+ cuatro
"si yo fuera rey, todo daria yo. solo por tenerte cerca, muy cerca de mi."
"if i were king, i'd give it all. just to have you close, very close to me."
-
"We should probably head back now." Enrique suggested, looking from me to Dieter with some amount of evident discomfort. There he was, most likely feeling vulnerable, with his daughter in his arms while his son was in the care of a person he had just met that day.
My expression dropped instantly at his words. "But we just got here. And I was just about to take little Luis for a walk around the park."
Dieter stood by on the side, watching the two of us have a conversation without saying a word. "I'm kind of tired and want to go back home." Enrique insisted.
I finally nodded, understanding what he meant. He was the one driving and I didn't want him tired at the wheel, putting the kids in danger. Plus, he was my employer and I knew it wasn't correct of me to challenge his decisions like that. Gathering Luis Enrique's diaper bag which was rested on the park bench and strapping the little boy into the stroller, I turned back to Dieter. "It was so nice to meet you." I told him with a warm smile. "I hope I can see you again."
"Let me have your phone number." He blurted out nervously. "Or your address so I can write you a letter."
I smiled wide and pulled out a pen and a shred of paper from a small notebook I carried in my purse. I jotted down the phone number to Silvia and Enrique's home quickly and handed it to him.
I watched him slip the piece of paper into his jacket pocket and then I walked away with Enrique, who seemed almost rushed to leave the park. "Wait!" I huffed, trailing behind him while pushing Luis in his stroller.
He whipped around, eyeing me with an upset look in his eyes. "What do you think you were doing back there?" He asked me, voice dripping with annoyance.
"You mean with Dieter?" I argued back, my shyness from earlier suddenly gone and now I was feeling brave. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't know that by taking this job I had to give up my social life." The very instant the words left my mouth were the same instant I regretted saying them. If I didn't lose my job after speaking to him like that, then he was either a saint or just very desperate to learn English.
"You could have put my son in danger and I don't think you even realize it. I think I was right when I questioned Silvia about you being right for the job." He spat, ignoring the fact that I had just disrespected him as my employer.
I gasped, outraged that he would doubt my judgement on people. Outraged that he would think I'd put a baby in harm's way. "He is my responsibility. I would never let anyone hurt him."
We reached his black convertible in the parking lot. He was quick to strap Alejandra into her seat while I did the same with Luis. Then the two of us put their toys and stroller in the trunk, while never uttering a word to each other.
Because the two children were on either side of the back seat and I couldn't sit between them, I had to take the passenger seat next to Enrique. But I made a point to show him my anger when I crossed my arms over my chest. A small part of me, the more rational part, knew that I was the one who was wrong. But I knew I could never accept it. He already doubted my ability to do my job and I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of him hearing it from my own lips.
"I know you want to find any excuse to fire me, so just do it." I muttered, but it was just loud enough for him to catch it.
With my eyebrows knitted together in anger, he finally realized he was being a bit unfair. He immediately started to apologize, "I'm sorry Anna Belen." He heaved a tired sigh, keeping his eyes trained on the road as he spoke. "I just haven't been in the best mood these past few months. Its immature to take it out on you."
