The Young and the Beautiful

Chapter 21

In summer 1951 she invited me to her museum's event that hosted Madrid's most fashionable and artistic people. Just a few months after her miscarriage, I was glad to see her being her normal self again. She was back to her old self.

She was wearing a big light pink and white dress, and a diamond necklace that her jeweler friend lent her. Her almost black hair was styled with big curls and was permed, that made her look like a Hollywood star.

She smelled of Chanel Number 5 which blended well with her body chemistry. I saw her bright red lips smiled from ear to ear when she saw me downstairs waiting for her. I got her a bunch of white and pink peonies that I was hiding behind my back and gave it to her when she was on the last step of the stairs as if it's our prom night. I can't explain it but whenever we go out she makes me feel like it's our first date again in a mass screening by the field watching The Wizard of Oz on the last days of war. I still feel all the butterflies in my stomach after all these years.

I was wearing a new suit that I ordered from my tailor Manuel just for this event. It was a dark gray suit paired with a navy and maroon striped tie and a brown pocket square. I was wearing a cognac colored Oxfords too. I wore the Cartier watch that she gave me for our wedding day and checked that we were just in time. I looked at a mirror and saw that my side part quaff made me look like a college boy.

I wasn't expecting this to happen but there were tons of magazine photographers on the red carpet taking everyone's pictures. She draped on a white faux fur boa over her arms and shoulders. I went down and offered her my hand. The crowd cheered when she went down our car and the photographers started taking pictures of her and then us together. Reporters interviewed her and asked who made her dress.

"Beautiful in pink! Here comes Manila Ambassador and Mrs. Camila Fàbregas! Hello there!" A reporter said as we approached her. Camila was holding on to my arm as we walked in the red carpet.

"My dress was made by Christian Dior." She said. The reporter asked her to twirl and model her dress. She did so beautifully while my heart fell on the floor as I melt into the background. Why does she always make my heart like this. I don't know if the camera caught my reaction.

"Ambassador and Mrs. Fàbregas. It's nice to have you tonight. It's very lovely to represent your country tonight as we will be looking at famous art works done by Filipino artists." A TV reporter said to us.

"Yes we will. As a matter of fact, we have two important pieces that will be on auction tonight and a piece of rare rock from a royal family that wasn't seen in ages." She replied.

"What about you Ambassador? What can you say about tonight?" She asked.

"I have to say that it's good to showcase Filipino art to the world, and I would like to thank my wife for that." I replied. Then I flashed a look over Camila. She asked me what more can I say.

"I think I have nothing else to say, aside from my wife looks so stunning tonight." I replied. The reporter blushed when she heard what I said.

"Alright, that was Ambassador and Mrs. Fàbregas. Probably our sweetest couple of the night." The reporter said. As she finishes our coverage and then we went inside.

She was called on the stage to deliver a short speech about the night's purpose. She mentioned a story about one of the paintings on display tonight. The crowd was excited and wanted to have the piece more after they knew the story. It was an impressionist painting called "La café vida" which was about a woman in a café. She presented a very shiny blue rare sapphire that was last seen in the mid 1850's. People were mesmerized by how shiny and beautiful the pendant was. It was later sold to a museum in New York.

The audience were very enthusiastic during the auction of artworks but they became excited when they saw the highlight painting of the evening which was "La café vida" still in its original frame and was painted during the late 1890's by a famous Filipino artist.

The painting was sold for $100,000 to a private collector in Barcelona. It made me sad that this valuable painting should be displayed and appreciated by the Filipinos in the Philippines. But the government sold it among the others to raise funds for the restoration of Manila.

"Thank you our always charming Camila Rodriguez de Fàbregas." The event host said as Camila went down from the stage and sat by my side again.

"Well done mi corazon." I said as I stood up and helped her settle in her seat.

We were sharing a table with Richard and his beautiful wife named Amelie who was a famous French actress in our time. I may have seen one or two of her movies. Richard invited us to visit his country home before summer ends. Camila and I agreed.

A Spanish aristocrat invited us to go to his after party. But he was rumored to be a coke head among Camila's friends. So we just dropped by for a while and drank champagne but left right after they started snorting things up. It's not our thing. Alcohol is enough for us to have fun. Perhaps too much fun, as we went home and woke up the next day with our room in a mess after last night. I woke up that morning and saw her hand stroking my hair. I knew she can't resist me. I don't want this to end. That feeling of her soft hands running over my scalp then hair feels so good. I moved and buried my head by her side as she continued doing it.

Not long after the event, we saw ourselves featured in a fashion magazine. Camila was so happy to see herself as the best dressed woman of the night and we're labelled as the power couple of the night. She said that she will send the photos to her editor friends in Manila to have us featured in the Sunday Lifestyle section. I've never seen her this happy and full of excitement since we lost Cristian. 

Note: 

Sorry if it took a long time for me to publish a new chapter of the story. Please don't forget to vote and comment on my story. Looking forward to hear your thoughts about it. 

~Luis