Page 24 of Distrustful
Chapter 12
Maria drums her fingers on the steering wheel while waiting for the traffic light to turn green. Every few seconds, she glances at the passenger seat, where the folder containing the documents she needs Trinidad to sign in person rests.
A week has passed since their encounter at the club the other night and since then, they've only exchanged emails and calls regarding the building purchase in England. However, now she's going to see her, and tomorrow too because they'll fly again to formalize the purchase and hand over the keys, and Maria feels a strange tingle through her body whenever she thinks about it, because she keeps imagining a thousand different situations that could happen when she faces Trinidad again, and they all stir her up.
In her mind, she has rehearsed her own reaction, which must be as cold as the businesswoman's. Maria wants to make it clear that those two satisfying and strange encounters they've had mean nothing to her and,of course, not let it show that she's dying to repeat them, because, deep down, Maria is starting to feel a little scared about what Trinidad begins to awaken in her, especially considering that the businesswoman remains a complete enigma to her.
The traffic light changes to green just as her phone screen lights up and Ursula's name appears on it.
"Tell me," she says after activating the steering wheel's hands-free.
"I need you to pick up Lili," her friend blurts out and she fixes her gaze on the dashboard clock, checking that there are few minutes left before the child gets out of school.
"Me?" she asks stupidly.
"Yes, Maria. Mildred and I are stuck in traffic because of an accident on the highway, and we won't make it in time."
"But I have to take these papers to Trinidad before tomorrow, can't her grandmother pick her up?"
"Her grandmother is in yoga class and isn't answering her phone."
"And what do I do with Lili? I have to take this to Trinidad," she repeats again.
"Then take her with you, Maria, she's a child, not a piece of trash."
Maria, amazed, hears Mildred's laugh through the device.
"Fine, I get it," she responds with a snort, "okay, I'll turn around and go get her. I'll bring her home when I'mdone, but this costs you one of those Asian dinners you make sometimes."
Now it's Ursula who laughs.
"Alright, we'll stop by the store to buy some things. See you at home, thanks, Maria."
Maria hangs up and searches the navigator for Lili's school location, which she already has saved because it's not the first time she's had to pick her up. Half an hour later, she crosses the door of Trinidad's building with the child by her hand.
"Wow, how big!" Lili exclaims looking in all directions.
"Yes, it's very cool," she responds sardonically, while watching how the child spins around, impressed, "you can tell your teacher to bring you on a field trip, I'm sure Trinidad would be delighted," she says with a mischievous grimace.
"Who's Trinidad?" Lili asks when the elevator doors open.
Maria hesitates when she looks at the child, who watches her with that characteristic curiosity of hers. She has always admired Ursula for the patience she has to answer all the questions that shoot out of that tiny mouth and adapt the answers so Lili can understand them, she's not sure she can do it.
"The woman we're going to see, she works with Ursula."
"And with you," Lili adds logically, looking at her intently.
"Yes, with me too," Maria responds while wondering when the child will stop being so curious and why she has to be so perceptive.
They finally reach the anteroom of the engineer's office and Adrian receives them, standing up with a smile to greet them.
"I wasn't expecting you, Mrs. Molina," he says and tilts his head with an amused smile toward the child.
"Sorry, I need Trinidad to sign this before tomorrow and I came directly."
"No problem, she's in a meeting now, but I don't think she'll be long. And you are?" Adrian asks without stopping smiling at the child.
"My name is Lili," she responds and extends her hand like an adult.
