Cry For Me

Chapter 11

“I don’t understand what the point of all of this is,” Dolores grumbled and placed her leg over the other in an attempt to seem perfectly calm, but subsequently failing. She certainly had not pictured that this is the way she would be beginning her Saturday morning.

Emilio nodded in agreement. “I concur, this is not even necessary in the slightest,” he added gruffly from where he sat about three feet away from his wife on the couch. For once, he was at the receiving end of so many glares that it almost, almost, made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

Ximena cleared her throat before speaking. “We have called this intervention, if you will, because it has come to my attention that you both have been quarrelling for the past couple of days. I think it’s time that we brought the matter to light, no?” In sync, her parents’ lips thinned into mere grim lines, neither one of them willing to speak. “Mum, why don’t you start. Tell us why this little spat of yours occurred.”

Dolores rolled her eyes. “Well, none of this wouldn’t have happened if your father hadn’t been such a pain in the a-,” she fell short when Salvador shot her a warning look.

“Mum, play nice. This is not a blame game. We just want to hear your side of the story,” he muttered, and she huffed in annoyance before continuing.

“As I was saying, I just think that your father ought to give me a little input every now and then. We’re a team, and I cannot help but feel like he doesn’t care about what he thinks. He thinks that I’m just a pretty face without a brain,” she trailed of sadly, briefly glancing at her husband.

Adriano nodded his head at her words. “We understand where you’re coming from Dolores. Good job on airing your thoughts so eloquently. Now we move on to you Mr. Dos Ramos. What do you have to say in response to this?” he said to Emilio, who was staring at anything else but them.

When he didn’t speak, Andrea did. “Dad, come on. Don’t be such a jerk,” she said in frustration. It wasn’t the only reason she was feeling irked; that was due to a myriad of reasons but for the sake of her parents’ reconciliation, she had to remain focused.

Emilio sighed and turned to his wife. “Lola, I’m sorry. I had no idea you felt that way. I guess that I’ve gotten used to running a huge cooperation without asking for anyone’s opinion most of the time, I forgot to run it by you first. I know I’m an impossible man to be around, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about what you think. You’re not just another pretty face; I love you for your wisdom, your courage, your intelligence and your kindness. I love you very much mi amor,” he told her in a gentle voice, making Dolores smile with each word that he uttered. “Can you ever forgive me?”

To answer his question, she closed the distance between them and planted her lips onto his, which he gladly reciprocated with a passionate embrace. They soon forgot that they were in the company of their children, and got carried away. Salvador had to rise from his seat and pull them apart. “Okay, enough of that. We still would like to use our eyes, thank you very much,” he droned sardonically, earning a laugh from Adriano. “So, mum, do you forgive dad?” he asked her.

Dolores cupped Emilio’s face. “How can I stay mad at my spicy papi forever? Honey, you can be a real idiot sometimes, but just promise me that the next time you make major decisions, you’ll involve me. And, I love you too Emi, very very much!” she spoke to him with so much affection, that it melted almost everyone else’s heart.

“I hope that our love only grows stronger like theirs,” Adriano muttered as he watched, and wrapped his arm around his wife, who snuggled into his side.

Ximena kissed his cheek. “I know it will.”

Everybody is all loved up today, and meanwhile, I’m over here stewing in unbridled anger, Andrea thought with a frown as she sat on the one-seater.