The Many Layers Of Isabel

Chapter 7 - The Journey Can Finally Begin

There is a comforting silence as Sergio drives through the motorway. With neither of them saying much, they let the sounds of the car’s engine fill the silence. They have been on the road for an hour already and with a slight traffic jam going on, it seems like they’ll be there for more hours to come. Isabel finds this silence a blessing. Although she had slept restfully last night, there is still a sense of exhaustion in her. Moving into a more comfortable position, she looks up at Sergio who is busy concentrating on his driving more than anything else. He senses her looking at him and takes his eyes off the road for a second to glance at her. He gives her a half smile and turns his attention to the road. She can’t help but feel responsible for dragging Sergio into her own problems but to her, it was like she could somehow let him into small sections of her life. She feels annoyed at herself for not trusting Dina like that seeing as she was the first person Isabel described as a friend but for some reason, she didn’t want Dina to know her as Sergio does. Dina had given her a quick text last night, asking her if she was feeling any better. As cliché as it sounded, she replied back with the usual “I am fine” response. But she knew she wasn’t. Isabel lets a loud sigh out, crossing her legs again and plays with her necklace which she always touches when she was feeling the nerves. That necklace is the most precious item she would ever own. She couldn’t even start to explain its significance if one were to ask. The necklace is engraved with her daughter’s birthdate and a photo of her, in her red mini dress, beaming at the camera, hidden away in a locket, the shape of a small circle. Sergio notices Isabel distracted and tries to spark a conversation.

“Cute necklace,” he says, trying to sound as cheery as he could manage. Isabel immediately stops touching her necklace and lets her arms fall by her sides.

“Thanks,” she answers back.

“What’s in the locket?” he asks curiously.

“Nothing!” she snaps. “Uh, I mean, nothing is in it. Just a necklace.”

Sergio’s facial expression changes to confusion.

“Right.”

The situation returns back to Sergio driving in silence and Isabel looking on ahead, pretending to be alert but isn’t really. She knows she is few hours away from Rafael. A fiancé she hadn’t seen in 2 years. With the initial awkwardness aside, she had no clue what to expect. It was hard enough for her to know that the prospect of meeting him is near but finding out he may not be how she remembers him is frightening. Sergio interrupts the silence once again.

“So what did you say you are going to do today again?”

She felt she was blessed when Sergio was quick to help her and she was grateful he wasn’t one to ask many questions so she is surprised when he asks her about her plans again. For all she cared, he knows what he should know. But then, he is offering some time of his busy day to help her even if he is an entrepreneur who can appoint anyone to roles while he isn’t present. She hadn’t even thought of what Sergio would do once they arrive at her destination.

“Well, I told you didn’t I? I am meeting a friend who I haven’t seen in such a long time.”

“I know that. But how come you haven’t been in contact. What happened?”

That question hurt. She finds herself asking that every day and it is a question she was hungry to find its answer to. What had actually happened between them? She thought she was in a “safe” relationship and counted her blessings every day until it all changed. So she didn’t have an answer for Sergio. She is in the dark as much as he is. So until everything is clear to her, she will be asking the same question as him.

“I don’t know,” she replies, looking uncomfortable.

“What do you mean you don’t know,” he asks baffled.