My Soul - Mi Alma (Ongoing)

7 The dinner

I woke up with Carlos's arms tight around me. Oh my god – What will Rosa say when she sees him here? I had no time to worry about Rosa – I was late for work. It was already 7:30. "Carlos, I have no time to walk the dogs this morning – do you have any plans today, or do you mind?"

He looked at me with sleepy eyes saying – "hey, is this a way to wake up your passionate, male chauvinist, Latin lover?"

"I'm late for work, Carlos. I have to get ready and run."  I was frustrated. "I'm sure good old Francis will accept that his favorite curator comes in a bit late today" – Carlos didn't move his arms from my torso.

 "Seriously, Carlos, I have to go. I'm sure you can get a cup of coffee from Rosa – and find a good excuse for why you are still here."

He lets me go, and I rushed into the shower – and got dressed. I ran downstairs and heard voices in the kitchen – mama was there.

I rushed back upstairs and asked Carlos to hide – "mama alarm," I whispered. "My mama is in the kitchen with Rosa.  I felt like we were 16 years old being busted by my parents making out. This was actually worse, I'm 28 and married, having another man in my bed, and my mama is in the kitchen with my housekeeper.

I ran downstairs – "Mama! What a surprise, what are you doing here so early?" She looked at me with her big brown eyes and told me that since I didn't answer my phone last night, she wanted to check if everything was all right – she was out walking the dog anyway. I sat down and had a cup of coffee with the two women, and talked mama into walking home with me since her house was on my way to work anyhow. Disaster avoided – I think.

We walk over to the park and towards the Met. "Why didn't you answer last night mi Corazon?" "Carlos and I were working all evening, and I left my phone downstairs." I knew my explanation was tame.

"Alma – be careful. You know what you have, but not what you'll get – remember that." Mama exited the park and walked over to her apartment building.

Shit! of course, I knew what I had, a sweet, safe, and predictable marriage to my best friend, a big townhouse in Manhattan, two dogs, and boredom! I guess that from the outside, I seemed very privileged. I didn't feel that way myself.

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I left work a bit early to greet Mick and Stuart and help Rosa cook dinner. I entered my home – the dogs came running to meet and greet. They are so cute,  Airedales smile at you.

I heard voices from the kitchen were Mick and Stuart home already? I thought they would arrive around 4 pm – ohh shit; it was already 5 pm. The picture that met me in the kitchen was surreal, Carlos was cooking together with Rosa – Mick and Stuart were sitting at the kitchen island drinking wine, and they were all laughing.

"Am I disturbing? Are the dogs the only ones that are happy to see me" – I smirked.

"Ahh, Baby doll there you are"  Mick and Stuart got up and gave me a bear hug. "That boyfriend of yours is hot, Alma," Stuart whispered in my ear.

This situation was beyond awkward. Here I was in my kitchen with my husband, his boyfriend, my lover and my housekeeper.

"Mi Alma" – Carlos came over and kissed me. "We have been discussing you for ages; Mick has told so many funny stories of how wild you were as a child." Ohhh no. I looked sternly at Mick – he shook his shoulders and grinned innocently back at me.

"Excuse me for asking Carlos, but why are you already here? I thought you should come around seven?"  "Well", he explained, "when I was sure your mother had left in the morning, I went down to Rosa and had some coffee, then I took the dogs for a walk. When I came back, Mick and Stuart were already here, so I stayed."

"Did you stay at my house all day?" 

"No, I went over to the hotel and picked up my bags. Mick invited me to spend my last days in New York here. We will all be running in the park tomorrow morning at seven – care to join?" He sent me a devilish grin.

Now, wait a minute. My husband asked my lover to stay in a house that technically belongs to me – without even asking?? "I need a huge glass of wine"  Stuart got up and handed me a glass – "hurry up baby doll, we're already on the second bottle."

These three men never cease to amaze me. The four of us had a couple of days of fun before Carlos had to go to Geneva and pick up his sons. I had home office Thursday and Friday and spent the days with Carlos. I knew he was the love of my life; we just had to get a life. For now, he was good with our arrangement at the house; the only obstacle right now was my mum.

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