My Soul - Mi Alma (Ongoing)

5 Mama in the park

Eight o clock the next morning, Carlos was at my door to walk with me over to the Met. He had two take out cups of coffee in his hands and gave me one. I was just home from my morning run with the dogs in the park. I needed to get ready for work.

"Since I couldn't spend the night mi Alma – I thought to bring you morning coffee would be second best." Carlos had a big grin on his face.

I was annoyed. I needed space, Carlos can't just come running into my life after six years and monopolize me. "Thanks for the coffee, Carlos, but if you want to walk with me to work, you have to wait until I'm appropriately dressed. Please don't be all over me at work, you behave like a lovesick 15 years old."

Carlos grinned – "I know when I have to be professional, Alma – I'm just delighted to finally be with you again. I thought you were happy last night as well" he stared me in the eyes, sat down, and sipped his coffee.

Of course, I was happy, I am just not used to this kind of closeness. I heard happy laughter from the kitchen, guess Carlos and Rosa were refreshing memories from Spain. 20 minutes later, we were out the door. I dressed, as usual, in my signature boots and grey jeans. 

Carlos took my hand as we walked over to the park. "When do you think you can come to Madrid? My boys will be home for 10 days, so anytime after that would be fine with me. That would also give me some time to inform my team " he said.

 "I guess I'm good to go in a couple of weeks," I confirmed. We chatted amicably all the way up to the Museum. 

At the coffee machine, the ever-perfect Kelly sent me a disgusted glance – "Hey Kell, what's up?" I tried to cheer up the mood. I met Carlos in the park walking over here," I got my coffee and went to my office. Kelly showed Carlos into the meeting room, I saw she eyed him – but then again, who wouldn't?

Francis and I joined the two of them just minutes after. I felt Kelly was eye-fucking Carlos, and he didn't seem to mind, giving her all kinds of compliments. Jealous? me? Definitely!.

We set up the plan for my work in Madrid, I was leaving in two weeks, just after easter. 

I went back to my office to finish up the projects I had to hand over to others to focus on the Goya exhibition. It was already late afternoon when a text ticked in on my phone 

  Dinner out or in your roof-garden Mi Alma?

That man had some nerve – and I liked it, he got my heart working overtime. Either way, I responded. Rosa is not in tonight, so I need to walk the dogs in the evening. Quick message back– Thai takeout and your place? I confirmed. Ten minutes later, he called – "I'm off now, and can pick up the food – where should we order? Thai Lex on Lexington, it's a short walk from the Museum so I can pick up on my way home," I said, he asked if I wanted him to pick up the food, take the dogs for a walk and meet me at the Museum. My god, we already talk to each other like an old couple! I called Rosa and said Carlos would come over and pick up the dogs around 5 pm. "I know I already talked with him about that this morning," she said in a cheerful voice.

Hey! This is going way too fast for me, maybe people in Spain think this is fine. I don't. I don't like people making decisions above my head – I need to be part of the process – at least as long as it has something to do with my life and my well being. 

At 5:30 Carlos texted that he, the food and the dogs were in the park, just across from the Museum. I closed my computer, picked up my bag, and left the office. On a park bench, I saw Carlos sitting and speaking to a lady I knew very well. In her vivid pink coat and her beautiful gray curls hanging down her back, she wasn't exactly easy to miss  – my mama!