less and love. An unconditional love that despite being disappointed in her for being caught on school property trying her first cigarette, allowed her to go on that camping trip she'd been looking forward to for months. So many memories flash by; both happy and sad. Yet to imagine that she'd never be able to experience another one is...inconceivable. She'll never be able to hug him again, tell him she loves him, and hear it from him.