When in Argentina

Chapter Seven

The trouble with love is

It can tear you up inside

Kelly Clarkson – The Trouble with Love is

I was stuck in the ladies’ room of La Bella Luna restaurant in downtown Palermo for close to an hour. Yes, almost an hour! How could I be stuck in there for almost an hour when it was just a simple door barring my exit? It was just my luck that no one wandered to the bathroom for at least twenty minutes when I was stuck in there. The first few minutes of the those twenty minutes I had calmly assured myself that someone was going to need to use the ladies’ room.

The restaurant had been relatively packed tonight after all. Among the guests, there must be a woman whose bladder needed relief. But when ten minutes passed by and not a single soul appeared, I contemplated just to start pounding on the door, hoping to catch someone’s attention. Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to do that. The only thing keeping me from flying with my fists on the door was the fact that afterwards, I would be completely embarrassed. So I waited. And waited. As it was nearing the twenty-minute mark, I was actually beginning to wonder if mom and the rest at the table had completely forgotten of my absence. But alas, hope came in the form of two voices nearing the bathroom, talking rapidly and giggling quietly as they walked through the narrow hallway nearing the bathroom. The minute I heard the shove and ‘omph’ from someone behind the door, I knew salvation had finally come. Quickly explaining to the two ladies, in English, that the door was stuck and that they should fend for help, I thought that in another five minutes, I would be out of there. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. The Maître d’ rushed to the door in a manner of seconds and was asking short, anxious questions. As the ladies calmly explained, I pushed myself against the door to hear what they were saying. Coming to a decision to this dilemma, he said to me, “Please, Miss, hold on. Do not go anywhere.” At that moment, I could only stare at the door in wonder and disbelief. Where else would I go? There wasn’t a hole in the wall where I would disappear through.

A couple of minutes later, the maître d’ returned, and by the foreign male voices in the background, I guessed he had gone to fetch help. Once again, my hopes of being liberated from the poorly decorated bathroom were shattered when the maître d’ announced that help was on the way. “He will be here in fifteen minutes. Tops.” Apparently, the restaurant didn’t have the tools, or personnel, required to help me get out of here.

My mother must’ve finally realized my absence, for around ten minutes later, I heard her voice among those outside. “Dahlia?”

I heard the maître d’ recount the situation to her, and heard her step closer to the door. “Dahl, are you okay in there?”

“Peachy keen.” Had been my curt answer.

Fifteen, twenty, and then twenty minutes had passed before someone finally came and another five minutes before I was finally liberated.

It was safe to say that after 50 minutes in that tiny bathroom, I was not only entirely famished, but had no longer the desire to sit through dinner. All I wanted to do, even with my stomach growling, was go back to the Alvarez’ house, crawl in my bed, and sleep. The minute I appeared at the table and saw the food displayed, my stomach decided for me, and I sat down and quietly ate my dinner.

By the time we left the restaurant it was way past eleven. Wanting to avoid the previous pandemonium the family had gone through when they first approached the restaurant, Isabel and Paolo thought it would be smart if they leave the premises first, and lured the paparazzi away from the restaurant. The plan worked. We left the restaurant without once being bothered by flashing lights or meddling men hovering around us as they asked a million questions about Isabel or Paolo. Anna was half-asleep when we returned to the house, and had to lean against Daniel for support lest she fall asleep as she ascended the stairs. The five of us – Megan, Daniel, Mom, Nico and myself – sat for a while in the living room, where a bit more catching up was done. More laughs followed as we reminisced about time long gone. Of course there was mention of all the trouble us kids had been in, and embarrassingly enough, most of the misadventures discussed involved Alex and yours truly.

Speaking of Alex, he was MIA during dinner as well. Isabel had asked about him during dinner, and Megan only sighed in response.

“I’ve called and left a ton of messages.” Nico offered with an apologetic smile. And up until midnight, when Mom excused herself to go to her room, and Megan and David did the same, no one had heard from Alex at all. It well past midnight when everyone retreated to bed, but Nico apparently wasn’t as tired as everyone else; he announced that he was going out to meet up with friends for drinks. He kindly asked if I wanted to tag along, but I declined, saying I was too tired to muster enough strength to head out. It’d been a long day after all. Promising that I’d go out with him a next time, we parted ways.

Even though I had fallen asleep the minute my head touched the pillow, miraculously I was already wide-awake at 5.30. Yesterday had been an excruciatingly long day, and I had not even noticed how tired I really was until I snuggled comfortably on the bed in Isabel’s old room.

By six, after 30 minutes of staring at the ceiling, I decided to just go on ahead and take a shower. I made the bed, picked out my clothes for the day, and left the room. The minute I stepped foot out into the hall I realized that I was probably the only one up at this hour. I didn’t hear a peep. I looked at the closed doors lining either side of the hall and tried to listen for any sign of life. I found none.

Mom was down the far right of the hall, while Anna’s room was closest to the guest room. Next to Anna’s room was Isabel’s old bedroom, my room for the duration of the stay, followed by Nico’s room and lastly at the end of the hall, to my far left, Alex’ room. Daniel and Megan’s room was on the ground floor. There were two bathrooms on this floor; one accessible through the guest room, and the other and the other one between Alex and Nico’s room. If Mom were up, I would’ve used the bathroom adjoining the guest room. Instead I opted for the one at the left end of the hall.

I didn’t know how long until anyone would be up. After my shower, if anyone wasn’t up yet, I could finally get around to emptying my suitcase. The dresses were the only articles of clothing that I had hung in the closet, and there was still a suitcase filled with clothes to hang or put away. And if no one were up by then, I would finally get around to start reading that book I’d bought almost six months ago. Friends had suggested it, and I’d heard great things about it, but I never had the time to actually start reading it. It lay in my living room in between my collection of books for months. When I was packing for this trip I thought I’d bring it with me. A thirteen-hour long flight was in the works, and I thought for sure that book would come in handy then. That flight had come and gone, and the book was completely disregarded by my part. It stayed nestled between my other belongings in my carry-on luggage for the duration of that flight and not once did it cross my mind to actually take hold of it and read it. I suppose I could finally start reading it today.

I reached for the doorknob, only absently realizing I heard something and thinking that maybe Daniel and Megan were finally up. When I turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, however, I realized why exactly the noise had sounded so close. Stupidly, I was too far off thinking about what to do until the rest of the house would be up to realize that someone was in the bathroom. Even when the damp air hit me straight in the face I didn’t fully realize the situation I was in. By the time I opened the door it was too late. My eyes fell on a very naked backside.

In that moment it took maybe three seconds until it finally dawned upon me that I had walked in on someone, and another four to realize whom exactly I had walked in on. It transpired in less than 10 seconds, but those seconds dragged on forever it seemed as my eyes slowly raked over the naked form, taking in the smooth back and creamy colour of his skin. Just as my eyes fell on the dripping black hair, Alex Alvarez turned towards me, realizing someone had opened the bathroom door. With his very naked back still to me, he turned his neck and locked eyes with me. The moment those intense brown orbs connected with my eyes is when I finally realized what kind of situation I was in.

A surprised yelp left my lips as I recoiled, taking a step back, and covered my entire face with the clothes and towel I held in my hands.

“I am so sorry!” I managed to say, voice trembling, “I didn’t know anyone was in here.”

I heard shuffling and desperately wanted to take a peek. Not to ogle at Alex Alvarez’ naked body, but simply to see if he had covered himself.

“Didn’t bother to knock?”

Only absently did I grasp that I hadn’t heard Alex’ voice in years, and that the voice I had in my head was long gone. The pre-pubescent voice was now replaced by a gruff and strong baritone voice. A man’s voice. However at the moment, the tone of voice he used irked me. Condescending with a tinge of smugness. My temper flared automatically. Still holding the clothes in front of my face, I spoke, “The door was unlocked. I didn’t hear the water running. How could I possibly know someone was in here?”

“Normal people knock.”

“Normal people lock their doors.”

“Not when they’re in their own house.”

“Did it slip your mind that you’re not exactly alone in the house? Or are you and the rest nudists? Is walking around naked a normal thing for the Alvarez family? Because if not, I don’t think your mother or little sister would appreciate walking in on you completely naked.”

It was quiet for a few seconds, and I was once again tempted to take a peek. His silence fuelled my curiosity. Was he still naked? Was he laughing at me? Was he glaring at me? Was he ignoring me? If he was ignoring me, then why the hell was I still doing standing here like an idiot?

“Could you please cover yourself? I feel like an idiot talking to you through fabric!”

A chuckle resonated through the bathroom, “I’m already covered, princess.”

Tentatively, I removed the clothes from my face and although seeing him in just a towel did not help my resolve, it was better than being in his presence while he was completely nude.

Clad only in a flimsy red towel wrapped around his waist, and dear heavens but that towel hung way too low on him, I tried not to blush at the sight of his naked chest.

It was hard to concentrate, what with Alex standing there half-naked and eyeing me with such fervour in his eyes. He didn’t hide the fact that he was openly checking me out. I felt his eyes as they roamed over my pyjama-clad body and couldn’t help but think he had some audacity to do so.

It wasn’t as if a complete stranger stood in front of him. His mother had surely shared pictures of my family with them, and seeing me all grown-up must not come as such a shock to him.

From the pictures I had seen of him, seeing him right now in front of me in the flesh, there were no big differences. Except for the facial hair that now adorned his face.

And like Nicholas’ comment earlier, I noted that Alex was about two inches smaller than Nicholas.

He looked more and more like his father, I realized. The way his eyebrow arched slightly over his eyes, the shape of his eyes, and the angular turn his nose made; all qualities he inherited from Daniel. But of course, there were some of Megan in him too. The smile reminded me too much of the matriarch of the Alvarez family.

“Well, well, Miss Clarke,” the smirk was still visibly there as his eyes continued to rake over me, “I’ve gotta say, Nicolas was right. You’re absolutely gorgeous.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I had to fight the urge to look away from him. Instead I stood my ground and locked eyes with him. “And you’re still full of yourself.”

He let out a deep chuckle and moved towards the sink. “This kind of cockiness is not something you outgrow once puberty hits. On the contrary, it just intensifies.” If it was possible, the smirk grew.

“Fifteen years later and for some inexplicable reason we’re still trying to bite each other’s head off.” I mused as my eyes followed his every move.

“Unfortunately, my dashing personality and your prudish behaviour clash, darling. It always has and probably always will.”

Prudish? He’s deduced my personality in the five minutes that I’ve been standing here before him? A familiar, yet slightly foreign feeling, something I haven’t felt in a long time prickled at the back of my neck and I fought the urge to rub the skin there.

“C’mon princess, get that glare from that pretty face of yours.” Alex said as he grabbed a comb and started combing through his wet hair, droplets of water falling in the sink. Even after combing through it, the strands wouldn’t stay straight, instead bouncing back into slight curls. “Imagine the kick my mother and yours will get when I tell them of our reunion. I’m sure they’ll be planning our wedding next.”

Mom and Megan, unfortunately, have had this hysterical idea since Alex and I were little that the two of us would be married someday. Even as Alex and I grew to hate each other, physically and emotionally torment each other, they still pressed on; Alex and Dahlia were going to marry each other. It was a common joke though between Mom and Megan after they moved to Argentina. Mom would be on the phone, telling Megan an important event in her daughter’s life – my very first date – and she’d giggle and say ‘Oh but that Jason boy is nice. It won’t last. It’s only her first date! They’ll break up in a week because one of them didn’t return the other’s phone call, and Dahlia will move on. Of course, she’ll end up with your Alex! Imagine the babies they will make.’

As a pubescent girl on the eve of her very first date, butterflies swarming in her stomach, constantly checking the mirror to see if her hair was still as immaculate as it was five minutes ago, hearing this conversation did nothing to ease my nerves.

“I heard a funny story last night. Or rather, early this morning,” Alex began as he eased the comb through his hair, “Something about you being stuck in a bathroom for an hour?”

Despite the fact that the situation was nothing to be embarrassed about – scenarios like the one I went through last night happen often and to anyone! – I felt a blush creep its way to my face. “Who told you that?”

“Santa Clause,” Alex retorted curtly, “Who do you think? Nico.”

I frowned. “When did you see Nico?”

“Last night. He met up with us at a bar last night.”

I frowned, again. “Let me get this straight, last night, when your mother was calling you every five minutes, trying to get a hold of you, you were off at a bar?”

Turning to me, he put the comb down, and locking gazes with me, raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t hear the phone over the loud music, princess, but from now on I promise to check my phone constantly to see if mother dearest beckons.”

“That’s not what I meant. You knew that we were arriving yesterday, you knew about the dinner, yet you went out and partied with friends?” I could feel my temper flaring again.

“Sorry I wasn’t there to greet you with flowers and a banner, princess, but some of us had to work. You know, real jobs. Real, paying jobs.”

For some reason, I felt he was referring to me. “What is that supposed to mean?”

A tiny smirk played at his lips, “It means whatever you want it to mean, princess.”

“Wait, don’t change the subject.” I said holding up a hand, “Answer my question. My first question.”

“Your first question? The first question you ever asked me? I remember it well. You asked about my weewee…”

If it was possible, my eyes felt like they would pop out of my eyes, while my face grew hotter and hotter.

“Oh, you mean why I wasn’t there last night? Let’s just say that I wasn’t in the mood for a happy reunion.”

Taking deep breaths to calm my erratic nerves, I tried hard not to leap forward and smack him.

“My mother could not stop talking about you for the past month. Oh how happy she was to see her precious godson. After fifteen years, she’ll finally see her godson again. And you knew how excited she was to see you. Don’t even try to deny it. Megan said she reminded you daily. Yet, you selfishly decided to go out?”

“If I answer yes, do I win a prize for telling the truth?”

My grip on the clothes in my hand tightened. I was afraid I would actually slap the guy. I really was. How dare he! Megan had gone on and on about how she had made him promise to be there when we got here, because she had known how excited mom had been to see Alex. Yet, knowing this, he simply decided to skip dinner and go ahead to party? But after years and years of verbal spats with Alex, I had a feeling that it would be useless to start one now. So instead, I changed topics.

“Are you done? Can’t you comb your hair in your room? I need to use the bathroom.”

Alex had, as I was told by Nico earlier, moved out when he was 21 but a couple of years later, after having lost one of his jobs and being evicted from his apartment, moved back in to the family home, retaking his old room. I couldn’t imagine still be living at home at 25, but then again, after the stories I’ve heard, it didn’t surprise me that Alex still was.

“Since you asked so nicely,” Alex drawled, but continued to comb his hair nonetheless, not showing any signs of moving any time soon.

Moving further into the bathroom, I closed the lid of the toilet and dropped my clothes on it. “Do you have to be such an ass?”

“Only when badgered, sweetheart.”

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair in a gesture of frustration. “Fine, if you won’t leave, then I hope you won’t mind if I start undressing and jump in the shower?”

Any normal, decent guy would take this as their cue to leave. But I forgot that Alex never was a normal or decent guy. Instead, he turned towards me and leaning on the sink, crossed his arms in front of his naked chest and smirked.

“Well woo-wee, this must be my birthday,” he drawled in a fake accent associated with the southern part of the US, “if I were to get a free striptease right here in my bathroom. Oh happy day!”

My temper flared again, and I decided it was too early to wage a full on war with Alex Alvarez. I was a mature twenty-three year-old who did not resort to wet willies or noogies to settle a conflict. Nor did I result to punching someone. Young Dahlia would’ve but not mature and responsible Dahlia. Instead, I took the high road. Grabbing my stuff, I gave Alex one last fierce look before marching outside.

“Oh c’mon Dahlia. The last time I saw you naked you didn’t have boobs yet!” I heard his playful voice behind me as I marched towards my room. I had the urge to slam the door shut, but remembering that there were people still sleeping, I let it click behind me quietly.

Author's Note:

I'm supposed to be studying for a phonetics exam I have tomorrow morning. Instead, I shoved my notes aside, and decided to wrap up this chapter. It had been sitting half-done in my files for the past month, yet I couldn't get myself to finish it. But now, that I'm supposed to be studying, I end up writing. I am the poster child for procrastination, people!

A quick thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Muchas gracias! I'll reply to everyone later when I have the chance. This chapter hasn't been fully proofread either. I apologize for any silly and stupid mistakes here and there.

peace out!