Pic: Gran Vía Madrid
* Music during reading (to feel better the atmosphere of this chapter I recommend this song in the background)
I walked out the revolving door of Four Seasons hoping that a short walk through the central streets of Madrid and its emblematic facades would inspire me to choose the best way to go forward and solve everything that was happening. The arrival of Sommer, which was supposed to have cleared things up for me and facilitated the development of a plan to save Alex, confused me even more. The information provided, or rather, not provided, by the Nordic on the clues to locate my fiancé disoriented me and made me rethink all possible explanations for this story; but this wasn’t the most important reason that was making my search more difficult, but Sommer’s gaze, which stunned me, making me forget that noble purpose.
‘‘Ava?!’’ A male voice called me while I was walking away from the hotel.
I turned around, saw a tall silhouette, and waited until he approached to me, thinking that I wanted to be by his side, but that desire scared me because I knew it was not the right thing to think. It was him, the man who made me feel lost, but thanks to who I was finding myself.
‘‘It was him, the man who made me feel lost, but thanks to who I was finding myself.’’
‘‘Where are you going?” Sommer asked me. I stared at the floor before our gazes could meet; I was still not ready for this, especially when we were so close that I could smell his perfume, which conveyed strength and masculinity through aromatic notes of dark rum, vanilla, dried fruit, patchouli and wood.
“Nowhere,” I replied. I said the truth, my path had no direction; I used to do it often when I didn’t know where life was taking me.
“… I used to do it often when I didn’t know where life was taking me.”
“Can I go with you?” His question surprised me, but I also liked it so much that I could not refuse him, although I intended to walk alone. If a person wants to start the path with you without even knowing the route, it is because he does not care where you are going as long as you walk together.
“If a person wants to start the path with you without even knowing the route, it’s because he doesn’t care where you are going as long as you are walking together.”
“Yes, of course,” I said, and continued walking with him along Alcala Street, towards Gran Via. “And Regina?” I asked to break the silence.
“She stayed with her sister in the hotel, they want to spend time together.”
“What a coincidence, don’t you think so?” I continued with a nervous smile, lifting my head to see Sommer, but immediately averted my eyes. “I mean that your girlfriend is my friend’s sister.”
“The world is much smaller than it seems, if you have to meet someone, you will meet him,” he replied, grinning as we crossed the street. “Regina looked after me after the accident, she was a nurse in the hospital where they took me when it all happened. Thanks to her, I restored my memory and discovered the lies of the people who surrounded me. I don’t want to go into details. She is a sincere and good girl, I haven’t met such people for a long time.”
«The world is much smaller than it seems, if you have to meet someone, you will meet him.»
“I see… you look good together,” I said, despite the fact that I was overcome by a kind of jealousy that I had no right to. “By the way, you didn’t tell me what the objects that I gave you mean: the watch and the key,” I changed the subject so as not to hear about his happy relationship with Regina.
“What do you think if we go for a coffee, and I’ll tell you everything in a more relaxed atmosphere?”
“Sure,” I replied, and we walked through the door of the historic Grassy building, located on the first number of Gran Vía.
The décor of “La Primera” had the perfect combination of minimalist style in solid colours and clean lines, with cosy wooden furniture and elegant upholstery in turquoise, greenish and grey tones. The cuisine of this restaurant transported to Santander, one of the most gourmet cities in Spain, but with a beautiful view of the heart of Madrid.
“Good evening, what would you like to order?” The waiter asked us kindly. In fact, I didn’t eat anything all day, the excitement didn’t allow me to do it, but, once in this environment, I could not help but taste some famous dishes of La Primera.
“What do you recommend?” I asked, feeling how Sommer was glad of the sudden appearance of my appetite.
“If you are here for the first time, then of course try the squid from Santander and the anchovies from Santoña, I would also recommend you the cod fritters. Everything is delicious.”
The waiter took the order, leaving us alone in front of each other.
“Well, tell me,” I said to the Nordic, watching as the drinks were brought to us, since any excuse was valid not to look him in the eye.
“Uh, where do I start… ” Michael sipped his wine and continued. “This summer, like the last week of June, I was in Switzerland with Alex. Once we went to choose a watch for me, and I bought this one,” he told me showing me the elegant Swiss watch that the police found in my house and that I gave him. “In the boutique, I became friends with the saleswoman … well, not really friends… you know what I mean. These numbers are her phone number,” he showed me the numbers written on the strap, “and the key is the key to my flat in Geneva,” he continued, placing it on the table. “I have not even met this Asian woman. In fact, she didn’t interest me, it was all because of a bet with Alex … He went on dates with her while we were in Switzerland … When I was in Madrid the last time, he told me that he still visits her. Since I left my watch in my house, and because I knew that Alex often visits Switzerland, I asked him to bring it to me, but due to various circumstances that you already know about, this has faded into the background.”
I stared at both things and looked up to see Sommer. Thoughts about everything that could connect my boyfriend with this Asian woman, who undoubtedly had to do with what was happening now, went away as soon as I saw that magnetic gaze, to which I was already addicted. It was the first time, I was close enough to see the colour of his eyes and smell again the perfume «Straight to Heaven» by Killian. They were the same colour and depth as the ocean, I knew that I could drown in them because every time I looked at them, I lost my breath.
“They were the same colour and depth as the ocean, I knew that I could drown in them because every time I looked at them, I lost my breath.”
“I need to go out for a minute,” I said, quickly getting up from the sofa and went out onto the already dark Gran Vía street, illuminated by the lights of the lanterns.
I stood in the middle of it, without my coat and without the slightest idea of what was going on. Watching people and cars driving down and up the avenue, I mentally saw them in slow motion and with no sound, when at one of these moments the person I least expected appeared: Alex was sitting in the back seat of a black Mercedes, laughing, safe and sound, as if nothing had happened.
*Due to the measures taken in relation to COVID-19, the schedule and access to some spaces may change.
TOPICS: ONLINE NOVEL – ROMANTIC NOVEL – ELEGANT RESTAURANT MADRID – CITY CENTER GOOD RESTAURANT MADRID – SPANISH FOOD RESTAURANT MADRID – LA PRIMERA GRAN VIA RESTAURANT – NICE RESTAURANT DOWNTOWN MADRID
TINA KEVICH 