Breakfast on Tuesday

33. Gone girl

Dr. Valeria had arranged a wheelchair for Eli since walking was proving to be difficult. I used the short time Dante was gone getting Eli out of his room to say goodbye to Annabella, who had rarely left her room since we arrived at the hotel.

Wearing the most normal looking pajama set, her black hair long and uncombed, her face free of make-up, Annabella seemed so normal, and fragile... and most of all, lonely.

I signed in the doorway that we were leaving.

Annabella smiled tightly, her eyes avoiding mine. She got out of bed slowly and I followed her to where Eli was waiting in the grand living area.

"You have my number, Eli. Call me." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and he looked up at her, surprise glittering in his round eyes.

"I will," he said, his voice rough and low, "but I wouldn't want to give your brother any ideas or a reason to shoot me." Eli watched Dante carefully, but Dante didn't acknowledge him as he continued to stare out of the window, a serious expression on his face.

Annabella's gaze swept from Eli to Dante, and back again. "Big brothers will do what they have to do."

I heard something like disappointment, and maybe contempt in her tone and I wondered what that was about.

"Be safe, Anna," Eli said when I stepped behind his wheelchair and released the brakes.

"Get well soon and take care of Madeleine and Carla. I'm truly sorry about your loss. I will never forget Eduardo and neither should you."

"Thank you. I will call you soon."

Dante moved from the window and pressed the button for the private elevator. I started moving with Eli, but Dante intercepted and took the handlebars, guiding Eli past the open doors with ease.

The doors closed slowly, leaving an unsteady Annabella behind. I waved, and she waved back, staying in place until the doors closed completely and the elevator started its descent.

On our way down, I sensed Dante's eyes on me. I bit my lip and refused to look at him.

"Your notepad, where is it?"

I frowned and pointed at my bag.

"Hand it over. You have some incriminating stuff in there."

Right, like me admitting that I killed Santiago.

"Here," he said after I handed over my notepad. He held out a cream-colored card with gold lettering in return. "She's good."

I sent him a questioning look.

"Dr. Larisa Valez. She's good for your mental health. You can talk to her about everything that happened. The same goes for Eli and Madeleine. I also asked her about you going mute and she says she can help you with that. It would be a shame to never hear your annoying, nosy voice again."

He smiled and it reminded me of winter days when the sun succeeded in breaking through the clouds. I chuckled silently and took the card from him, caressing the thick paper between my fingers.

Dante's eyes warmed at my laughter and I could tell that he was absorbing this final moment between us.

The warmth in his eyes disappeared just as quickly as it came and he looked away, his focus directed at the elevator doors. "Strangely, I find myself missing the chatty version of you and I don't know what that means." He sent me a quick glance as if he was embarrassed to have said that out loud.

"Come on, man, you don't mean that," Eli said. "Mute Carla is amazing. Her listening skills are impeccable. She apologizes when she's wrong instead of getting defensive. The silence is good because it helps her to analyze things internally, and that means peace of mind for us, bro."