Cry For Me

Chapter 2

“I’m pregnant,” Ximena exclaimed in glee, shocking almost everybody at the table. She smiled brightly, before Adriano placed a passionate kiss on her cheek.

Nobody spoke for some seconds, all probably trying to digest the new piece of information. “Congratulations I guess,” Salvador muttered, tone bored as he raised his glass of water towards the happy couple. 

Dolores looked at a loss for words. “Wow, mi amor. This is great news. I’m so happy that you’re starting your family. I can’t believe I’m going to be a grandmother!” she clapped in merriment but her callous words brought a frown on Andrea’s face.

Still trying to moon over the fact that she will be pregnant at the same time as her sister, Andrea smiled tightly even though what she really wanted to do was pour her glass of cranberry juice in Ximena and Adriano’s faces. They seemed like the picture-perfect couple, and it sickened her. Her face was probably green with envy. Ximena was being praised for conceiving, but she had been basically ostracized! How unfair!

Emilio cleared his throat, his face stoic as always. “So good to hear that you’re going to have an heir. It’s very commendable,” he droned in a business-like tone, earning a glare from his wife.

Dolores tsked. “Emilio, must you look at everything from an executive point of view?” she asked him in disbelief.

Adriano had a sheepish smile on his face. “Thank you, I guess. I’m not sure if that’s what we were going for but it is better than your usual cold shoulder,” he mumbled and Ximena nudged his chest with her elbow. 

Ximena looked at Andrea. “Hermana, aren’t you going to say anything? You don’t seem too well,” she trailed off in a worried voice. I’m not happy about this but you don’t have to know that, thank you very much.

Salvador snorted and took another bite of his rib eye steak. “Don’t mind her, that’s just the face she makes when she’s trying to hold in a fart,” he said and in return received a smack on the back of the head from Andrea, who just so happened to be seated next to him. He rubbed his aching spot whilst scowling at her.

“Not at all, sis. I’m actually very glad that we are going to make each other aunties. It’s the best news I’ve received all day!” she said in a rather artificially sweetened manner. Ximena, not sensing this, smiled at her younger sister with joy swimming in her aquamarine eyes.

“Great, so glad we’re on the same page. We could have a joint baby shower and even dress our babies in matching outfits! We can shop for baby clothes, strollers and-,”

Adriano shushed her. “Baby, relax. You’re thinking ahead and you’re barely far along. Besides, I think you’re starting to scare Andrea,” he cooed at her in a soft voice, briefly glancing at Andrea. She nodded discretely at him as a way of saying thanks, and he winked back. Finally, somebody who understands me.

“Whilst we’re on the matter, have you talked to your fiancé lately?” Emilio asked Andrea, his eyes two icicles that made shivers run down her spine. He hadn’t been really kind to her ever since she told him about the pregnancy and it made her feel very sad. 

Andrea bit her lip and shook her head. The truth is, she rarely talked to Omar or in other words, he rarely ever responded to her messages. God only knew where he was and what on earth he was up to. Does he not care about me that much? The thought made her heart constrict painfully.

He then looked at Adriano. “What about you, Dos Santos? Any idea where the bastard who deflowered my daughter is?” he seethed lowly, no doubt mentally devising ways to obliterate Omar Pedrad. 

“Last time I saw him was a few nights back. We went to Santiago’s club for some drinks. He didn’t look to great. Something about his family giving him hell,” Adriano replied almost immediately, not missing a beat. It had been a while since Emilio had accepted his marriage to Ximena but there was still some unspoken tension between the two.